Front / Rear swap - GSXR - Finished, photos p.3

[FrenchGS]

Hello everyone!

Now that I've done the rear (R6 rear shock), it's time to upgrade the front.

So I've bought this:



It was mounted on a GS500 so the bearing issues ect are cleared already.
It's ok too for the key thing, and the system that locks the steering when you remove the key. I don't know how it's called in english...french is "Neiman".

The problem I have is for the speedometer / rev counter / little DELs like for the oil, lights...
What universal speedo can I install? I know the big Koso one, very complete, but I'd like to have a more vintage look. Ah, and the speedo has to be "electric" I mean I don't have the thing on the stock wheel that "make the speedo working". So it has to be a system with magnets like the Koso. If you have some suggestions, tips, or if you know where I can find that, please help!

Also, there is a tire issue. At the front it's know a 120 Michelin Pilot Road II so RADIAL, but at the rear it's a 130 BT45 so NOT RADIAL (bias). Is that a problem? Should I change tire to Front Pilot road - Rear BT003 or even Front-Rear BT-003? Dimensions would be 120 front, 140 rear then. I don't know what to do. Use will be 90% twisty roads, 10% track, no commuting, very few rain.

Last thing, about the headlight, I think I'm going to keep the stock one but with adaptive brackets.

Thanks for your help. Ah, and, please, excuse my english I'm from France, it's quite difficult to speak english!

[O.C.D.]

Check out my build.  I don't remember pages numbers of where I did what, but you will find what I did. 

[O.C.D.]

Oh, forgot to add, click on the link in my sig it is the build thread.

[redhenracing2]

If it's mainly a track/twisty bike, why even bother with a headlight? I know it's kind of 'illegal' to not have one, but it doesn't stop a lot of people.

[gsJack]

Also, there is a tire issue. At the front it's know a 120 Michelin Pilot Road II so RADIAL, but at the rear it's a 130 BT45 so NOT RADIAL (bias). Is that a problem? Should I change tire to Front Pilot road - Rear BT003 or even Front-Rear BT-003? Dimensions would be 120 front, 140 rear then. I don't know what to do. Use will be 90% twisty roads, 10% track, no commuting, very few rain.

A radial front with a bias rear is a bad mix and actually illegal some places.  Can cause serious oversteer when pushed to the limit.  A bias front with a radial rear can be OK.  The BT003 racing street tires are just that, racing tires that are street legal  Good grip but need to be warmed up to get really sticky and won't wear very long for general street use.  Lots of good sport/supersport tires between your PR2 front and a possible change to the 003 tires.

You probably have a 3.5" front rim with the GSXR front end which is wider than the stock 3.0" GS500 wheel and it's the right size for a 120 performance front tire but if you still have a stock 3.5" GS500 rear wheel it's a bit narrow for the sport/supersport tires which really need a 4.0 or 4.5" wheel.  I've run 150/70 sport touring rear bias or radial tires on the 3.5 wheel but wouldn't personally go to a 150/60 sport/supersport tire on the stock 3.5 GS wheel.

Given a choice I always take the twisty road to wherever I'm going and use to go to the mountains to play in the twisties and I've found a good sport touring radial has always met my needs on the GS00.

[FrenchGS]

O.C.D Nice looking bike!! I'll check your post tonight!

Redhenracing2 The use is 90% road, 10% track! So I need the light! But I always choose the little mountain roads, motorways are so boring!

Gsjack Ok, mixing radials and bias is illegal in france. But I'd like to keep the stock rear wheel for the moment...do you know an other radial tire witch is avaible in 140/70?

[Big Rich]

Check out Acewell speedometers as well. They are similar to Koso units. And remember, you can mount the magnets on the rear wheel as well. That will help keep the front end looking clean

[gsJack]

Not much available here in 140/70 radials, this is the land of big bikes.    Only ones I can think of are the BT003 and the BT090 that came before them.  There is a 140/60 Shinko Podium available here that is a sport tire that a few are using over at the EX-500 forum, don't recall if anyone here is using them.

If I wanted to use that PR2 front and the stock 3.5" GS rear wheel I would just put a 150/70 Pilot Road 2 on the rear.  The newer PR2 are dual compound tires and sportier than the original single compound Pilot Roads were.

