Author Topic: Yikes the missus bike flies!! (Read 15047 times)

Hush · « **on:** April 10, 2009, 01:50:16 AM »

Been rebuilding an 82 Suzuki GSX400L for my partner so she stops trying to ride my Honda.
Thought the wee 400 would suit her as it's low and chopperish, thought it was a docile beastie too...worng wrong wrong!

Put the plates off her scooter on it today for a zip around the block, this bike would eat my 650 up to 50mph easy?
Damn.....it's as light as a push bike too, at least I now know she will be able to keep up with me when we go riding.

Anyone have any stats on the GSX400? top speed etc 1/4 mile maybe?
I'm entering my copcycle in the annual 1/4 mile sprint this year and as it's only $30 to run a bike I'm thinking she might have a chance in the under 500 class.

Shenanigans · « **Reply #1 on:** April 10, 2009, 04:18:52 AM »

87 mph with 27 ponies so I am told

HondaMan · « **Reply #2 on:** April 10, 2009, 04:41:35 AM »

Sounds like the old CB350 twin. They were a riot up to 80 MPH, would reach about 105.

mystic_1 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 10, 2009, 08:35:05 AM »

Agreed re: CB350. People dis these smaller displacement bikes all the time, but some of them are extremely fun to ride.

mystic_1

BobbyR · « **Reply #4 on:** April 10, 2009, 08:49:00 AM »

I had a KZ440, it was real quick 0-50 after 60 it did not have a lot. It was a commuter bike so I guess that low end for scooting around town is a what it was designed for. Pinned the speedo at 85 and there was not much there.

Hush · « **Reply #5 on:** April 10, 2009, 06:09:31 PM »

Been talking to some Suzuki boys at work aparently the magic word in Suzukis is "GSX" seems anything from my 400 up to the 1100's are the ones to have, twin cam and all.
Funny it seems like such a basic machine one of the charms and reasons I bought it, crankcase is built like a Triumph, kinda overkill and pregnant.

OK back to the shed, more test riding to be done while Jaffa aint here to tell me off for riding her bike.

750goes · « **Reply #6 on:** April 10, 2009, 06:25:25 PM »

I bought an 81 GSX250 for my youngest son to get his learners with... .same bottom end as the GSX400....built like tanks, and six speed..bike also sat inside a mechanics workshop for 15 years before I got it - still had petrol in liquid state in the carb bowls and tank - it was dark red - emptied it out - put in some fresh fuel - new plugs - vacuumed out the disintegrated air filter - changed oil and filter - and startet it up - blew no smoke and idled.....bonus...(did throw some oil down the cylinders first)..

now it's waiting for him to get his learners........and pay me for the bike.....$202.50 (ebay)

Hush · « **Reply #7 on:** April 11, 2009, 06:55:38 PM »

Gee that sounds so much like my buy, $300 off Trade-me, air filter was like foam dust lying in bottom of filter box, fresh fuel and oild/filter change......pulls strong and built as you say like a friggen tank.

750goes · « **Reply #8 on:** April 11, 2009, 07:36:39 PM »

I will try and post some pictures - got to find where they are first, then probably resize them

HondaMan · « **Reply #9 on:** April 11, 2009, 08:53:40 PM »

I still wanna 350F...1972 model.

Hush · « **Reply #10 on:** April 11, 2009, 10:21:11 PM »

Exact same motor, they must use it in all models.
350f's are too expensive here in Godzone otherwise I'd get her one of those.

mj_honda · « **Reply #11 on:** April 14, 2009, 05:25:09 PM »

Quote from: HondaMan on April 11, 2009, 08:53:40 PM

I still wanna 350F...1972 model.

Can't say I blame you

Here is a pic of mine last fall. My better half will hopefully be riding it this season.

1972 with a little under 5k. Bought it with about 3.5k original milage. From what I gather I am the 3rd owner.

This thing gets more compliments than any bike really should.

I had to show it off

Hush · « **Reply #12 on:** April 14, 2009, 06:28:31 PM »

Damn pretty bike mate.

750goes · « **Reply #13 on:** September 23, 2009, 03:59:05 AM »

Hush,

here are some photos of the nearly finished bike - how is yours going ??

DavePhipps · « **Reply #14 on:** September 24, 2009, 11:01:28 AM »

I had one of the monoshock GSX 550e's and it was a blast. Definitely a different breed from the older GS's

Mine was like this but with the half fairing.

Hush · « **Reply #15 on:** September 24, 2009, 04:59:26 PM »

The GSX400 is going great now, had major carb issues and dumped another full tank of gas from the tank down into the oil sump before we realised the carb "o" rings were old, once they were replaced it behaved.
I had a ride on it the other day and it nearly dumped me, I was cornering and the main gas tank ran dry "on a corner"!
Well that would be OK on any normal bike but the rear tire is still a poxy Chin-sheng and I believe they are 80% nylon so with the bike in gear leaned into a corner and stalled the rear tire locked up and I did the big dirt track type slide into the gutter.
That tire has to go!
Bike should be ready for the Xmas charity toy-run in November and hopefully Jaffa will have had some hours in the saddle by then.

