Difference between revisions of "Suzuki GS450GA"
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impeller blades so torque is transmitted from the pump impeller to the turbine | impeller blades so torque is transmitted from the pump impeller to the turbine | ||
runner hard enough to spin the turbine and move the motorcycle. | runner hard enough to spin the turbine and move the motorcycle. | ||
Until the engine is spinning near its torque peak, some of the oil scooped | Until the engine is spinning near its torque peak, some of the oil scooped | ||
through the stator and hitting the turbine gets conducted back through the | through the stator and hitting the turbine gets conducted back through the | ||
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of the torque converter equals the torque of the engine wouldn't spin | of the torque converter equals the torque of the engine wouldn't spin | ||
any. That's the stall speed. | any. That's the stall speed. | ||
Suzuki is expecting about a third of the Automatic owners will be women. | Suzuki is expecting about a third of the Automatic owners will be women. | ||
Beginning riders of all kinds will make up most of the Automatic owners, and | Beginning riders of all kinds will make up most of the Automatic owners, and | ||
having a low seat height is important for ease of control, especially at the low | having a low seat height is important for ease of control, especially at the low | ||
speeds involved in learning to ride. | speeds involved in learning to ride. | ||
Beyond that, the Automatic is an easy motorcycle to ride. It starts instantly | Beyond that, the Automatic is an easy motorcycle to ride. It starts instantly | ||
with the choke lever on the left handgrip turned on. Suzuki has had carburetion | with the choke lever on the left handgrip turned on. Suzuki has had carburetion | ||
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With the choke still on and the bike cold it can be nudged into gear and ridden | With the choke still on and the bike cold it can be nudged into gear and ridden | ||
away without concern. | away without concern. | ||
Of course starting is handled with a button and electric motor. There is no | Of course starting is handled with a button and electric motor. There is no | ||
kickstarter. Ordinarily motorcycles without kickstarters can be bump started | kickstarter. Ordinarily motorcycles without kickstarters can be bump started | ||
when the battery goes dead (when, not if), but the Automatic doesn't allow for | when the battery goes dead (when, not if), but the Automatic doesn't allow for | ||
bump starting. When the battery goes the bike doesn't go. | bump starting. When the battery goes the bike doesn't go. | ||
The rest of the time the Automatic is marvelously easy to ride. Fire it up, | The rest of the time the Automatic is marvelously easy to ride. Fire it up, | ||
click it in gear and twist the throttle. As simple as that, it moves. Twist the | click it in gear and twist the throttle. As simple as that, it moves. Twist the | ||
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where it runs out of steam. In high, it won't keep up with other motorcycles | where it runs out of steam. In high, it won't keep up with other motorcycles | ||
ridden hard. Faster acceleration calls for low range. | ridden hard. Faster acceleration calls for low range. | ||
Low range in the Suzuki is the surprise. Medium small motorcycles with | Low range in the Suzuki is the surprise. Medium small motorcycles with | ||
automatic transmissions have been slow, and they feel especially sluggish. Not | automatic transmissions have been slow, and they feel especially sluggish. Not | ||
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range is good up to 50 mph. It will keep on accelerating up to about 60 in low, | range is good up to 50 mph. It will keep on accelerating up to about 60 in low, | ||
but high range works better. | but high range works better. | ||
One of the few shortcomings of the bike occurs when it is shifted from low to | One of the few shortcomings of the bike occurs when it is shifted from low to | ||
high range under hard acceleration. Remember that the torque converter is still | high range under hard acceleration. Remember that the torque converter is still | ||
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upshifts are noisy and require effort. Shift at 20 or 30 mph and it's relatively | upshifts are noisy and require effort. Shift at 20 or 30 mph and it's relatively | ||
quiet and easy, but motorcycle-like acceleration is missing. | quiet and easy, but motorcycle-like acceleration is missing. | ||
Another shortcoming of the bike is easier to fix. When Suzuki substituted the | Another shortcoming of the bike is easier to fix. When Suzuki substituted the | ||
torque converter for the clutch, the clutch lever remained. Only it's now | torque converter for the clutch, the clutch lever remained. Only it's now | ||
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a sore hand for the next week. The level can be removed easily, but it would b< | a sore hand for the next week. The level can be removed easily, but it would b< | ||
better if Suzuki mounted the parking brake lever somewhere else. It could b( on | better if Suzuki mounted the parking brake lever somewhere else. It could b( on | ||
the side of the bike or even on | the side of the bike or even on the back brake pedal, or anywhere i wouldn't be | ||
confused for something it' not. | confused for something it' not. | ||
Like the other guys, the engineers at Suzuki are concerned that | Like the other guys, the engineers at Suzuki are concerned that | ||
riders might hurt themselves somehow. So in addition to the parking brake, the | riders might hurt themselves somehow. So in addition to the parking brake, the | ||
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another person could twist the throttle and send the bike lurching off its | another person could twist the throttle and send the bike lurching off its | ||
stand. | stand. | ||
Some maintenance chores on the Suzuki aren't easy to do. Removing the rear | Some maintenance chores on the Suzuki aren't easy to do. Removing the rear | ||
tire, for instance, could hardly be more work. Even though this bike has a shaft | tire, for instance, could hardly be more work. Even though this bike has a shaft | ||
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shocks have to be disconnected or the exhaust removed in order to pull the axle | shocks have to be disconnected or the exhaust removed in order to pull the axle | ||
and remove the rear wheel. | and remove the rear wheel. | ||
Even removing the seat requires unbolting, unlatching and sliding it off | Even removing the seat requires unbolting, unlatching and sliding it off | ||
hooks. There is no storage area anywhere under the seat like that found on the | hooks. There is no storage area anywhere under the seat like that found on the | ||
GS450E. | [[Suzuki GS450E|GS450E]]. | ||
Convenience and serviceability may not have improved, but the suspension has. | Convenience and serviceability may not have improved, but the suspension has. | ||
The original GS450 suspension was soft in front and firm in back, the | The original GS450 suspension was soft in front and firm in back, the | ||
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Automatic there's no need for triple discs, and the forks control front end dive | Automatic there's no need for triple discs, and the forks control front end dive | ||
well enough without anti-dive hardware. | well enough without anti-dive hardware. | ||
In a way, the whole bike is like that. It does its job without excess or | In a way, the whole bike is like that. It does its job without excess or | ||
without difficulty. There are few technical fads on this bike. Handlebars are | without difficulty. There are few technical fads on this bike. Handlebars are | ||
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automatically stepping up the effective gearing whenever the throttle is cranked | automatically stepping up the effective gearing whenever the throttle is cranked | ||
open. | open. | ||
Like other Suzukis, the operation of controls is unobtrusive. Nothing is | Like other Suzukis, the operation of controls is unobtrusive. Nothing is | ||
stiff or difficult to use. Vibration is minimal, though more than the standard | stiff or difficult to use. Vibration is minimal, though more than the standard | ||
transmission GS450, due in part to lower than normal gearing. | transmission GS450, due in part to lower than normal gearing. | ||
All of this makes the Suzuki GS450A more than a good beginner bike. After the | All of this makes the Suzuki GS450A more than a good beginner bike. After the | ||
beginner learns how to get the most performance out of the Automatic, he'll find | beginner learns how to get the most performance out of the Automatic, he'll find |