Suzuki's GN series, is there any love for 'em out there?

[DoubleBit]

I've been buzzing around on my '82 250 quite frequently lately and I've come to appreciate the light, nimble, simple little thing alot.

At first I had this stigma about it, felt compelled to tell everyone it's my wife's bike... Yes, yes,, very silly... Anyway, I've gotten over that.. And, really it was s'posed to be for her, but after one crash, she's done with,, at least for now.

It's also come about that I might have a chance at picking up a well preserved GN400. Things I do know are it's kick start only, 6 volt, also has the "mini chopper" styling and should be at least a little more powerful than the 250.

Are these bikes worth messing with?
Any noteworthy pluses or minuses?

Thanks in advance.

[deerslayR]

There's a reason that New Jersey's rider safety course used them.

They are durable, easy to maintain and were quite inexpensive when new.

Never be embarrassed by your ride. It's part of who you are and deserves

the same respect all civil adults extend to their peers.

Enjoy!

[eric123]

I have several GN400's...Let me know if you have any questions...They are great bikes.

[DoubleBit]

That's good news.
I haven't seen mine yet, but am wondering about using a battery eliminator.
Have you tried one on any of yours.
Sitting so long, this one will surely need the battery replaced anyway.

[chopperito]

the gn400 has had success racing flattrack in the past. some people can make those things mooove.

[eric123]

Originally Posted by DoubleBit

That's good news.
I haven't seen mine yet, but am wondering about using a battery eliminator.
Have you tried one on any of yours.
Sitting so long, this one will surely need the battery replaced anyway.

They don't need a battery, they have a magneto...I made and posted a stripped wiring diagram on the Yahoo GN400 owner's group...

[eric123]

Bike looks different now, I've lost 50 pounds etc, but you get the point...They start pretty easily once you learn the drill...

[eric123]

Originally Posted by chopperito

the gn400 has had success racing flattrack in the past. some people can make those things mooove.

My street tracker GN400 went on a diet and is quite a bit quicker than my XS650, not that the XS is a speed demon...Bike is re-jetted, shorty megaphone muffler, Uni filter, no battery, gutten wiring, Omar's flattracker tail piece/seat(That I bought used for $25, Woo Hoo), etc...In its current form it is very light and flickable...

[bones_708]

I picked one up, 81 GN400, that I got back on the road and gave to my brother. He loves his. Simple, fun and easy. Whats not to like? Will go over 70 so you can drive it anywhere my brother uses his to drive from Houston to Austin without a problem. Parts can be a bit hard to find tho

[DoubleBit]

Thanks y'all... This input is helping... We'll have to see what my work mate has to say about the 400 after he scopes it out this weekend. (It's at his friend's in his neighborhood.

[sgtgeorge]

I had one about 4 years ago. Great bike with only 900 miles on it. My wife thought it was brand new when she saw it. Mine was a 1981 also.

[DoubleBit]

Well, as it sometimes happens, the guy that knows the other guy with the bike finally relayed to me that the guy he knows traded the GN400 for a cb/cl175. Sucks for me. I'll keep looking. Thanks y'all.

[Mark Manley]

I have had about 30 medium sized Jap commuters in the last 30 years and rate the GN400 as the best of them. It was a bit of a wreck when I bought it but a new set of rings and a cam chain sorted that out.
The longest trip I made on it was from my home here in the SW of England to Amsterdam in the Netherlands and it did about 85 mpg, that is UK gallons, 4.5 litres not US gallons, 3.9 litres and did the 700 mile round trip without a hitch.
The handling on my 12 mile commute along twisty coutry roads was great and the seat comfortable on a run. If I could go out and buy a new one tomorrow I would seriously think about it. I cannot remember the last time I saw one on the road.

[Andyvh1959]

My ice bike is a converted GN400, stripped down to look like a flat-tracker, with a Fastglas seat/tail and 18" rims front and rear, a Supertrapp muffler ($20 Ebay find) and some other minor mods.

Great fun,.....when it runs. Right now its a garage piece because I am pretty sure the stock CDI is shot. I can kick, kick, kick, KICK for as long as I can stand and nothing. I have spark (fat, blue/violet, it'll jump a 1/4" gap), I have compression (just ask my right leg), it has gas (even if I spray fuel into the plug hole, no go), carb has been gond through many times. New plug and plug cap, all connections checked and clean. I'm not new at this, been self-wrenching for 30+ years. Also not new to thumpers, I can kick start my XL600 w/o a decomp release, so I know how to kick a thumper.

I suspect its a spark timing issue caused either by the CDI or perhaps the 6v magneto/alternator. The bike has no battery, no lights, only electrics on it is to run the ignition. It used to run on the stock CDI, but got progressively harder to start, until nothing at all. My checks of the CDI with my VOM indicate most values off scale, indicating a failed internal connection. I have tried a Chinese aftermarket CDI (ebay) but so far no luck. Anyone else have experience replacing the stock 30-yr old AC fired CDI technology with something newer that works?

[eric123]

We've been talking about that on the GN400 Yahoo group page. So far, not much luck in coming up with an alternative. And from what I hear, the SP370 points setup does not fit...