Yup, it is that time of year again. Time to start preparing myself for riding season, w00t! I won't be getting the bike out until March, but that is only a few weeks away.
I've done a few things to get ready so far:
1) I got a new helmet today. It is a CKX Modular, XXL, blue. Yeah yeah, I've read the "modular helmet debates". I bought one anyway. It is so incredibly comfortable. It is replacing the AGV snowmobile helmet that I've been using. It was only $150 at the local bike shop. I already love it.
2) My first set of riding gloves, Joe Rocket brand. I got them on NewEnough.com for $30-something I think. I like them because they fit well, are comfortable, and claim to be waterproof. We'll see come rainy March and April.
Here is a pic of the gloves and helmet:
(http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b68/phaedrusGS/gs-stuff/glovesandhelmetyo.jpg)
3) I ordered a set of ProGrip 719's, blue on Ebay. They were like $15 by the time I got done with shipping. I'll post a pic when I get'em or when I get'em installed.
4) I ordered a brand new battery, figured it is about time even though the stock one might still have a little bit of life in it. I got a good deal on it so I figured it would be foolish to pass it up. No pic because I don't have it yet, but even if I did..that is pretty boring :icon_razz:
5) I ordered a 15 tooth sprocket from my local Suzuki dealer. It should be in sometime next week. I got the genuine suzuki one for a couple dollars more, it come out to like $22 with tax and everything. We'll see how it goes.
I've got some more things to do but I'll get to them soon. :thumb:
Are those gloves.. ALL LEATHER????
Glad you can finally start riding again! The 15T Suzuki sprocket for the F model came out to $22? That's only $7 or so more compared to a Sprocket Specialists price, and that doesn't include shipping on the SS stuff. You'll probably come out ahead because you KNOW it will fit.
Yay no more winter for you!
No, the gloves are not all leather. They are textile/leather combo, like my riding jacket. Here is the link to the gloves:
http://www.newenough.com/joe_rocket_hard_drive_glove_page.htm
And yeah, the Suzuki sprocket was a little more than the aftermarket. They gave me a choice. They even said the OEM one would cost more and take a few more days to get here, but I told them it was fine. No hurry, I've still got another couple weeks before I put it on. The parts persons aid the Suzuki one is "sturdier" than aftermarket, too. Whatever that is supposed to mean.
Hmm. Those gloves have textile in between the fingers. If you go down, that textile will be the first thing to disintergrate to the asphalt. Be careful, okay?
I just bought these:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=8036868654&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT
^these were too cool not to buy...now I'll remember which hand is the fast one, and which one is the slow one! No more of those embarassing switcharoos!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=4612541912&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4611223990&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT
I've also finnished my first SSSA kit and I'm in the process of painting the TL's tank.
I've also got a set of TL1000R forks, 6-pot calipers, Brembo rear caliper, K5 GSXR1000 radial master cylinder and a couple other little tid-bits on the way to install.
Thanks for the concern. I am always careful. I don't ride like a maniac anyways. Just ask any of the people I've ridden with from this site. I'm pokey. :icon_rolleyes: They could be made out of saran wrap and still be better than what I've always used; nothing. :thumb: I'll give'em a shot. When i went down at 30mph, my hands were the first thing to hit the ground. It hurt like hell. I can only imagine what would happen if I were doing 60-70mph :o
As long as the contact surface on the gloves is leather they should be fine. It's not often you land between your index and middle fingers...
I'd have still bought solid leather, though...or like what I just bought. They're put together with bullet proof kevlar thread!
Quote from: makenzie71 on February 17, 2006, 12:00:18 AM
As long as the contact surface on the gloves is leather they should be fine. It's not often you land between your index and middle fingers...
I'd have still bought solid leather, though...or like what I just bought. They're put together with bullet proof kevlar thread!
Not necessarily true. The gloves I had that failed had a leather palm (the contact area) but the fingers of the glove rotated, got destroyed by the asphalt, and then destroyed my finger.
Phaedrus, you need to read this thread:
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=20659.0
It's my experience with textile gloves. Be careful, it's got a graphic picture.
The palm's not the only contact area...I mean palm, wrist, back and fingers. Even with textile sides, a sturdy propper glove will not twist the material around on your fingers. One of the first things I always test with a glove is if I can twist the fingers around.
Quote from: Phaedrus on February 16, 2006, 10:42:27 PM5) I ordered a 15 tooth sprocket from my local Suzuki dealer. It should be in sometime next week. I got the genuine suzuki one for a couple dollars more, it come out to like $22 with tax and everything. We'll see how it goes.
I'm assuming that this is the rear tire sprocket, right? How easy is it to change from stock to 15t?
15th is front sprocket. Neither the rear or front are hard to change at all.
To add: I've also started doing 200 pushups and 100 150lb curls per day, as well as a quick 1 mile run ever couple days. This is makes for a substantial wear-n-tear endurance while riding.
