My GS550 is one of the last sold in this country. Registered in late '84, it had only done 5500 miles when I acquired it three years later. To say it was as new would be an understatement. The elderly owner had spent more time polishing it than riding it. I have kept it immaculate ever since, the GS is my only vehicle and, having escaped the delights of married life. my only love.
It has, however, been used a lot harder than it had by its first owner. It now has 62500 miles on the clock. It has been serviced every 1000 miles, a point at which the oil filter as well as the oil is changed! To be honest there is not much else that needs doing. The camchain tensioner is automatic, the ignition is trouble free electronic, whilst the carbs and valves rarely need setting even though I check them meticulously at every service. The motor shows no signs of wear or demise, doubtless aided by the fact that I never go beyond the red line.
Performance is not stunning.
With a full tank on board. a mere 54hp has to propel nearly 500lbs of machine plus a fifteen stone rider. I am quite tall, so find the riding position fine, a nice balanced feel between slightly raised bars and moderately placed footrests. There is enough power to cruise at 90mph all day, but not much beyond that, and the riding position perfectly matches available performance. The machine will struggle up to an indicated 115mph. probably a true 110mph, under favourable conditions. Vibration is negligible at all revs, as it should be from such a small four with so much mass to soak up the secondary out of balance forces. My main worry with the machine is chain, brake pad and tyre wear. I find the bike is so stable that almost any combination of tyres can be employed.
As a patriot I use Avon Roadrunners which give 7000 rear and 11000 miles front. The one rear Metz I tried was worn out in 3000 miles! The Avons are unaffected by whitelines, cats-eyes. etc. even with just 1mm of tread left. Brake pads last 5000 miles front and 6000 miles rear, expensive as there are three sets to buy! The chain is by far the worst consumable, though. 3000 miles from a cheapo and 5500 miles from the most expensive O-ring type. Sprockets last for 12000 miles.
The GS was the last of the fours to retain conventional twin shock rear suspension. Preventative maintenance of the swinging arm bushes like taking the spindle out and applying lots of grease every 10000 miles means it's still on the original bearings and spindle. The shocks were replaced with a set of Konis at 21000 miles, although to be fair to the standard shocks there was no discernible improvement in handling, just a slightly better absorption of bumps. Similarly, changing the fork oil makes very little difference. The forks don’t twist and dive very much under braking, and thanks to a set gaiters fitted by the original owner the seals are still original.
The Suzuki is a very precise handler indeed. Point it where you want to go and it sticks to its line come bumps, whitelines or the odd brick, thanks to conservative steering geometry and the unfashionably large 19” front wheel. True, changing line in a corner requires a bit of effort but, to my mind, that is a very small price to pay indeed for the rock solid straight line stability.
Not even on the most worn of tyres does the machine exhibit any tendency to weave or wobble. The feeling of security in the wet is most impressive, together with the controllable output of power means it can sometimes see off much bigger and supposedly faster machines.
My only real complaint is that it's very easy to get caught out by the power of the front brake. Grab a handful of brake at low speeds when leant over, and the machine will twitch viciously up to the vertical. The first few times this happened it almost gave me a heart attack. Braking in corners at speed or backing off the throttle is not a problem, it's just in town riding when you have to stop suddenly that the power can catch you out.
And, yes, the calipers do rot away. They need to be stripped every 15000 miles to prevent the whole thing seizing solid, although so far they have been salvageable and l have not had to buy replacements. The brakes also suffer from wet weather lag, not too bad with EBC pads fitted. They still need gentle application to clear away the water for instant braking. At least they don't usually look the wheel up solid once the water has been cleared. Overall the brakes would benefit from a lot more feel and slightly less power. Not impressive.
Of course, the GS would also benefit from 100lb less mass What wouldn't? Particularly when trying to push the machine around without the aid of its motive power. That mass combined with disc brakes that stick on makes it a right bugger to manoeuvre backwards, up a slight incline, or into my garage. The one time I ran out of petrol the 3 mile push to the nearest garage left me so tired out I slept through the whole of the next day. The alternative of leaving the machine unattended was unthinkable!
l have not fallen off the GS, nor has the machine fallen over. This due to a combination of my getting older and wiser and a chassis that always lets you know what's going on at the road surface. I've had a few close shaves, sure, but I've always found the way the machine can be braked and wrenched out of harm's way most reassuring. I am quite happy to ride the GS in the worst of weather.
Petrol consumption was initially 55mpg at best and 45mpg at worst. However, sticking on a one tooth larger gearbox sprocket made the machine feel a lot less revvy and more economical. It was quite possible to average 60mpg without really trying and a bit of restraint saw 65mpg. I would have liked to experiment with an even larger sprocket but this was made impossible by the proximity of the clutch pushrod and gearchange shaft. in top gear the bike has developed a much deeper growl and a much more pleasant character. No loss in acceleration has been noted as I used, anyway, to take off in second gear.
The four into two exhaust system lasts about three years before rust sets in, the silencer ends are the first to disintegrate. I managed to buy two new exhaust systems for a hundred notes each from a dealer flogging off old stock. I have just recently fitted the second set. True, I could buy a Motad, but I like the subdued burble of the standard set-up and wish to keep the appearance of the machine as original as possible. The four cylinder engine makes a lovely sound on the overrun, as well as giving out an almost inspiring hum at constant speed.
Other expensive consumables have been limited to the battery and a seat that fell apart. The battery lasts two years before refusing to hold a charge. This is the only evidence I have to offer of the dodginess of the Suzuki's electrical system. They have a reputation for taking out the alternator and regulator, but my machine is still on the original items. Either, by 1984 Suzuki had fixed the problem, or my constant maintenance and refusal to thrash the engine have given the bike an easy time. The other problem with the GS engine is that it rattles at low revs, either due to out of synch carbs or clutch noise, but as long as this disappears when the motor is revved there is no cause for concern and it can happily be ignored. The main/dip handlebar switch is a nuisance as it’s possible to turn the lights off, but otherwise controls offer no nightmares.
The clutch is delightfully light and precise. The main beam is not really adequate for much above 50mph, the dip is good for up to 60mph. As far as I know the bike is still on all the original bulbs! The indicators flash a bit slower than they did when I got the bike, so may require attention soon. There is no kickstart, but the electric boot brings the engine to life at the merest touch, even if the machine has been left standing for a couple of weeks. Putting the machine on the centrestand requires a combination of massive muscle and perfect balance, not easy until you get the hang of it.
Overall, though, there is little I can really complain about save consumable wear. The bike has an understated classic appearance that ages well. Along with the original Honda and Kawasaki fours, I can see its value appreciating greatly once we get into the new millennium and I expect to still be riding it in the year 2000. Prices for ones in pristine condition are already at a premium, so buy now while you can still afford one. On the other hand, rat GS550s can be picked up for a couple of hundred notes - l have two in the garage for spares!
Garry Parrington