Shaft to chain swap

[dstygg90]

I got 81 gs850g. I am in the progress of buyin a 82 gs1000 dirt cheap bike complete but no title. Motor is free and good. Now can I swap out rear swingarm and swap motor in? did they ever make a gs1000 in 6 speed cause gauge cluster says 6.

 

[blowerbike]

an 850 is a shaft bike.
an 82 1000 is a shaft bike(i believe in 82 they had went to 1100cc) unless it's a katana.
short answer..."""no""" for all questions....

 

[Steve]

The only way to convert from shaft to chain is to sell the bike and get another one like you want.

The gauge cluster has 6 gear positions because it is the same gauge cluster that is used in the 450 and 550, which DO have six speeds.
Suzuki did not offer anything larger than 550 with six gears.

.

 

[dstygg90]

Even with swappin the motor and swingarm it cant be done? The motor shoild bolt in. only thing I see being an issue perhaps is the swingarm

 

[blowerbike]

you ask for advice...
it was given...no go/won't work/not even close and so on and so forth.

 

[Rob S.]

Shaft to chain...my kinda guy.

It can't be done with a Suzi? Easy solution - get a V-Max. I'm sure that's been done many times.

Chains rule!

Shafts suck (except for Goldwings, old Beemers and Moto Guzzis. And yeah, V-Max's).

 

[Steve]

Even with swappin the motor and swingarm it cant be done? The motor shoild bolt in. only thing I see being an issue perhaps is the swingarm

For a start, the two swingarms do not attach to the frame in the same manner.

THAT should be enough to make you think again about your project.

By the way, what's wrong with the 850 engine?

.

 

[Missile99]

The only way to convert from shaft to chain is to sell the bike and get another one like you want.

The gauge cluster has 6 gear positions because it is the same gauge cluster that is used in the 450 and 550, which DO have six speeds.
Suzuki did not offer anything larger than 550 with six gears.

.

I did not know this about gears. I learn something new about motorcycles every day. Cool.

 

[Guest]

short answer..."""no""" for all questions....

The only way to convert from shaft to chain is to sell the bike and get another one like you want.

C'mon guys, you know this isn't true. With a fully equipped shop, significant welding/fabricating skills and a couple hundred hours of labour OP can easily swap those engines.

Even with swappin the motor and swingarm it cant be done? The motor shoild bolt in. only thing I see being an issue perhaps is the swingarm

Can it be done? Of course. Is it a simple swap? Not at all. The frames and swingarms are very different and swapping would require a lot of cutting/fabricating/welding to make it work. It would be far, far easier to arrange for a title for the 1000 than to graft the engine into the 850 chassis.


Mark

 

[Steve]

Seems to me, that's what we were saying all along. :-k

.

 

[Guest]

Seems to me, that's what we were saying all along. :-k



.

I guess I forgot to add the tongue in cheek and sarcasm smilies... I wasn't serious.


Mark

 

[Steve]

I wasn't serious.

Neither was I.

.

 

[dstygg90]

Is it still worth it t buy the bike? Its only 150 lol

 

[dstygg90]

The 850 runs perfect. Just adjusted the valves only 24k. I just am not a fan of shafts.

 

[BigD_83]

For $150 it might be worth it, but you have eyes on and we don't. Title issues could make it a total PITA, but you could part it out and easily earn double or triple your money back if it is in decent shape.

Steve, you've experience along those lines in Ohio, don't you?

 

[blowerbike]

OP doesn't know the exact year...no 1000cc in 82 except for a katana.
post a pic and someone will tell you what it is................

 

[dstygg90]

Im going to look at it tomorrow.i was looking at a car for sale and seen the bike and the guy didnt.want me.lokking at it since owner wasnt there. Vin says js1, its a four cylinder its white build date 2/82 and guage cluster says 6 speeds.

 

[Steve]

I just am not a fan of shafts.

Your sig says this is your first bike. How do you know that you are "not a fan of shafts"? :-k

Suzuki happened to get it right when they came to the shafty game late. Virtually all of the magazine testers of the time admitted that they had to look down occasionally to make sure they were on a shafty, because it handled so ... right.

If you have other reasons for 'not liking' a shaft, like changing gear ratios, keeping the ULTIMATE in light weight or building some sort of 'custom' that just wouldn't look 'right', that's another thing, but the bike will work and ride just fine with a shaft.

Steve, you've experience along those lines in Ohio, don't you?

Experience in title issues or parting out?

Actually, neither one.

Vin says js1, its a four cylinder its white build date 2/82 and guage cluster says 6 speeds.

JS1 tells you that it's from Japan, and a Suzuki.

The white paint is not original.

A build date of 2/82 puts it in the middle of the '82 model year production.

The gauge cluster may have 6 spaces, but only 5 of them will light up, because there are only 5 forward gears.

As mentioned in post #3, Suzuki used that same gauge cluster on MULTIPLE bikes, some of which DID have 6 gears.

Pictures will be necessary to identify the bike in question, but don't give up on the 850. I have not seen any other posts of yours that I can remember, so please tell me ... have you ridden the bike yet? At all? Much? If you haven't ridden it, wait until you do, before condemning the shaft.

.

 

[dstygg90]

I bought my850 in may in boxes and in pieces. Ive worked all summer on it. Adjusted float heights doing the fork seals. Im building a cafe bike. Bikes runs great, cold blooded son of a bitch tho. Yes suzuki got the shaftie right tje first time. But i hate the profile from the left. Just want a chain.

 

[salty_monk]

You'd have to cut & weld the frames to do the swap. Not recommended especially without an alignment jig.....