New guy from Florida - GS650L

[flajason]

Hello all. New guy from Florida here. I'm the proud new owner of a 1981 GS650L.


I only came across this site recently. I'd been looking for a good used UJM and this one popped up on Craigslist last week. I was also looking at a couple of KZ750's and a 78 Yamaha. This one was by far in the best shape. New tires, decent chrome, excellent seat, and perfect paint. Well taken care of and ready to ride.


In researching the bike I came across this site, and the more I read the more I was sure I picked the right one.


After the purchase, I had to ride it about 50 miles back home. This being Florida, I was baptised in the first 10 minutes. Then the skies cleared up and the sun dried me out.


As for riding history, this is my first street bike. I used to ride off road occasionally back in my 20's (I'm 40 now). And I'd putz around the neighborhood on my dad's Sportster when he still had it. I knew how to operate a bike, but now I'm learning to ride. I took the MSF course last month in preparation. I'm looking forward to getting out for an hour or two on the weekends and getting to know the in's and out's of my new ride.


I hear you guys are fond of pictures. Sorry I don't have one of only the bike just yet. You can ignore the happy guy standing behind it.

- Jason

 

[tom203]

Nice looking bike and my favorite color! But how tall are you? I ask cause this critter is mighty cramped for those beyond 69 inches. Glad you took MSF course and dirt bike riding is where I did most of my learning. Catch up,on maintenance and this will be a nice reliable ride.

edit. Oh yeah, ditch those handlebars ASAP-look,for some narrow non pullback ones as on dirt bike.

 

[Wingsconsin]

I had a 1983 GS650Gl last year - It looked a lot like yours.
I only rode it a little bit before I sold it..but I found several things ..
1) It was very quick and nimble - nthego:
2) I am too big for it at 6' and near 300# (so I found and bought a GS850 instead)

 

[flajason]

Thanks! I'm right at 6' tall. Probably pushing 6'1" with boots, but it's surprisingly comfortable. Maybe it's my proportions. I'm not cramped at all. On the pegs, my upper legs are parallel to the ground and snug to the tank.
Maintenance is definitely going to be my learning curve.

 

[1948man]

Great looking bike. Some will poke fun at the "L" but I like them. I have a "G" and an "L." Though it's not needed, those engine cases will shine up fairly easily if you get obsessive about the looks. Also, just so you know, the actual designation is 650GL even though the badges say 650L. The "G" denotes shaft-drive and the "L" denotes something like "Sporty/Cruiserish."

 

[eil]

Hi Jason,

Very clean looking L you have there! My 850GL is not so clean but I love riding it all the same. And unfortunately, I'm up here in Michigan where it's getting down to -6F tonight. Still a good 3 months of winter left and I'm already suffering withdrawals.

Maintenance is definitely going to be my learning curve.

You've picked the right bike and come to the right place. Maintenance on your GS is a breeze and there is more knowledge of these bikes here than anywhere else. Here's your mega-welcome which comes with links to the factory service manuals, tons of tutorials and other incredibly useful info: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?196338-New-Members-CLICK-HERE!!

 

[Redman]

.....


In researching the bike I came across this site, and the more I read the more I was sure I picked the right one. ....

Jason,

Welcome to GSR.

yes, in addition to the bike itself, this forum is a good reason to have a Suzuki (if you are going to have any 80s bike).

Good that you took the MSF class.

Thanks for posting pic.
Do annoy all us folks from the land of the ice and snow with more pictures.

Do a little research on the hub/spline in the rear wheel.

.

 

[portdave]

Jason,

I am just up the road from you if you need some help. Just send me a PM or link to my email. I do have some different handle bars if you want to try something else.

 

[barnbiketom]

NICE BIKE..


I'm a bit biased..

 

[flajason]

Thanks again to all for the welcome. After 18 days of ownership and about 250 miles added to odometer, I am really loving it.


I rode to and from work 4 days in the past two weeks when the weather cooperated, and took it out for about an hour each both days this past weekend. The weather this past weekend was great. A little windy Saturday afternoon, but Sunday was perfect. On Sunday, it went over the 50K mark on total miles.


I'm doing some more thorough inspections and putting together my to do list.


First item is the easiest, which is mirrors. I have no right side mirror, and there's a lot of surface rust on the left one. Ordered a new pair which should be here by the end of the week. Cosmetically, I also want to clean up the exhaust pipes and engine covers. Took a small wire brush to the cooling fins and got some gunk and grime out. Any good topics, articles or suggestions on general cleaning? I browsed through the appearance subforum but nothing jumped out.


