My SUV has more pickup...

[brown.rw]

Ok, so below is a ink to my last post as I believe the problems are related or one in the same. As of right now my bike has no pickup and won't break 55mph unless I am going downhill with a tailwind.

Any ideas?

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=38900.msg437143#msg437143

[facepants]

Have you checked your spark plugs?

[bobthebiker]

get your multimeter, check your coils, that sounds like my bike's problem when the left coil went out on me. it would run fine with no load, but at speed, it just died,

[brown.rw]

Sparkplugs are only a few months old.

[Garethbourne]

Even new parts can be faulty !!!

sounds like a new American TV show (when new parts go bad !)

[GeeP]

Hi brown,

I highly doubt your problems are related.  If the transmission was sucking that much power you would have a very sick bike on your hands.  In fact, if you warmed the bike up and drained the engine oil (which also lubricates the transmission) it would likely be oxidized black and filled with glittery metal dust.

My guess is you have a carb or valve problem.  To get to the bottom of this you're going to have to do some work to establish a baseline.

Have you ever checked the valve clearances?

Have you been in the carbs?

If not, the first thing I would do is check the valves.  The GS requires a valve clearance check/adjustment every 4,000 miles.  If the adjustment isn't done, the clearances tighten.  Eventually, the valve buckets ride the back side of the cam lobes, which holds the valves open during combustion.  The result is a loss in power (sometimes significant) and a "popping" or "spitting" or "farty" sound from the exhaust or intake.  For instruction, watch Kerry's video on Google Video here.

The other possibility is you have a carburetor problem.  Either the jetting was screwed up by the previous owner, one of the diaphragms has a tear or hole limiting it's travel, one of the vacuum test ports is uncovered on the vacuum caps, or you have gunk (technical term) in the carbs.  All of this can be discovered by disassembling the carbs and having a look-see.  Any one of these problems could cause a loss of power.  The GS is a lively little machine and will definately break 55!

Troubleshooting is a process of elimination.  By working down the list you'll eventually find what your problem is, in the process giving your new bike a good tune-up which it obviously needs anyway.   

[brown.rw]

GeeP,

Thanks for all of the great input. All of the issues have begun in the past month, 4 months after buying and riding. I am hoping to rebuild the carbs over the holidays if I can find all of the rebuild parts in time (have not seen a rebuilt kit for an '02).

After I complete that, if the power loss does not improve I will check the valves. I miss my peppy bike.

Thanks again for all of your help. I will let you know how it goes.

[Jace009gs]

I vote vacume leak*