My 550 has 650 engine.. how do i tell the year?

Anonymous · Jul 29, 2004

I just noticed my engine says GS650 - and some numbers after it.. can i tell the year from this?

Thanks

TheBigRed · Jul 29, 2004

Re: My 550 has 650 engine.. how do i tell the year?

Somed00d said:
I just noticed my engine says GS650 - and some numbers after it.. can i tell the year from this?

Thanks

Hmm.. now I know it can be done. What year and model is your "550"?

I'm not sure, best bet is to find somewhere (good luck) that lists serial numbers of engines made during specific years. I've tried, but not suceeded.

Amos

HiSPL · Jul 29, 2004

Does this bike have a shaft drive or a chain? Some pictures would be a great help. Usually the model # and year of production is stamped on the head tube There is a sticker there with the same stuff but it usually rots away.

HTH,
-=Tim=-

TheBigRed · Jul 29, 2004

HiSPL said:
Does this bike have a shaft drive or a chain? Some pictures would be a great help. Usually the model # and year of production is stamped on the head tube There is a sticker there with the same stuff but it usually rots away.

HTH,
-=Tim=-

I see where you are headed with this Tim, however remember that they did make chain drive 650's for 2 years here in the US, the 1981 and 1982 GS650E was a chain drive. Also (though I very much doubt this is the case) there was the GR650 which was a 2 cylinder 650 engine.

Amos

Anonymous · Jul 29, 2004

engine

engine

the bike is a GS550MZ Katana. When i get home I will take some pics..

TheBigRed · Jul 29, 2004

Re: engine

Re: engine

Somed00d said:
the bike is a GS550MZ Katana. When i get home I will take some pics..

Ok, perhaps my idea wont' work then.

I've got a 1981 550T frame and may shortly have a spare 650 engine.. but the fame for the Kat is different..

Amos

first timer · Jul 29, 2004

how many speed is it, i have heard of people pulling 550 jugs and heads and swaping 650 jugs and head to get a 6 speed 650, hmmmmm....

you can also look at the front of the jugs on the left that will tell you the cc's and look at the steering head that will tell you the type of bike too it would say like gs650 or gs550. maybe someone just swaped 550 side panels on it.

-ryan

Anonymous · Jul 29, 2004

chain drive

chain drive

ok to answer a few q's. It is chain drive.. the head on the bike says 550 but the lower half of the engine says 650. Not sure on how many gears i believe it has 6. Electronic Igniton if that helps.. it has 4 CV carbs 4 cylinders.. I will get a better look after work.

Thanks for your input

first timer · Jul 29, 2004

this is the jugs, they have a cc number cast onto it on the lower left side of the jug

this is the head, i was not aware that the head had any numbers cast onto it.

this is the crank case there is a plate by #5 that has a number engraved into it there gsxxxx -xxxx

hope this helps, try to go through all the gears, 550's have 6 gears 650's only 5 gears. i think a 650 kat model or the m model was shaft driven, if so then this could be a 550 kat with a 550 crankcase and 650 jugs and pistons. if that is the case keep an eye on the bike because someone wanted to build a bike for pushing hard and racing hopefully the motor isn't to beat up.

-ryan

Anonymous · Jul 30, 2004

sorry im new to motor cycles.. by head i meant up by the steering printed on a sticker..

DMPLATT · Jul 30, 2004

Look on the left side, just above the stator cover (the cover above the gear shifter). There should be some cast numbers on it. Not ON the stator cover, but on the engine just above the stator cover

Mine, for example, has cast numbers of : 747 cm3. Thats for a 750.

Eliseo Monteverde · Jul 30, 2004

My 650 Kat is a 5 speed shaft driven engine.
Behind cilinder #4 (from left to right, if you?re ON the bike),has cast numbers of : 673 cm3.
Above the cluth cover (not ON the stator cover,but on the engine case)it?s the engine number wich starts with GS 650 G (G; is for shaft drive).

Hope this helps.

Eliseo.

Anonymous · Jul 30, 2004

more info

more info

Ok, the crankcase says GS650, the juggs say 673. The gearbox cover shows 6 gears but that may have been changed.. The bike is not running at the moment so its hard for me to count the gears. However the mufflers say 550 on them

I am going to tear down the carbs and check the jets hopefully its jetted for 650

I guess the best question is how many years did they make 650 chain drives?

TheBigRed · Jul 30, 2004

Re: more info

Re: more info

Somed00d said:
Ok, the crankcase says GS650, the juggs say 673. The gearbox cover shows 6 gears but that may have been changed.. The bike is not running at the moment so its hard for me to count the gears. However the mufflers say 550 on them I am going to tear down the carbs and check the jets hopefully its jetted for 650

I guess the best question is how many years did they make 650 chain drives?

The answer to that question would be yes.

In 81 and 82 they had the 650E model which was in fact a chain driven 650 bike. I have one sitting on my porch right now. (unfortunately looked like rain today so I didn't ride to work.)

So it seems someone put a 650 into your 550 Kat frame. (and yes the gearbox cover may have been changed, though the 550 ones would have the workings for the clutch pushrod in them)

Amos

AOD · Jul 30, 2004

they made a 650 Katana? or are you just calling it that?

somed00d, what is the VIN on the frame of your bike?

TheBigRed · Jul 30, 2004

AOD said:
they made a 650 Katana? or are you just calling it that?

somed00d, what is the VIN on the frame of your bike?

I have a feeling his bike is the one at the bottom of this page:
http://www.suzukicycles.org/GS-series/GS550E.shtml

That someone squeezed a 650E engine into the frame.

So the previous owner (or one of them) "made" a 650 chain driven Katana out of a 550 Katana.

However there was a 650 Shaft Katana as seen here:
http://www.suzukicycles.org/GS-series/GS650G_brochures.shtml

So there you have it.

Amos

Anonymous · Jul 30, 2004

650 kat?

650 kat?

AOD said:
they made a 650 Katana? or are you just calling it that?

somed00d, what is the VIN on the frame of your bike?

The bike is for sure without a question a 1982 GS550MZ Katana.. I just started rebuilding the carbs and noticed that the engine is a 650.

The exact bike is pictured at the bottom of this page:
http://www.suzukicycles.org/GS-series/GS550E.shtml (thanks for the link amos) Except it has a front fairing..

Anonymous · Jul 30, 2004

So, does it have 650 carbs on it or 550 carbs?

AOD · Jul 30, 2004

that 650 Katana looks like a cool bike, for a shafty.

16 HP over the 550, nice compression ratio, too bad it's only a 5 speed, so it'll be a lil slower.

TheBigRed · Jul 30, 2004

AOD said:
that 650 Katana looks like a cool bike, for a shafty.

16 HP over the 550, nice compression ratio, too bad it's only a 5 speed, so it'll be a lil slower.

Dont believe that for a second.

I've had a 550 and a 650, the 650's deffinately faster.

The difference in the ammount of gears has nothing to do with top speed (necesarilly that is) it is possable that the 550's gears are just a bit closer, and probably more forgiving at the lower end as to make it easier for new riders to ride.

I'll look up the gear ratios tonight on my 550 and the 650 and get back with you on that more specifically.

Amos

My 550 has 650 engine.. how do i tell the year?

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