[burning1]

GSJack: In my experience, so long as the pavement is warm, the BT003RS stick pretty damn well on the first lap around the track. On a warm day, I can get my knee down a few turns in.

Very cold and rainy weather though... Expect to slide. A lot.

[FrenchGS]

But, a 150 tire on the stock rim...it modifies the shape of the tire? 

For the wet weather...my bike is in the south of france, very few rain...

Hard choice!!

[gsJack]

It gets kind of complicated but it seems the rim widths that a tire is approved to fit depends upon what country you live in.  Checking the 140/70-17 BT-003 on the B'stone JP site it's recommended rim size is 4.0" and 3.5-4.5" rims are approved fitments.

http://www.bridgestone.com/products/motorcycle_tires/products/battlax/bt003rs.html

Here on the B'stone US site that same 140/70-17 BT-003 tire is approved for fitment on a 4.0" rim size only.  Could be we just have more lawyers than Japan has.   

http://www.motorcycle-karttires.com/glamourindex.aspx?productID=199&LookupID=9

Here in the US the 150/70-17 sport touring radials are approved for fitment on 3.5-4.5" rims by some of the tire makers and for fitment on 4.0-4.5" rims only by other makers.  I wouldn't hesitate myself to use any of them on my 3.5" GS rear rim.  None of the 150/60-17 sport/supersport radials are approved for fitment on 3.5" rims in this country and I would not use them.  Here are the tires I've used on my GSs so far, all have been fitments approved by the tires maker:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/GS500tirelogs.jpg

I've been running the bias Avon Roadriders the last couple years and am thinking of putting on a radial rear again this spring and am considering a Storm, BT-023, or the PR2 in the 150/70 size or another Azaro in the 140/80 size which has a 3.5" preferred rim width and is the only sport touring radial available in that size as far as I know.

[FrenchGS]

Ok...so the 150/70 PR2 should be a good choice then? Will I have to make space for the chain and the rear brake thing with this tire?

[jeffdodge]

I think I have a 150/70 on my bike and It doesn't rub anything.. Ill check the size for sure when I get home.

[gsJack]

No problem on the chain side, the 150/70 tire will clear both the chain and guard.  On the brake side the 150/70 comes close to or just touches the brake torque link depending on which tire is used, the different tires vary a little bit in size.

The 150/70 Lasertec I used first just cleared and never touched the link and then the next tire a RoadAttack which was the same size on the spec sheets touched the link lightly and I ran it 1000 miles before I pulled it and bent it a bit so it would clear any of the 150/70 tires.  Quick and easy to do, I just laid it across a 2x4 wood piece and hit it right on the mark where the tire rubbed it with a heavy hammer.  The link only was dented in a little bit but also bent the right way at the same time to give clearance.

[FrenchGS]

Ok, finally I think I'm going to swap the rear wheell and put a 160 tire 

[FrenchGS]

Some news. I've found a bandit wheel already modified for the GS500 

[FrenchGS]

Hello! I come back again with some questions!!

So, I bought the bandit wheel, I'm waiting for it now.

I have to put a tire on it, il will easily fit 150 and 160 tires. I also decide to change the front, a 120 michelin Pr2.

I want something more sporty. On fact, I need the most grip, but I want the tire to be ok on wet road. No need of going fast when it rains, I just want the tires not to be dangerous 
I don't really care about mileage, if it lasts 2000/3000km it's ok.

So, what tire should I buy?

-Michelin Pilot Power (A friend of mine who rides a 98' Fazer 600 and a 675 Daytona said they're good but too long to heat up)

-Metzeler M3 (The same friend loves theses, when I got a ride with his daytona, it had fantastic grip)

-Metzeler M5 They are the replacement for the M3.

Pirellis, bridgestones? I don't know, never tested, and there are so many different tires... 

Please, help your french friend 

[burning1]

Do you want to drag knee, or do you want to drag elbow?

[FrenchGS]

burning1, I don't understand what you mean...

Drag the elbow? You mean falling off the bike?

[VWAG]

burning1, I don't understand what you mean...

Drag the elbow? You mean falling off the bike?

drag elbow...