My 1981 GS650G Thread

[Macguyver]

Mac,

did you ever go through with this for Rein? I'm pulling my hair out trying to source a new choke cable, and I just thought of your solution.

How're things with the bike rehab? Getting time to work on it?

Derrick

I had a price quote done up from the guys across the street. They were completely out to lunch on their price. For 5 pieces cut, they wanted $100!!! And that was with me supplying the steel!

Methinks they are nutsy cookoo.

There was no more progress on it after that.

If you want, I could do up a couple sets when I can make the time. I am a little busy right now getting my new store up and running, but after it's going I should be able to find the time.

As far as the bike rehab goes, it's not.

I pulled her all apart, checked everything over, reassembled with new gaskets, and she's clacking like a madman in the valve area. I am guessing that even though the valve springs measured within service limit, they are deficient in the force department. I don't have a scale, so I couldn't check the force required to compress them.

So I am bike-less at the moment.
I need new valve springs, and two new gaskets, then I should be good to go, but everything I have and then some is tied up in opening the store, so the bike has to wait until some money starts coming in.

Let me know if you need a choke relocator, or if you just need some close up pics so you can fab one up.

Cheers,

 

[AF_Bill]

Hey Mac, sorry to hear about your bike (Broken 2 maybe lol). What gaskets do ya need? I've got a full engine gasket kit and I might not be using all of them. I'd be more than happy to help ya out. Let me know.

 

[Macguyver]

Hey Mac, sorry to hear about your bike (Broken 2 maybe lol). What gaskets do ya need? I've got a full engine gasket kit and I might not be using all of them. I'd be more than happy to help ya out. Let me know.

Broken 2, hehe, no doubt.

It looks like I should be able to reuse the gaskets I thought I needed to replace, so as soon as I can get in a set of valve springs, I should be good to go.

Now it's a matter of time, waiting to make some coin so I can order in new springs sets.

Thanks for the offer buddy.

Cheers,

 

[BigD_83]

I had a price quote done up from the guys across the street. They were completely out to lunch on their price. For 5 pieces cut, they wanted $100!!! And that was with me supplying the steel!

Methinks they are nutsy cookoo.

There was no more progress on it after that.

If you want, I could do up a couple sets when I can make the time. I am a little busy right now getting my new store up and running, but after it's going I should be able to find the time.

As far as the bike rehab goes, it's not.

I pulled her all apart, checked everything over, reassembled with new gaskets, and she's clacking like a madman in the valve area. I am guessing that even though the valve springs measured within service limit, they are deficient in the force department. I don't have a scale, so I couldn't check the force required to compress them.

So I am bike-less at the moment.
I need new valve springs, and two new gaskets, then I should be good to go, but everything I have and then some is tied up in opening the store, so the bike has to wait until some money starts coming in.

Let me know if you need a choke relocator, or if you just need some close up pics so you can fab one up.

Cheers,

Hey Mac,

Sounds like you're in "good-busy" mode with the new business. I'll hit you up another time for the fab-work if you have the time, but a few closeups to see how you've done it would be helpful. No hurry on that, though, as I have plenty of other projects to keep me busy.

 

[Guest]

Hey Mac, long time no update! How's things with the new shop coming? Any more progress on the bike? Would be good to hear from you

 

[BigD_83]

Come on Mac. How are things back there in Bruce County?

Starting to think you've given up on all things motorcycle.

 

[Macgyver]

I'm back!

I'm back!

Hey Guys, Mac here.
I apparently can't get my old username back, so I grabbed this one.

Sorry for not posting lately, I have been kept pretty busy lately. Between the store, moving, and life, I am lucky to have any time left for stuff I want to do.

I haven't made any progress on getting my 650 running again after it dumped all of the oil on the highway, I think I may have some issues with the wrist pins on the pistons.
I did a top end rebuild, yet forgot to check the wrist pins while in there. So it is still running lumpy. I am planning on tearing it open again once the weather allows me to work on it while not freezing my fingers off.

I did however add another GS to the stable (can you call it a stable if there are only 2?).
It is a 1983 GS550ES, so that's a good thing. Here's a pic.

I am still riding, even in the dead of winter, some days are more interesting than most.

I will be posting more now that I have a bit of time for myself, so look forward to having more posts from this crazy canuck.

