Wanted : First Bike Advice

[joeyshakespeare]

Hello!

I just bought my first bike (2007 GS 500) and love it!
I just wanted to post some pictures and see what advice people can give me.
I took it to my local bike shop just to get it looked over because I didn't feel like a could lean into a turn safely.
He said that for some reason the previous owner had replaced the whole front end with a Katana front end and it's throwing off the dynamics a little bit.
It looks pretty messy, the big silver clamp in between the handlebars looks like it has been smashed to kingdom come to try to get it on.
I'd like to try and return it to looking as classic and "pristine" as I can without spending a lot of money (I'm a poor married college student).
The main thing for me is the front end and handlebar set up, everything else seems in good condition (I like the no fairing look).
So far I've changed the oil and filter, replaced the headlight bulb, and replaced the back tire.

Thanks!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/93658390@N02/sets/72157632885075452/

[xunedeinx]

Don't honestly see anything throwing off red flags.

[adidasguy]

Probably the PO crashed the front really good.
It all depends on your budget and the amount of work you can do on your own.
You can get a whole front end under $300 if you shop around.
There is a set of forks and triple on ebay for $125 right now. Ending soon. No bids. Those are the things you to find.
Then handle bars, wheel and fender. With good deals under $300 to put the front end back to stock. Add another $100 for a set of stock gauges to make the bike look correct. Stock gauges can be had for as little as $40. add a bracket and LEDs for lights and maybe $60.
You can pay more. These prices are based on things I see when looking for parts. Generally a good complete gauge set can be bought for under $100.

The front looks low. That can throw off the geometry of the bike. So can a different size front tire.

Determine your budget and work level. People here can help locate parts or have them already.

For a while it was a fad to swap the front for a KAT setup. Maybe someone is still into that and would trade you KAT for stock.

[Higgins13]

Looks decent, Nice Pipe. Get rid of those safety stickers on frame!

[BockinBboy]

I guess I posted my thoughts in the other thread located in for sale section... But still thinking something else is wrong with steering, and I'm just not sure a whole new front end is the best answer (though a whole new front end would probably fix it)... Unless you are set on returning it to stock, but the stock setup desperately needs heavier springs. So maybe add $80-100 for those.

- Bboy

[Janx101]

hrm ... all these lads know more than I about the setups.. however i have a few thoughts to add..

I took it to my local bike shop just to get it looked over because I didn't feel like a could lean into a turn safely.

im not questioning your level of ability .. but might it be just that you are new to the bike and it feels 'wrong' to be leaning in a turn? .. dont know how much riding you have done?(maybe 10 years on dirtbikes or 'vespa racing'??)  .. but everyone interprets things differently with bikes so its hard to evaluate just by desc if you are new to the gs500..

apart from that .. the clip on bars .. (ive never ridden with clip ons but....) .. the guys that have clip ons.. has anyone noticed the bike handling 'feels' a little different? .. bodyweight a little more forward perhaps? .. arms a little lower?... because of normal seating and foot peg positions would it then feel a little odd to have just your upper body forward more than standard?

and the katana front end.... again ive not ridden a similarly modded bike.. but i recently put heavier springs in the forks of mine.. and while the overall ride and handling are much sweeter .. it does feel like it 'tips in' more ?... im not saying it DOES tip in more... but because the dive/thump of the springs bottoming (with my fat ass on board) into corners/under some braking and corners .. now i notice the 'tip' point more? .. 

and lastly .. last year when i got new rubber front and back ... after the first couple hours to 'scrub' the tyres in (insert scrubbing debate here!!) .. i got more aggressive and went for a blast along the local twisty road.. could feel the extra smoothness and grip a fair bit.. but again i noticed that it leaned a certain amount... then 'tipped' more and still stuck to the road .. but it was a little alarming to feel the point of change ... now what that is?... normal?.. tyre profile differences? .. just because the shake and rumble of the old worn rubber was gone so i noticed other things?.... i dunno...

if you search around on the board for nearly any changes from 'old worn stuff' .. to 'clean new stuff' .. you will also see comments of 'it felt so much smoother!' or 'what a difference' .. or 'its like a new bike' ..

im not making any claims to my own riding ability (or lack of!) .. but i know for certain... even though my gs500 might struggle with my 'hefty size' up long hills etc ... i am nowhere near maxxing out the performance/handling capabilities when on twisty/mountain/fun roads... my brain tells me "F%&%&K back off!!" quite a bit before the bike is in any danger of going 101%!! .. 

