Ok, I have a '95 plated GS500E, which is apparently one the older generation of motors that the Suzuki claimed put out 52 horsepower when they were new.  The later motors (post '97 I think) are supposed to put out 47HP.  Which bits did Suzuki change when they retuned the motor?  I'm looking at a cheap set of carbs off a later model so that I'm not stuck without transport while I tinker with mine, but I don't want to run into big tuning issues where it turns out the later model is supposed to have different a different exhaust and air cleaner, different cams etc and I'm jetted all wrong and it runs like ass.

As far as I know I have a stock air cleaner and stock(ish) exhaust.

The GS5 didn`t get detuned in 97 they just changed method of measuring it,from crank to rear wheel.Carbs changed from 02 from two phase to three.All old shape GS5 carbs interchangable.(California models differ slightly).

Ah, so those ponies are lost somewhere in the driveline.  Thanks for that. 

Actually every model have 35-ish ponies at the wheel...

This difference in manual stated power is somehow unexplained.... In 97 in some countries the GS started to use catalytic converters, but that would not take out 5 hp....

GS500 have about 40 HP measured on a dyno at the rear wheel.  Here are results from all road tests published in US mags from 89 on that I've found:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/GS500tests.jpg

A good job of jetting, air cleaner, and exhaust mods will add about 10%, gstwins cofounder Annie's showed about 43.2 HP with these mods:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/AnniesGS500dynoRun-1.jpg

The 3 circuit carbs started with the 01 models, best improvement ever made to the GS I think.

Suzuki got a new Marketing Manager. He gave the flick to his old desk and put in a behemoth mahogany one. I'm talking dinosaur size here. To keep the energy up to his desk - and equally large ego - the magic had to be taken out of the bike. When they took out the magic 5hp was lost too. So now you know. 

Michael

Quote from: gsJack on August 13, 2011, 03:35:04 PM


The 3 circuit carbs started with the 01 models, best improvement ever made to the GS I think.

Can these improved carbs be bolted straight up to the older motor, and would there be any benefit?

Quote from: Cosimo_Zaretti on August 14, 2011, 02:44:47 AM

Quote from: gsJack on August 13, 2011, 03:35:04 PM


The 3 circuit carbs started with the 01 models, best improvement ever made to the GS I think.

Can these improved carbs be bolted straight up to the older motor, and would there be any benefit?

The 3 circuit carbs are 1 mm bigger in dia so you need to use the rubber intake manifolds made for the 3 circuit carbs and they will bolt to any year engine head.  Also dual throttle cables started with the 3 circuit carbs so you might want to change the throttle grip and cables too although I think some have done it both ways.

I think it would be worthwhile if you can find the carbs and manifolds for a good price.  The 3 circuit carbs are less lean in the cold and also just felt stronger all around in the mid range in everyday running about.  I ran both my old 97 GS and my new (back then) 02 GS at the same time for a while and the difference was very noticeable to me.  But the old 97 with 80k miles on it still felt stronger on the top end than the 02 GS with only 4k on it.  Hard to believe there wasn't a cam change too but I've never been able to confirm that.