I checked the air filter, and it's in good shape, but the box had a loose seal. The top was fine, but the plastic latch on the bottom was broken and it was sealed with duct tape. The old tape was coming loose, so I resealed it. That made a noticeable improvement to cold starting. It still started okay before, but was always with full choke and constant choke/throttle adjustments for the first five minutes or so. Now I only have to choke it fully for about 2-3 seconds on start, drop it down to half choke which keeps it at 2000rpm. It stays there for about 5-10 seconds more before the revs start to climb again, then I can take the choke off and it idles just fine from there on out. I'll look into getting a new box, but that part seems to be pretty scarce.


The throttle cable is getting pulled when the handle bar is turned all the way right. Starts revving when it's about 3/4 turned. Is that a common thing that I'll just have to live with? I've adjusted it so it's not as bad. It was opening up to nearly half throttle when turned all the way to the right. Now it's somewhere between 1/8 - 1/4 at full turn. If that's not supposed to happen, I guess I'll have to re-route it. Or if it's typical, I've got it dialed in to where it's manageable.


PO changed the oil before purchase, and levels and color are good. Didn't get how long ago carbs were last cleaned. Boots are in pretty good shape. I don't think the bike has ever sat still long enough for them to gum up, but it's still on my list to set a baseline. Soon, but not urgent. Also not sure when the last valve adjustment was done which is another item for setting a baseline. Same for the shaft drive oil. Also need to check the plugs, but from the way it's been running I'm expecting them to check out okay. I checked the brake fluid and it's good, pads are good. Also have to check the front forks, but they seem okay. It seems very sound and well put together. Am I overlooking anything big?


As for riding impressions, I am impressed. Whatever you ask it to do, it'll do without complaint and lets you know it can even do a little more if you want. Really impressed with the acceleration even though I don't think I've used more than half throttle at any point yet.


I am starting to see how it might be a little cramped for someone my height. Thankfully, I'm still relatively flexible for 40 so it's not uncomfortable, but it's not exactly relaxed either. I only begin to notice after about 45 minutes and my butt objects before my thighs. Don't get me wrong, the seat is comfortable, it's just that I can't even sit in my office chair for more than an hour without getting up and moving around.


I'm also okay with the handlebars, at least for now. I can see though why many go for the straighter bars. Seems like it would make pushing into curves more natural. Instead of just pushing down going into a curve, I feel like I have to push down and foward a little. The end result is that I wind up taking curves more conservatively which isn't a bad thing. At least until I get more experience.


I'm not quite comfortable at higher speeds yet. It's not the speed so much as the wind. I'm perfectly comfortable at 45mph and below. Still comfortable up to around 55-60 but the buffeting gets annoying. If it gets too bad, it's manageable with a bit of forward lean which reduces the vortex between my chest and the handlebars. Above 60 and I almost have to hug the tank. The bike handles it okay, it's the big sail sitting in the seat. I think an investment in a fairing will be in the not too distant future. Or, as a new-ish rider, it just may take some time to adjust to it.


I was getting a little worried because I though maybe I wasn't going as fast as the speedo indicated. I'd be riding at 5-10 over the speed limit and some cars were still closing fast on me. One passing me on a double yellow in a residential area. Turns out they were just being jerks. I calibrated it against my GPS. 40 indicated on speedo, 40.3 on GPS. 55 on speedo, 55.6 on GPS, and so on. So yeah, stupid drivers around here. But that probably goes for a lot of places.


That's a summary of my first two weeks or so. I'm still learning a lot and having a great time doing it.

- Jason

 

[spyug]

Welcome to one of the nuttiest places on the web but also the greatest place to make good friends and learn all that there is to know about these great old bikes.

We have a saying here that one bike is not enough and I can almost guarantee that after you cut your teeth on that baby you will get another bigger and more comfortable bike for your size. Then likely more after that.

There is so much here for you to learn it is difficult to tell you where to start other than have a look through each of the sub heading in the forum and do some searches in the archives. Every issue GS owners have faced are in here somewhere......usually 10 times over.

The biggest issue with these old bike and old bikes in general is weak electrical systems usually caused by neglect and helped along by corrosion. Lots of information on this subject and a wonderful guide to wading through it in the Stator Papers on the main page. You will want to get a digital multimeter if you don't already have one and check your state of charge. Easy to do just refer to the aforementioned guide and something you need to stay on top of if you don't want to be stuck 50 miles from home some day.

Its good that you took a course to start your riding experience and in true GS fashion I would like to introduce you to the words most of us live by as displayed in this acronym ATGATT, "All the Gear All the Time". Get the best gear you can afford and wear it all the time. Boots, jeans, gloves, jacket and helmet at a minimum. So many of us have been spared pain and suffering by living to this tenet.

Riding is huge fun as you now know but as you also will learn it is hugely dangerous. Keep your bike up to snuff, keep your gear on and most of all, keep your head on a swivel.

Enjoy!

 

[tom203]

Straighter bars will help somewhat with cramping and probably pickup the slack you need in throttle cable to eliminate the tugging on carbs. You'll probably get used to buffeting stuff fairly quick- coming off dirt bikes (and being away from bikes for 30 years), I found it annoying at first. Absolutely get full face helmet, this will streamline your head.
make sure you check tire date code- no matter how wonderful tires appear!