Thankz for the clarification Mak. :thumb:
No, it is the front. The rear has a lot more teeth. I am not sure how easy, but I've heard it only takes about 15-20 minutes. Which means it will take me about an hour. :laugh:
I'll post the part # and take pics and write downthe steps while I am installing it in case anyone cares.
get ready for spring? you doing some spring cleaning? you mean some of you dont ride all winter in 70F temps like here?
Quote from: pantablo on February 17, 2006, 10:47:11 AM
get ready for spring? you doing some spring cleaning? you mean some of you dont ride all winter in 70F temps like here?
It hit 85 here the other day!
hahaha....
One of the lawyers sent me down to Dearborn (about 40 mins from here) to pick something up from the courthouse (he let me take his BMW too, weirdo) and I realized that I would be like 2 miles from the Moto store (the bigger one) so I stopped by the court super quick like and I jumped into the stealer to see what they had in stock. Well what do you know? They had a shiny blue '06.
The point is:
My ready for spring mod happened today...I went and sat on an '06 and made motor noises. It was hot. I'm still lookin for a tex jacket though. :laugh: :cookoo:
I might need a nap/
Quote from: makenzie71 on February 17, 2006, 12:11:18 AM
To add: I've also started doing 200 pushups and 100 150lb curls per day, as well as a quick 1 mile run ever couple days. This is makes for a substantial wear-n-tear endurance while riding.
And, I'll add that doing squats will help greatly when you have to stand on your pegs for bumpy goat trails. :icon_mrgreen: :thumb:
Quote from: AlphaFire X5 on February 17, 2006, 10:48:29 AM
Quote from: pantablo on February 17, 2006, 10:47:11 AM
get ready for spring? you doing some spring cleaning? you mean some of you dont ride all winter in 70F temps like here?
It hit 85 here the other day!
:flipoff: :flipoff: :flipoff: You guys suck! It was like high of 15 today, tonight it's down around 0. The only riding I've been doing is in my dreams and GTA! :flipoff: :flipoff: :flipoff:
I am sooo sick of winter!!
Yeah, we were greeted by a cold front this weekend, but I am not going to let it discourage me. :laugh: In fact, is is about 6 degrees right now. That is pretty chilly. The cold front should be gone by early this week. I am still waiting on my sprocket, grips, etc., anyways. Hah.
10 more days till march :cheers: March is still pretty bad, and there is usually atleast one freak lake effect snow storm. I call March teh bipolar month, since it can vary to crazy snowstorms to bright, sunny relatively warm days.
I just want to be ready to take advantage of those bright, sunny, relatively warm days :thumb:
Quote from: Phaedrus on February 18, 2006, 08:25:45 PM
I just want to be ready to take advantage of those bright, sunny, relatively warm days :thumb:
Yeah, I hear ya. I'm getting ready too. Just got my 17t sprocket and most of the tools I need for a valve job. Just waiting on my new tires and chain to get here, in a couple of weeks I'll be ready...unfortunantly the weather won't.... :cry:
just go...
a little snow didnt stop this 600rr rider (the fool) from going out...dunno where he is or WHO he is, just cross posting a video I saw elsewhere.
http://www.negativelight.net/images/bike/NoTraction.wmv
BrrRRrr... I was expecting him to spill throughout the video...
Quote from: skoozi12 on February 17, 2006, 10:50:07 AMI went and sat on an '06 and made motor noises.
Did you make the '04, '05, or '06 noises? :laugh:
:dunno_white: but the guy sure looked at me funny!
Heh. Well, I have an update on the sprocket fiasco. I finally got up to the dealer to pick it up, and it ended up being the Suzuki 16 tooth. :icon_rolleyes: I was like "um, excuse me, this is the stock one". And they were like Ohhhh.
Then they told me "oh wait..Suzuki doesn't make an OEM 15 tooth". I was like hmm :dunno_white: Is that true?? I didn't think so but then again, I thought turkeys were 4 legged mammals when I was a kid. :laugh: So they ordered me an after market 15 tooth for the GS500F and they are gonna call when it comes in. Heh.
As for the battery, they wouldn't fill it for me either. Obviously, my dealer is a bunch of worthless <beep>. They said since I didn't buy it from them, they won't fill it. I was like "Yeah, but I bought my $5000 bike from you..". Idiots. I won't do business with them after I get my sprocket.
So I went to my local gear shop - a little hole in the wall, small town kind of place. I've been there before a few times. I told him my sad story :icon_razz: and he said "Thats bullshit". Haha. He said he doesnt carry battery acid and can't do it, but a buddy of his can. he called him up and sent me to his friends house - about 3 miles down the road. His friend filled my battery for me for free. :thumb: :thumb: How cool is that?
So now I am just waiting on the sprocket..again... :icon_rolleyes:
It is supposed to get to around 60 this coming Friday... BIKE TIME!!! WOOOOOO!
Well, I've had it out since Wednesday and I got a little under 100 miles of Spring riding. Sure feels good :thumb:
Today I got the 15 tooth sprocket (http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=21529.45)installed, and put on my new Pro Grip 719's:
(http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b68/phaedrusGS/gs-stuff/grips-1-2-3.jpg)
What a pain in the ass that was. I would have thought that would have been easy, but getting those grips on and off sure did take a lot of elbow grease. The sprocket swap was actually less work. :laugh:
Now I just gotta get my little licence plate trunk thing installed, get the oil changed, wash and wax it, stuff like that. Ah yes, life is good :thumb:
Also looking forward to the GStwin Meet n' Greet in PA (http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=24531.0) this summer, too!
