Opinions on replacement rear shock 2001 GS, stock went pffftht today

[gsJack]

Hey Kerry,

Besides any input on the Katana 600 shock and lowering links, what do you think about my burning desire to paint my bike pearl yellow? 

PS: Good catch on the file name, and it was #4 to boot!  

OK guys, guess I'll have to explain.  A group of about 20 of us from another forum got together down in the Great Smoky Mountains at Wythsville, VA near the Blue Ridge Parkway to ride for a few days,  The ride has repeated every year since.  I went in 02, 03, and 04 and JP went along in 03 and 04.

We wanted a name to call it that included the Blue Ridge Parkway and some one suggested we call it the BuRP ride and the name stuck.  The only contests involved took part in the mountain twisties, the BRP, the Dragon, the Cherohala Skyway and many other such roads down there.

So here's proof JP and I were there, last pic:

[ajaxgs]

hey teek ....mine is a 2000 model

[Teek]

Jack, you rode The Dragon, you're my HeRo!         I figured you are too classy to have that mean what we were thinking, shame on us!   

Thanks for clarifying the Pigel link, I misunderstood the ZX part, they confused me too because they listed part #62019, I thought 18 should be there somewhere. Thanks so much for ALL the links, I have been getting an education today, fretting about my baby. She's the only thing left I own that has an engine in it! So she can kick me in my ego... I must keep her sound and purty...
I was figuring I'd have to slide the forks up to the bars, which is only about a 1/2 inch. So I also appreciate the forsight to provide those links on the risers as well! 
We had a sidestand height problem on the DR650 when it was lowered too, so there may be one here as well, I was aware of that but crossing fingers, this all is adding up fast in money out of my pocket I wasn't expecting to spend.
I'd want to lower it w/o messing it up handling wise, it's the sweetest bike I've ridden, maybe I've been riding junk, but it suits me (the GS, not the previous junk, which includes an 84 Sportster,= JUNK!).

Hi Dave, a 2000 works, if I decide to go back to stock will give you a holler, thanks! I'll let you know what happens with mine too...

Kerry, isn't your bike yellow?   

[Teek]

You can put an extra set of bar clamp caps under the bars with longer bolts if you want to lower the front without the GenMars.  Much less expensive, I did that on the 97 GS after I transferred the GenMars to the 02.  Raises the bars about 3/4".


I just looked at the prices, I feel like I'm putting gold plate over nickel here contemplating putting all this stuff on this old bike, the prices are crossing my eyes and raising my heart rate!     Sheesh! I guess I would have to choose the extra set of bar clamps, afraid now of what they cost... 

Crap, I was only going for a rear shock mod...     

[The Buddha]

Yea too late ... I got a GSXR shock ... OK fine you bought already ...
Anyway its direct bolt in, has a remote reservoir and is a good swap in ... Its a shade harder than a Kat, and has a adjustability range that would make it even harder I guess ...
I'd like $100 and shipping.
And yes its uncommon but I have blown a shock myself. There was a beautiful RF600 or 900 shock I had on the back of my gs that just blew one fine day. It was like riding a pogo stick.
Cool.
Srinath.

[Kerry]

Hey Kerry,

Besides any input on the Katana 600 shock and lowering links, what do you think about my burning desire to paint my bike pearl yellow? 

Kerry, isn't your bike yellow?   

Sorry Teek ... I somehow missed that first post yesterday.  Yep, my bike is Yellow, but it came that way.  My Dad found the bike at a good price and offered to transport it 1300 miles to my place.  To be honest, I was a little leery of the color at first, but it's grown on me.    If for no other reason, folks have mentioned that it provides good contrast for all the close-up photos I've posted. 

I don't have any experience with lowering links; only the various posts that I've read on the board.  I did buy a '96(?) Katana rear shock from Srinath years ago, though.  It sat unused until I sold my '96 GS500 to a neighbor.  He outweighed me by a bit, and opted to mount the shock.  I'm not sure I ever rode the bike with the "new" shock, but I seem to remember him reporting that it did raise the tail a bit ... and that the rear end didn't bottom out anymore.

OK guys, guess I'll have to explain.  [...] some one suggested we call it the BuRP ride and the name stuck.

I didn't know (or I'd forgotten) the derivation of the "burp" designation, but I knew it had to be something besides what I kidded you about.  Sorry for the detour; you owe me one, I guess!

[The Buddha]

See ... this is just proof you should always buy your shocks from "the srinath" ...
Yea ...    ...
Cool.
Srinath.

[Teek]

I definitely concur on the pogo stick thing. I hit a big bump coming home and it bucked, and I thought What the hey??! Back end is just wild now. It's raining here til Sunday (what qualifies as "rain" in CA) so I wouldn't be taking it out anyway. I am hoping the shock actually gets here, haven't heard from the seller, but I know how to get him if it doesn't show.

Kerry, yellow is a gorgeous color, especially combined with black and chrome. I'd love a yellow bike, as long as it's not lemon yellow, it's okay. Everything I had or knew that was lemon yellow was a lemon...

Srinath, I think a Gixxer shock would be overkill for me, but yeah, I shoulda checked with you first. Dunno what I was thinking!     Will that chin spoiler on the Sale/Trade forum fit my '01 okay?

[gsJack]

I definitely concur on the pogo stick thing. I hit a big bump coming home and it bucked, and I thought What the hey??! Back end is just wild now. It's raining here til Sunday (what qualifies as "rain" in CA) so I wouldn't be taking it out anyway. I am hoping the shock actually gets here, haven't heard from the seller, but I know how to get him if it doesn't show.

Kerry, yellow is a gorgeous color, especially combined with black and chrome. I'd love a yellow bike, as long as it's not lemon yellow, it's okay. Everything I had or knew that was lemon yellow was a lemon...

Srinath, I think a Gixxer shock would be overkill for me, but yeah, I shoulda checked with you first. Dunno what I was thinking!     Will that chin spoiled on the Sale/Trade forum fit my '01 okay?

This forum started over a yellow bike, when John & Annie started it Annie had a yellow GS500 and John had a SV650.

http://gstwins.com/photogallery/displayimage.php?album=2&pos=0

Suggest you park that pogo stick till you get the new shock.  When mine was slowly leaking I headed out towards PA with JP riding with a slight pogo effect, was still looking for a shock at the time.  Seems like about half way there all the fluid was suddenly gone and it became almost uncontrolable in corners.  Even at a slowed pace the rear just skipped out sideways in turns.  Turned around and made it slowly back home and parked it till I got a shock.

[Teek]

Hi Jack,

Thanks for the safety advice!     I'm not riding it til it has a new shock, and then since hubby will kindly install it for me, I will double check all the bolts, then let him test ride it first. He's good with stuff like that. Right now if I bounce the back end, it's wilder than my first spring loaded rocking horse when I was a kid! I could probably launch stuff off of it.    It was leaking when we went out Sunday (I wasn't told), and it was still dripping oil when we came back, 2 1/2 hours of it pumping out oil later, but I didn't feel much until we got off of Tuna Canyon, it seemed just a bit looser in the back but I was in the part I take slow anyway. By the time we got home from there on PCH, it was definitly bouncy. When I covered it at 12 am, it was probably mostly gone. There's a spot under it now that I have to clean up. It looks like it's got oil all over the top of the shock, but I'll know more when it comes out. I guess this is a good heads up thread for people with this year model to take note of.

I was looking for the GS adjustment tool, assuming it will also work on the Katana shock..? Is that correct? I expect we'll set it up, then put it in, then ride it, then tweak it.

Yeah, I read about Annie's yellow GS when I first joined up here, it's a "gold" standard!