New member here from Canada, recent rider and owner of a 1983 GS400E

[Mat]

Hello GS riders,

I live in Quebec City, Canada and I am new to motorcycle riding.
About a month ago I got my hands on a canadian 1983 GS400E with 50 000 km on it. That bike is perfect for me!



I'm happy I found this forum wich seems full of good tips.
I hope I can find someone with the very same motorcycle as me here! (crossing fingers)

Things I have done since I got the bike:

-cleaned chain and sprocket for the first time in years (previous owner just kept using maxima wax without ever cleaning it...)
-replaced a badly routed clutch cable
-cleaned the front brake switch and ordered a replacement
-bled the front brake for the first time in 50 000 km...
-replaced the front bearing and the front tire
-replaced a couple burned bulbs (stop light and licence plate)

All of these went really well!

...then I replaced the stator and the regulator/rectifier unit (with an SH775) and I learned the hard way I wasn't talented at all at making a gasket seal properly... I really lack experience here. Hope I can make that gasket seal properly in the next few days...

 

[rphillips]

Hay mat, welcome and congrats.. Great introduction, great picture of bike, and great picture in general. Looks like you got a great start here.

 

[kochic]

Bienvenue!
I have the same bike, same color but with black wheels.
Marc

 

[steve murdoch]

Welcome aboard, Mat.
Great bike to gain experience wrenching and riding although the riding season is rapidly closing.
Lots of GS400 owners on site.

 

[dorkburger]

Hey Mat, welcome.
Nice looking cycle.

 

[Mat]

Thanks for a warm welcome everybody.

I will find time in the next few days to post a little more

Also I have many newbie questions (still searching old posts before I ask...)

Bienvenue!
I have the same bike, same color but with black wheels.
Marc

Salut kochic, do you have the exact same year and model as me?

 

[kochic]

Yes, same year and same color. 1983 gs400e, with two more for parts.
This model was not available in US.
Marc

 

[Redman]

Welcome, Mat.
THanks for the photo.

Seems that you have done a lot for being new to mo'cykls.

How is it going as far as being a new rider?
Is there beginer riding classes there in Quebec?

Kochic there is a knowlodgable fellow.

 

[Mat]

Welcome, Mat.
THanks for the photo.

Seems that you have done a lot for being new to mo'cykls.

How is it going as far as being a new rider?
Is there beginer riding classes there in Quebec?

Kochic there is a knowlodgable fellow.

New to motorcycling but I do maintain my cars myself and I am at ease with electronics so that helps quite a bit. I have almost zero experience with carburetors or anything that runs without a computer...

In Quebec you have to take the basic motorcycle course before you get a probatory license for a year and then you take the final exam. I'm glad I did the course, I feel like I got the basics right and can grow on that. I'm not saying I ain't gonna make many mistakes anyway ... but at least I will probably be alive to tell these to my kids later ;-)


Yeah I really love my GS400 and the 3000km I did on it since I got the permit! ....maybe because I don't have many comparison points with bigger bikes ha ha ! really for now I could not think of a better first bike for me. It forces me to learn basic mechanics and to really understand how all that works, you don't own it if you can't repair it I say. Although I wish I had a garage to do all this maintenance, will probably have access to a heated garage during the winter to do some more serious work like valve adjustments (As far as I know valves have never been done on this bike and I wonder how much I should really worry about that, even if the bike seems to run very fine).
I also wish to:
check the front suspension too (seems to dive quite much when braking and one seal is slowly leaking... and what is this thing with air pressure on the fork?).
redo all gaskets properly
replace front brake hose
repaint the motor
install a rear rack (btw anyone knows if a 1978-79 rear rack will fit a 1983 GS400 too?)

Yeah glad I found someone with a GS400E like Kochic

 

[dorkburger]

My first street bike was a 550. It was great to learn the streets on even though I had previous experience riding off road. I even took it on a few 1000 ish mile weekend trips. At this point after years of riding, I’d happily park a small CC GS next to my 1150 if it was an option.

Little bikes can equal big fun.
I wonder what the difference in fun factor is between the Canadian TSCC 400 bikes vs the US 2 valve 450s. I’ve never ridden either one.

 

[kochic]

Welcome, Mat.
THanks for the photo.

Seems that you have done a lot for being new to mo'cykls.

How is it going as far as being a new rider?
Is there beginer riding classes there in Quebec?

Kochic there is a knowlodgable fellow.

Thanks Dave for the kind words.
Hope everything is good on your side.
Marc

 

[Gorminrider]

Lovely picture, Mat! I see you have the "stylish" 400E...a few differences from my 81! the diff I immediately recall is that the chain is longer so be careful if it comes to it. I look at cmsnl for part numbers ..you have what's also known as "gsx" engine so don't get muddled by the everpresent 450s when it comes to carbs and engine ...even though many parts will cross over from these

https://www.cmsnl.com/suzuki-gsx400e-1982-z-e02-e04-e16-e17-e22-e24-e26_model13618/partslist/

 

[argonsagas]

Welcome, Mat.
Search the site and you can find pretty well all you need to know about maintenance on GSR

You replaced the stator and are concerned about leaking from the gasket on the side cover.

Briefly said, don't worry about it. as there is no pressure to cause problems.

If it does leak, simply remove all the bolts, clean everything off well and put it all back together again.

Cleaning it well is the key to avoiding leaks, no matter what you use for a gasket.

I once did it with another GSR member's bike in his driveway before we went for a morning ride..
A Kellogg's corn flakes box became the new gasket. It worked perfectly and was still in place when Carmen sold his bike.
.

