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GS550L - Hardtail, or keep it soft?

  • Thread starter Thread starter EvMac
  • Start date Start date
E

EvMac

Guest
Hey all,

I got a GS550L a few months back. Love the bike, love the ride. It's a little high for me though, and I'd like to either lower it a bit, or commit to turning it into a makeshift hard tail with steel bars in place of the rear struts (and lowering the forks, too). Also, getting rid of the stock (huge, tiered) seat, and add a bobber pan with springs.

The bike is pretty stock, right now. I've seen some mean looking GS's out there, and honestly, that's kinda what I'm going for. I know the transition will make the handling worse, the ride less comfortable, yada-yada... Is riding a hard tail really that much different/bad?

Thoughts?

Thanks a million guys!

Evan

IMG_20141019_172813.jpgP.S. I live in the mitten, where the roads are junk, Lol
 
Your PS says it all. If you treasure your back keep the suspension and seek a way to lower it a bit. Many have good results trimming the seat foam at the sides, giving their legs a straighter shot at the ground.
 
That's a VERY clean looking 550L. You are probably going to hear a lot of either "Do what you like, it's your bike" or "What? Are you crazy? Don't destroy a nice bike like that" reactions. No matter what you do, I wouldn't go hard tail. It really does screw up the ride and a major PITA (literally) on bad roads.

Good luck and post pictures. It may not be my style bike but it gives us something to see.
 
I guess I'm in the "sell that one to someone looking for a clean stock one, and buy a rattier one to mod." camp. But it is your bike and your money. :)

Definitely try to get a ride on someone else's hardtail before committing to that path, I think you'll get off it going, "Oh HELL no." :)
 
Your bike, your choice, but my 2 cents - don't go hard tail, that's one clean L and hard tails, even with spring seats are rough on the back side. Unless it's an old school original hard tail, I don't personally like the look.

I'd lower it, and cut down the seat foam, getting rid of that silly stepped seat or even consider customer rear sets and pedals, but that's me.
 
GS1150Pilot said:
Hardtails are for soft brains.
Click to expand...

This^^^

Buy a nice clean GS. Hack it up with a hard tail. Nice to ride bike is not nice to ride anymore. Slap it on craigslist and pass it off at a loss. Bike is in the scrap heap within the year. :(
 
JTGS850GL said:
That's a VERY clean looking 550L. You are probably going to hear a lot of either "Do what you like, it's your bike" or "What? Are you crazy? Don't destroy a nice bike like that" reactions. No matter what you do, I wouldn't go hard tail. It really does screw up the ride and a major PITA (literally) on bad roads.

Good luck and post pictures. It may not be my style bike but it gives us something to see.
Click to expand...


I've been hearing a lot of that! Lol. Seems like the consensus is to keep it soft. Is it possible to replace the springs in the rear for a lower ride? I also want to ditch the seat for something solo/lower.

Thanks guys!
 
If you choose a hardtail and bobber mods also plan on a few more things:

1. Cut your rides shorter
2. Choose only smoother roads
3. Extra usage of Advil
4. Negating any thoughts of the advantages of having a rear suspension in the twisties
5. Reduce your resale value by maybe 40%

It's your bike, so it's your mistake if you want to do it.

PS...I had a Triumph hardtail in my youth and look back wondering how I let style overshadow common sense.
 
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Nessism said:
This^^^

Buy a nice clean GS. Hack it up with a hard tail. Nice to ride bike is not nice to ride anymore. Slap it on craigslist and pass it off at a loss. Bike is in the scrap heap within the year. :(
Click to expand...

I was waiting for this kind of answer. Yeesh.

"Keepin' it soft, boss."
 
Well as another old curmudgeon I will also strongly recommend you do not hard tail that little beauty. Having experienced a serious and long lasting sciatic injury from sitting on a board hard "street tracker" seat I built I would only think a hard tail would be much worse and probably more dangerous.

Riding is meant to be a pleasant and relaxing activity not a ticket to permanent injury, such as can be brought on by that kind of "mod".

As suggested, you can gain some leg length by having the seat shaved or perhaps even by putting on shorter shocks. Going this route would be the better way to solve your issue while not opening up the potential for injury or ruining an otherwise decent ride.

But as also mentioned, it is your ride.
 
Hard to see on your bike but you can usually pull the fork tubes up in the triple clamps to lower the bike a bit.
 
All the trouble that vehicle manufacturers go to put suspension on in order to make their products safe, preserve the lives of their occupants, the machines, plus parts from wearing out, isn't it strange that manufacturers haven't spied a gap in the market, saved themselves a pile of cash and made a fortune filling it by producing suspension less vehicles.
Makes one want to weep that there are makers and designers devoting their lives to build aftermarket items like springs that can be bought to fill any requirement, loading, terrain, speed and comfort, bearings, shock absorbers able to be tuned to suit almost every variable required real, or imagined.
Makes anyone wonder why John Dunlop ever even bothered.

Not really aimed at anyone just seen this sort of question a few times.

That is a very nice bike by the way. :)
 
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The bike can be lowered a bit by sliding the fork tubes up in the clamps a bit, and you can get lower shocks for the rear.

Just did that for my wife's bike and lowered the bike about 1.5 inches at the seat.

Highly-recommended that you replace the fork springs to control wheel movement properly. Fork springs are made by Sonic and Progressive. The owner of Sonic is a member here (Rich Desmond). The best price on Progressive springs is at Z1 Enterprises, two of the owners of that fine establishment are also members here. Rear shocks come in many 'flavors', one of the better, and affordable, options is Hagon. Call Dave Quinn, he will guide you through the choices to get what you need.

.
 
hardtail that muther!
your ignitor will love it......:D

well crap!
i thought you had an 83-86 model.
leave it stock then :o
 
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GS1150Pilot said:
You're hearing from the gurus there. That's the point of joining and asking questions, no?
Click to expand...

Absolutely! A friend of mine recommended this forum, for reasons of "These guys on here are the best". I respect all your input, and appreciate it. I'm relatively new to this whole game, and maybe I'm just dreaming big by wanting to chop this thing apart. Thanks for bringing me down to earth fella's!

I think I'll perform a seat adjustment, and look into some smaller shocks in back, while lowering the front a bit. I really do dig the ride and feel of this bike. (Reevaluating my choices a bit) It'd be a shame to screw it up, and regret it later.

Again, thank you all for your time.

Evan
 
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