Can you do a simple write-up on how to change grips? Thankz
Well, it was not hard to figure out how to do it. Just take the old ones off and put the new ones on :icon_razz: The only reason it was hard is because it seemed like the old ones were welded on there or something..haha. I stuck a knife between the bar and the grip, and wedged it apart eventually. And then I took some pliers, wrapped between the grip and the bar and slid it off little by little. I also took a knife and "slid" it towards me bringing the grip with it.
So it was not hard to figure out - nothing complicated. Just a pain in the rear end. Like I said, it took me longer to swap them damn grips than it did for me to do the 15T sprocket swap. :icon_rolleyes:
It's best to use a long flathead screw driver and spin it around in there. After that, grab the grips by the control end and pull. It might turn inside out, but it works.
I just cut the old ones off... Well, I cut one off. The other was easy to get off...
Getting 'em on was another story... I used water inside them to lube 'em up a little... A lot of huffing and puffing and they eventually made it on.
And BTW... I ended up with a 15t 'cause the dealer was out of 16ts... So, your dealer is again full of :bs: I don't know if Suzi made the sprocket or not, but a Suzi dealer had the sprocket in stock.
Note to Rich...hi...please do ur spring maintenance and go ride..
Thanks...
Lissa
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
*oh and then I'll stop making excuses :flipoff: *
Quote from: Phaedrus on February 17, 2006, 12:20:11 AM
No, it is the front. The rear has a lot more teeth. I am not sure how easy, but I've heard it only takes about 15-20 minutes. Which means it will take me about an hour. ?:laugh:
Prolly right. Not because you're clumsy or anything, but usually whan you get the sprocket cover off you get an urge to clean all that gunk out. Which is quite a feat in itself.
Have you got the tool to take off the circlip?
Yeah, it did take me about an hour or so by the time I got done with everything; sprocket swap, clean out, and chain adjustment. And I didn't know of a special tool for the circlip. I didn't have one. I figured needle nose pliers would be the best to use, but I couldn't find them to I used a knife and a flathead screw driver..heh. :dunno_white:
Next up...semi-synthetic oil change and a GPS :thumb:
Yeah, I know Spring is already here and I've had the bike out for a long time now :icon_razz: but instead of starting a new thread I figured I'd just update this one. BTW, the synthetic oil change and the GPS went well, just gotta order the handle bar mount kit. :thumb:
My latest lil project is gonna be this:
(http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b68/phaedrusGS/gs-ssbrake/ssbrakelines01.jpg)
Yup, stainless steel brake lines from HEL Performance (http://www.helusa.com). I ordered them last week and got them a couple days ago - very quick shipping, I've just been a combination of too lazy and too busy to install them yet. Maybe after work one of these days this week or this weekend, I dunno.
w00t. :thumb:
Interesting. How much did you pay for them if you don't mind me asking? The colored cover is crazy. I am so used to seeing the stainless steel braid that the solid blue color is strikingly different.
Ya I know right! When I went to order them, the only line listed on their site was for the front. I was like "well thats weird.." so I called them and talked to a guy named Craig and asked him about the rear lines. He said yeah they can get me the rear lines because they make and cut them right there in their shop, they just need the specs, and they have the specs for the 04+ GS500F's.
I asked about the earlier models (hoping I would be able to pass info on to the board like a good doobie) but he said he thinks it would be the same but didn't have the actual specs, so he couldn't really confirm it. I assume they are the same though. :dunno_white:
Anyway, yeah they have the lines AND the fittings/hardware in various colors. I chose the blue lines because they sorta match the blue of the bike (eh, close enough!) and the polished fittings. The hardware/fittings DO come in other colors; I had originally said blue for them as well but Craig said that they often wear more and lose their color quicker than most people prefer. I'd rather have shiney polished for longer than worn out, older looking faded blue ones after a season or two.
The lines themselves have a lifetime gaurentee so that's cool. And of course they come with a sticker :icon_razz: When I install them, I'll see if I can jot down some pointers and take a couple snapshots for those who might want to get them but aren't comfortable tinkering with brake lines just yet. FWIW, Craig from HEL Performance did say if I had any trouble installing them to just give him a call. I don't imagine it will be a big deal at all though. Just gotta remember to bleed'em and get fresh fluid in there, obviously.
I paid $49 for the front, $49 for the rear. Free shipping = $98 total.
EDITED: To clear up some of my wording that didn't even make sense to me after I re-read it.
The brake lines have the same Suzuki part number (69480-01D10), so they will work.
(http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b68/phaedrusGS/smilies/bump.gif) I have put some information about the brake lines in this thread if anyone cares:
Stainless Steel Brake Line Install (http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=27147.0)
Took me a while, I've been busy. It is not as fresh in my mind but I tried to write up the best I could.