My new 1999 GS500E

[Hawk996]

 Hello, I just bought a 1999 GS500E for my wife.  I found it on Craig's list and it is very clean and mechanically unmolested.  According to the previous owner it had not been run in about 2 years so I pushed it in the basement and drained the gas tank and cleaned the carbs, put about 20 ounces in the tank hooked up the boost charger and it turned over about 3 times and fired right up.  I hate buying a bike that I have never heard run, so I guess I got kind of lucky.

My problem is that electrically this bike has been molested, I know, I should have contacted the local offender registry before I bought it lol....  But anyway, some guy lovingly referred to as "Couter" yea thats right "Couter" hacked the electrical system to hell.  The bike has definite shorts in the system ( I disconnected everything unnecessary before trying to start it) and has goof ball lights on it.  Some kind of crappy after market turn signals and 2 side by side Wal Mart quallity headlights.  As if it were not bad enough the guy put everything together with pink anodized hardware and brackets, and pink electrical tape, yea PINK, even the handle bars are anodized pink and they are off road bars, probably Renthal.  The bike is yellow and black, maybe Couter is color blind I don't know. 

So, I would like to return the bike back to original.  I know I need a manual with the electrical schematics, no problem there.  But, I do need the original headlight with mounts and the original turn signals front and rear.  I kind of like the handle bars though and may just swap them for an un-anodized  handle bar, maybe put some yellow 909 grips on it.  But then again I have no reference as to weather or not the off road bars are as comfortable as the factory bars however I think they would handle a light tip over better (the wife don't know how to ride it yet)....  All so, for the previously stated reason I am looking for some protection, It has some decent looking crash bars to protect the motor but I would all so like to add sliders, I've looked on the internet but could not find sliders for this model. Can someone let me know where I could find them?

What I need:
Headlight with all mounting brackets and hardware.
Factory turn signals front and rear.
Frame sliders, or website I can find them for this model.

Thanks in advance, I will try and post some pics of before and after.   I should have taken pics befor I started ripping into it...

[ohgood]

welcome to gstwins !

congrats on a pinked out bike. hope you got a deal

there are headlights and parts in the for sale section occasionally. your engine case guards are considered some of the best type for the gs. sliders will (from what i've read) generally pop off in a crash. you're already looking at the best drop protection. cool.

good luck with the electrical, iirc there is a manual on cd, or a link somewhere. the next couple of posters will likely know it by heart (pdf form)

[905mike]

nice add.
i got a '99 GS500E last spring ... according to DMV records I think I'm owner #7.
it was in great shape and ready-to-ride the first day i got it.

enjoy the ride!

[cosmiccharlie]

I have a headlight and all mounting brackets.  PM me if you are interested. 

[fred]

It looks like you've got the right mounting ears, you just need a headlight. I had a similar experience to yours, my bike came with super terrible dual headlights that used a plastic grocery bag as their main source of waterproofing. Even worse, the dual headlights were mono filament, so the headlights went out completely when you flipped the high beam switch! Because the original headlight connector is probably long gone, you should be able to fit any 7" motorcycle headlight to your bike without too much trouble. I got mine from the local motorcycle salvage yard for cheap. It is from a 70's Yamaha, but it does fit and function as it should...

[Hawk996]

Progress Report:  Carbs cleaned and reinstalled.  Tank drained, cleaned and reinstalled.  New air filter, fresh oil change and filter.

Whats left: Headlight, battery, proper tire pressure, a good washing and maybe some charging circuit troubleshooting.  After jumping it I noticed that when I disconnect the battery charger it dies really quick.  I know the battery is shot, I think it may have even froze at some point.  4 of the six cells are shot, the max Voltage I can get out of it is 4V after filling the dead cells with distilled water.

But is this normal, I know I should have a fresh battery to test the charging system but I thought it was like a car, able to run with a shot battery. 

[yamahonkawazuki]

aye KGB my friend, KGB

Known
Good
Battery

[Hawk996]

aye KGB my friend, KGB

Known
Good
Battery

Yea yea, got it, but still doesn't answer  my question.  Will the bike run with a crap battery or no battery at all?

[fred]

aye KGB my friend, KGB

Known
Good
Battery

Yea yea, got it, but still doesn't answer  my question.  Will the bike run with a crap battery or no battery at all?

Yes, as long as you can get it started, it should run regardless of the condition of the battery. I had a dead battery for a few days and besides getting tired of push starting the bike, everything was fine. Just don't stall it....

[chipster]

 
Blinkers PM sent

[Hawk996]

So where would you start?

It dies when the battery charger is taken off.  I did  check the fuses under the right side cover and both of them are good.  I'm kind of thinking worst case senerio and imagining dropping a $150 stator in it???

[GeeP]

Are those LED turn signals?

If they work, pics and dibs!

[beRto]

So where would you start?

It dies when the battery charger is taken off.  I did  check the fuses under the right side cover and both of them are good.  I'm kind of thinking worst case senerio and imagining dropping a $150 stator in it???

Given the poor condition of the battery, I'd replace that before looking for other problems. Either way, you know the battery needs to be replaced. You won't be losing out if there is still something wrong when the new battery is installed.