 

[Guest]

Welcome back Mac! Glad to see you posting again and good to see you're going well if not far too busy

 

[Charlie G]

I wondered where you went? I almost went to Port Elgin last summer for a vacation and thought of you. Very nice 550! I believe that it's the faster color scheme. Welcome back.

cg

 

[BigD_83]

Welcome back, Mac!

I seem to recall that 550 from a Kijiji posting a while back. Watched a buddy nearly highside himself off of one of those (same colour, IIRC) back in the day, 15 meters in front of me on an on-ramp near Montreal. Spirited little rides.

Would Frank be able to reinstate your username?

 

[BigD_83]

I forgot to tell you, I picked up an '83 myself last summer, so our garages are looking pretty similar these days.

How is the 550/600 swingarm swap going?

 

[Macgyver]

Greetings everyone.

Greetings everyone.

Hey guys,
Sorry it has taken me so long to get back on here. Been lurking a bit, but still busy.
I haven't decided which way to jump on the swingarm swap, so I just tore the bike down and gave her a full frame and parts paint/cleaning, electrical rewiring, and engine swap over the winter.

I lost 3rd gear in the fall, likely shifter drum me thinks. I had a complete engine from a 550 ef parts bike I purchased last summer, so I gave her a good look over, compression check, etc. and popped her in when I was rebuilding the bike after the tear down and paint with very nice results.

I am getting some awfully odd looks from people, even a few facebook posts from the locals about the crazy guy riding so early in the season. How soon they forget I am the only one around who rides all year round in these parts.

Here is a new pic taken today for the pic hungry out there.
I will be around, and I will catch you guys later.

 

[BigD_83]

Sticking with the military olive drab is always a wise choice, Mac.

Good to see you're keeping the rubber side down.

 

[Charlie G]

Glad to see you and your bike are still kickin.

cg

 

[Macgyver]

Greetings guys,

So, wanna hear a tale of woe and personal misery???

As some of you may know, I had a gasket let go in the 650, and have had no luck in resurrecting her.
She starts right up with barely a flick of the starter button everytime, but has a god awful clunk noise in the transmission which sounds to me like the same thing William Groebe is going through with his bike.

Anywho, the point of this post is to find out if anyone knows if a 1979/1980 850 G engine would fit in the 1981 650 G frame?

I have searched, and can't find a definitive answer.

I would love to find a 650 trans and put the already rebuilt top end on to it, but there is a definite lack of G model 650 parts in this area, but I can get an 850 engine for $100.

Anyone know for sure?

 

[BigD_83]

I do not know the answer, but I do know the mounting bolts -crankcase to frame- are very different, so there is likely some more width to the 850 bottom end

 

[Charlie G]

I have an extra 650 but I want to hang onto the it for now. You might want to go to someplace like Alpha (online)and cross reference the transmission parts to see if they are used in any other bike. You may get lucky and find a 550 of something uses the same parts you need.

 

[Macgyver]

Thanks for the quick replies guys!
BigD! Charlie! Haven't talked in ages, how's things going guys?

Well BigD, I was hoping the 850 would shoe horn in, but I guess not. Drats.

Well Charlie, it appears that the 650 is kinda in a class all it's own when it comes to parts interchange since it is the biggest of the small block engines. Good idea though.

I don't need the 650 right now since I am riding the 550, maybe I will wait until I can find a donor trans. I would hate to not use the top end I have since I rebuilt it with everything as racey as I could get my grubby hands on.

Oh well, I was hoping to get the 650 going before winter when the garage gets too cold to work in.

 

[gbeckhart]

Hey Macgyver,

Sorry to contact you this way. I saw some photos of the way you rerouted the choke cable on a GS650G. When I entered this forum I can read all you did but no photos. Don't know why. Is there a place where you have posted your photos? What did you use to make the bracket attached to the carbs? The few pics I found on google are great!
Thanks

 

[Macgyver]

Greetings gbeckhart!
You should be able to see the photos, they are still there when I look at the thread...odd.

Anywho, if I remember correctly, I used a bit of the bracket which held the original choke cable and a piece of the bracket which came with the new knob. I welded them together and cleaned it up with a grinder, then primed and painted.

I suppose a large inner diameter washer and some steel ground down to fit around the curve of the top cap would do.
I did look into getting a bunch cnc cut from steel sheet, but they were completely out to lunch with the cost.

If you would like, I may be able to do up a template for you so you could make one out of a piece of flat steel. There would be some large bore drilling involved, and relatively precise work involved though.

Cheers,
Mac