1999 GS500E commuter project

[jreidg3]

I picked up a 1999 GS500E for $700 a few weeks ago. The bike was dumped and then sat in a garage for two years. The previous owner modified the bike before dumping it and I doubt it ever ran very well. I have spent the last few weeks sourcing various missing or broken parts, cleaning, getting the maintenance up to date and setting the bike up to be a nice clean commuter. Pics to follow.

So far I have done the following:
-Cleaned and adjusted carbs, 3-turns-out, moved c-clip needle down, then back up a little and attempted to sync using the sparkplug method. (More work to be done here)
-repacked the vance and hines muffler (still too loud for me)
-removed the front fender and had a body shop trim off the melted portion and re-drill the speedo cable hole (yet to be installed)
-buffed out surface scratches and waxed with marine wax
-replaced handlebars with all black bars
-wired in headlight interrupt relay (posted DIY instructions in a previous thread)
-replaced missing mirrors with all black OEM mirrors
-fixed broken rear blinker
-changed oil and filter and O-ring
-cleaned K&N lunchbox filter and filed down to fit snugly over carbs (I still dont like it and am sourcing a factory airbox/filter)
-adjusted choke and throttle cables as they would increase RPM's when fully locked left or right (not very safe, could this be the cause of the previous owners crash?? Hmmm)
-Bought a set of daystar fork boots (yet to be installed)
-Bought a set of front and rear pads (yet to be installed)
-Bought a gauge cluster cover, suzuki sticker for stator cover and 17T front sprocket to lower highway rpms (waiting to hear from dealer on delivery)
-swapped original headlight bulb with H4 Phillips Motovision bulb
-Purchased new battery (yet to be installed)
-corrected petcock house routing
-Drained and filled with fresh gas
-removed strobe lights that previous owner installed
-tightened chain to spec, cleaned and oiled
-replaced spark plugs with new NGK copper

Future Mods:
-replace rotors with better OEM used ones (mine have grooves from badly worn pads)
-get two extra keys cut
-properly sync carbs
-replace carb o-rings
-replace missing fender bolt
-replace bent brake and clutch levers
-LED cluster bulb conversion
-New front and rear tires
-Repaint exhaust and/or replace with a factory system
-repaint kick stand and center stand with bedliner spray paint
-clean and repaint battery tray black
-switch to factory airbox and K&N drop-in
-replace rear inner fender with a stock one
-add inline fuel filter
-Replace right side engine case guard (still trying to find one)
-7/8 bar ends (trying to find some cheap aftermarket black ones)
-drain and refill brake fluid
-New chain and rear sprocket
-buy factory tool set/kit
-buy factory owners manual
-Fork spacers to stiffen up front forks
-adjust rear shock pre-load or upgrade to yellow SV shock
-buy tank pad to cover scratches from zippers/jackets
-buy short windscreen
-rear hugger inner fender(if I can find one cheap)

[jreidg3]

Pics from when I first got it home and cleaned up the scratches. (no comments on the cleanliness of my garage!! I had allot of "projects" this winter)

[jestercinti]

Sharp looking bike.  Mine was a 2009, and didn't come in Yellow.  Wish I had one like it!

[jreidg3]

Pics of melted fender before cutting it down:

[jreidg3]

Pics of first attempt at carb cleaning and needle valve adjustment. I thought I needed shims but the needles in my bike had the c-clip and so i adjusted them using that. I first adjusted them one from the bottom. That seemed too rich with lots of backfiring. I then moved up to the middle and I still get some backfiring but the bike starts very easily now with full choke and warms up nicely. There is lots of power over 4000rpm. Below that it seems a little slow. Not that I am racing or anything. just an observation. I am hoping the rough/floating idle will be resolved with the stock airbox and/or stock exhaust.




Stock needle clip setting when I got the bike:


Stock setting on bottom, first attempt setting on top. This caused lots of backfiring and seemed too rich. I have since moved up one more (third rung from the bottom). This still seems to backfire but that might just be the V&H exhaust. I am hoping the stock airbox helps with reducing the backfiring. If not ill go up another rung to fourth from the bottom. I might also update from 3-turns-out to 2.5 or 4 and see if that makes a difference.

[jreidg3]

Fork Boots, Emblem, fender, reflectors, guage cover installed.
New Emblem


peel off the back


Fork Boots






Fender trimmed to remove melted section and re-drilled to re-install speedo cable guide.






Old Speedo Cover


New Speedo Cover






EZ-Pass shoved under speedo cover. Seems to work just fine through the tolls.

[jreidg3]

More parts arrived!
17T sprocket to lower the highway rpm's


Brake Pads from D2Moto. I used coupon code D2M2008 for 15% off. Parts arrived in 3 days. Super fast shipping.
Rear pads


Front Pads

[bombsquad83]

Good work with the pictures.  What you have there is not a stock jet needle for the carbs.  The stock one does not have different clip positions.  It looks to be a different shape than the stock needle as well.  Some people here put 1 to 2 small washers or an o-ring under the needle to richen the mixture in the middle of the throttle.

[jreidg3]

Ahh ok. So maybe its a DynoJet kit? I wonder if my jets are not stock either. Any way you can tell from the pics of my jets?

[jreidg3]

I had a delivery waiting for me on my lunch break!
Bar ends!!

[bombsquad83]

I can't tell myself since I've only seen the stock needles.  Maybe someone else can.  I'm guessing that it is a dynojet needle since that's the most common replacement that I've heard about.  You should check your main jet and pilot jet as well.  I don't think your main jet is a stock mikuni jet because I think it reads "128" on it.  Mikuni jets have this symbol on them.



There is a jetting chart available on the wiki that can help you tune in your carbs based on what other people have done.  That is assuming that you go back to the stock needle and genuine mikuni jets.

http://wiki.gstwins.com/index.php?n=Upgrades.Rejetting

[Erika]

How is that EZ Pass shoved in there? Is it just wedged, or did you secure it with anything? Does it work with the tolls with moving bar-gate thingy?

[jreidg3]

Yup just shoved in there. not secured with anything. flipped it upside down and left the skinny side facing out. That way the thicker side is wedged between the guage cluster cover and the headlight housing. It fits tight and has worked perfectly for the tolls. We dont have any bar/gate tolls where I live. But it reads the overhead drive through tolls every day as I commute on and off grand island over the bridges.