1978 Suzuki GS550 with Windjammer SS

[KGBnut]

Someone asked about pictures of my bike. I was surprised I hadn't posted very many at all. So, here is my 1978 Suzuki GS550. I bought it about 2009 and tore it down to every nut, bolt, and screw...except I didn't need to tear down the engine. I reconditioned every part myself, and sent the frame out to be powder-coated (I would never powder-coat a frame again, but that is another story). I then took a ten year break... I bought a 1930 Model A Ford and that got all my attention for the next ten years. Meanwhile, all the reconditioned and completed Suzuki parts sat in a pile of boxes in my garage. When I got back to it about four years ago, I was more than a little concern about remembering how everything would go back together. Thankfully, I had stored everything in plastic bags, and had taken LOTS of notes and pictures which had been stored with all the parts. Reassembly took just a few weeks of evenings and weekends.

It has a Windjammer SS with lowers, and Vetter Saddlebags. I was able to get the correct fairing mount on eBay, but could not find saddlebag brackets for this bike (it may have never been made), so I had to modify a set for a later model GS550.

I very intentionally painted it a solid color. I know that Craig put a lot of effort into designing strips for these kits, but personally, I think that the lines of this fairing are amazing on their own and I love the unadorned curves. I have done this on every Windjammer I have restored. I always paint my bike a factory automotive color. It makes it very easy to get paint inexpensively, and touch paint is always available. This bike is a Ford color called Chrome Yellow. It was used on some of the recent Mustangs.

I have a couple of other bikes, one of which has a Windjammer, but this is the one that I ride the most.

Thanks for indulging me,

Ken

 

[KGBnut]

Here are just a few pictures from the restoration. You can see the notes I left myself on some of the ziplock bags.

The last picture is one of my favorites. This is the kind of thing my wife often finds in the kitchen when she gets home, and she never complains. Once she came home to find the dishwasher filled with motorcycle parts. Her only reaction was to rearrange things a little bit so they would clean better. I picked an amazing bride.

 

[AntelopeSam]

Your bike looks great! You could eat your dinner off that lump!

Did similar to my GS last winter, full nut & bolt resto. Have since re-built the top end this winter too.
The 8v's are beautifull engines! Both to look at and ride.

I kept all of the paint work on the tank, rear Cowell & windjammer original. Just re-finished & polished everything else!

Parts are only allowed on the kitchen table when there 100% clean, such as fresh back from the powder coaters, although I can clean thkngs in the sink!

 

[Kynan C.]

Thank you for sharing the pics of your Suzuki Ken. You did some work on that beauty. It so reminds me of my 75 GT550. I never put a Vetter on that bike but should have. Those 2 strokes were fast and fun.

Contrats on the build and be safe!