Post a picture of your custom GS

[Zooks]

How is the strut mounting any different from the shocks that were mounted there previously? Just wondering, I don't see the issue with the hardtail mounted the way it is.

It's a HUGE difference!!

Shock absorbers - it's not just a name, it's what they do. All of the energy that they 'absorbed' before is now going into those tiny bolts. I don't know of too many hardtails that are mounted into soft aluminium. I've seen solid steel hardtails crack and fall apart, how long is a single bolt in aluminium going to last??

It would be like swapping the seatbelts in your car with string and saying "what's the difference?"



(disclaimer: this post written in a sarcastic manner, not intended to offend)

 

[Zooks]

While it won't be the entire weight of the bike, he does raise an interesting point. What's on the bracing look like on the other side?.............

I never said entire weight of bike. I said entire weight of rear of bike. As in - the back half. Obviously a lot of weight is taken on the front wheel.

 

[Flaggo60]

Heres my 81 GS650-G, all done with the exception of the pinstripes.

How did you get the carbs back into the airbox without scratching anything?

 

[reddirtrider]

I never said entire weight of bike. I said entire weight of rear of bike. As in - the back half. Obviously a lot of weight is taken on the front wheel.

Well, it won't take the entire weight of the back half either, assuming of course, there is some support on the other side.

Basically, I agree with you that that bolt is going to be stressed to a greater degree than it would be using shocks.

 

[reddirtrider]

Heres my 81 GS650-G, all done with the exception of the pinstripes.

Very, very well done.

 

[liloaty]

It's a HUGE difference!!

Shock absorbers - it's not just a name, it's what they do. All of the energy that they 'absorbed' before is now going into those tiny bolts. I don't know of too many hardtails that are mounted into soft aluminium. I've seen solid steel hardtails crack and fall apart, how long is a single bolt in aluminium going to last??

He's absolutely right about this, the amount of force transmitted without shock absorbers is much, much larger than with them. I'd go as far as saying the setup you're running now is actually quite dangerous.

 

[makenzie71]

Bribird...that is slick as ****. Excellent work.

 

[Mark M]

How is the strut mounting any different from the shocks that were mounted there previously? Just wondering, I don't see the issue with the hardtail mounted the way it is.

1) There is no compliance beyond the rear tire now. While pneumatic tires are very good at absorbing impacts, a tire + 4" of travel to absorb an impact is even better. The bolt itself will see much higher peak loads without the shock there to spread the impacts out.

2) The angle that the top tube is working at is much flatter than the shock angle was. This means that for any given vertical force at the wheel, the force required in the top tube is higher than it was in the shock system. This is the force seen by the bolt and shaft housing.

Mark

 

[salty_monk]

You can solve this with some secondary "bolt-on" bracing I would think... that way you'd still be able to "unbolt" to drop the shaft.

Dan

 

[atb1998]

rigid gs

rigid gs

Those bolts are gonna be stressed a HUGE amount that they never were designed to be stressed.. The way the bike was built was just a fancy was of strutting. Which the geometry of the way it was done will put stress where it was never intended. The difference betweeen strutting a chain drive is your bolting into STEEL swingarm bracket versus ALUMINUM drive housing as in this case. I say good luck and be careful. Zoot is on the money sayng this is dangerous. As i was saying earlier a verical support between the swingarm and shaft tube would tremoundsly releive that stress. Whether bolt on , or weld on

 

[reddirtrider]

rigid gs

rigid gs

One way of possible alleviating the stress on the housing bolt is to bend and weld some tubing into a Y and run it from the middle of the swingarm pivot to the frame rails on either side of the seat down close to the fender. If you bend it right it wouldn't be noticable at all, just more pretty tubing.

 

[Bribird]

Hey Reddirt & Makenzie, thanks alot!!! It seems my fellow GS guys are the only ones who can truly appreciate what I did to it and all the work involved.

