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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: octane on April 11, 2005, 07:06:08 AM

Title: It's finally done.
Post by: octane on April 11, 2005, 07:06:08 AM
The bike is finally done...or at least as done as I'm going to take it. I did order an Acerbis Blitz headlight/fairing to replace the halfass homeade dual headlights. Entered it in a show this weekend and got second place. For the noobs that weren't around for the beginning of the project:

'93 GS500E
'99 GSX-R 600 front end
Vortex billet triples
'93 GSX-R 750 rear shock
Bandit 400 rear wheel
160/70-17 and 120/70-17 Michelin Pilot Sport tires
CBR900RR rearsets w/R1 linkage (GP shift)
Full V&H exhaust
Dynojet Stg. III jet kit
K&N pod filters
BobB ignition advance
JamesG kevlar solo tail
Custom paint

Dyno'd a whopping 45.3 hp to the wheel!!

(http://octaneonline.com/ipw-web/gallery/albums/GS500/again0090.sized.jpg)
(http://octaneonline.com/ipw-web/gallery/albums/GS500/again0091.sized.jpg)
(http://octaneonline.com/ipw-web/gallery/albums/GS500/again0092.sized.jpg)
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: Jake D on April 11, 2005, 07:12:00 AM
That is where I want to head with my bike.  It looks so good!  Nice work.

When you get that Blitz headlight put, please take some picks and write it up for FAQ.  That is a mod I'm interested in.  Solo seat looks great.  Paint looks great.

What's next?  Full custom exhaust?
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: octane on April 11, 2005, 07:22:57 AM
Next, I ride! I'll take more pics with the fairing. I've had at least 5 headlight setups on the bike in the last 10 years. I'm not planning any more mods to the bike. I have 2 other half finished projects in the garage I want to finish - a '70 Hodaka Ace 100 I'm restoring and a '83 Ford Fairmont Futura I'm building to bracket race and autocross. When those are done I want to do an old school cafe racer project or a land speed race bike...we'll see.  :mrgreen:
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: Jake D on April 11, 2005, 07:25:03 AM
What do you think you'll do with that old twin headlight seat up?
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: Jundie on April 11, 2005, 07:25:50 AM
Cool bike  :mrgreen:
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: octane on April 11, 2005, 07:32:52 AM
Thanks for the compliments guys!


Quote from: Jake DWhat do you think you'll do with that old twin headlight seat up?

You don't want it!! It's seriously rigged and I wouldn't feel good about someone else riding with it.
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: scratch on April 11, 2005, 07:37:36 AM
Wow! Nice!
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: Freeze05 on April 11, 2005, 01:35:55 PM
Looks cool, but where is the picture from the rear?
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: octane on April 11, 2005, 01:50:23 PM
Stupid Kodak digital giving me "unrecognized format" on half my pictures - rear shot included. I'll get another...
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: JohNLA on April 11, 2005, 02:37:54 PM
How long have you been working on that bad boy?
Regardless, it looks sweet 8)
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: goat on April 11, 2005, 04:35:08 PM
It looks good  :)

I just finished mine today, too. Unfortunatly, it doesn't look as cool. But hey, it runs and I got to ride for the first time since mid-september :). Now I better get more than 700 miles before any major repairs  :lol:
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: DerekNC on April 11, 2005, 05:36:40 PM
My god what a paintjob.  :thumb:

Derek
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: werase643 on April 11, 2005, 06:08:29 PM
did you french....when you kissed butt of the painter to do that job...... :?


i got access to a cheap!!!! 9 inch rear end....you want it?
if you sell it.... i'll split the profit with ya

i can get it for cost of gas to go get it... in SC
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: apbrian112 on April 11, 2005, 07:09:54 PM
lookin great!! i got a acerbis blitz headlight assembly coming in a couple of days. hopefully the wiring won't be too difficult. expect a couple of pm's from me if i can't figure it out.  :thumb:
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: octane on April 11, 2005, 09:04:35 PM
JohnLA - It's been a work in progress for almost 10 years! I never intended to go this far. Every time I got a little bored and looked at a bigger bike...I'd get an insurance quote and decide to do a mod instead.  With the exception of the months I was down for the front end swap, I've ridden it straight through - half done, different colors, etc.

It all started with drag bars. Then bar end mirrors. Then I pulled the pink splash graphic off the tank and f'd up the clearcoat. Wet sanded it and rattle canned it back to a decent finish. When I needed new tires I got BT45's. Put a Maeir fairing on it. Sold Maier fairing for an Emgo fairing. Hated Emgo fairing. 3 years with no garage storing the bike outside took its toll on the exhaust, so it was replaced with a new V&H set and got a K&N airbox filter to keep it company.

Then I found GSTwin and saw there were a bunch of folks working on these bikes that could help me troubleshoot if I got in over my head with mods. Then I started buying, selling, and trading on ebay...got more and more confident with the wrenches, and that's that! This bike never would have gotten to the point it's at without this site and some of the folks on here.


Congrats on finishing Goat!! I know the feeling. When I did my front end swap I sold my original parts to buy the gixxer parts - then I ended up with 2 different generation gixxer parts by mistake and it was a year before I got the parts straight and got them all installed. I missed a whole riding season - 2003.


Ken - if you can store the rear til I see you again - go get it! The crazy paint scheme was the painters idea!! It's actually a bit wild for my taste, but I told him blue and silver - do what you want. I'd have been a little more sublte...but I dig it anyhow!


