The Big Sue resto-mod thread

[5twins]

Pete, if the headlight on-off switch has been moved to the right control assembly on that '80 model, enabling it may be very simple. I recall "fixing" one many years ago on a 550L model. Suzuki just put a piece of plastic inside the housing to stop the switch from moving. Take it out and it functions normally again.

 

[Grimly]

Congrats! There's nothing like having two of the most indestructible long distance tourers that weigh as much as a small naval vessel.
I have a '79 and an '80, the '80 a bit non-standard, but it's acted as a test bed for doing things I'd later upgrade the '79 to.
Regarding the light switch, harking back to my previous mention of it being on the left where it is lethal, having it on the right is great. Euro model GSs of the 80-onwards era all had a functioning headlamp switch on the right.
The only real switchgear bummer on the 1980 bike is the utterly stupid design of the left cluster with its daft indicator control * . Mine eventually just wore out at 250,000 miles and I fitted a Yamaha turn signal indicator there instead. Easy fit, and finagle the wiring to suit - quite easy. I also junked the dead turn signal distance/timer control, so now just remember to turn it off. I might get around to fitting a simple timer in the circuit.

You'll find the stock seat is amazingly comfortable, but bear in mind it's now 44 years old and the foam has likely died a bit so it's not as good as it should be. Back then, mine were less than a decade old when I got them and the seats were amazingly good. I've since replaced the high-mileage one with a Saddlemen type, which cossets my arse like an angel.

* Honestly, I wonder if there was a special idiot employment HR department in the Suzuki works. It's as if the same fool was tasked with designing LH switchgear on both bikes.

 

[Its been a long time]

You're right about the seats on those old GSs. The one on my GS1000 was only bettered by the one on my Guzzi Spada. Both those made my 1100 GoldWing feel like riding sitting on a milking stool in comparison. And if I hadn't known better, I'd have thought that was good.

The GS seats back in the day made the bikes a genuine 500 miles in a day bike. Too much traffic to do that today anyway.

 

[MaxPete]

Pete, if the headlight on-off switch has been moved to the right control assembly on that '80 model, enabling it may be very simple. I recall "fixing" one many years ago on a 550L model. Suzuki just put a piece of plastic inside the housing to stop the switch from moving. Take it out and it functions normally again.

Hi 5T:
Yup, that was exactly the fix required for the LH side switch on the ‘79 model - I made a whole post on how to do it in this thread.

Unfortunately, I don’t think that the ‘80 has any headlight switch at all - not sure but I’ll check. It may be that by then the safety police mandated lights on 24/7.

I will report back.

As for the seat - ooooohhh yes. Back in the spring of 1981 when I bought a brand new leftover ‘79 - all of the bike magazines agreed that the GS850G had the most comfortable seat ever put on a bike and I agreed at that time - and frankly, 40-odd years later, I think that statement is still true.

P

 

[Wagner73]

So now I have two. Here she is....

Oh, wow, very nice!! I have never owned even one Suzuki but have admired them from a distance. And their fours have always seemed to be great bikes. Love the refreshingly different aluminum wheel style as well!

Best of luck with your project(s)!

 

[Mailman]

Congratulations Pete! Very nice find!

 

[cra-z1]

It's getting harder to find bikes that are not a pile of crap. Nice find

 

[MaxPete]

Thanks gents!

 

[MaxPete]

Pete, if the headlight on-off switch has been moved to the right control assembly on that '80 model, enabling it may be very simple. I recall "fixing" one many years ago on a 550L model. Suzuki just put a piece of plastic inside the housing to stop the switch from moving. Take it out and it functions normally again.

Hi 5T:
Yup, that was exactly the fix required for the LH side switch on the ‘79 model - I made a whole post on how to do it in this thread.

Unfortunately, I don’t think that the ‘80 has any headlight switch at all - not sure but I’ll check. It may be that by then the safety police mandated lights on 24/7.

I will report back.

