Suzuki GSX550: Tell me what you know!

[MementoMori]

Mmkay, well I'm coming home soon as most of you don't know and I've found an old hack; a GSX550. It's a complete dog but it runs, and starts and stops, and that's exactly what I'm looking for.

https://i15.ebayimg.com/03/i/000/d4/a0/b99e_1.JPG

So does anyone have any information on this bike, just general advice, good points, bad points etc.

Also I'm well into the idea of sticking some USD's on it. What do you reckon I should go for?

Thanks a lot!
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The tiger who came for a pint

[McGee]

Well its an interesting looking bike.

Being an 85 its got old school cool.

Are you sure you wanna go that old ?
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◙◙► K6 GSXR 600 ◄◙◙◙◙► K5 GSXR 1000 ◄◙◙◙◙► K5 GSXR 600 ◄◙◙◙◙► 96 RF600r ◄◙◙
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Its pronounced Jixxer!

[MementoMori]

Yeah it does look gash but that's nothing a can of Hammerite can't change.

I'm just gonna be using it as a hack while I'm back home. I don't know how long I'll be in the UK but I'm not planning on staying for more than a year. Year and a half at most.

Also will be able to tinker with it aswell.

I reckon for the price, it'll be perfect for what I need it for. If I were hanging around then nah, but it should see me right for a while.
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The tiger who came for a pint

[ginge51]

[oddkid]

[McGee]

*Stares at oddkid*

And people call me weird.
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◙◙► K6 GSXR 600 ◄◙◙◙◙► K5 GSXR 1000 ◄◙◙◙◙► K5 GSXR 600 ◄◙◙◙◙► 96 RF600r ◄◙◙
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Its pronounced Jixxer!

[Ichy]

Mines a bit of an older model but basically the same. Don't waste money on decent oil, just plain supermarket stuff. There's not much to say. Keep the rust off ans the electrics in order and they just keep going.

[oddkid]

Whats weird about that?
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Always read the destructions.

[MementoMori]

Thanks a lot Ichy, I was hoping to hear something like that. Hoping this particular one will be characteristically reliable engine wise. Got plans to attack any light rust with a wire brush etc then get some of that Hammerite Direct to Rust Paint, might give it a bit more protection.

A top example in the pic, looks in great condition considering their age.
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The tiger who came for a pint

[Ichy]

Yeah, its not been a bad bike for a couple of hundred quid. I've used it as my hack when the weather is real bad for the last couple of years and its not let me down. Only problem I had, and I don't know why, is that it got through 2 litres of semi synth oil in a month. Since then I've just used normal oil without any problem.

The previous owner painted it completely with hammerite. I literally pealed the paint off in no time. Almost had an exact copy mad out of paint.

[jimbothe]

That looks a damn fine example just waiting to be ratted

From my experience, very reliable as Ichy says. Keep a good look at the electrics and a decent smothering in wd40 on the electrical plugs wont hurt in the slightest, especially in all the hard to reach places Sold mine with 65,000 miles on it and still going strong.
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[J.K.R]

Good old solid bikes.

Any suzuki front end (I'm told) are easily fitted, Either by using different bearings or swapping the stems. If your going as far as that you'll have to put a beefy swingarm and rear wheel on it too

(Oil boiler GSXR 750 in it...Anyone?)
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www.oldskoolsuzuki.info

[MementoMori]

Cheers for everyone's experience and advice. What has been said about these bikes has been very uplifting to read!

OK, Oddkid went to see the bike today and took it out for a spin. Just talking to him about it now; this is the state of the bike atm:

Engine's been rebuilt - 17, 000 miles to it.
New regulator.
New gaskets.
Brakes decent but need a clean.
No visible rust on frame etc.
May need new front tyre. Rear is fine.
Currently firing on 3. Won't take long to put that right.
Decent clutch.
Sounds meaty!
Feels fairly stable.
Comfortable.
Electrics need a tidy up - some tatty wiring and a loose connection somewhere but nothing major.
Needs a bit of a cosmetic tidy up.

Guy wanted 250 quid but took £20 off lol, so £230 it is then. So the guy's gonna hold it for us while I scrape some change together over here. Then it's just a matter of getting home and then the fun really begins!

Oh yeah, and a Bennett's insurance qoute states £170 LOL. So going through a company that's not an extortionate rip off merchant will see me paying norralot at all!
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The tiger who came for a pint

[McGee]

https://img153.imageshack.us/img153/3676/version1rc6.jpg

You shall make it look like so
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◙◙► K6 GSXR 600 ◄◙◙◙◙► K5 GSXR 1000 ◄◙◙◙◙► K5 GSXR 600 ◄◙◙◙◙► 96 RF600r ◄◙◙
◄◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙►◄◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙►◄◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙►
Its pronounced Jixxer!

[J.K.R]

www.oldskoolsuzuki.info
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www.oldskoolsuzuki.info

[jimbothe]