Here's the progress so far... (it's always a work in progress)
(http://w3.bikepics.com/pics/2008%5C08%5C11%5Cbikepics-1382314-800.jpg)
(http://w3.bikepics.com/pics/2008%5C08%5C11%5Cbikepics-1382322-800.jpg)
(http://w3.bikepics.com/pics/2008%5C08%5C11%5Cbikepics-1382317-800.jpg)
Hopefully they aren't to big. It's late and I don't feel like resizing them...
Here's what I started with a year ago:
(http://w3.bikepics.com/pics/2008%5C08%5C06%5Cbikepics-1377617-800.jpg)
Here's the link to the progress photos:
http://www.bikepics.com/members/AvusBlueGS/92gs500/ (http://www.bikepics.com/members/AvusBlueGS/92gs500/)
Whaddya think guys?
The paint looks good.
No fork brace? The factory one is a joke, and you've obviously gone fenderless, but no fork brace at all?
gorgeous! :thumb:
WOW looks great !!
Great color to go with the black frame. Looks great!
Quote from: DoD#i on August 11, 2008, 07:16:09 PM
The paint looks good.
No fork brace? The factory one is a joke, and you've obviously gone fenderless, but no fork brace at all?
yeah how come, or is that part of the work in progress. if not, id suggest bolting one in place, ( at least a brace that is)
I think the paint looks great! :thumb:
...and I think I want your seat!
That seat is a Corbin, and I also have one. It's fabulous!
:)
Does corbin still make seats for GS's? What can happen with no brace at all?
Looks nice! That seat looks uber comfy. Might want to paint the crank case cover. Other than that it looks good.
love the color. looks great. :cheers:
Very nice bike. I like the paint, the seat and the bars. Very well done.
Mad props! that is a gorgeous bike. Im really diggin that seat. And fork brace......me thinks one is needed. May get a little twisty up front.
The 'fork brace' is coming guys. It is still painted the color of the ugly blue 'ghost flames' on the old paint job. My next project is to take apart the front forks, install new seals, paint the lower tubes (as paint has chipped off of them), paint the fork brace, reinstall and be done with the front end.
I'll also be powdercoating the control levers since I don't like anything shiny.
I have bar end mirrors on order, and I'm thinking about new pegs since the right foot rubber thing is falling apart. Either I'll buy all new pegs or I'll duct tape the broken one with some black duct tape. I haven't decided yet.
And my 'last' project for the bike is to rebuild the engine when it needs it. When that happens, I'll repaint the whole engine from the side covers to the little fins to the silver valve cover. And yes, it'll be all black.
I'll keep posting pics when I make more progress.
Nice job MH. Keep it going. :thumb:
Err, no turn lights? ;)
Fork seals. Yea make sure your forks dont ahve any rust spots or other pits in them ... cos if they do, you might as well save yourself the effort of doing seals, it will leak in minutes anyway.
Cool.
Buddha.
Quote from: SecondsFromTheFall on August 11, 2008, 08:42:12 PM
Does corbin still make seats for GS's? What can happen with no brace at all?
Corbin might ... however I would urge you to find a suzuki Gel seat. The passenger seat too is great on the factory one.
The forkbrace limits how much the left fork leg will get shoved forward under braking ... making the bike turn left ... not having it can make it wobbly under braking.
Cool.
Buddha.
Quote from: The Buddha on August 12, 2008, 07:53:07 AM
Fork seals. Yea make sure your forks dont ahve any rust spots or other pits in them ... cos if they do, you might as well save yourself the effort of doing seals, it will leak in minutes anyway.
Cool.
Buddha.
Surprisingly, this bike has no rust. It's a garage/cover baby and it was just rebuilt completely two years ago. Unfortunately, not to my liking.
As for the fork 'brace'. It's just a thin piece of metal, theortically, it can't do much. And as such, I haven't noticed any weird dip/dive/turning/wobbling since I took it off four months ago. No biggie.
And I don't have turn signals because the turn signal switch on my bike sticks. For instance, if I signal left and then I try and click it back to the middle, the right signal turns on and then I click it back to the middle and the left signal turns on. I dealt with that for a half mile once and I had the signals off the bike the next day. Plus, the over riding factor is that they are UGLY.
I would also measure the forks and see what the diameter is, cos yes seals can leak for no good reason, but usually when the sliders wear ... that's when they leak. I measures several and they all are under the 37 ... so no clue what it supposed to be and how much the seals can compensate for wear.
Cool.
Buddha.
Yes, Corbin still makes seats for GS500s -- pre 2000, that is.
Here's the site:
http://corbin.com/suzuki/gs500e.shtml
$329 plus shipping.
