ShowBizWolf's 1998 GS500E

[Suzi Q]

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[ShowBizWolf]

Work on the nose fairing has been moving along! I fiberglassed the holes I won't need anymore from behind and sanded the whole thing. Tomorrow I hope to get a few layers of duraglas done on the outside, to fill the holes. Then it'll be time for primer and paint!! Oh and I also ordered the OEM turn signal plates... up until now I have been using thin aluminum ones I made years ago.

Busa fender has been getting some work as well, I have about half of the center piece layered up thick and I was going to trim it on the sides (to fit it between the fork legs)... but for the first time ever in my life, I lost a tool. For the life of me, I can't find the Dremel's mandrel with the cutting disc on it. I remember exactly when I had it last... and why I removed it from the Dremel... but I have looked everywhere (and I do mean everywhere) and it's gone. Dunno if Hastey played with it/carried it somewhere while I was at work or what... but I did move furniture and used a flashlight to check everywhere... Bought a new one today before work so I'll be back in business soon lol.

[peteGS]

Oh I hate that! You *know* you left it there, you remember distinctly... if you had to swear to it you would! Then you find it somewhere completely different a week later after you've bought that replacement and it dawns on you that you did in fact move it...   

Great progress though ShowBiz!

However what is duraglas when it's at home with it's feet up, a beer in hand, and MotoGP on the telly?

[ShowBizWolf]

Haha, very true Pete!! Although for me it'd be People's Court on the telly

Getting really tired of having to go back thru and update all the picture links... so here's some combined pics to save on my work I'll prolly have to do later lol. Had to extend the one side of the center part of the fender a bit so that's curing now and I got the duraglas on the nose fairing. This pic is of the second layer. Gotta get ready for work now.

[ShowBizWolf]

Did a bunch of bulb experiments outside of my work last night in the parking lot. Used the side of the building for aiming the headlight and seeing what combination of bulbs is going to work the best. Also road tested each combination. I learned some neat stuff!


1) Lighting provided by a stock H4 bulb with no H7 is adequate (IMO).

2) The Native H4 LED bulb worked great (again, IMO) in the stock GS round housing but it is pretty darn terrible in the gixxer housing. Not gonna lie. Also, flipping to high beam did pretty much nothing.
**I'm actually really glad I got to see this in person because now I see what all the fuss was about 6 months ago when I posted about LED headlight bulbs and how they "just plain won't work in halogen reflector housings!"
I still stand by what I said and saw in regards to it working nicely in the GS's stock housing though.

3) I am comfortable using a stock H4 by itself based on what I saw/road tested last evening (well, this morning haha it was 1am).

4) A stock H7 bulb in the lower (projector) portion of the headlight is really amazing! (I'm sure some of you are rolling your eyes at me cuz this is common knowledge but I have never seen a headlight like this in person before.)

5) The stock H7 bulb in the projector portion of the headlight greatly makes up for the awful output of the Native H4 but I don't really feel comfortable with that setup.


I just ordered this H7 from SBL because I want to try it out.
https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/led-replacement-bulbs/h7-led-bulb-36-smd-led-daytime-running-light-led-tower/1583/
Yes yes I know it has a rating of 260 lumens... but I'd like to do the experiment. Plus, based on the measurements/specs of the other LED H7's out there, none of them will fit in the gixxer housing. It's less than $15 to try it out cuz I have a coupon

[ShowBizWolf]

Finished sanding the nose fairing today and also put a coat of primer on it

Now sitting here at work

[Big Rich]

Pesky job always gets in the way of all our fun......

[peteGS]

Yep I hear that... we have a long weekend at least this weekend

[ShowBizWolf]

Haha ok ok I should have worded that differently... I shoulda said, "Now making more money to pay for bike work!"

After hitting the nose fairing with primer, I noticed a couple spots that needed a bit more sanding. Got that done today and did the primer touch up. It's officially done and waiting for paint now. Still leaning towards black which will warrant ordering the exact color from ColorRite.com

Also got more cutting and shaping done on the fender... fitment is looking better and better each day! Hope to get more done on it tomorrow but the lawn needs mowed and trimmed again so that comes first cuz the house has gotta look nice

[ShowBizWolf]

Pic of the first layer of the final bit of the front half. Can get an idea from these pictures of how I want the back to almost hook over the fork brace. Dunno how wide I am going to be able to leave it in order for it to still fit between the fork legs but so far so good. I'd rather have more fiberglass to trim down then have to keep adding to it. What a pita.


I also ordered some new foot pegs, in silver, front and passenger. Ended up finding some on ebay that match up to the ones in the wiki. Got all 4 pegs for $19.45 !!

In addition to that, I'm playing around with different hardware for the stock rearsets. Just to update the look of them a bit. Have to figure out what I want and where to go.

The last smaller project I also started over the weekend is making some custom heel guards. Nothing super fancy, just similar to the ones you see on aftermarket 'Busa or gixxer sets on eBay. I have some leftover aluminum from my headlight brackets and before I put away my jigsaw and the bench grinder, figured I'd mess around with some heel guards and see if I like what I come up with.

[Big Rich]

Good stuff Showbiz!

As far as the bolts go - do you have a Fastenal store near you? They have a huge selection of stainless stuff compared to Home Depot & Lowes.

[ShowBizWolf]

Ohhhh man Rich we used to have a Fastenal and it was wonderful!!! I know what you mean about the selection they had! Prices were much better too....... But they aren't around here anymore afaik

Thanks for checkin' in Rich

[ShowBizWolf]

Couplea pics to show my fun so far with making heel guards:

[J_Walker]

Couplea pics to show my fun so far with making heel guards:

Looks like you need a scroll saw with metal cutting blade... you could bang this out in like 2 hours.

[ShowBizWolf]

Oh man you're tellin' me!! That would be marvelous Buy me one?

I'm just using an old B&D jigsaw with a metal cutting blade. Did my headlight brackets with it too.

[J_Walker]

Oh man you're tellin' me!! That would be marvelous Buy me one?

I'm just using an old B&D jigsaw with a metal cutting blade. Did my headlight brackets with it too.

Hah. right after I buy myself a NEW one. I miss my old one.. Regret getting rid of it. at least you have a jig saw though, if I did this, I'd be there was a copping saw.

[peteGS]

First time I tried that sort of stuff was with a hacksaw... quickly moved to the jigsaw. Unfortunately a lot of times I do it at night, so the jigsaw is out and back to the hacksaw... Fun fun!

Love your work ShowBiz!!

[ShowBizWolf]

Jigsaw certainly is noisy... no doubt about that!!! Dug out a stick of wax from my college days... had to buy one for my Jewelry and Metals class... never thought I'd ever use it again!

Fun fact, the bolts that hold the stock GS rearsets on are the same thread and diameter as the exhaust bolts! M8 1.25

Those stainless allen ones I bought last summer for like, way too much $$... that didn't work with my aftermarket exhaust... are now holding on my rearsets.

Pegs came in the mail today and they look really nice. Looking forward to finishing the heel guards and installing the pegs in the next few days.

[cbrfxr67]

kickazz showbiz!  Can't wait to see them cut out

[ShowBizWolf]

Thanks cbr!!! You didn't hafta wait long




New pegs like the ones in the wiki: