Hi folks.  I read the Idle Hovering sticky in the faqs, and would have asked this there, but can't seem to post to that thread.

My new bike (new to me... '04 GS500F Canadian spec) idles just fine at ~1200 when it's warmed up, but only if you lug it down there when you're slowing down.  If I clutch in with the tach above 1800 or so, the idle climbs to ~3000.  If I lug it down below 1800, it'll drop down and sit at 1200 quite happily.

First question: is this the 'Idle Hovering' problem discussed in the faq?

Second: does this particular behaviour point to any one cause over the others?  I'm thinking if it was air leak / missing O rings it wouldn't ever drop down to a nice smooth 1200 idle; probably same with something clogged.  Seems like a sticky cable, valve or some such...?

Thanks for any thoughts.  I'm going to take it to the pros (I'm no mechanic), but I'd like to know what to expect.

Quote from: idearat on July 29, 2008, 04:01:53 PM
Hi folks.  I read the Idle Hovering sticky in the faqs, and would have asked this there, but can't seem to post to that thread.

My new bike (new to me... '04 GS500F Canadian spec) idles just fine at ~1200 when it's warmed up, but only if you lug it down there when you're slowing down.  If I clutch in with the tach above 1800 or so, the idle climbs to ~3000.  If I lug it down below 1800, it'll drop down and sit at 1200 quite happily.

First question: is this the 'Idle Hovering' problem discussed in the faq?

Second: does this particular behaviour point to any one cause over the others?  I'm thinking if it was air leak / missing O rings it wouldn't ever drop down to a nice smooth 1200 idle; probably same with something clogged.  Seems like a sticky cable, valve or some such...?

Thanks for any thoughts.  I'm going to take it to the pros (I'm no mechanic), but I'd like to know what to expect.

Sounds like a very mild case of hovering. The GS can sometimes be very sensitive to the idle screw setting (the big brass knob hanging between the carbs); try lowering the idle speed just a hair and see if it helps.

p.s. Welcome to the forums!  I live in B.C too (Vancouver).

Thanks, beRto!  I sense I'll be spending a lot of time here... great forum!

Just be sure it's a good 10-15 minutes worth of warming before you start twisting! 

+1 on the sensitive idle screw and allowing the bike to get fully warmed up before setting the idle    You may want to put on gloves if you have them to adjust it (it can get kinda hot in there lol).  I was having the exact same problem on my bike and that fixed it too.  Now it idles right at 1200-1300rpm when warm and doesn't hang at 3000

Well I'm back again, and I'm not happy.   

Took the bike back to the shop, they had it for a week (waiting for parts, including new tires, much of that time).  Claimed to have found and replaced a broken slide.  Took it home, and it was definitely better: would hold an idle on the choke, which it didn't before, and didn't hover at 3-4000 anymore... but once warm, would stall every time I came to a stop, wouldn't hold an idle at all.  Tried futzing with the idle screw hanging down between the carbs (yes it was fully warm): nothing, nothing, nothing, then raced.  Couldn't get it to hold an idle.

Took it back, and they've now had it for a week and a half.  Last time I talked to them, they said they were waiting for a call back from an 'expert' at Suzuki; they thought it might be related to emissions control / vacuum stuff.  I'm pretty much ignorant, and at their mercy... I've put up with it this long because the guy who sold it to me is paying to set it right.

Meanwhile, though, I've owned the bike for over a month and had it in my possession less than 2 weeks.  And autumn's coming on...

Please, does anybody know of a guru here on Vancouver Island that could figure this out?  I'm ready to take the bike back and pay to get it fixed, but I don't just want to go through the same thing in another shop...  

Help?

Take off the carbs and send em to me.
The shop deserves a beating if they cant figure out a carburetor. WTF ... they are so seriously into making easy money its disgusting. Change a tire, change a chain and its $100 easy ... no thinking required. F*(k ... I should be in the bike repair business. oh wait ... I am and it sucks ... just my luck ...
Anyway, send it, I am in charlotte NC, US though.
Cool.
Buddha.

Thanks for the offer, Buddha.  I'm hoping to get it fixed a little closer to home (feel like a trip??), but if I can't get any satisfaction around here it might just come to that.

At least it's not my money the shop's spending, but this is getting ridiculous.  The guy that sold me the bike is a salesman at the same dealership, though the bike was a private sale.  Could be he has no pull on the repair side of the house, or they're giving him a deal in return for my waiting til they have time, or maybe they're just incompetent.  Lesson learned: shouldn't have bought the bike until it was running to my satisfaction.

Thought I'd post the story's conclusion.

2 weeks after I took it back to the shop the second time, the guy that sold it to me told me they'd done nothing and I may as well pick it up and take it elsewhere.  Turns out the major problem was between him and the mechanics at the shop.  So I took it to another shop, they did a carb rebuild but still had vacuum problems, so they did a compression test.  That showed 150lb on the left, and 5lb (yes, five) on the right. They found the exhaust valve stuck open... re-shimmed it, cleaned some carbon off, and put it all back together. That brought the vacuum back!

I picked up the bike on friday, and man, it's a whole new ride! Warms up great on choke, idles perfectly once it's warm, peppier. I also noticed right away there's a lot more compression braking when you roll off the throttle... which says something right there. They noted "still slightly soft on bottom end - suspect cylinder has carbon buildup - should improve with some riding", but frankly I can't tell. Seems fine to me.

Best part of the story: the guy who sold it to me was true to his word, paid for the whole service without balking. So I had my enthuiasm for riding and my faith in humanity restored in one weekend! I'm happy.

Thanks to all here for your suggestions and moral support. See you on the road...

Perry.

I'm very glad it worked out, and the seller was good to his word.  Thanks for letting us know what the problem turned out to be!

Quote from: idearat on September 21, 2008, 07:05:08 PM
Thought I'd post the story's conclusion.

2 weeks after I took it back to the shop the second time, the guy that sold it to me told me they'd done nothing and I may as well pick it up and take it elsewhere.  Turns out the major problem was between him and the mechanics at the shop.  So I took it to another shop, they did a carb rebuild but still had vacuum problems, so they did a compression test.  That showed 150lb on the left, and 5lb (yes, five) on the right. They found the exhaust valve stuck open... re-shimmed it, cleaned some carbon off, and put it all back together. That brought the vacuum back!

I picked up the bike on friday, and man, it's a whole new ride! Warms up great on choke, idles perfectly once it's warm, peppier. I also noticed right away there's a lot more compression braking when you roll off the throttle... which says something right there. They noted "still slightly soft on bottom end - suspect cylinder has carbon buildup - should improve with some riding", but frankly I can't tell. Seems fine to me.

Best part of the story: the guy who sold it to me was true to his word, paid for the whole service without balking. So I had my enthuiasm for riding and my faith in humanity restored in one weekend! I'm happy.

Thanks to all here for your suggestions and moral support. See you on the road...

Perry.

I'm glad things seem to have come to a happy ending! Enjoy the ride