Iv'e gotten around to making a few easy upgrades/mods to my 06 GS500F...
Fenderectomy: Dremel to make the cut mark, carpet knife to cut it off(dremel didn't have enough pwr :dunno_white:), sandpaper and pocket torch to smooth out the edges, relocated reflectors to go underneath the plate and the side reflectors to follow the body lines.took me like 30min without taking the fender off the bike-I'm lazy haha-.
(http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/4553/s06-18-07_1541.jpg)(http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/3848/s06-18-07_1539.jpg)(http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/2946/s06-18-07_1542.jpg)
Grips: Progrip 724- perfect fit except for a little trimming of the throttle tube to fit it just right(carpet knife again). will put new bar ends on it soon- any sugestions?
(http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/9057/s06-18-07_1546.jpg)
Gauges: First thing i changed was putting in some blue LED's- well worth the 12 bucks.
(http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/9734/gaugesce5ej6.gif)
I want to change the turn signals to Buells but i gotta find some first. would that void your warranty(3 yrs) since ur cutting the wires :dunno_white:? some companies are stingy.
regarding the turn signals, you could always cut the connector off the turn signals. That way, the wire harness will be untouched.
*Update*: Installed chuck81's 1/2 inch Fork Brace. i tried to do it without taking off the wheel :cookoo: so i took off the front wheel using a 2x4 to hold up the front. The axle nut wasn't budging a bit but after 30 min of wd40, hammers, larger wrenches i finally broke it free. the brace was a direct bolt in, great work chuck81. I put everything back together and rechecked everything 3 times to make sure i didn't forget anything. Rode around the block a few times to make sure it wasn't gonna fall apart :laugh: and then took it to a rough patch of road, braking seems more stable and my front end never felt like it was going to slip on the rough turns like it usually did. i did hear a nasty scrape when i hit a dip in the middle of a turn, freaked me out a bit but i later found out it was only the center stand :icon_rolleyes:.
(http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/2594/0918071302qg6.jpg)
kinda hard to tell but the top part is where the center stand hit:
(http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/1703/0918071305rh2.th.jpg) (http://img50.imageshack.us/my.php?image=0918071305rh2.jpg)
You're on the right path mate. :thumb:
What's next?
Next would be Flushmounts i got off ebay and SS-front brake line, Then possibly Smoked LED tail light.
Looks good. When you get ready for LED signals, let me know. I'll pay for your stock items.
:)
The next time you take the front end apart, you should make the "nut plate modification" for the front fender.
(http://216.77.188.54/coDataImages/p/Groups/41/41309/folders/180948/Thumbnails/15632012ndprotowithRTV.jpg) (http://216.77.188.54/coDataImages/p/Groups/41/41309/folders/180948/15632012ndprotowithRTV.jpg)
This would allow you to remove the fender without taking the wheel off.
Then you could mount some cool LEDs inside the fender so that your wheel glows in the dark....j/k. :laugh:
Please explain exactly what you did under your fender :dunno_white:
Ditto, I have never heard of a nut plate. Sounds like a safety device???
<begin thread jack>
I fabricated the plates out of some Al stock, made to fit into the area under the fender, drilled & tapped to take the same screw. Secured the plates with RTV silicone. This also provides a larger clamping area than the stock setup. That's all.
The stock setup is with nuts under the fender. Actually it has a spacer/washer and then nuts. To remove the fender, you have to remove the wheel/tire to get ahold of the nuts. That's kinda dumb to me, thus the nut plate.
For definition sakes, a nutplate is a specialized form of a nut made to take more than one screw or fastener.
I have another photo of this HERE (http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=331&folderid=180948&folderview=thumbs&groupid=41309&ck=)
<end thread jack>
Starwalt why didn't you tell me this before i put my from wheel back on :mad: j/k. I don't plan on taking the fender off any time soon but that setup does look like a time saver :thumb:
Installed some carbon flush mounts today. Didn't even drill holes in the fairing or use glue :thumb:
1st: drilled a hole in the removable plastic tab that wass holding on the stock signal and screwed in the flush mount tight and cut the 2nd bolt shorter so it wouldn't pop out the back.
(http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/8158/0927071517ir1.jpg)
2nd: extended one wire, all the rest were barely long enough.
(http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/8361/0927071527mr2.jpg)
Finished product:
(http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/1977/0927071652ik9.jpg)
*i have some smoked flush mounts for sale if anyone is interested :thumb: