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gs550

  • Thread starter Thread starter wayne
  • Start date Start date
Yes they have 17`` wheels, 3 and 3.5`` wide ( Katana`s part ) and they change them to 3.5 and 4.5`` - old GSXR sizes + GSXR front end.

Adam M.
 
Hey wayne, I have had a 86 GS550ES for about the last 4 years. Excellent bike. And pretty impressive for a 15+ year old 550. I eventualy converted to an entire 90 GSXR front end and bodywork, including 750 low clipons. and twin jaradine slip ons for an 1100 katana.
definitely recomend a front end update, if for nothing else than the rubber available to 17 inchers not to mention better brakes. any modern 600 will kill you on the top, but they usualy get passed in the twisties. If you want any pics let me know.

Great bike and usualy a real value.
 
Oh yeah I forgot to mention watch out for the trans. If the bike has hi miles or was thrashed hard usualy this is where it will show up. especialy 2nd gear, under hard acceleration. :twisted:
 
I have owned my 85 GS550E (has the smaller 1/4 fairing) since 1985 (It was 3 months old with 1103 miles when I purchased it). It has been a fairly reliable scoot over the years. Mine has a Telefix fork brace, Telefix clip ons, and an aftermarket chin fairing (looks), but other than that she is stock.

The engine has never given me problems, and in 22,000 miles I have adjusted the valves 3 times (last time needing no change). I have replaced the starter once, the battery so many times I lost count, the rectifier with an electrex (which went bad in 18 months, grrr!), and if you don't winterize the carbs, you are asking for a whole heap of pain!

The carbs are really difficult to work on, and valve adjustment is just time consuming, but not hard. Tires are small and not easy to come by good ones, but the 16" front wheel only shows up in slow speed cornering (like a standing start, right turn in the city), once you get used to it, you will never notice it.

It still looks pretty cool, an gets compliments (except from the newer sport bike crowd who say...man its old!).

It is now my wifes bike for I upgraded to an 1985 FJ1100, but it served me very well over the years. If the price is reasonable...get it! I think reasonable would be $1000 or less, it looks really nice in the pictures.

Kenny
 
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