First impressions and .....

[rkj2002]

Was the stator still plugged into the R/R, if so you need to check the stator voltage with it unplugged from the R/R otherwise the regulator will ground out excess voltage and give false readings.

Play carefully around AC (stator output), it's just as dangerous as the AC in your house.

No, both tests; ohm and AC were done with the plug off the rr. And both were done at the stator pigtail and the rr plug.

I also did both checks with a ground (jumper wire) from the ground on the rr connector plug to the negative battery terminal and without it; it did not make any difference in the readings.

Thanks Killer

 

[noobie]

The new bike (1985 GS700e) came a few days ago and although my first ride was cut short because of charging issues, I got a decent feel for the machine. It feels quite a bit heavier than the Honda 650sc I've been riding for the last three years, the Suzuki is fifty pounds more bike but feels lighter on the road but also feels more of a serious road machine, the extra weight feels right and a little less likely to pushed around by wind currents and truck back drafts. It does handle beautifully and is very light on its feet

And last, the exhaust system; its too loud- any other bikes have the same pipe (1983 GS700e/es)? and does anyone have any suggestions for a quiet street pipe- The folks at Bassani are looking for something but I have no idea what their pipes sound like.

Welcome!

Personally, if the PO didn't warn you about the bike having problems with charging I would've taken it back and demanded my money back. Unless the GS was your deepest wish of course. With something we've long wanted we take into account things like this too.

As a fellow Nighthawk rider I fully understand what you mean with this new bike not feeling so light. I love the NH, but sometimes it's a real pita to ride it because truck backdraft and especially the winds at speeds over 50 mph. High speeds on it? Forget it!

Considering how lightweight the NH feels everything else feels heavy. It's an interesting fact that my previous Virago 500 was 30 kg lighter, but felt much heavier than the Nighthawk. The NH are perfectly balanced.

It's also a pretty small bike, when I'm breaking and doing a sharp corner I feel like my knees are on the sides of the headlight And the tail is a bit too short IMHO. But it's a city bike, made for practicality and commuting in the city which it does beautifully. It handles superbly and you can weave in and out of traffic as much as your heart desires.

Great acceleration too... it was the fastest 650 of it's time and could keep up with 750cc bikes as well. It supposedly has 4,6 sec from 0-60 mph...

There's also the low fuel consumption... Yesterday when I was filling up the tank I calculated the consumption of around 3,8 l/100 km (or 61 mpg), a rarity on a bike of this displacement and power (well except for BMWs). And that at 75HP and 650 cc...

It's a fantastic bike. Light, but powerful and cheap to run.

And yeah, the NH are VERY quiet bikes. Personally too quiet in my taste. They've got a lovely sound but if it would be just a little louder it would've been perfect. It has the sound of a sportsbike, it's just missing the growly, bass undertone.

Do you still have it or did you sell it?

 

[rkj2002]

Are you sure the VAC readings on your meter are correct? What the voltage fluctuating that much at a set RPM? Try reading an outlet and see if the meter is good.

No, the readings were very steady and both at the bullet connectors and the rr plug read the same and constant, a gentle rev up saw increasing readings but all seemed low, very low. I did not (today) plug my meter into a wall socket but will after dinner, see's calling now!

Thanks reddirtrider (what do you ride, in the dirt?)

 

[rkj2002]

Stator wires are all interchangeable, it doesn't matter which ones go to which lead from the RR.

I like RM stators. You need the RMG020.

http://www.rmstator.com/en/motorcycles/suzuki/gs_700_e/all_categories.htm

Hey Griffin

I just plugged my meter into the wall and it reads 119+ so I think that proves out.

If the RM stators are the3 ones you like then that's what I'm going with. Do you have a choice in rr's (if I'm spending the money anyway a few extra bucks is fine with me) for the best running unit?

I figured out why my bike is a little on the loud side; the po drilled extra holes inbetween the six or eight originals, they're a touch smaller then the originals but I'll figure out a way to plug them if I can.

Thanks for the stator wire info, I'm getting closer

On the rr there are three stator wires and one ground, what is the last one? consant hot or keyed?

Rick

 

[rkj2002]

Welcome!