P

 

[5twins]

No Pete, you've misunderstood me I think. The one I worked on and "fixed" was a RIGHT side switch, like this one .....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/173684968001

It had the Yamaha style headlight on-off switch, one that slides R-L, not up and down like the one you worked on. The switch came in the "On" position and couldn't be turned off. But all Suzuki did to make it like that was to put a small piece of plastic inside the housing to restrict the switch's movement. All I had to do was remove that and the switch worked normally again. There was no "carving" involved like you needed to do on your left side switch.

 

[Wordman]

Nice!

I had a '79 GS1000E. Only bike I wish I'd never sold. Like driving a big steam engine. Smooth and uber reliable.

It's the bike I was riding when I met my wife... well, she wasn't my wife yet... Her first motorcycle ride was on it. We rode 100 miles that day. Six months later we were engaged, and five months after that we were married. That first ride was 25 years ago this past September!

Wish she could still ride with me (she hasn't been able to ride on a bike for 15 years or more). Still, we have a Miata for our "motorcycle" rides together.

 

[jetmechmarty]

It's the bike I was riding when I met my wife...

Happy memories…

 

[Wordman]

Happy memories…

Indeed they are.

Right before we got married, I asked her "you're not going to be one of those women who make the guy sell his car, motorcycle, etc., are you?"

She said, "Why, do some women do that?"

Incredulous, I explained it was so common as to be cliché!

She tilted her head to one side, then said (and I quote!), "oh no. Every good woman knows, a man has to have his toys. If he doesn't, he finds something else to play with... And she usually has breasts."

I figured this was a deal I could live with!

 

[MaxPete]

Nice!

I had a '79 GS1000E. Only bike I wish I'd never sold. Like driving a big steam engine. Smooth and uber reliable.

It's the bike I was riding when I met my wife... well, she wasn't my wife yet... Her first motorcycle ride was on it. We rode 100 miles that day. Six months later we were engaged, and five months after that we were married. That first ride was 25 years ago this past September!

Wish she could still ride with me (she hasn't been able to ride on a bike for 15 years or more). Still, we have a Miata for our "motorcycle" rides together.

Hi @Wordman - I feel the same way about my ‘79 GS850G.

P

 

[MaxPete]

Still pondering the headlight switch issue….

Here are photos of the RH and LH handlebar switches on the 1980 GS850G (and please note that everything seems to work perfectly).

 

[Its been a long time]

Yes, I had a 1978 GS1000. It was the first big multi cylinder bike I owned. A significant bike in the history of the UJM, it took the Z900/1000 idea and elevated it to the next level.

 

[jetmechmarty]

I've had an XS1100 for a very long time. I bought it with 10K miles. It now has over 100K miles. Bulletproof? I'd say pretty much, yes. Big and fast. I just felt the need to throw this out there for Mother Yamaha.

 

[Wagner73]

I've had an XS1100 for a very long time. I bought it with 10K miles. It now has over 100K miles. Bulletproof? I'd say pretty much, yes. Big and fast. I just felt the need to throw this out there for Mother Yamaha.

View attachment 363142

Ditto...I had an XS11 Midnight Special - great bike!

 

[Wagner73]

Still pondering the headlight switch issue….

Here are photos of the RH and LH handlebar switches on the 1980 GS850G (and please note that everything seems to work perfectly).

It does seem like a RH switch similar or same as @5twins has suggested could allow you to add headlight On-Off control, assuming a little rewiring. The stock switch seems pretty spartan (horn & kill), and the suggested switch retains those and adds lights. Or you could source a '79 LH switch; maybe the wiring changes would be easier?

But I'm sure you're pondering all of these alternatives...

 

[MaxPete]

It does seem like a RH switch similar or same as @5twins has suggested could allow you to add headlight On-Off control, assuming a little rewiring. The stock switch seems pretty spartan (horn & kill), and the suggested switch retains those and adds lights. Or you could source a '79 LH switch; maybe the wiring changes would be easier?

But I'm sure you're pondering all of these alternatives...

Yup - and I favour the former option of the same mod as 5T as I never liked the on-off switch on the LH side.

That is likely what I will do but in the meantime, everything on the bike works well - except, oddly, the brake light which seems to be stuck “ON”. My guess is that either the front or rear brake light switch is misadjusted. That should be a simple fix.