What do the letters stand for in the cycle names?

[a1bummer]

I know a while back here, someone had some good knowledge as to what the letters mean in the cycle names. As in XVZ1200DL, GS550L, etc.. I can't find it right now, but if someone knows the thread, can you give me a link to it please? I have an 81 Suzuki GS550L and am curious what the differences between the GS550 and it, and others might be. I'm trying to get it to turn over but when I hit the start button it does nothing. I don't want to be looking at a wiring diagram from a GS550 or GS550LX if it is going to be different than the GS550L. I'm guessing they would be similar enough. But I've been wrong from time to time.

 

Thanks, Bill

[LilBeaver]

On those suzukis the letters after the numbers described what types of options it had. For example: the 1978 GS750 and GS750E; the only difference was that the E had double front discs instead of single front disc.

 

Other designations indicate seat type, fairing type (if applicable) etc. So, you are probably pretty safe with the wiring diagrams for just about any of the GS550s you would be looking at.

 

Check out http://www.thegsresources.com/ That should give you some helpful reading

 

Good luck!!

 

P.s. I know there are a few of us Suzuki GS owners around here - maybe someone else will chime in. I do have a service manual for a GS750 - I don't know how much help it will be for your GS550, but if you want to take a look let me know and I can e-mail it to you.

[Plains Venture]

The L was the designation for their crusier models back then compared to the standard model. It had the stepped seat and higher pull back handle bars. The mechanicals of the 2 models are the same.

[OldBear]

'course it could be worse.....you could have an alphbet soup bike, you know, one of those FXWGLSBMF's or somethin:buttkick:! Seriously though, you have to look at each individual manufacturer's own line of machines and then try and decipher what the heck they mean. .. Don't try and make sense of it, it'll drive you balmy:bang head:

[autopilot]

Yeah Plains Venture is right. When I bought my GS850L new in '82, the guy said that the "L" indicated that it sat "Lower" (which it in fact did, due in part to the stepped seat) the "E" had a straight more "European" style seat. There's probably much more rational reasoning for either the L or the E, but I never thought more about it. I don't know about the other models, 'cause I didn't pay any attention to them at all.

[Monty]

Mine is an '82 GS850GLZ. It is the same as an "L". The "G" model has a flat seat, a tank with flat sides to it, and a fiberglass rear fender, along with a painted front fender. The "L" model has the stepped seat, teardrop tank, and chrome fenders. The "Z" in mine denotes the year.

 

Engines are exactly the same.