I think the Acerbis fairing will be a simple install...haven't gotten mine yet. I'll give you a hand if you need it - happy to.
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: yamahonkawazuki on April 11, 2005, 10:09:59 PM
cool! finally a gs with a harley-esque paint job  :nana: , just fuggin with ya, awesome paint, hell i miss my gs, darn thing was fun as heck to ride :(
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: mastrind on April 11, 2005, 10:15:07 PM
just wondering.....what would one expect to fork over for a paint job like that??....that's def. something to look into for my SV.....
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: octane on April 12, 2005, 05:54:33 AM
yama - the dude that painted it is a harley dude and 99% of his work is harleys'!!

Mastrind, this guy is a friend so we worked out a trade deal. I did ask him out of curiousity and he said it would be about $1,500 if someone walked into his shop with the tins and asked for a similar paint job. Needless to say, I wouldn't have dropped that kind of cash without the hookup, but when you consider he put a lot of hours into filling and smoothing the solo tail and pulling dents out of my tank, even $1,500 is a damn reasonable price for the quality of work.
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: cozy on April 12, 2005, 08:09:33 AM
Dude that thing looks awesome! I never thought a GS could look mean! It's right up there with Jim Knopf's fighters.
:cheers:
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: octane on April 17, 2005, 04:01:42 PM
As promise - with the Acerbis fairing.

(http://octaneonline.com/ipw-web/gallery/albums/GS500/gs0033.sized.jpg)

And the rear shot
(http://octaneonline.com/ipw-web/gallery/albums/GS500/gs0040.sized.jpg)
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: 70 Cam Guy on April 17, 2005, 04:27:57 PM
I dunno man I think it looks better with your original headlights.  Maybe a an XBS flyscreen with those or something

Otherwise it looks awesome and that paint is amazing!  :thumb:
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: octane on April 17, 2005, 06:27:46 PM
Thanks. I liked the other headlights, but they were scary at night - just not bright enough. They were kinda cobbled together...hopefully this setup witll be brighter, I haven't ridden at night yet.
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: LEVO on April 17, 2005, 08:49:54 PM
I am very curious.   Why do you do all this stuff on a GS?
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: octane on April 18, 2005, 02:16:45 AM
Why not?
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: Jundie on April 18, 2005, 02:59:55 AM
because it makes it YOUR bike, its unique then ;)

Very well done  :thumb:  :thumb:  :thumb:
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: Jake D on April 18, 2005, 07:25:41 AM
Quote from: LEVOI am very curious.   Why do you do all this stuff on a GS?

What the hell kind of question is that?  A man should be able to do what he wants to a GS!   :bs:   I say more mods!  More custom paint!  I want to see some action out there!  


Anyway, I love the headlight.  Let us know how bright it is at night.  I'm going to get one ordered soon.  

Everything just looks great!
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: chinox22x on April 18, 2005, 08:39:20 AM
hey octane, you'd have to drop by the house one day let me see that beauty..hehe.
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: octane on April 18, 2005, 04:15:51 PM
I'll be rollin' around more now Chino. Hit me with an address, we'll catch up one of these days. I may head out to Jenro's one of these weekends coming up too.

Thanks for the compliments guys. I'd be lying if I said I never thought to myself...I could get a bigger faster bike for this cash!!  I like the bike though, it's fast enough to be fun, I've got history with it, it's cheap as hell to maintain and repair, and insure. What's not to like!!? I do get the occasional dude make the rude comment, but 9 times out of 10 that dude rides some big jagoff me too sport bike  that he can't even change the oil on by himself. Even if they don't like the bike, most people can at least appreciate the thought and effort that went into it. And honestly, I don't give a crap if they don't like it. I didn't put it together for THEM to ride. And I kinda like modifying something that most folks wouldn't bother with. I'm building a bracket racer/autocross car out a a Ford Fairmont too. I get the same comments on that project...why?!
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: LEVO on April 18, 2005, 05:29:09 PM
Take it easy.  My apologies if I offended anyone.  It was an honest question.
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: jiggersplat on April 18, 2005, 07:13:06 PM
i hear ya levo, at some point it becomes silly to spend so much money on such a mediocre bike.  but hey, to each their own.  i probably passed the silly threshold a couple hundred dollars ago too.

dan
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: octane on April 18, 2005, 09:08:02 PM
Quote from: LEVOTake it easy.  My apologies if I offended anyone.  It was an honest question.

No offense taken LEVO.  :mrgreen:  It was a valid question!
Title: It's finally done.
Post by: chinox22x on April 19, 2005, 07:13:45 AM
Quote from: octaneI'll be rollin' around more now Chino. Hit me with an address, we'll catch up one of these days. I may head out to Jenro's one of these weekends coming up too.

Thanks for the compliments guys. I'd be lying if I said I never thought to myself...I could get a bigger faster bike for this cash!!  I like the bike though, it's fast enough to be fun, I've got history with it, it's cheap as hell to maintain and repair, and insure. What's not to like!!? I do get the occasional dude make the rude comment, but 9 times out of 10 that dude rides some big jagoff me too sport bike  that he can't even change the oil on by himself. Even if they don't like the bike, most people can at least appreciate the thought and effort that went into it. And honestly, I don't give a crap if they don't like it. I didn't put it together for THEM to ride. And I kinda like modifying something that most folks wouldn't bother with. I'm building a bracket racer/autocross car out a a Ford Fairmont too. I get the same comments on that project...why?!

sweet...it looks sweet bro
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