New GS850GL owner

[nyitguy]

Hi all. I'm glad to introduce myself here as the new owner of a 1981 GS850GL. I've been lurking here for a little while in anticipation of acquiring one, but now I'm looking forward to joining the conversation as an owner/rider/fixer-upper. I appreciate communities like this one and admire all the generosity that I've observed here.

Most of my riding experience took place about 40 years ago (I'm 53 now), much of it off-road on a Yamaha 175 enduro and later a KX125 and a Husky 390 (I owe the scar on my chin to the latter). A career as a dancer meant taking a pass on life and limb-risking activities like motorcycles, but about 20 years ago near the end of that era I briefly owned a Yamaha XJ700, which I loved. An encounter with a slick exit ramp off the FDR in Manhattan put it out of commission and at the time I didn't have the wherewithal to do what was necessary to bring it back to life. My biking passion had to take a back seat to a new career and family. Which brings me more or less to today.

I'm good with tools and basic mechanics, but I'm not an engine rebuilder by any means. Perhaps most important is I enjoy learning new things and am willing to try. I look forward to my GS adventures, both on the road and in the garage.

I'll post some pics when I get a chance.

Greg

 

[Gorminrider]

hi Nyitguy! standing by for pix! If you've been lurking you might already have been here...
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

I hear some links are down but if so, say so and someone else may have the thing you are wanting for you.

 

[Steve]

Thanks for the intro, but we might have to invoke a new rule, ... no help will be offered until we see some pictures. :-\\\

.

 

[nyitguy]

I think I'm safe so far...I haven't asked for help yet!

 

[Brendan W]

HI nyitguy and welcome to The Place. 850 is a good move. One question. How does career dancing qualify as taking a pass on limb risking activity ?

 

[Steve]

How does career dancing qualify as taking a pass on limb risking activity ?

Quite simple, really. Break a leg, you can't dance. And, it's hard to be graceful with a cast on your broken arm.

.

 

[Brendan W]

I thought dancing was a limb risking activity
Aren't Moto GP jockeys contract barred from dancing:wink:

 

[nyitguy]

Steve got it right. When your ability to do your job, which for me included touring 6 to 9 months out of the year with a small dance company that couldn't afford to lose one person, is dependent on being 100% healthy, you tend to take really good care of yourself. At least I did. I've met plenty of dancers who would abuse their bodies in ways I couldn't imagine doing. And if I hurt myself dancing, at least I've got a good excuse for being out of commission. Being thrown after miscalculating an off-camber turn won't win much sympathy in that world.

 

[Wingsconsin]

​Congratulations-
The GS850 is a wonderful motorcycle
Some here will shower you with anti-GL invective's but do not let that sway your opinion.
The 850GL has a following in spite of those who would be heard otherwise.
Pictures are the 1st order of business - because we are voyeurs in the worst way and have a need to see what you have.

Here's mine --

 

[nyitguy]

Thanks Wingsconsin. The GL fits the bill perfectly for me, I like the cruiser-lite look and the sportier than a cruiser ride. Yours is beautiful, I hope to get mine into more presentable condition, though it's not too bad now. I'll take some pics this weekend and post in this thread.

 

[nyitguy]

I thought dancing was a limb risking activity

I get your meaning now. Dancers get a lot of little injuries, but not usually the same category one potentially can get from falling off a moving bike.

One time, though, while teaching a new company member a particularly tricky move that involved me tossing her up into the air, she sort of tensed up at the peak of the move and flew out of my hands. She broke her fall with her hand and broke her wrist as a result, putting her in a cast for a couple months. So it can happen.

 

[Steve]

​

Here's mine -- ...

You can see mine by clicking the links in my sig.

My wife's bike is the 850L that follows the theme of this thread.

.

 

[nyitguy]

You can see mine by clicking the links in my sig.

Been there, done that.

 

[Brendan W]

I get your meaning now.

And we think we all speak English
Going way off topic here but what kind of dance were you bringing to the masses ?

 

[nyitguy]

I started when I was 11, and have done acrobatics & gymnastics, tap, jazz, ballet, modern. Modern for the last 7 years of my career, which formally ended in '94. And though it's not exactly dance, I played football in high school and tried to make use of my dance abilities without being too obvious about it...

 

[Redman]

...........
................ And though it's not exactly dance, I played football in high school and tried to make use of my dance abilities without being too obvious about it...

One of the divers on my sons swim team was one of the top receivers on the football team. If you knew that, and watched him at a football game and watch him leap up and around the defender and spin around receive the pass and continue spinning and come back down, you could see the similarity to the spinning in some dives. Although on football field he needed to land on his feet har har har.

Thanks for introducing yourself.

850s are great bikes.
some folks make negative comments about Ls (uncomfortable) (yep)
some folks make negative comments about shaft drives (heavy, cant change anything) (so what)

do post some pics.
yes, we need to see pics.
yes, need to know if it is the original maroon or the original black or if painted over, before we can give any advice about the charging system or valve adjustment or carb cleaning.

.

 

[nyitguy]

One of the divers on my sons swim team was one of the top receivers on the football team. If you knew that, and watched him at a football game and watch him leap up and around the defender and spin around receive the pass and continue spinning and come back down, you could see the similarity to the spinning in some dives. Although on football field he needed to land on his feet har har har

I mostly played defense, so I usually didn't have to worry about landing on my feet...

some folks make negative comments about Ls (uncomfortable) (yep)
some folks make negative comments about shaft drives (heavy, cant change anything) (so what)

To each their own...

do post some pics.
yes, we need to see pics.
yes, need to know if it is the original maroon or the original black or if painted over, before we can give any advice about the charging system or valve adjustment or carb cleaning.

I'm pretty sure it's the original black, with gold pin stripes. The clear coat is wearing badly on top of the tank though so that will need some attention at some point. Pics to come on Saturday. I think that carb advice will definitely be needed.

 

[Redman]

QUOTE
yes, need to know if it is the original maroon or the original black or if painted over, before we can give any advice about the charging system or valve adjustment or carb cleaning.
END QUOTE

I was joking.
Just saying that we all like pictures.

...
....
I'm pretty sure it's the original black, with gold pin stripes. .....

Although, black with double gold stripes.
I would think that would be an 82.


Do post pics.

.

 

[nyitguy]

Pics

Pics

Some pics. The forum software tells me I can only post one picture per post...

 

[nyitguy]

Pics

Pics

Picture 2...