Time for some changes.

[charleym3]

Hi all.
 I'm sure that this has been beaten to death, but I want to put a few more swats on the carcus.
 Right now my 90 GS is box stock.  I want to add a little power lower in the RPM range.  I'm thinking of the timing advance, air filter, and rejetting the carb.  I do NOT want to make the bike louder.  Are there exhaust systems that will improve performance and/or mileage with out making it in to the loud ass monsters that I loathe so much.
 I also want to put on progressive fork springs and a Kat rear shock assembly.  I think at that point it will be everything that I want in my bike.  

 So I need to know where to get and what to get with out adding more in parts than I paid for the bike to begin with.  So what am I looking at price wise?  I'm guessing somewhere in the $400 range for parts.  Am I full of  

[The Buddha]

Well if you are trying to improve the under 4K rpm region... might as well save your money... its not going to get that much better...
Stock pipe, stock airbox and all stock... fit 40 pilots and 125 mains. And a washer if needed, and set the air screws to 3 turns out. Cost under $16-18. Leave pipe and filter stock... OK clean the filter...
Kat shock - ebay... call it and post link in teh for sale section, and someone will tell you if its good and complete... then buy it... and should be under $25 for it.
Progressive... Someone had a link they posted recently... but try calling parts depot 800 245 3101 also to get their $$$... but ~$45-55 is that. I guess under $100... and some fiddling later it should be good.
Cool.
Srinath.

[JamesG]

Don't forget to go with a heavier good fork oil. That will be about $10.

With a stock pipe and all, why bother worrying about the low RPM power?The GS engine makes most of its power up top from 7 to 9 grand anyway.  You can let the bike scream and it will still just sound like a pissed off sewing machine.  :mrgreen:
You aren't going to hurt it any unless you bounce it off the red-line alot.

That said, you can add a K&N filter (not a pod, 'cause that won't help).  The usual jetting upgrade and the DIY timing advance if you are reasonably handy.  Thats about all you can do without a pipe unless you want to take the motor apart to port the head, bore the cylinders, fiddle with the cams, etc. Which I assume is beyond the scope/budget you are looking for?

[charleym3]

Thanks !
 I'm not trying to make 10 more HP.  For what that would cost I can buy a bigger bike.  What I want is to be able to run comfortably at 80, not feel like I've reached a stale mate with wind resistance.  Probably a wind shield will help with that.  

 Alright, I give.  What do I do to ease the back preasure with out making it TOO much louder?  

 I don't want a race bike, but I do want to make it as much better as I can for say $300-500.  I will not spend beyond the point of diminishing returns.  I only want to do the mods that will give me the most bang for the buck.

[charleym3]

Okay so it looks like you have to buy the whole system, can't just buy the muffler and whack off the pipe and slip it on, huh?  Bummer.

[JamesG]

No you can. You can buy any canister with a 1 3/4" or 45mm ID inlet and it will work (do a search on here for donner bikes).  Lop it off and put it on.

To be honest, the GS is so "small" that even a open header isn't going to be too obnoxious, unless you go roaring around at 9K all the time (mercdude  :mrgreen:  ).

Something that just occured to me. You could play with your sprockets. Gearing a few teeth taller in the back will give alot more torque down low, and might be what you are looking for. Of course, the trade off is that the bike will top out in 6th at about 90mph, and rpms will be higher in each gear, being potentially rather buzzy on the highway.  So be aware of that compromise.

[The Buddha]

The GS is rather loud... a 4 cyl seems to burble... the GS and The infamous HD are more like doom doom doom doom doom... or PotA PotA PotA PotA... whichever... My eli is quieter at almost all rpm's than the GS at that rpm and its usually faster.
Cool.
Srinath.

[The Antibody]

If you want ease of riding at 80, then don't do that sprocket mod. It will make it worse on the high end, but it will roar down low. There are always compromises. For all around performance at a low price, I think it's safe to go with the following. (Already mentioned) Jetted, air filter, and yes, a loud pipe. They are gonna be loud. You'll get used to it. Just hope all of your neighbors do too. The biggest gain in my eyes with jetting is the warm up. There is none. I haven't touched my choke in a year and a half. You can do all of this for under $400 depending on the pipe.

 -Anti

[Gisser]

Still think the best option is to replace the stock can with the same off a GSXR or the like.   Ebay or MC salvage.  No proof that these sportbike cans would boost exhaust flow, but cut 'em open and there's a qualitative difference in design when compared to the simple GS500 reverse chamber can.

[Roadstergal]

carcass