 

[Steve]

For a little help in the wind-deflection department, take a look at my son's bike (click link in sig). It's an '82, but virtually the same as yours. He has lower, flatter bars, along with a small windshield that really helps with comfort while riding, without detracting from the look of the bike. Be sure to connect with portdave and take advantage of his offer to try another set of bars. Note that, along with the lower bars, you will likely need shorter cables. They are available from the 650E, G or M.

Your engine speed should not change when you move the bars. Check to see that the cable is anchored firmly at the carbs. There is a bracket mounted on the top of carb #3 that holds the end of the cable, which should be nutted to both sides of the bracket. If that is tight, check for amount of play at the other end of the cable, at the handgrip. There should be a little bit of play. If it's tight, engine speed will rise when bars are turned. Can get real exciting in low-speed parking lot maneuvers. :-\\\

.

 

[Wingsconsin]

...Yep....



Time to tinker and make it yours completely.
A reasonable windscreen will help and make the ride more comfortable.
There are many "universal" style shields out there so shop online a bit and you may find one you really like.
Removing the wind from the chest is much better and more enjoyable in my experience..

My 850 -- A national Cycle Plexistar 2 windscreen

 

[Guest]

For cleaning those cooling fins... I took a paint stirring stick and wrapped a scotchbrite scuff pad around it with a little bit of cleaner sprayed onto the pad. For grease I used a degreaser _ Benjamin Moore paint makes an excellent degreaser called KP83. It is an emulsifier and converts grease into detergent. It is a little laborious getting into all the fins but after a while you stand back and look at it and it sure does a nice job. The paint stick works well as you can whittle the end to get into all the little nooks and crannies. And the scuff pads come in different grits as well. I started out with medium and finished with the fine grit. Get the 3M pads as they are a little more abrasive than the cheaper ones which are mostly nylon or plastic. The pads are large enough that you can fold them over the stick and when they get clogged just move them a bit. My bike sat for 20 years and was badly tarnished. It took about an hour to do each quarter of the fins. A glass of wine or a beer help to dissipate the monotony of the job.

 

[Wingsconsin]

Simple Green is a good cleaning agent as well..Spray it on full strength and scrub a little with the Scotch brite or sponge and rinse it off...

 

[Guest]

Welcome to the club! As many have already stated, this is the absolute best place you can be for advice on your GS motorcycle. Check out the blog in my signature below for my adventures in restoring a 1981 650GL that looks quite a bit like yours. ;-)

Cheers!
K

 

[spyug]

On seeing the posts advocating the comfort to be gained from adding a windscreen I would just like to add a word of caution.

Screens can indeed add a degree of comfort at certain speeds but you should be aware that at certain speeds and in certain winds, they can be deadly. I found this out for myself in the first season of riding.

These larger screens can act as a sail and if wind comes from certain quarters, most notably "abaft the beam" in nautical terms ( rear quarters) they can push the bike in a direction you may not want to go. Often this can be totally unexpected as it was in my case. One minute I am riding along enjoying the country scenery in fall, next second I am in the on coming lane. Fortunately no traffic as it was a quiet country road but it could have been much worse.

In addition to that screens can be difficult to get just right especially for taller riders as the upper edge can be at the same level as your eyes. This can be very annoying and cause you to alternate between hunkering down to see through the screen and stretching up to see over. As you may have learned on your course being uncomfortable on a bike can take your attention away from paying attention to the ride, which also can have serious consequences.

Also screens of this height often will cause the airflow to meet your head and face straight on rather than going over. This can be very uncomfortable as the old brain bucket can be buffeted about, again adding to discomfort and or road debris and bugs can smack you in the chops too.

After the first riding season I didn't find the screen to be of benefit and removed it. My new to me CB 650 came with one and it was the first thing I removed.

I don't say don't get one but see if you can try one out first, perhaps if a friend might ride with one.

Enjoy the ride.

 

[tom203]

What spyug said ! I tried a windscreen very briefly and didn't like it (besides it was ugly). It does increase the profile of bike and when those logging trucks come at you, it's downright dangerous.

 

[eil]

I remember it took me a while to get used to the wind while riding at speed. I still don't like to cruise any faster than 60 mph when I'm on a trip.

My 750E came with a wind screen, but I took it off because all it did was shove air into my full-face helmet. (But it did look nice.) It's a much more pleasant ride without. So my advice would be, if you get a wind screen, get one that's tall enough, like the one in Wingsconsin's photo.

Finally, wear ear plugs. Seriously. Not only will it save your hearing but if you're like me and are not a fan of loud stuff, it will give you much more confidence to rev this thing the way it was meant to be. Which equals more fun and a happier bike. Don't worry about not being able to hear things. You will hear the important stuff.