Time to begin sharing my ongoing 1990 GS500E story……

[FuelCooler]

Hello,
 I have been reading, studying and enjoying GStwin.com since 2001 or 2002. I finally signed up today so I can share the 28 year journey I’ve had with my GS500E. It was my street bike and WERA race bike back when I bought it in April/May 1993. I raced one season, rebuilt it in 1994, sold it to a friend in 1997, bought it back in 2000 and have owned it ever since. I’ve modified it extensively and repeatedly over all these years.
 I hope you enjoy this thread, it’s probably going to be long. I have a lot to share!
   Here is a pic of my bike from December 12, 2021 (just a couple weeks ago).
      -Steve K
        FuelCooler

[FuelCooler]

Okay,
 Here are some pics of me racing WERA back in 1993 from Roebling Rd in Savanna and at the GNF at Road Atlanta. Formula Clubman Novice. Won the race at Roebling, 5th at the Grand National Finals in Atlanta.
 Michelin Hi-Sports 150/70 rear and 120/70 front on the stock rims. 1992 GSXR rear shock, heavier oil (15wt?) and more preload in stock forks and a pair of 36mm CV carbs with pod filter. Dynomax glass pack exhaust, shortened and welded on by my good buddie Shawn. 37mm clip ons and rear set peg plates I made to keep the the pegs from dragging. I made longer dog bones to keep the rear ride height a bit higher than stock. Tach only.
 Oh, worth mentioning is that I bought the bike from a salvage yard in Greensboro NC for $1200 or $1500. The forks were bent, so I would have to rotate the upper tubes until I hit the sweet spot to keep them from binding. Also the side panels, tank, frame, swingarm, wiring and most of the motor is still original from when I bought it until today.  Modified, but original!

[FuelCooler]

Pic 1

[FuelCooler]

Another try…

[moe_tunes]

Hi and welcome.

For a bike that was on the track in the '90's she sure does look amazing in '21.
Well done !
I hope we get to hear the details of the modifications, I can spot 6 in the top photo.
Thanks for sharing.

Cheers

[FuelCooler]

 Good eye moe_tunes, thanks!
 Trying to resize post old photos. I will try to follow the timeline of all the mods. Some of the mods weren’t straightforward but my goal was to try to make the bike look like it came this way, at least to the folks who don’t know GS500’s like most of us here do!

[The Buddha]

Oh, Roebling road ? You by chance met JamesG or DGyver in those events.
Coon red on red street GS BTW. Complete with Corbin and lady with back rest. Too bad these fools who murder these out and bobber them etc, have no sense and no taste.
Cool.
Buddha.

[FuelCooler]

Thanks for the compliment, The Buddha!
 The guys I remember and raced with were named Donald and Buff (on GS500’s) and Ray Hendricks FZR400 with a big single in it (he was an expert, but novice and expert gridded together). Did James have a trick GS500 and moon eyes on the back of his helmet? If so I remember him from the GNF. Also Kurt Halls wife raced with us as well on a GS. And Brent Moore on a Ninja 250. All great folks, like a family back then. A tiny woman named Diane (I think), as well. A long time ago!
 I can find stuff I like in most of the builds. Even the ones that don’t float my boat. Someone is trying and enjoying. Hopefully. Soon you will see my 1st try from 1994, it’s not as nice in detail. It’s very time consuming, thought intensive and expensive to do one like mine is now, lots of trail and error. Most of the visual stuff and detailing (paint, decals and swingarm) were done in 2003. I am looking forward to sharing all this with everyone here!

[FuelCooler]

Okay, here is my 1st build from 1994 (post race bike, street only now, but still big carbs and gsxr shock).
 Forks and triples are 1987 GSXR 1100 with custom axle spacers and caliper mount. Rear sets, pegs and shifter were fabricated by me. Paint is base/clear 1991 Dodge Viper Red that was shot by a friend. TwoBrothers canister with custom mid pipe grafted on (Shawn gave me the canister). Motor here is 1mm overbore with a touch up of the valve seats and new stock valve springs. I think I have a dyna rev limiter on it as well.
 Edit- I now remember that at this stage I had cleaned up the intake ports and combustion chambers with sandpaper and matched the intake manifolds to the head. Also milled .040 off the head and degreed the cams. The way I remembered is because that head is in a box on my shelf now!

[The Buddha]

JamesG and Dgyver were 2 that fabbed up a solo tail for the GS in the late 90/early 00's.
No idea about their real life race adventures. But they are both on here with atleast a few 100 posts each.
Cool.
Buddha.

[sledge]

Ken L to the front desk, Ken L to the front desk please 

[cbrfxr67]

Ohh das nice

[Bluesmudge]

I love the red frame with matching bodywork and tank. The front end on the ‘21 looks like a beast too. GSXR?
I have the same full Jardine system. Its nice to have SS headers but it’s a little loud for my taste, even with the db killer.

[FuelCooler]

Hi Bluesmudge,
 I love it too, Suzuki should have done them like that on the GS500’s. The Bandits and RF600/900 matched!
   Yup, the front forks are 1995 GSXR. One thing I noticed with noise is how quiet the stock air box is. Mine has K&N pods, and sounds pretty rowdy above 4000 rpm (no dab killer). I try to run the longest aftermarket canisters on my current bikes. If I get a Ducati or another TL1000, I will try to keep the exhaust stock on them. I like quiet bikes!

[FuelCooler]

Thanks for the compliment cbrfxr67!

[ShowBizWolf]

This is a great thread! Thank you for sharing. I too very much enjoy the red frame as well as studying a bike to see all the modifications... and I always love pics

[FuelCooler]

The 1994 version of my 500 was a lot of fun to ride, and I road it hard, commuting to work, even a track day (which at the time was an open practice for licensed racers). But like most folks, I am fond of power and new technology so I bought a 1994 Kawasaki ZX7. So I was back to owning 2 bikes, but I didn’t like the Kawasaki very much. We didn’t jell.
 For some background, when I bought the GS to go racing in 93, it wasn’t my 1st or only street bike. I owned a 1993 CBR900RR when I got the 500. Prior to the 900 was a 1991 GSXR 750, before that a 1990 DR650. I sold the 900 shortly after I bought the 500 because I couldn’t afford making the bike payments and racing the 500. So that’s how it became my street bike in 93. I got to practice riding my racebike on the street every day!

[FuelCooler]

Here’s a pic from the 94 track day. Still has the dynomax muffler!
 That’s me putting on my leathers to the far left.
   The zx7 there is not mine. Mine was charcoal and metallic purple.

[FuelCooler]

You’re welcome ShowBizWolf, and there will be more pics!
 I have a couple more of the 94 edition, and it stayed like this from 1994 thru 2000, Tire swaps, batteries, etc. only.
  In late 95 I decided to buy land and have a house built. So the zx7 was sold immediately and in the summer of 96 I sold my pickup too! So I was handling the construction loan with my bank (45 minute backroad ride from home) on my 500, rain or shine. I love this bike but I rode it showing little mercy regarding rpm or throttle opening. They really are tough! Finally closed the note and bought a car in late October 96. By mid 97 I had sold it to a good fiend and neighbor who was a new rider. I had one condition: if you ever want to sell it, I get 1st dibs. He put 400 miles on it and sold it back to me late fall of 2000. He simply didn’t like to ride.
 Oh it was sitting in an open shed for most of that time. It was looking tired.

[FuelCooler]

Here is a kinda left side shot of the 1994 version.
 Note the shock reservoir and steering damper (WERA required). Still tach only and also 1 mirror only.