Not cheap, but worth it, though they take some time to break in well.
Trwhouse
wow thats a pretty bike i think i might be sold on blue for the repaint. lighter color then that but still blue
Quote from: Mdow on August 12, 2008, 08:50:03 AM
wow thats a pretty bike i think i might be sold on blue for the repaint. lighter color then that but still blue
I was torn on blues. I was originally going to do Ford Sonic Blue but when I went to get the paint, the blue I actually wanted (BMW Avus Blue - I'm a BMW enthusiant as well) was only $5 more.
Come to think of it, if you want a lighter one, try searching for the blue that comes on the Mazda 3. That's pretty light and has some metallic in it.
awesome looking bike.
Hope your gas cap key doesn't mar up your nice triple plate.
Your turn signal problem can most likely be fixed by taking off the turn signal assembly (2 bolts phillips) and cleaning up the inside, and maybe putting a little grease in there. Then make sure its mounted back correctly, and that the two bolts you tighten them with aren't over tightened.
I have a Sargent seat that is very nice and comfy for sale in my post http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=43581.0
Quote from: mullethunter3 on August 12, 2008, 09:03:32 AM
Quote from: Mdow on August 12, 2008, 08:50:03 AM
wow thats a pretty bike i think i might be sold on blue for the repaint. lighter color then that but still blue
I was torn on blues. I was originally going to do Ford Sonic Blue but when I went to get the paint, the blue I actually wanted (BMW Avus Blue - I'm a BMW enthusiast as well) was only $5 more.
Come to think of it, if you want a lighter one, try searching for the blue that comes on the Mazda 3. That's pretty light and has some metallic in it.
Quote from: mullethunter3 on August 12, 2008, 08:07:47 AM
And I don't have turn signals because the turn signal switch on my bike sticks. For instance, if I signal left and then I try and click it back to the middle, the right signal turns on and then I click it back to the middle and the left signal turns on. I dealt with that for a half mile once and I had the signals off the bike the next day. Plus, the over riding factor is that they are UGLY.
When you say "click it back", do you mean push it in? You don't actually push it to the left or right to turn off the signal. Just making sure... :thumb:
oh no.....that'd be funny. :cheers:
Quote from: theUBS on August 12, 2008, 06:42:06 PM
Quote from: mullethunter3 on August 12, 2008, 08:07:47 AM
And I don't have turn signals because the turn signal switch on my bike sticks. For instance, if I signal left and then I try and click it back to the middle, the right signal turns on and then I click it back to the middle and the left signal turns on. I dealt with that for a half mile once and I had the signals off the bike the next day. Plus, the over riding factor is that they are UGLY.
When you say "click it back", do you mean push it in? You don't actually push it to the left or right to turn off the signal. Just making sure... :thumb:
Hmm, I was wondering about this too... :icon_mrgreen:
Besides, I wouldn't ride w/o turn signals (just a suggestion), for a matter of safety. (Is it legal down there?)
Once fixed the switch problem, there are plenty of smaller signals on sale out there, that look much better than the stockers, I agree. :thumb:
Plus, on your side of the pond IIRC you can use integrated taillight flashers. :thumb:
Worth a shot IMHO. :cheers:
Guys, I click in back into the center. i.e. push it in. It does what it wants and I don't want to screw with it. Regardless, the turn signals are UGLY and they've been off since the first week of owning the bike.
It's legal in Missouri. Hell, we don't even have to have mirrors!
Anyway, I hand signal and I don't ride at night or in the rain or in any sort of inclament weather for that matter.
I'd buy tiny turn signals and an intergrated tail light, but I've got to stop spending money on my bike somewhere, right?
My tiny signals (not shown in avatar) were only about $26 shipped for all four. A set for the front would likely be less than $15. BUT, like you said, it's all about what you want. And if it's all legal down there, then don't sweat it--which I'm sure you're not. :icon_mrgreen:
...the Napoleon mirrors would look good on your bike--but they are a bit more expensive than some other brands.
nice :cheers: I like the painted V&H :thumb:
I really like your bike. But I must say, my tiny turn signals look much better than your huge reflectors.
Nice work in progress there. That seat looks strange versus mine. Mine is a 2000. I priced the Corbin Gunfighter and Lady with backrest and it was about $600 USD so I .............haven't done that yet. It is my understanding that Suzuki makes a gel-seat that is quite comfortable. But that Corbin is one fine looking seat.
The gel seat almost looks just like the corbin ... its soft instead of hard as a rock like the corbin ... but corbin's base pan is fiberglass not plastic like the gel so it has to be hard or you'd be seriously hurting.
They are both comfy, just that the corbin non lady gun fighter looks better IMHO than the Gel.
Cool.
Buddha.