SOOKIE '99 GS500e

[ShowBizWolf]

I'm leaning towards putting 'em on the way tippy end there... like in the last pic.

[the_63]

I'm leaning towards putting 'em on the way tippy end there... like in the last pic.

I do have a preference, but it's like 51% VS 49%

Chris

[the_63]

Started the rear indicator mounting process when I got home from uni. Made a couple of templates out of cardboard to make sure my drilling points would be symmetrical, I was off by about 1mm on one side but I'm ok with that, I won't notice that. made a mark through the template with a centre punch then started making holes. Started with a 2mm brad point, then 4mm, 6mm, 8mm. The thread of the unit is 9mm, so I've stopped now until I can get a 9mm bit in the morning. Little bit disappointing but it's underway now.

Oh, and my front tyre came the other day, expecting the rear tomorrow.

On reflection I'm ever so slightly behind schedule, but that's due to funding. I was aiming to have the exhaust changed, tyres fitted and maybe an oil change before getting the bike MOT'd at the end of March. I might be able to afford to get the oil changed and the tyres fitted by then, but the exhaust almost certainly won't be.

Chris

[the_63]

Finished up the flush mount tail indicators. I'm sure that I like them tbh...but they're on now and they're permanent. Need to do some fiddling because the non stock tail light doesn't fit well at all, and the tail plastics don't mesh properly as a result, but the indicators are now done. Had to stop because I'm too drunk to do the fiddly bits, keep dropping things. Next onto seeing if I can seal the exhaust with gungum paste, finish cutting the rear fender, get a new licence plate sorted out and new tyres fitted.






Chris

[J_Walker]

Looks good. Sometimes i forget what a stock gs is supposed to look like.

[the_63]

Looks good. Sometimes i forget what a stock gs is supposed to look like.

I think they look a little bug eyed.

Chris

[J_Walker]

Looks good. Sometimes i forget what a stock gs is supposed to look like.

I think they look a little bug eyed.

Chris

they look like they should be more on the sides... but they are where they are now. unless you wanna re-do it.. I got rear plastics off my 05. in black... 

lol

I really like those blue LED's in the backlight of the gauges. I have red..

but mine are only 1 LED bulb from a packet of LED's with a resistor tied in, and hot glued into the existing rubber OEM bulb housing... so not nearly as bright. gonna re-do it when I take the whole housing apart to replace the broken needles on the inside, and de-yellow the mileage an trip numbers. [oxyclean and hydrogen peroxide] and put a silicone seal on the plastic outer faces to keep the little water that sometimes sneaks in there, out. 

I'm thinking of making up some brass needles, polishing them out, and then having them powder coated clear to keep them from tarnishing.. powder coating works great on outdoor wrought iron fences now days, can't see why it wouldn't work great on the gauges... I love me some well placed polished brass.. if only it was easy to electroplate brass! I'd make the stainless rings around the gauge brass too! lol

[ShowBizWolf]

I like 'em! And I think they will be easy to see from a "I'm following you driving down the road" point of view.

Perhaps they will grow on ya 63.

[the_63]

Thanks guys.

J, I think if you use brass needles, which could be cool, you could use it to accent other places too. The dial plates sounds like it would look rad. The blue LED's were already fitted. The LED units themselves are very unusual. They are like 13 LED's, 2 layers of 5 and a top layer of 3, but they are all laid flat so it's a super compact unit, and I cannot find them anywhere.

I hope they do Showbiz, I think they might need to be swapped for clear lenses.

Update: today I tried to fill the holes in the exhaust can with gungum. Letting it set overnight because when I tried to use the exhaust heat, the gasses just pushed the paste out of the holes. Made some cuts to the fender, should finish it off tomorrow. I wish I had a rotary tool

Chris

[J_Walker]

Thanks guys.

J, I think if you use brass needles, which could be cool, you could use it to accent other places too. The dial plates sounds like it would look rad. The blue LED's were already fitted. The LED units themselves are very unusual. They are like 13 LED's, 2 layers of 5 and a top layer of 3, but they are all laid flat so it's a super compact unit, and I cannot find them anywhere.

I hope they do Showbiz, I think they might need to be swapped for clear lenses.

Update: today I tried to fill the holes in the exhaust can with gungum. Letting it set overnight because when I tried to use the exhaust heat, the gasses just pushed the paste out of the holes. Made some cuts to the fender, should finish it off tomorrow. I wish I had a rotary tool

Chris

by dial plates, you're talking about the gauge faces right? [the things with the numbers on them?] idk if that would be too much brass on brass...

[the_63]

No mate, the metal bits that the units sit in, with the idiot lights. If the dial faces were brass you'd lose your needle.

Chris

[the_63]

The gungum worked on the holes at the top, but now it's either caused or revealed a hole lower down which is dropping dirty water. I can't get to it though because it's behind the heat shield which is pop-riveted onto the can. It's not salvageable. £300 exhaust here I come. Anyone got a spare £300?

Chris

[qcbaker]

The gungum worked on the holes at the top, but now it's either caused or revealed a hole lower down which is dropping dirty water. I can't get to it though because it's behind the heat shield which is pop-riveted onto the can. It's not salvageable. £300 exhaust here I come. Anyone got a spare £300?

Chris

You could always look into cutting the can part off and converting the header to accept slip-on mufflers. Might be cheaper than a new exhaust.

Also, there are used stock exhausts on ebay for much cheaper than that, just FYI.

[the_63]

I know, I just didn't want to pay for a 2nd hand can, to spend out on a new system soon after. The can is £200 on it's own, and the headers by themselves are £120, so it makes more sense to buy a full system for £300. Just frustrated that I don't have the money for it, there's a delay in my funding now that I'm back studying, I need the money to buy the exhaust, once I have the exhaust the bike will pass the MOT and I can ride again.

The funding delay just puts me further behind schedule and that's just uncool.

Chris

[the_63]

Once again I jumped the gun. Got on the floor and checked under the can, there's a pin hole in the bottom which I think is there to prevent water building up.So the exhaust is fixed, I finished trimming the rear fender and reinstalled the licence plate and bracket. It's desperate for oil, so I think I'll drain the old stuff and change the filter while I'm at it. Gives me a little more time to get cash together for the exhaust now, and I can MOT it now.

Chris

[J_Walker]

I forget the exact exhaust system, but there is a REALLY good sounding one that runs really thin mufflers, stacked on top of each other, so instead of Y piping in, they go straight to the mufflers, it sounds REALLY good with the whiny noise of the GS engine. but i dont think they'd pass any sort of inspection. 

[the_63]

Popped off the old front tyre, fitted the new one, couldn't get the bead set though, which sucks, so will have to take it to a garage to get it done. It's almost done, just the last little bit won't pop and complete the bead.

Chris

[the_63]

Took the front wheel to a shop, they completed the fitting and balanced the wheel for a 5er.  Wheel now back on bike.

Rear wheel next.

Chris

[the_63]

Couldn't budge the rear tyre, so went to the same shop and they fitted it for me. Wheel is back on, I couldn't install the front caliper because the pad retaining spring was all mangled, but had to take the caliper off to learn this, so I've replaced the spring and now need to replace the fluid to finish that off, oil is very low, so I'm just going to drain what's left, replace the filter and fill her up with some nice fresh stuff.

I also replaced the tail indicators with some clear ones and I think it looks better. before I put it through its MOT I need to stick on the rear reflector and try to align the headlight. I'm getting excited now!

Chris

[ShowBizWolf]

Very excited for you!