Motor life expectancy?

[ghettorigged]

What is the longest anyone has heard of a GS motor lasting?
Miles & years. Thanks

[Kerry]

Check out the latest from our local hero gsJack.

I guess that only gives you miles and not years, but ....  :dunno:

[ghettorigged]

Thanks Kerry!

I'm really just very curious what I will be 'in for' after purchasing my used '98 GS with 18k on it. I am very sure it was run hard.
This week it is getting a new battery & bearings for the steerer race before I pick it up.

The bike also has some rust on the pipes, but I think I can remove that easily & add some paint.

again, thanks for the help!

[richard]

make sure you get bbq paint or something similarly heat resistant, or the paint will just peel off. =]

[JohNLA]

To keep my exhaust looking better than new I would remove the pipe and sand it down with steel wool. (paint comes off easily and it does not  leave scrapes)
Use high temperature 1200 degree + paint (only available in flat black). The 800 degree stuff will peel at the headers but is available in gloss which does work fine on the rear part of the exhaust(behind the crossover). I have found them both at Pep Boys and Auto Zone.
The heat sheild is easily masked with newspaper and tape.
Unfortanatly, plan on repeating the process at least once a year to keep the rusty away.

[BadBatzMaru]

Yeah especially on the east coast! you'll have to do the job annually if you want to keep it looking decent, so if you own the GS for a while you'll get plenty of practice.

Incidentally, I have a '91 w/ 18K on it. Motor was in great shape until the cam chain tensioner snapped in two and had to do a rebuild just to replace that part. Wasn't terribly difficult but has taken me a little time due to my lack of previous experience and my life as a grad student, but it can be done even by a novice like me... so I'd say your GS will last very long, and if it doesn't should be easily repaired.