Where to purchase gear chain oil and spark plugs in San Jose

[optimus]

I'm am a proud new owner of a 90 GS500E as well as a new rider.  I'm located San Jose, Ca. and I was wondering where can I purchase gear chain oil, spark plugs, and oil filter for my GS?  Local Autozone? Thank in Advance.

-Ron

[TheGoodGuy]

try your local cyclegear @ www.cyclegear.com

cyclegear carries the Fram oil filters, in general ppl dont like using them. So just go to autozone and get teh STP SMO00 (SMO zero zero) oil filter, its a buck fifty cheaper than the fram on at cycle gear.

rest of the stuff can be got at cyclegear.

[Bob Broussard]

You can also check with Roadrider Motorcycle Accessories.
They're located on Monterey Rd., South of downtown SJ.

[70 Cam Guy]

You can also check with Roadrider Motorcycle Accessories.
They're located on Monterey Rd., South of downtown SJ.

Road Rider is a great place to go.  Also the Cycle Gear on Meridian (and Parkmoor?... right off of 280)

GP Sports or Grand Prix (same owner I believe) leaves a bad taste in my mouth every time I go in.  Honda of Milpitis is actually a pretty cool dealer but they are just Honda/Aprilia

I think there's a place in Santa Clara that Scratch likes but I always forget its name.

I never really understood why people don't like Fram filters.  While I have a Suzuki oil filter on my bike, my car and truck have a Fram on them.  Never had a problem with them

There are quite a few people from the SJ area.  Do you go to school here?  just move here?  I'm going to SJSU right now.

[purerealm]

i think there's a suzuki shop on el camino

[scratch]

I go to several different places to get my stuff, depending on availability and price. If the oil filters are in stock, I'll go to the Autozone to get the oil filters, either the STP or FRAM. Oil, I almost always go to RoadRider, because I buy the Castrol 10w40. For parts, I just go to G.P. Sports, because they're local (for the amount of gas going somewhere else I would pay the same). Grand Prix on El Camino is not owned by the same owner as G.P. Sports, but Dave Murdoc (I used to work with him) does own another m/c shop somewhere. There are three Suzuki shops on El Camino, one in Redwood City, Bike World in Sunnyvale, and Grand Prix, off of San Tomas (where I used to work).
In addition to these you have different accessory shops along the way, Santa Clara Cycle Accessories on El Camino and Wolfe and Zoom('s) on El Camino and Lawrence.

[scratch]

I'm am a proud new owner of a 90 GS500E as well as a new rider.  I'm located San Jose, Ca. and I was wondering where can I purchase gear chain oil, spark plugs, and oil filter for my GS?  Local Autozone? Thank in Advance.

-Ron

Oh yeah, and welcome to the site!

Also, to address the chain lube and spark plugs, I'm using the Maxim Chain Wax, which I get at RoadRider, as well as sparkplugs. If you use an oil-based chain lube on a chain, don't switch to wax on the same chain. Oil and wax don't mix. O.K., well not very well. It's just not a good idea.

[clkeith50]

People don't like Fram filters because of the poor quality construction as demonstrated in all of the filter comarison tests. This is on the spin on type filters that most bikes use. The cartridge type that the GS uses may be different. I haven't looked at a Fram filter for the GS as I don't buy Fram filters. Most people won't have a problem, but if you do it will cost you a new engine.

[scratch]

The accessory shops also sell oil, filters and sparkplugs. I used to go to Zoom's (and Grand Prix) because they were close, before I moved.

[Lars]

The fram filters aren't properly glued. At some places glue is missing, so dirty oil could leak into the oil-system and sometimes big drops of glue are sticking out so the could possibly fall off and enter the engine. In comparison with other filters they are badly manufactured.

[optimus]

Thank you all for all this useful information!  Maybe we should
get a southbay meat or BBQ going on or something.  Thanks again

~Ron

[optimus]

btw, are there any reliable shops down here that I can trust
for getting some work done on my bike if I wanted to
get it serviced?  I feel confident in doing minor maintenance such
as oil & spark plug changes and lubing chain but installing
new jets carb work etc.. but be iffy to me regarding that fact that I also
own a clymer manual.  Thanks again.

~Ron

[scratch]

I would take my bike to any one of these shops. In order of preference:
Bike World (because I know Carlos there and I used to work with him)
Grand Prix
G.P. Sports/Camden Honda(/Suzuki)

The driving points into picking a shop to go to are:
Honesty
Professionalism
How well you get along
Price

You may not get along with Carlos, the price may be too high at Camden Honda, Grand Prix may be unfamiliar. You have to check them out for yourself.

Go check each of them out, get prices for a tune and service. Ask any of them if they know if the new GS500F is four-valves per cylinder, as an icebreaker.