 

[Mat]

Woohoo! Just got the gasket to seal proper this time. I think I took everything apart at least five times before figuring this one out. Pretty nice exercise of patience. Been doing computer repairs for a long time but never though cardboard could give me more trouble .

I didn't look enough but both covers had small oil channels that I didn't noticed at first... I was focusing on bolt holes but four more holes had to be done (plus the two alignment pins).

Ashamed to say I have more than 10 hours on this one, proud to say I did all of it with a happy face (and only a couple of beers). Argonsagas your comment helped with that last zen part.

Thanks to you Gorminrider for the link.

 

[dhatch]

Hi Mat,

I also have a 1983 GS400E with almost 52000km on the clock. I bought it used in 1987. I cleaned the carbs recently, and discovered that the choke cable was about to break, so need to order some parts.

Good to find other GS400E owners!!

Regards, Don

 

[Mat]

Hi dhatch,

nice to have fellow GS400 owners manifest themselves!

Do you run the original stator and regulator/rectifier unit?

What are the main break and fix jobs you had to do on it since you had it? What should I look for?

Mine hasn't been greatly maintained and I need an "history" of what should be done, specific to my model. I'd like to hear from you Kochic and Gorminrider on this too if you can

Kochic if you could tell what went wrong with the two you have for parts that might be interresting too, I'm curious

Winter is coming here in Quebec City, Have a nice day everybody!

 

[Gorminrider]

haha..
There's lots of little things that can go wrong but do not. I would be wary of fixing/replacing things as a precaution excepting Oil,filter and tires( if they are showing signs of age or are definitely beyond 8 years as a max but new tires are almost always good. except Maybe wait for spring when tires are restocked...)

Testing/setting/flushing brakes,(always cover your gas tank when working on the bike becuase you will put tools on it or hit it with one... Checking/Setting the valves...should be near the top your maintenance joblist....But sure, taking things apart to clean is not a bad practise if you don't make them worse.

as said, I haven't rebuilt my car at 50,000 km and I haven't found it neccesary on a bike-maintenance is really very similar except much more simple and fun on a bike,imo. (though, if $'s no object and you want to lavish, well, sparkplugs,spark plug caps,..time and attention span do not allow)

BUT there's lots of other things that will be useful before farkling
Buy a valvecover gasket (orDIY- some gasket paper) Buy an Inch/lb torque wrench (the short one), an impact driver , buy some JIS screwbits (JIS 8-piece Impact Bit Set https://www.gofastinnovations.com/ are great and fit your multi-driver and the impact driver with some socket adaptation...a "magnetic tray" is useful-you can also drag it round the floor to rediscover the tiny thing you dropped

Don't change anything without noting the original configuration and keeping the old parts.

 

[Mat]

Noting the original configuration, eh! very good advice!
I already have most of these tools but I certainly wish I had a better work space (picture me with the bike in the backyard, sitting on a bucket at 45F in the wind).
I was getting ready to check valve clearance this winter (never been done AFAIK). Ordered some feeler gauges for this ...Not sure anymore I will get into it...must admit my last episode with the stator gasket took much of the late riding season from me... I actually might be better to just focus on riding the motorcycle as I could make something worse. I agree with you that if it ain't broke...

I have some spark plugs on order (waiting for my spark plug tool to show up).
Got one valve cover gasket (currently some orange liquid gasket oozing there).
Was looking to replace carb orings too but I did not look into that one much yet and I'm clueless about parts on this one (when the bike is hot after a long ride it idles at 2000rpm instead of 1200, doesn't seem too bad for me but what do I know...)
Brake hoses aren't cracked at all but are 30 years old... (gotta find where to order these pre-made)

The main point for me is that this bike was my father's and I wish it be my son's eventually. It didn't cost a dime and I can spend some money on it to keep it in good shape.
I appreciate your input as this make sense when time and money matters

 

[kochic]

Both parts bikes were bought on marketplace, one was left behind when the guy moved out of an apartment without paying the last 3 months, it was complete and quite in good shape beside a faded paint. I have put the bodywork, exhaust, seat and gauges on mine.the other was 15 minutes from me and 100$, missing few part but the exhaust look like "new"
My 400 is original beside a Honda rectifier and a pit replica seat cover.
I use it mostly for commuting to work but take it for ride sometime too.
only downside is they are not cheap on gas for their size.

Marc

 

[Gorminrider]

Was looking to replace carb orings too but I did not look into that one much yet and I'm clueless about parts on this one (when the bike is hot after a long ride it idles at 2000rpm instead of 1200, doesn't seem too bad for me but what do I know...)

My first guess per your high idle would be that you are not allowing bike to warm up before taking choke/enricher off The second guess would be idle passage and jets..Do test for idle mix with warmed up bike and idle setting lower than you have it, then after noting where the adjusting screw are now, adjust them in and out and you SHOULD hear a difference in idle. (Two cylinder bikes are very simple in this way) If not, put a cleanout on your tasklist...I DID have to clean the "E"'s carbs intensively.In every old bike I've bought (9 out of 10) the idle jets are dirty with old gas. I only buy cheap bikes though.

Consumable Parts (filters, o-rings,petcocks,batteriesfork seals, clutch and gearshift seals, etc and sometimes gasket sets sometimes)are often available... otherwise, it's old parts from donor bikes ebay etc.) Personally, I've never replaced any carb parts or o-rings on these bikes and I have 2x81s running well- that's just to say, it's seldom an o-ring will stop the bike from running-but a drip, sure.
Anyways, greeting over. You'll have to move to the mechanical threads-search through first, ASK what you don't understand.