Thierry

If upgrades are carried out using proven solutions, and w/o going "over the top", they do not necessarily mean a loss of reliability. I would ask a mechanic familiar with air cooled Suzukis about the mods done on this bike, I would check whether the cooling system has been upgraded to deal with more power (which means more heat), and I would test-ride the 'bike to try and feel whether anything feels not right; and if in doubt after the test ride, then give it a miss. If proven solutions have been used for the upgrades, the cooling system has been taken care of and everything during the test ride feels right, I would take the plunge. Finally, you want to think about consequences with insurance when any vehicle gets modified.

Have you tried checking out on the OZ website The Gumtree, whether there are any ads for your exhaust system?

Thank you for the link, bitzz!

ProducerBill, did the original petcock on your GS 550 L have a lever, or was it a vacuum one? I wanted to replace the vacuum petcock on my 1979 GS 1000 E with a petcock sporting a lever, however I was advised by a mechanic specialising in 1970s Suzukis that it is not possible, as the spacing of the holes is different (GS 1000 Es came with both types of petcock). Hoppy, hopefully the spacing is the same for both types of petcock on your GS 550 L; if this is not the case, then you may have to carry on with a vacuum petcock.

I replaced as planned the rubber lines on the front brakes with stainless steel braided items, and braking became instantly, perfectly acceptable (at least, for my type of riding). I had planned to do it all along, but was suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of urgency when I squeezed the front brake handle while standing next to the bike, and saw the diameter of said rubber lines expand by several mm: they were actually the original, 45 years old items! So Dezza (and I) were right, and once I apply the same treatment to the rear brake, stopping the old filly will be a piece of cake. Thanks to Dezza and everyone else for their good advice; the lists of adaptable calipers and disks will come in handy whenever I decide to give my bike the resto-mod treatment (which I have done to both of my other vehicles from the '70s). In response to Swiss Toni's request, here is a picture of the GS 1000, after it was spruced up (but not a nut and bolt restoration).

Definitely not too late, Jens; this is very good, it gives a lot of options. Many thanks!

Great job!

Thank you for the photos Dennis; I assume that you fabricated these brackets? Neat work!

Thank you Safra; I do not have access to people who would be able or willing to fabricate the brackets, so I am looking for complete kits.

I actually sent the bike for a comprehensive service and requested stainless braided hoses, but the mechanic said that it was "not necessary"; these days, mechanics have become artists who do as they see fit, not according to the requests of the customers; but is is on my bucket list, just to be performed by another guy.

Thank you for the tip and for the link, Paul. I will try getting in touch with Salty Monk

OK, thank you for the information and help!

And if not, what model are these Lockheed calibers?

Thank you for the advice. There are not any modern or recent calipers that are easily available and would be a plug and play fit onto the GS 1000 fork?

"Newbie" refers to this being my first day on this forum, not my age (if only!). A mere 44 years after parting with my beloved '77 GS 550 E, I am about to ride a GS again, this time a '79 GS 1000 E (I know, some guys are deprived of any imagination). More concerned with my safety and that of others than with authenticity, I would like to improve the stopping power of my ride. Anybody here have upgraded successfully the brakes on their GS 1000? What works well, and what should be avoided? Tragicallly, the worst mistakes are unlikely to be reported first-hand, but I will take second-hand advice from those who were witnesses to those lethal errors. Thank you for your kind and enlightened advice.