Hush · « **Reply #16 on:** October 12, 2009, 11:10:38 PM »

Finally got the rear tire to the bike shop for a new Pirelli.
Jaffa removed the wheel before I got home bless her.
The brake shoes look dodgy too so those can go while we have it apart.
She wants to change the handle bars now?

But she's got to ride it so I'll go look for some narrower bars as the ones I bought and cut down for her are too wide for her short arms.

Then it's off for a WOF/VIN and she's all road legal.

Hush · « **Reply #17 on:** October 15, 2009, 02:11:56 AM »

New tire looks good on the bike and fitted new rear brake shoes while I was in there, unfortunately I now find the the chain is stuffed.

crazypj · « **Reply #18 on:** October 15, 2009, 05:47:25 PM »

That GSX has 4 valves/cyl.
should be TSSC on it somewhere
Its can be made to go very very quick, just use porting specs for early GSX-R750/1100.
Ports are a bit restrictive as it was meant to be a beginners motor
you could probably sell just the head for more than price of bike if someone is building a GS500 racer (2 valves/cyl)

PJ

Hush · « **Reply #19 on:** October 15, 2009, 10:12:19 PM »

Bike shop wanted $230 for a stock standard chain so I looked on Trade-me and got one couriered for $73 not bad eh!

Hush · « **Reply #20 on:** October 24, 2009, 08:42:18 PM »

Ah well, ups and downs, the "cheap" chain though a nice chain is wrong guage so I will keep it for my Honda 650, looks like I'm up for that $230 stock chain after all.
On the up side Jaffa finally got to ride her bike today after many false starts due to dead batteries and sumps full of petrol (thanks to carb seals leaking).
Bike went like stink, I was hard pressed to keep up with it and had to down change to catch her, those 6 speed Suzuki GSX motors are race proven even if they are 28 years old.
I had cleaned and greased the old chain just to get the bike ridable and as we rode I could hear this strange clanking noise which I first thought was coming from my cam chain!!
Turns out it was the Suzuki's drive chain slapping against the chain guard (it has that much sideways slop it can do that).
So we had a quick run out into the country and Jaffa really enjoyed riding her baby, all the people we passed were thinking "That lady is being followed by a cop so she must be going for her licence" which infuriated Jaffa as she has had a full licence for 35 years ha ha.

Ah well I better go budget for a new chain now........

ev0lve · « **Reply #21 on:** October 24, 2009, 10:05:56 PM »

Quote from: davephipps on September 24, 2009, 11:01:28 AM

I had one of the monoshock GSX 550e's and it was a blast. Definitely a different breed from the older GS's

Mine was like this but with the half fairing.

Sorry. Off topic to your thread but...
+1 GS550ES Had one. Beat it to death. Pretty sure it saved me a couple times from speed and stupidity by just being good and stiff with pretty reasonable brakes. Massively fun machine.

Mine had the full fairing and a Yosh pipe. I still measure every other machine's sound by the pure love I felt everytime I cracked the throttle on the 550.

Sorry, just got excited someone else felt the same way I did about the early 80's 550
Now back to your regularly scheduled thread

Hush · « **Reply #22 on:** October 25, 2009, 12:52:52 AM »

Yeag Iggy, I'm becoming quite a fan of the GSX

crazypj · « **Reply #23 on:** October 25, 2009, 01:40:06 PM »

Quote from: Hush on October 24, 2009, 08:42:18 PM

Ah well, ups and downs, the "cheap" chain though a nice chain is wrong guage so I will keep it for my Honda 650, looks like I'm up for that $230 stock chain after all.

Ah well I better go budget for a new chain now........

Isn't it a 525? CB650 uses 530, it will work but moves around a bit.
You could use GS500 sprockets when they need changing and switch to heavier 530 chain or go downsize to GSX250 520 chain (its being used on 100+ HP 750's)
525 is stock on a few bikes, should be able to get one well cheaper than $230

Hush · « **Reply #24 on:** October 25, 2009, 05:59:48 PM »

Hey Crazypj, my shed is so full of old parts I got lost in all the chains (which I shoulda thrown out of course) and found the original for the GSX400, it's a DID50 103 links.
The old Suzuki has suprisingly thick sprockets, almost over engineered for the CC rating but the bike develops very high top end speed so I guess they decided to play safe when they put sprockets on them.
I'm hunting around for a DID 50 chain now.

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Author Topic: Yikes the missus bike flies!! (Read 15047 times)