Personally, if the PO didn't warn you about the bike having problems with charging I would've taken it back and demanded my money back. Unless the GS was your deepest wish of course. With something we've long wanted we take into account things like this too.

XXXXX Well, enthusiasts pay more for their iron usually anyway!, and the things I really wanted are there; its such a quiet running machine (outside of the drilled out mufflers) with a ever so slight valve tick, love it. Tight and very strong and handles like a dream, idles like a pussy cat even as can be and revs brightly. Is this motor a roller bearing crankshaft? Runs like one!



As a fellow Nighthawk rider I fully understand what you mean with this new bike not feeling so light. I love the NH, but sometimes it's a real pita to ride it because truck backdraft and especially the winds at speeds over 50 mph. High speeds on it? Forget it!

XXX Its almost worth it though, I'm a small old guy, I like the weight of the hawk and for a bigger front wheel bike she handles surprisingly well with good tires (I'm using brigestones battlax BT45, I think)

Considering how lightweight the NH feels everything else feels heavy. It's an interesting fact that my previous Virago 500 was 30 kg lighter, but felt much heavier than the Nighthawk. The NH are perfectly balanced.

XXX Sure seems so. I've done a lot of personalizing to mine but other then handlebars and seat and a small Riffle fairing its basically a stock bike. 85's had the bigger cabs and the better stator/rr also.

It's also a pretty small bike, when I'm breaking and doing a sharp corner I feel like my knees are on the sides of the headlight And the tail is a bit too short IMHO. But it's a city bike, made for practicality and commuting in the city which it does beautifully. It handles superbly and you can weave in and out of traffic as much as your heart desires.

Great acceleration too... it was the fastest 650 of it's time and could keep up with 750cc bikes as well. It supposedly has 4,6 sec from 0-60 mph...

There's also the low fuel consumption... Yesterday when I was filling up the tank I calculated the consumption of around 3,8 l/100 km (or 61 mpg), a rarity on a bike of this displacement and power (well except for BMWs). And that at 75HP and 650 cc...

XXX 63 ponies I think (could be wrong) but plenty fast, feels like it has a blower when you hit five-six grand, quick little puppy


It's a fantastic bike. Light, but powerful and cheap to run.

And yeah, the NH are VERY quiet bikes. Personally too quiet in my taste. They've got a lovely sound but if it would be just a little louder it would've been perfect. It has the sound of a sportsbike, it's just missing the growly, bass undertone.

Do you still have it or did you sell it?

Yes, I agree, and I love the quietness of it, the deer just look up as you go by!. No, I'll never sell it; its one of those machines you never want to be without. eventually my plan is (when I get the Suzuki running) to replace the cam chain and the tensioner and check a few things. I did a ton of work this last winter and the bike sings beautiful now, but having two road bikes is something I've dreamed about for a long time I think I picked another good one.

Cheers, Rick

 

[Griffin]

Hey Griffin

I just plugged my meter into the wall and it reads 119+ so I think that proves out.

If the RM stators are the3 ones you like then that's what I'm going with. Do you have a choice in rr's (if I'm spending the money anyway a few extra bucks is fine with me) for the best running unit?

I figured out why my bike is a little on the loud side; the po drilled extra holes inbetween the six or eight originals, they're a touch smaller then the originals but I'll figure out a way to plug them if I can.

Thanks for the stator wire info, I'm getting closer

On the rr there are three stator wires and one ground, what is the last one? consant hot or keyed?

Rick

The red one is the constant hot wire form the harness.

I knew something was up with a loud stock exhaust. Someone tried to make a "performance" exhaust out of it.

For the regulator, send a private message to Duanage on this forum and see if he has any of his tested-good Honda units in stock. They are the style I like that have the sense wire, and he sells them for considerably less $$ than a new one.

 

[rkj2002]

The red one is the constant hot wire form the harness.

I knew something was up with a loud stock exhaust. Someone tried to make a "performance" exhaust out of it.

For the regulator, send a private message to Duanage on this forum and see if he has any of his tested-good Honda units in stock. They are the style I like that have the sense wire, and he sells them for considerably less $$ than a new one.

Yeah, I should have looked there first. I should be able to heal them though.

I'd feel better buying a new one, some of the guys use a cbr rr and some use a larger GS model. What kind should I get Griffin, what year, make and model.