[jacob92icu]

Welcome to the forum! You have come to the right place for advice.

I think the front end looks really good but dont blame you when you say you want to go back to stock. It will be costly, but like adidasguy was saying, maybe you can find someone who appreciates the katana front end for what it is, and you can recoop some of your money by posting it in the for sale thread.

Either that or maybe upgrade to a katana rear shock to balance the steering a little better.

Whatever you do, good luck!

[weedahoe]

I have a front end I would trade you. Its the forks (not bent or leaking), lower/upper triples, stem and top clamp. I even have the front headlight stay if you want to go back to the OEM headlight. I even have a headlight cowl although it has a crack that has been plastic welded (professionally, not epoxied)

[Twisted]

You say it looks pretty beat up around the stem? Are the head stem bearings in good order? This will make it a bit iffy if they need replacing.

[adidasguy]

Also are the bearing raceways round? Remember about 2 years ago someone bought a used bike, only to find the lower steering stem was not round due to a crash. That made the frame only good for scrap metal.

[joeyshakespeare]

Thanks for all of your input.
Only the top clamp is beat up, the actual forks look to be in really condition to me, but I am still learning.

I have a front end I would trade you. Its the forks (not bent or leaking), lower/upper triples, stem and top clamp. I even have the front headlight stay if you want to go back to the OEM headlight. I even have a headlight cowl although it has a crack that has been plastic welded (professionally, not epoxied)

I think I definitely want to go back to the stock front end, so this sounds great to me. I think I like my headlight though.
Do you have the original handlebars/braking system?

[weedahoe]

I do not have OEM bars. You can buy them new for around 25. I have after market clip ons and a custom top plate. I do have an OEM top plate if you want to use it with the OEM bars. However, being the current bars and top plate I have are custom and after market, I could not trade them to you at a 1:1 swap.

If you want them I could include them for $75.

In either case, the way this should be handled is as follows, I can send you a Paypal invoice for my front end for say $250 and you pay it and I ship you my front end. You get it, inspect it and do the swap. Then when you are ready to ship your original out, send me a PP invoice for the same amount and I pay it and you ship.

[adidasguy]

I have plenty of OEM top plates for standard type bars. So many I'm tempted to take some to recycling and get some money.

[joeyshakespeare]

I do not have OEM bars. You can buy them new for around 25. I have after market clip ons and a custom top plate. I do have an OEM top plate if you want to use it with the OEM bars. However, being the current bars and top plate I have are custom and after market, I could not trade them to you at a 1:1 swap.

If you want them I could include them for $75.

In either case, the way this should be handled is as follows, I can send you a Paypal invoice for my front end for say $250 and you pay it and I ship you my front end. You get it, inspect it and do the swap. Then when you are ready to ship your original out, send me a PP invoice for the same amount and I pay it and you ship.

Could you put up some photos?
Like I said, I'm new to the whole bike thing so don't understand all of the part names and stuff quite yet.
Is a katana front end worth more than a gs500 front end?
This sounds like a good deal though

[codajastal]

Shame I am in a different country or I would swap you front ends in a heartbeat lol

[weedahoe]

Some ppl like the Katana better because it is more stiff. Thats the reason most people swap over

Here is a link with pics for the clip ons and OEM top clamp

http://sdrv.ms/MWXY0d

Here is a pic of the custom top clamp that would look better with those bars

http://sdrv.ms/MWXY0d

[joeyshakespeare]

Some ppl like the Katana better because it is more stiff. Thats the reason most people swap over

Here is a link with pics for the clip ons and OEM top clamp

http://sdrv.ms/MWXY0d

Here is a pic of the custom top clamp that would look better with those bars

http://sdrv.ms/MWXY0d

Both those links took me to the same thing, some of those upgrades look really cool!

[weedahoe]

Sorry, try these links

http://sdrv.ms/YdnlN8
http://sdrv.ms/Z7Mbgy

[joeyshakespeare]

Sorry, try these links

http://sdrv.ms/YdnlN8
http://sdrv.ms/Z7Mbgy

Allright, looks good.
So, with what you are going to send me, is there anything that I would need to get extra (braking system, speedo/tach etc)?

[weedahoe]

All of your controls you would keep and put on the new front end. The brakes, rotors, caliper, rim/tire you would keep.

Check out this ebay listing. It in are the forks, lower and upper triple and stem with bearings. I have the same thing but with it will be the fork brace and top OEM clamp. If you want me custom clamp and after market bars I can include them but again, for a small fee

http://www.ebay.com/itm/190765295453