bought a gs500 and want to do all basic matinence now. (what to do???)

[exacto]

im not a newb to engines at all but i am to my new bike... My rear brake kind of sucks as it takes me to push it half way down before it even starts to slow down.

Figuring that i just bought the bike i want to make sure everything is normal or back to normal. I bought a 2001 GS500E.

1) front/ rear brake bleed
2)clutch bleed
3) air filter replacement
4) engine oil replacement
5) clean carbs
6) check valves

Is there anything else i should do? I would buy the clymer guide but i dont have any money to spend on that yet. Can anyone tell me what oils to use for all the parts and if i should do anything else.

[HardcoreKeith]

Sounds like you're on the right track, except I don't think you'll have a hydraulic clutch, so you just adjust the cable for that part.

Also definitely adjust, clean, and lube the chain.  That should be done every "600" miles according to Suzuki but I ride through the rain a lot so I always lubed my chain every 200 miles (until I got a Loobman).

Might be nice to change spark plugs while you're at it.

If those tires are original, they definitely need to go as well.

[vinny]

...My rear brake kind of sucks as it takes me to push it half way down before it even starts to slow down...

In that case, check your disc's and brake pads too. They may need replacing.

Check fork seals for leakage.
Check all lights work and dont flicker.
Check alternator output (5krpm = 13.5-15.5v on battery)

Oh, and: "This thread is worthless without pics" :p

[GSnoober]

The search function is your friend here; just about everything you need to do is already well-documented here by someone who took the time to do the work and write a guide for posterity. Many of the guides are written in step-by-step order, including any tools and parts commonly needed, and many of them also included detailed photos.

Start looking here:

http://www.gstwin.com

Look at the columns on the LEFT side of the page; check the Maintenance Schedule, the How-To Pages, and the Modifications section. Follow that up by reading the Racer's Corner section while you're downloading the shop manual; you'll find a link to it in this thread:

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=46110.0

You'll find a link to the Owner's Manual in this thread:

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=51112.0

Check the FAQ section for more good info here:

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?board=7.0

LOTS of good information in the wiki:

http://wiki.gstwins.com/

Have fun learning and wrenching; if you need clarification on something in particular, ask questions and someone will help you.

No hydraulic clutches on the GS5... don't know if I'd really want one complicating life with such a simple vertical twin, although several of my previous motorcycles had them (83 VF750F, 86 CB700SC, 97 VFR750 to name three)...

The BEST sparkplug for the GS5 engine is the Champion 809 Copper Plus plug, also listed as the Champion RA6HC. Exotic metal tips don't mean squat to the GS engine; avoid the NGK (NGK = NO GOOD KIND) and ND plugs. I have a friend with a modern multi; he buys 4 plugs at $16 EACH every time he does a tune-up; plugs for the primitive GS5 cost $2 each at Autozone, O'Reilly, and just about anywhere else you care to name. You can find them even cheaper than that ($1.76 last time I looked) if you buy them online through Rock Auto, though if you don't buy them in bulk (maybe 12 or more plugs at a time), any shipping costs might make that a deal-breaker.

As for the "best" oil and oil filters, I'm NOT going to open that can of worms right now. I'm sure you'll find suggestions as you read various sections of this forum, and others might be willing to provide you with recommendations from their own experience. FWIW, I use Shell Rotella-T Synthetic oil in ALL of my motorcycles AND in my car and truck; I use whatever sh!tty oil filter is available (usually FRAM CH6000) when I buy the oil. Unfortunately, the lousy FRAM filter is about as good as anything else you'll find; I've been dissecting oil filters for many years now (I participated in an oil-analysis program about 30 years ago, so I got into the habit of cutting oil filters open). The truth is, ALL of the filters currently available for the Suzuki engines are basically one notch above JUNK, which is ANOTHER good reason to check and change your oil religiously. The quality of filter media varies greatly in spin-on oil filters; the media used for internal filters is just about universally inferior. If there is a QUALITY internal filter available for the GS500, I haven't found it yet.

Now do some research and break out those wrenches!

[tucsondog]

Buy the Clymer manual, and pick up a shop manual if you can find one. Then, instead of spending money to go to the stealership, use that money otherwise spent on labour to purchase the tools required to do the job. After a few years, you'll be amazed at just how many tools you have; not to mention the specialty ones too.
That, and take care of and respect your bike and tools. Do that, and they'll last you a lifetime!
Unless of course a soccer mom in a 8 seater SUV talking on her phone, juggling a coffee while yelling at her kids  changes lanes into you causing a collision or a "ditching"... but that's a whole different story............

[exacto]

thanks for the very helpful reply

[thecdn]

The GS500 we bought for my son leaked a lot of oil. I replaced all the major engine gaskets and then the seals around the gear shifter and clutch rod before the leaking stopped. Keep an eye on those seals as it seems to be common for leakage around there.