1997 GS500E issues

[enrgizerbunny]

Alright, I purchased this bike mid July. It has already been rejetted, but appears to be stock past that. It's been real smooth through the whole RPM range (minus that flat spot between 5-6k) Once it gets past about 5500 it's like a kick in the pants, reminds me of a 2-stroke powerband on a dirtbike.

Down to business: My instrument lights down work, they went out simultaneously so I suspected a fuse, but after searching the bike I've found a grand total of one, 20 amp fuse. Is this right or should I order some LEDs so I don't have to deal with it anymore?

Second, I've run out of fuel twice now. By that I mean the bike was starved to the point of shutting down. I run on prime all the time and turn it to on when I stop. I pull over, open the cap and wait, then it will start. This has happened twice with 1.5 and 1.2 gallons remaining in the tank. I suspect I need to do maintenance on the cap/vent and the combination of the smaller prime orifice? If there's anything other than that please do tell.

While I was riding home this evening I was coming into a construction zone so I was disengaging the clutch and coasting/lightly applying brakes so that cars knew I was slowing. Then I heard a LOUD noise that sounded kind of like the noise you get if you don't get the bike all the way into gear and engage the clutch. I didn't shift and the bike seemed to work fine, but it concerns me since this is my daily rider.

[cWj]

1 20 amp is correct if I remember correctly. Did you check the plug in the headlight housing? The connections seem like the most likely culprits unless you've gotten lucky and just need to change the bulbs. The gauge lights are an easy switch to LED. The 4 indicators are trickier, particularly the turn signal lamp due to its connection to the turn signals. I couldn't get any of those for to work with the same LEDs that work fine in the clocks. There are solutions but they're all fancy-pants and technical with the cutting and soldering and electrical diagram reading. The idiot light bulbs aren't that hard to get to. I'm leaving them incandescent. Attaining a multimeter for system checking is never a bad idea...

Why do you run on prime? Do you have problems if you run "on" and switch to reserve when low as intended? Check to make sure drain tube isn't clogged?

noise. Are you sure you didn't have your foot resting on the shifter? Did letting clutch back in make it go away? Are you using synthetic oil?

[enrgizerbunny]

I run on prime because I commute about an hour a day and most of it is on the highway. If I don't run on prime, I'll get starvation at about 100 miles into the tank. On prime I get 160-170 miles into the tank before I have issues. I'm cautious about my usage because what I understand is that prime draws fuel from the res side, so when you're out, you're OUT.

I did check behind the headlight, found nothing and the connections looked okay. I saw two connectors that weren't connected to anything, but they were the same sex with no mates...

Noise. I'm pretty sure I had my toes on the pegs, but I may have had my arch. I was running through a construction zone with one lane closed and it was right after passing a cloverleaf exit/onramp section so I was coasting and braking to make sure my brake lights were on instead of engine braking. Previous owner did last change, he told me he was running rotella-T diesel (not energized) in it. I topped it up with valvoline conventional until I change it next week.

[cWj]

Well, maybe some one else can be of more help. I still don't understand running prime instead of reserve, but 160-170 doesn't sound like abnormal range depending on how you're riding. The shape of the older tanks on the older bike does seem to encourage the switch to reserve well before you get to .9 gallon left. When I first got the bike, I used to need to switch to RES around 130 miles.

Try searching "fuel starvation" if you haven't. If you "have to" run on prime instead of reserve, something seems wrong with the petcock, routing or something. Reserve should give you all the tank without needing to go to prime.

[gsJack]

First off the specified reserve is way off on both the 4.5 gallon 89-00 tank and 5.3 gal 01-09 tank.  I found it to be more like 1.5 gal on both my 97 and 02 GSs.

Starting with the 02 which is still fresh in my memory I typically hit reserve at about 240 miles riding moderately spring, summer, and fall and if I fill up shortly after hitting reserve it takes about 4 gallon, about 60 mpg overall for the 100k miles I've put on it.  Winter riding and spirited riding in the mountain twisties dropped that about 5-10 mpg.

Got the same mileage maybe a little better on my 97 hitting reserve at about 180-200 miles and filling up shortly after that it took 3 gal or so.  I spent a lot of days following a good friend who was a big cruiser guy, he was a retired 1st mate on one of those big great lakes ore boats and thought the speed limit on land was moving fast.    Getting about 70 mpg riding with him I decided I wanted to go 300 miles on the 4.5 gal tank of gas once.  I made it with reserve just about gone and luckily was in sight of a gas station as I hit the 300 miles on the trip meter.

Both of my GSs had completely stock carbs, never rejetted, never felt the need to do so.  Did quite a few 400-500 mile Interstate days running 75-80 mph indicated going to the mountains to play getting about 55 mpg on the road as I remember.  Most of those trips were done on the 97 putting 80k miles on it in 4 years, it took the hardest beating running 7-9k rpm for hours on end in the mountains and never let me down.

[89500inPA]

When working on repairs or issues with my bike, I have taught myself to always eliminate the simple fixes before moving on to anything else. Did you check both bulbs? It may just be coincidence. If the bulbs are fine, check the sockets with a volt meter (you have one, yes?) If there is no voltage at the sockets, now you have to start snooping around in the wires. If you go to LED, I think you have to add some electronics to work so that is a whole new project.

I have an 89, and try to keep it in the on position all the time. Thats kind of the idea of a motorcycle with no fuel gauge. Reserve is for if you went a little too far without filling up, prime is really only to fill the carb bowls if they are dry or your vacume has crapped out. At @100 miles, I start thinking about stopping for gas. At 125 I might switch to reserve to avoid fuel issues and now I am actively seeking gas. I have never run dry by the method and don't intend to.

Not sure about the noise? Is your chain too tight? This will make a kind of grinding noise, but not that loud. Suspension okay?

[enrgizerbunny]

If I leave my petcock in the "ON" position, I will randomly become starved of fuel about 100 miles on the tank- on the highway. If I run on prime (which requires no vacuum) I don't have this issue. I intend to convert to non-vacuum operation because then I'll have one less thing to break. As I understand it, "PRI" draws from the "RES" straw, which means when I run out of fuel, I'm OUT. I was puzzled because I was shutting down for lack of fuel with a gallon left in the tank. I pulled over, opened the gas cap, closed it and let it sit for 30 seconds or so. Then I cranked it and it started and it ran fine all the way to the gas station. I would point at cap/vent issue, but I would think it'd present itsself before then. Also, the second time it shut down on me, I opened the cap before leaving the parking lot.