Bike Swap!

"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
04/27/2019 at 10:48 • Filed to: Two Wheels Good

The Goldwing was a fantastic way to start the season. H owever , it’s time to switch up the wheels. The return spring on the Wing’s rear brake just broke so I used it as an excuse to do a storage swap. Out comes the ugly duckling Suzuki GS850G!

This bike still amazes me. Whatever battery it has survived all winter without a tender and started the bike right up. The carbs also appear to be in tip top shape. All I had to do was air up the tyres and set off.

After putting about 1,500 miles on the Goldwing since March I’ve gotten used to that big bulky bike. When I swung a leg over the GS I freaked out because the GS seemed so low and “small”. I always thought this thing was basically just the Goldwing but with an inline four. It certainly didn’t get any smaller, so it’s definitely me! I’ve also been scraping the Goldwing’s engine cage trying to carve corners, so being able to get in a little more lean has been welcoming.

Over the winter I looked up clutch maintenance. The GS had no slack in the lever and its clutch sometimes slipped. The Goldwing has slack in the lever, but runs fine. I was curious about what is correct and maybe how to change the plates in the GS. I learned that a clutch lever is supposed to have some slack like the Goldwing does. Having it too tight can lead to clutch slipping. Adjusted the slack on the GS and surprise, no more slipping. Whew.

Since I can’t make up my mind about painting it or leaving the patina, I think I’ll do a compromise and plasti-dip it. I’m thinking white with pink accents and a tank stripe?

I also realized that the forks are weak, so that’s a thing I’ll want to get around to fixing. First thing on my list is figuring out that kickstand.

I can keep three bikes at my apartment and right now I have the GS, the CF Moto, and the Honda Elite there. I’m thinking about replacing the CF Moto with the F3 or the U7E.

DISCUSSION (12)

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > Mercedes Streeter
04/27/2019 at 10:59

I used to have a GS650. It was my first bike. B ought it for $250, got it running and cleaned it up, and sold it for a healthy profit. Never plated it and didn’t have my endorsement, so I didn’t really get to ride it much. I did ride it though, despite living a block from the cop shop.

Maybe it was just me and my lack of knowledge, skill, and business being on the thing to begin with, but I seemed to drag the pegs often when cornering at slow speeds. Pretty consistently too. Still not sure if I was doing it wrong, or really right. Fun though, either way.

Mercedes Streeter > This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja:
04/27/2019 at 11:12

My old Buell Blast did that. Just simply turning at a green light resulted in scraping. The Goldwing has an excuse with that "thicc" engine and even larger cage around it, but the Blast???

sdwarf36 > Mercedes Streeter
04/27/2019 at 11:13

UJM. Back in the day is was one of many doing the same job the same way. I had a buddy that had one of these (G? L? H ? the standard.) with a full on fairing + bags-loved it. We swapped and he took my Kawasaki Concours. He admitted the Connie was better in every way-but still like the Suzuki. I think he more liked the memories that came with it.

See if someone still mak es a fork bra ce for it-and get rid of the shocks that were blown within the first year-it will make it a whole new bike. And you do have recent rubber on it-right?

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Mercedes Streeter
04/27/2019 at 11:30

i really really really want to get a small bike again... a 125 racer of some kind

those things are hilariously chuckable when your my size and weight

and not very fast... wich is also good... coz im an idiot

so if someone could give me a proper damn contract so i can idiot to my full potential

Kinja'd!!!

Mercedes Streeter > sdwarf36
04/27/2019 at 11:37

It sure is! I love me these old bikes. At one point I had planned on having a stable full of 70s and 80s UJM and to a degree I do. My Yamaha U7E is like a Honda Super Cub and my Yamaha DT175 certainly looks like every other two smoke Enduro of that era. Some people would argue that 90s sportbikes are a continuation of the UJM thing.

All the rubber and fluids are recent on it (I did an oil change right before winter). But yeah, somewhere down the line I never paid attention to what the front shocks look like while loaded. They look fine while parked, but are compressed maybe 3/4 of travel when I’m on it.