WHO are you and where are you from?

[FTL900]

New guy in Las Vegas with lotsa mod questions. 

This is my third GS500, but the first stayed (mostly) stock- it had drag bars and a CF slip-on.  The second was a basket case that never really graduated from that stage.

So here's my thinking.  I'm 61 and I road-raced a bit back in the 80's and 90's.  Now my boys have liter bikes (ZRX1200 and a Superhawk) and they have expressed interest in doing track days.   I REALLY hate to see them take such an expensive (to repair) bike on the track, so I started brainstorming for a cheap track bike.  Mind you, we're not out to set any track records- just go have fun inexpensively.  When I raced, I had a CBR600 and a Ninja 500, and the Ninja was more fun because it was less intimidating if I were to crash it.  I'd still have the Honda to ride, so no big deal.

Everyone recommended the Ninja 250 but I declined.  The GS has more displacement, fewer moving parts, no cooling system to mess with (leak), no bodywork to break (& replace), and the GS500 is an under-rated bike.   So my plan is to get a pair of them and set them up identically.  I mean, it's a track day, so there is no winner, but if you can go out and "race" against another bike set up the same way, life gets interesting... and fun. We did it in 1992 when I had the Ninja 500 and my older son had an Interceptor 500.  We didn't care if we finished in the middle of the pack, it was only about beating each other.  That was the most fun I ever had on a racetrack.

So I picked up a GS500 yesterday for $300.  The rear wheel has a dent the size of a cinder block.  There's no spark plug on the right side (I discovered that when I started the bike), and it needs gearshift lever. The key  is only cut on one side (it works for ignition very poorly and no place else) (I know, I know... but I have a clear Nevada title for it.  Yeah, it surprised me too).
 
Tires look pretty good for now for a play bike, and it'll get new rubber when it's track time.  It'll need an oil and filter change, maybe get a slip-on.   
But here's a bargain basement bike that'll be great fun, and if we toss it down the track, it's not the end of the world.  It's fun at the absolute lowest price.

All that being said, I'm looking for the straight-forward, EASY mods that are direct bolt on and fairly inexpensive.   
I want the bike to be fun to ride, but I don't expect it to run with a 600cc... anything.  Or even a water cooled 500.

I read already that the Katana rear shock is a direct swap, but it didn't say what year, and they have been thru a few evolutions and generations.
What year Katana (600?) shock will fit??  I'm sure all of them don't fit the same.

From what Iv'e read here, it looks like the rear wheel is a direct swap from a Kat 600 after 1997, allowing for better rubber options. 
Is that 1998 to the last model produced of Kat 600?   After I get it running and looking prettier, I'll shop for a jet kit and a lunchbox.   

Thanks for your input!! 

[chopper7020]

Hey I'm chopper7020 and I'm in Tucson Arizona. Gs500e '95. I've owned it for over a year and probably have about 400 hours of work into her and have only rode her once. I'll I've done after a rediculous am out of time and money is turn a crappie running motorcycle into a pretty statue that will occasionally spit a flame out the tailpipe with a pretty incredible bang. I just barely keeping myself from using it for target practice. No I'm serious

[mzrider]

Hi all

Just brought my first GS500E, its an old K reg (1989?) model that's in a sorry state.  When I picked it up the front brake was seized and the cylinder head removed.  Apparently its blown a head gasket, but the owner was not not sure.
Its in need of a lot of TLC and hopefully is the type of project that will keep me happy over the winter without having to spend to much cash.

The front caliper has already been stripped, cleaned and rebuilt and appears to be working OK now.

I also need a copy of the workshop manual to allow me to work on it so will be trawling the internet for one, preferably free, over the next few days.

Lets hope I don't have to draw to much on the expertise here

Whats with the questions and password you need to do with each post BTW?

Keith

[Big Rich]

Welcome Keith!

I'm sure there's a few manuals floating around out there if you search for them enough. But you'll find in many cases iit's easier (and cheaper) to buy a used part to replace / rebuild your own. Just food for thought.

And those questions are in place to weed out spammed - they go away after your 5th post I believe?

[Samchon609]

HI
my name is Sammy from south jersey right outside of philadelphia and delaware
I just purchased an 09 GS500F

First time on a motorcycle.
Learning everytime I go out.