Flaggo, ya, I know.. right...it would seem suzuki could have done a better job in designing it with enough room to get the carbs in and out easier. During the original disassembly last spring it was very hard to get them out. Now that I have new front boots and rear boots, the rubber is soft, so I just move the clamps as far back from the carbs as possible and move the airbox as far as possible and then slowly work it out(or in) folding the rubber boots over a little bit. I feel sorry for the guys who have to deal with the old hard rubber.
It has made me consider going to K&N pods...I already got the 4 into 1,mild port and polish on the head, and a completly fresh motor.... so with the pods.... just have to re-jet the carbs a bit. I just hate the trial and error of doing that with the carbs. On my V65 it was a total pain in the a**, I had to mess with slow jets and main jets(more than one or two tries)......although in the end it was a pretty big power increase. I dont know if the 650 is gonna give me enough of an improvement in power to justify the hassle. Between the colortune and the carbtune II, it starts and idles great right now with the factory set-up.

If any one has done this to a 650 please let me know how it turned out

 

[makenzie71]

Never confuse the issues of a V65 with any I4 haha. I've got a couple customers here who have a V45 and a V65...synchronizing either is nightmarish...but is simple compared to real carb work...fabulous motors but damn do I hate tuning V4's.

 

[Rkt-Rch]

Did someone say SPRING !!!

Did someone say SPRING !!!

Funny living out here in N.H. looking foward to spring !!! I grew up in S.D cal and was lucky to ride all year long (ok ok maybe 364 days). Ready to install my new (found on a salvage bike on the side of rode) stainless front brake lines.. Anyway keep up all the good stories...

 

[reddirtrider]

Hey Reddirt & Makenzie, thanks alot!!! It seems my fellow GS guys are the only ones who can truly appreciate what I did to it and all the work involved.

Flaggo, ya, I know.. right...it would seem suzuki could have done a better job in designing it with enough room to get the carbs in and out easier. During the original disassembly last spring it was very hard to get them out. Now that I have new front boots and rear boots, the rubber is soft, so I just move the clamps as far back from the carbs as possible and move the airbox as far as possible and then slowly work it out(or in) folding the rubber boots over a little bit. I feel sorry for the guys who have to deal with the old hard rubber.
It has made me consider going to K&N pods...I already got the 4 into 1,mild port and polish on the head, and a completly fresh motor.... so with the pods.... just have to re-jet the carbs a bit. I just hate the trial and error of doing that with the carbs. On my V65 it was a total pain in the a**, I had to mess with slow jets and main jets(more than one or two tries)......although in the end it was a pretty big power increase. I dont know if the 650 is gonna give me enough of an improvement in power to justify the hassle. Between the colortune and the carbtune II, it starts and idles great right now with the factory set-up.

If any one has done this to a 650 please let me know how it turned out

I've never done it to a 650 before, only an 1100. It's not that big of a job, just some trial and error.

To tell you the truth, I'd be hesitant to put pods on your bike. How often will you be pulling the carbs? My guess is not much, especially since they're probably so clean you can eat off them. As for the gain in hp, is a few more really that big of a deal?

I love the paint scheme and how everything has been gone through. It shows an almost perverse attention to detail (that's a compliment!). It's so easy to take shortcuts on a job like this. You did an excellent job.

 

[Bribird]

Hey makenzie, ya I agree the V4 honda motor is a strong motor but working on it...ehh. I have become the V65 carb master and can have them sitting on the ground in about 15 minutes now. Your totally right about the mixture and syncing of them....blah
Reddirt, Yah that is what I was thinking, the carbs arent gonna be off that often and they already seemed to be tuned well. I just didnt know how much more HP it would be...like 5-7 maybe?? The other thing is I do kinda like the look of the pods and the K&N ones have a dark burgandy color which would match the color scheme of the bike.:-k
A few of the guys I work with were kinda looking at me strange when I powdercoated the battery box and was covering wires that cant be seen with the braided sleeving. My thinking on this is every part get some attention before going back on the bike. Thanks alot RED!!

 

[NES07DEZ]

I, love my gs 850 L just got back from bike week and got lots of compliments

I, love my gs 850 L just got back from bike week and got lots of compliments

 

[Kris V]

I was cleaning the garage and thought of a cool idea I will have fun with the camera...THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF APOCALYPSEray:

 

[Kris V]

Sorry that they couldn`t be all Suzys but they look cool...

 

[Zooks]

Hey Kris, nice steeds.

Could we have another couple of pics of the 'Flamed' Zed bike at the end? That thing is sweet.

I'm sure no one will care that it's not a Suzi.