Is using Berryman B-12 chemtool ok for use in the GS500?

[BikerBoy]

So I bought a beautiful 2008 Suzuki GS500F from some old-timers a few days ago for only 1800 dollars, and three like- new 200 dollar helmet and a tomtom GPS with moto mount, as well as new tires installed.

Drove it home, got it registered, etc. Only thing that seems to be the problem is the guy never had the carbs cleaned on it. He never rode the darn thing either, it only has 5000 miles on it. I think there were long periods of time that he never rode the bike, and I doubt he added fuel stabilizer. Im a bit of a wussy and am scared to take apart the engine and clean the carbs myself, since I have 0 mechanical knowledge.

When you start it up with choke on, it takes 3-5 minutes to warm up, then I ride around about a mile before I turn it off. It runs ok for the most part, doesnt die at lights, etc. Only thing thats a problem is, theres NO light power given at 1st gear. As in, to get it to start, you have to be revving the throttle kind of hard before it will start to go.

He gave me some maintenance records with it, and they recommend flushing front and rear brake fluid, as well as a carb clean.

All the local shops here want 350-550 to clean the carbs. I have a hard time paying that much after I just paid so much money on a bike. Some craigslist ads say they can do it in 4-5 hours for half that price. Do you think pouring 4oz of berrymans b-12 with 4 gallons of fresh gasoline would do the job, but not damage any parts of the carburetor?

Right now, Im thinking of just riding the bike with the old gas in it, then when im all out, Ill use berrymans b-12 chemtool carb cleaner (you pour it in with the gas). Then if that doesnt help, meet some craigslist guy and see his credentials in person. What would you do? Thanks a lot.

[kryptek49]

Buy some carb cleaner for roughly $5, take the carbs off and clean them yourself. 

I have very little mechanical experience, but found it very easy to pull the carbs off my GS500e and clean them. 

Paying $500 for something like that would be crazy.

You may need new gaskets etc, but they can be bought fairly cheaply online.

[mr72]

I have used B12 this way before and it works fine in a GS. Just don't spray carb cleaner on assembled carbs, it will destroy rubber parts, in particular the rubber diaphragms.

If you want to refresh the carbs I put some pretty complete instructions in a post on my blog last month. Take a look. It is about a 2 hour job if you have done it before and maybe double that if it's your first time to turn a wrench.

[J_Walker]

instead of carb cleaner, WD40 works too for manually cleaning the carbs. wont degrade the plastic/rubbery bits. and mops up the varnish from old fuel.

It's the ONLY thing useful WD40 does, everything else It claims I believe there's something better.

Everything else is PB blaster, moly grease, 3in1 oil, silicone grease [the gun cleaning kit stuff], and dry spray lube [for my keyholes], and a no-fling chain lube.

[Bluesmudge]

Only thing thats a problem is, theres NO light power given at 1st gear. As in, to get it to start, you have to be revving the throttle kind of hard before it will start to go.

Almost sounds like you are just describing a normal GS500 

If the bike works well enough to drive around, I would see what a few tanks of nice clean gas get you. Maybe some Berryman B-12 or Gumnout as well. That's a lot easier than tearing into the carbs.

[mr72]

Only thing thats a problem is, theres NO light power given at 1st gear. As in, to get it to start, you have to be revving the throttle kind of hard before it will start to go.

Almost sounds like you are just describing a normal GS500 

I know you were sort of kidding but it's a good point and fair enough to set expectations.

With barely moving the throttle my GS500 will accelerate just fine in any gear even shifting before 4K rpm. I figure doing this with 1/8 throttle and 4K rpm shifts I probably accelerate from 0-60 in under 10 seconds easily. With 1/2 throttle and shifting at 7K rpm I probably go 0-60 in under 7 seconds and with full throttle and 9K shifts probably 5 seconds.

So even with very little throttle off the line the GS500 is more than quick enough. With 1/8 throttle and a 4K rpm limit a properly-running GS500 will smoke a GROM, for example, or an adult on an 80cc dirt bike, or a 150cc scooter. At less than 1/2 throttle and 7K rpm shifts I will blow the doors off my dad on his Shadow 750 with ease.

So it's not like it has NO power at very light throttle. It's just that it doesn't have as much power as a much bigger displacement bike under the same conditions. A Monster 1100 is going to be far quicker with the same throttle. Probably a SV650 is noticeably quicker with the same throttle. So if you're comparing to that, I can see how you might exaggerate and say it has "NO power". But if you truly have NO POWER at low revs and small throttle openings then something is wrong, most likely your pilot jet is clogged.

[J_Walker]

a properly-running GS500 will smoke a GROM

don't let the grom guy's know that the GS is the king of scooters.

[mr72]

a properly-running GS500 will smoke a GROM

don't let the grom guy's know that the GS is the king of scooters.

Love it. Delete the qualifiers.

I'm sure a GS500 will also smoke a maxi-scooter.

[BikerBoy]

I have used B12 this way before and it works fine in a GS. Just don't spray carb cleaner on assembled carbs, it will destroy rubber parts, in particular the rubber diaphragms.

If you want to refresh the carbs I put some pretty complete instructions in a post on my blog last month. Take a look. It is about a 2 hour job if you have done it before and maybe double that if it's your first time to turn a wrench.

Ok thanks. Thats the answer I was looking for and suspected to be true. I watched a youtube video where a guy compares different cleaners, and he soaked the carbs in B12 fuel additive cleaner and it basically ruined the rubber diaphragm. (I know thats not how its supposed to be used but it still scared me a little, obviously its much more diluted in practice). And I dont know about how much rubber is in the carbs so I wanted to be sure. I'll do that next time I fill up. And Ill check your blog post, thanks.

[mr72]

The fuel (with B12 in it, super diluted) will not normally come into contact with the most delicate rubber part in the carburetor: the diaphragm. That is normally only exposed to air on all sides: engine vacuum on one side and atmospheric pressure on the other. All of the o-rings etc. should be fuel rated and good to seal even with a tiny exposure to B12. I still wouldn't soak or spray any carb cleaner including B12 onto the carb even with the diaphragm removed because it will certainly accelerate the degradation of o-rings and rubber seals in the carb even if it doesn't immediately melt them like it will the diaphragm. Carb cleaner is great once you have completely torn the carbs down, separating all the metal bits from the rubber bits, then clean the metal bits with carb cleaner and replace the rubber bits with new ones when putting it together.

Screw up the diaphragm even a little bit and it'll ruin the running of the bike. Plus it's hard to diagnose.