• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

81 gs550 highway speed?

  • Thread starter Thread starter 81gs550l
  • Start date Start date
One really dumb question what's the thing on the left side of the bike right below the seat it has a key hole
 
I don't know how much they changed the 550L from '80 to '81, but I just went out to my shop and snapped a picture of something that is on the RIGHT side, just under the seat. Is this it?
E414FC9F-6DF5-4A1F-8D7D-551C3645E31F_zpsqxtzl4ya.jpg


If that's it, that is the helmet lock.

.
 
ha ha I said it's a dumb question.

I removed the weathered saddle bags from the previous owner today and saw this little gem. I thought to myself do I just put the key in and see what happens? I quickly told myself don't F?!$ up one of the last few rides of the season by messing around.

Thanks again no more walking around like an ass carrying my helmet.
 
Steve said:
Each bike is a little bit different, but you might have some small tuning issue that is preventing full power at redline.

Even so, there is no need to worry about "highway speeds for 45 minutes" as you stated in your first post. :encouragement:

.
Click to expand...

35-year-old mechanical tachometers are also of somewhat dubious accuracy.
 
81gs550l said:
Is there a special tool to adjust the rear suspension?
Click to expand...
Yes, there is, but you can do without...seems easier if you put the bike on theCentre stand. You can oil a little where they turn and tap them in indents with a big punch to loosen corrosion a bit and then turn them by hand or pliers if need be but not so as to wreck finish..
 
i ride my 77 GS550 on the interstate all the time. i can't get the speedo needle over 95, but i also don't think it's very accurate or that i should be riding that fast anyway, so i don't really mind. my tach is also of questionable accuracy. replaced the cable this past spring after it broke, but it doesn't seem to be any more accurate now than it was before it broke. it's always bouncing +/- 1k, regardless of how steady the throttle is.
 
cb1ocker said:
i ride my 77 GS550 on the interstate all the time. i can't get the speedo needle over 95,
Click to expand...

Have you tried winding it all the way out past the redline in 4th, then in 5th, and then hitting 6th? Mine goes a LOT faster that way.
 
My GS450 can cruise happily at 70mph with the RPM at 6.5-7k for hours on end and I don't hesitate to do it.
I love passing huge Harleys with 1000cc+ engines on my little 450 when I'm not even trying to go fast.

I live in the city and definitely feel like that kind of riding (stop + go + lights) is far worse for the bike.
 
tkent02 said:
Have you tried winding it all the way out past the redline in 4th, then in 5th, and then hitting 6th? Mine goes a LOT faster that way.
Click to expand...

I end up winding it out pretty hard in every gear, but the needle never gets anywhere near the redline. I've always just assumed it's because the tach is so inaccurate. I've only ridden a handful of different bikes, and none of them another GS550, so I'm not entirely sure how it's supposed to sound when it's in the red, but the way it's screaming at the top of each gear makes me think it has got to be getting close if it's not there already, but I could be totally wrong on that.
 
A 550 should be golden! Man I ride my GS425 at 70-75 mph (speedo indicates 75/80) every day on my 24 mile commute and she sings pretty at 6-6.5k.
Never hesitate to run it up to 7.5k to pass some suckas at 85mph.

Gotta love that 6th gear...
 
tkent02 said:
No it's not. My 550s have all done that. They just love to wind out.
Click to expand...

Not questioning the 550, I was more thinking one of those jokes that goes


Officer: Why were you speeding?
Rider: Weird, must be something wrong with the throttle...

But with a slightly different delivery
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top