Love this site!

[JGio28]

Hi everyone,

My name is Jake and i'm from the Bay Area, CA. I'm 22 and I recently bought my first bike, an 09 GS500F. Having had no prior riding experience, I took the MSF course to see if this was a hobby I wanted to get into. Definitely made the right choice. This site has been an immensely helpful resource. Every question I've had thus far has been answered by looking here. Guess it finally made more sense to stop lurking and become a member.

[Daeouse]

Hello all!

I'm Jon from Thonotosassa, Florida, USA.
Purchasing a 95 GS500E soon. It will need some work before its road-worthy, but I look forward to the challenge!   

[yamahonkawazuki]

Hi im Aaron, from Clinton,tn via elmhurst/west chicago IL

[mroos79]

Sherrard, Illinois. How do u lower gs500f.

[Janx101]

Change the dog bones?

[jaybee]

51 year old "skool" biker...Rochester, England...worked as a River Thames Waterman until I met a Romanian HGV driving on the wrong side of the road on Aug 9th 2014...now recovering after surgery etc and decided to rekindle my love affair with motorcycles. Bought a mint 1994 Black GS500E with only 2000 genuine miles to tinker with as a hobby until I'm well enough to ride. Fortunately there are tons of add on goodies available for this model and am pursuing to create a "one-off" kool scrambler....I'll add some pics as the project unfolds.

happy days guy's and girls....have a good one.

[MattST]

Matt. No nickname. Live in West Yorkshire, England, but born in Lancashire and will one day make it out of Yorkshire alive...hopefully. I'm 39 in 9 days and will be entering my 40th year with a K1 GS500e that has burned out 2 CDi's (ICM) in the last three weeks, but other than that ran/runs beautifully. I've just bought a Haynes manual, and will be figuring out what went wrong very shortly...

[Runwithscissors]

54 yr old guy in Packerland.  Surprised my wife with a bright red '92 GS500E and she smiled when she sat on it 

I got tired of following her on my Concours and Sherpa and so bought a '93 GS500E in rattle can black and bullet hole stickers, leather saddlebags, adventure rear tire with a Wolo Bad Boy hanging off the triple tree.   I've gotten more compliments on this Rat Scrambler (?) than any other bike I've owned and it's turned my city commute into a never ending grin!  My '93 is the 16th bike I've owned and one of 5 in our current stable.  Joy is a GS500 ! 

[Ehx]

18 year old guy living in Sydney, Australia, who is starting uni soon and wanted to get a bike to not only be able to ride with my dad but commute.

Settled on the GS500 as I like how it looks and allows me to enter the realm of modification in the motorcycle world, which I am interested in picking up as a hobby. Thought it would be a good starter bike for those reasons, and of course the bulletproof engine.

[Domino 77]

Hi, im Mike. Im 37. Im a teacher. Im a black dude. I live in Las Vegas.  I ride a 1993 GS 500e with about 50, 000 miles on her. I have had many bikes in my 20 plus years of riding but I love my gs and I ride it every day as my commutter bike. Easy to maintain and still fun to ride. This is my first time on the forum.

[ShowBizWolf]

Welcome to the forum Mike!!! Glad you love your GS 

[Alehh91]

Im Ali 25 at the weekend from Northern Ireland. Had my gs coming up for 6years now and put about 16k miles on her. Only starting to seriously modify

[Richard NW]

hello my name is Richard im from Macedonia, 26 years old. I ride in MG Night Wolfs, and im proud owner of Gs 500e 97 

[Janx101]

Kisebe! (Spelling? ) ..

Yasum Australia! , my friend years ago teach me little makedonski!
(I think only enough to cause trouble but not enough to stop trouble!)

Bitola ti roden cri? Or another city? Skopje?

Dobro people vamo! couple maymun but nishto Magare,  nishto Tele!

[Hupjai]

Hey, y'all!

I'm from the SF Bay Area and just picked up a 91 GS500E in the South Bay with 438 miles on it.... yup.
It's been sitting for 12 years and I'm excited to bring it back to life!

I'm already feeling the positivity on the forum and looking forward to seeing more on the site.

Cheers!