 

[reddirtrider]

No, the readings were very steady and both at the bullet connectors and the rr plug read the same and constant, a gentle rev up saw increasing readings but all seemed low, very low. I did not (today) plug my meter into a wall socket but will after dinner, see's calling now!

Thanks reddirtrider (what do you ride, in the dirt?)

A 2001 XR650R and a 2002 CR250. To tell you the truth, I use the CR as a buddy bike most of the time. The XR is pretty big for the mountain trails I ride, but once you get used to it it's a lot of fun. Oh, and the XR has been modified quite a bit. You need to uncork them as Honda installed restrictors in the stock intakes (new intake maniford and a full header system to let them rip. Suspension is set for my weight and riding style (it's a bit stiff now and I'm going to go into the forks again). Other mods are pegs, bars, brush guards - typical stuff.

As for the R/R I purchased one from Duanage and it works great.

 

[Griffin]

Yeah, I should have looked there first. I should be able to heal them though.

I'd feel better buying a new one, some of the guys use a cbr rr and some use a larger GS model. What kind should I get Griffin, what year, make and model.

I have one of these on my 1000G, and it's working great:

http://street.parts-unlimited.com/4/143/7870519

Part number 2112-0045 (it's the fourth one from the top in the side picture)

The catalog lists it for use on GS550s and the older ('80-'82) GS750 models, but it will fit and work great for the 700 as well. It's a lot beefier than the flimsy little one that is stock on that model.

 

[rkj2002]

I have one of these on my 1000G, and it's working great:

http://street.parts-unlimited.com/4/143/7870519

Part number 2112-0045 (it's the fourth one from the top in the side picture)

The catalog lists it for use on GS550s and the older ('80-'82) GS750 models, but it will fit and work great for the 700 as well. It's a lot beefier than the flimsy little one that is stock on that model.

That looks great, does it have the same amount of wires? I should ground right to the battery, yes?, and then one trigger wire and three stator wires. Should I hard wire everything, you did, right?

Thank you

 

[Griffin]

That looks great, does it have the same amount of wires? I should ground right to the battery, yes?, and then one trigger wire and three stator wires. Should I hard wire everything, you did, right?

Thank you

The wires are the same. Solder an extension wire onto the ground, and solder an eye loop on the end that's big enough to fit onto the battery's negative terminal bolt. I clip the bullet connectors off the rr wires, and then solder on spade-type female connectors (you can get them at Ace Hardware, among other places). I solder male spades onto the stator wires. They are protected with plastic over the metal parts, and I use heat shrink wrap over the soldered joint where the wire feeds into the connector for true water-tightness.

I like to use the spade connectors because they work well, yet still allow access to the wiring for easy troubleshooting.


If all goes well, replacing the stator and rr is a good afternoon's work. Make sure you have a new stator cover gasket before you start, an impact driver to remove the bolts that hold the stator inside the cover, and some blue loctite for stator bolt reinstallation. If you choose to go the spade connector route, don't solder the connectors onto the stator wires until you feed the wires through the little rubber wire guide that goes in the stator cover. You'll know what I'm talking about once you get the cover off.

Good luck.

 

[rkj2002]

The wires are the same. Solder an extension wire onto the ground, and solder an eye loop on the end that's big enough to fit onto the battery's negative terminal bolt. I clip the bullet connectors off the rr wires, and then solder on spade-type female connectors (you can get them at Ace Hardware, among other places). I solder male spades onto the stator wires. They are protected with plastic over the metal parts, and I use heat shrink wrap over the soldered joint where the wire feeds into the connector for true water-tightness.

I like to use the spade connectors because they work well, yet still allow access to the wiring for easy troubleshooting.


If all goes well, replacing the stator and rr is a good afternoon's work. Make sure you have a new stator cover gasket before you start, an impact driver to remove the bolts that hold the stator inside the cover, and some blue loctite for stator bolt reinstallation. If you choose to go the spade connector route, don't solder the connectors onto the stator wires until you feed the wires through the little rubber wire guide that goes in the stator cover. You'll know what I'm talking about once you get the cover off.

Good luck.

Thank you so much for totally hooking me up (and everybody), I'll report back.... Rick :clap: