Project Old Barge - 1983 Suzuki GS850G

[UnspeedySam]

So following on from this thread. I have just acquired a very large lump of Japanese steel for my mate who is new to biking.

I figured I should make a new thread as the other one is going to turn into the project thread otherwise.

The todo list currently looks like this:

• Oil/Filter Change
  
• Shaft Oil Change
  
• Gear Box Oil Change - Turns out it's separate!
  
• New Battery - Mine are too wide but the existing one is very very slowly taking a charge and does now crank over the engine properly so will do for now.
  
• New coils or cover existing coils in silicone
  
• Invest in some braided hoses - Brakes have just been bled and it made no difference so it looks like new lines time...or maybe a master cylinder?
  
• Sort out the back right indicator - Done - Was just the bulb
  
• Tap out a new thread for the right mirror...if I don't end up replacing the master cylinder - The existing one was stripped and poorly bodged with araldite and a split pin

Anyone care to comment on the brakes issue? Could it be the cylinder not the lines? They are rubber but don't look perished at all...

Photos:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/553228_10151353783074921_741181605_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/543451_10151353782889921_369615698_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/486240_10151353783004921_285042955_n.jpg
____________________
Riding: BMW R1150RT `02 bought mildly crashed
Fixing: Also the BMW as I get less broken bits
Gone: ZZR600 '00, TRX850 '97, RXS100 '93, JS125-6B '07, BMW R1100RS '93, Kawasaki ZX-6R-J2 '01, Honda Bros NT400 NC25 '88

[Shaft]

Ah, we've moved over here

They aren't the best brakes, especially compared to modern bikes, it's often one of the trade offs of owning something old and interesting.

I wouldn't expect them to be so bad you have to pull back to the bars just to stop, but they aren't ever going to be in the same league as, say, your TRX.

If the system isn't obviously leaking, I would go with new fluid, decent pads and maybe steel lines, but don't ever expect them to be brilliant.

I would say my 1100 brakes are just about up to the job, which is probably true of most UJMs of the period.
____________________
Things get better with age; I'm close to being magnificent........
20 RE Interceptor, 83 Z1100A3, 83 GS650 Katana
WooHoo, I'm a Man Point Millionaire! https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=234035

[UnspeedySam]

[orac]

hoses are meant to be changed every seven year any way (at least for the rubber ones) so do them as a start.

you can try trying the lever into the bar over night, if that improves it for a bit and then goes floppy again, it ever the master cylinder or they just crap brakes
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Current rides - 2016 Triumph Street Triple Rx, 1994 Suzuki Bandit 400 VM, TGB 204 Classic 125cc
"with nothing left to lose, there is everything to gain. It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog"

[UnspeedySam]

[orac]

yeh i read that, i have it in the past where pumping didnt work completely, leaving it tied into the bar seem to force any remaing air out into the resivoir. i nomrally pump it up as much pssoible and then tie it in for as long as possible 12 or more hours is fairly good if you can hold out that long, but as little as hour seem to work well to - may give you an early indicator (it only cost a couple of zip ties)
____________________
Current rides - 2016 Triumph Street Triple Rx, 1994 Suzuki Bandit 400 VM, TGB 204 Classic 125cc
"with nothing left to lose, there is everything to gain. It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog"

[UnspeedySam]

[orac]

no worries man, its just one of those little tricks that give an indicator of having to spend money or not, or most cases, spend the right money on the right thing instead of both things.
____________________
Current rides - 2016 Triumph Street Triple Rx, 1994 Suzuki Bandit 400 VM, TGB 204 Classic 125cc
"with nothing left to lose, there is everything to gain. It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog"

[UnspeedySam]

While I'm waiting for the tied down lever test. Is there any advantage at all of a 3 line brake line kit over a 2 line kit?

Seems odd that anyone would bother with a 3 line kit when you can just have 2 lines running from the master cylinder for 2/3rds of the price...
____________________
Riding: BMW R1150RT `02 bought mildly crashed
Fixing: Also the BMW as I get less broken bits
Gone: ZZR600 '00, TRX850 '97, RXS100 '93, JS125-6B '07, BMW R1100RS '93, Kawasaki ZX-6R-J2 '01, Honda Bros NT400 NC25 '88

[GrumpyGuts]

You get that bike cleaned up nice and shiny then I think you have a fantastic machine there. Moar pics
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My Bikes: Lifan Beat 125cc '11 -> Suzuki B120P '76 -> Suzuki EN 125-2A '08 -> Honda CG 125 '04 -> Honda CB600F Hornet '98 -> Kawasaki ZZR 600 '99 -> Kawasaki GPZ 500S '95 (Current)
Theory test passed - 09/02/2012 >>>> Module 1 passed 24/07/2012 >>>> Module 2 passed 24/10/2012

[orac]

i was going to go 2 piece on my bandit, but there wast space between the master cylinder and the tacho for the couble banjo, so jeck that clearance before you pull the trigger. also check the space that the line will run, if its a tight fit behind the head light then a single down to a splitter maybe the way to go
____________________
Current rides - 2016 Triumph Street Triple Rx, 1994 Suzuki Bandit 400 VM, TGB 204 Classic 125cc
"with nothing left to lose, there is everything to gain. It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog"

[UnspeedySam]

[UnspeedySam]

[nowhere.elysium]

Venhill lines were nice and easy to fit* on my GS, and really did make a significant difference. It felt incredibly marked, but that's largely down to the fact that it too had the 30-year-old rubber hoses, which were well outside of their projected lifespan.

Personally, I'd be tempted to just take the mirrors off altogether. If they're anything like the 650, they've not got the most useful field of reflection, and they'll just blur into complete incomprehensibility once you get above 2k anyway.

I didn't know it had a separate sump for the gearbox oil. Learn something new every day, I guess.

*The banjo screws into the line, as opposed to conventional lines which are completely pre-assembled. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, but actually works really well, if put together and tightened properly.
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'10 SV650SF, '83 GS650GT (it lives!), Questionable DIY dash project, 3D Printer project, Lasercutter project

[Shaft]

[nowhere.elysium]

[Shaft]

I don't know if yours is the same, I've just looked up the schematic on cmsnl and it's not very clear.

I only know about the 850 because I've done the job.
____________________
Things get better with age; I'm close to being magnificent........
20 RE Interceptor, 83 Z1100A3, 83 GS650 Katana
WooHoo, I'm a Man Point Millionaire! https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=234035

[nowhere.elysium]

It is a catastrophically poor diagram, isn't it? I had a quick look through the parts list, and it doesn't refer to any plugs in the kind of places they'd have to be in order to do what you suggested, so I think I'm OK on that one. Fingers crossed.
____________________
'10 SV650SF, '83 GS650GT (it lives!), Questionable DIY dash project, 3D Printer project, Lasercutter project

[Shaft]

Well, looky here!

https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=118013&highlight=Secondary+Drive

In the first post is a link to a how to on changing the bevel oil on an 850 and, a bit further down, is a post from someone telling us the 650 isn't the same.

Birds, stone, killed
____________________
Things get better with age; I'm close to being magnificent........
20 RE Interceptor, 83 Z1100A3, 83 GS650 Katana
WooHoo, I'm a Man Point Millionaire! https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=234035

[nowhere.elysium]

Awesome sauce
____________________
'10 SV650SF, '83 GS650GT (it lives!), Questionable DIY dash project, 3D Printer project, Lasercutter project

[UnspeedySam]

Yeah the filler says SAE 90 on it so it must be separate in some way. I assume this is separate from the shaft oil?

I feel like such a newb...

Edit: Read the link. Understand now
____________________
Riding: BMW R1150RT `02 bought mildly crashed
Fixing: Also the BMW as I get less broken bits
Gone: ZZR600 '00, TRX850 '97, RXS100 '93, JS125-6B '07, BMW R1100RS '93, Kawasaki ZX-6R-J2 '01, Honda Bros NT400 NC25 '88

[alexlawriewoo...]

'Ello all. I'm the happy mate in question, good a time as any to make an appearance! Pretty chuffed, exactly the kind of bike I was looking for.

[Shaft]

Welcome along, there's a few of us here with a bit of a thing for these big 80s lumps, so you've got some company.
____________________
Things get better with age; I'm close to being magnificent........
20 RE Interceptor, 83 Z1100A3, 83 GS650 Katana
WooHoo, I'm a Man Point Millionaire! https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=234035

[UnspeedySam]

[alexlawriewoo...]

Fingers crossed that's improved things. Although the service manual says to replace rubber hoses every two years, and I strongly suspect the current ones'll be a lot older.

This site describes a few common issues. Should help. Lot of fairly minor things, which is a good sign, I suppose!
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Yamaha RXS100 [returned to mate], 1982 Honda CM125 [stolen], 1982 Suzuki GS850G