This forum is going to get me into trouble. After my recent mods now I have ordered the pegs from the wiki and am thinking about removing some decals. I have seen several f models on the site with some or all of the stock decals removed and they look good. Here is my idea. Lets hear what the mighty gs forum thinks!
As is sits
(http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j22/nascarkeith/GS500F/gs33.jpg)
Or
(http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j22/nascarkeith/GS500F/gs33-1.jpg)
I decided to keep the stripes. I received free decals as requested from NGK and HJC. I have some Amsoil decals on the way after requesting a catalog. I got the K&N decals with the filter I bought for my wifes car but they are available for free if you register with them. I plan on putting a K&N filter in the bike eventually so its not completely poser-ish. The progrip decal came with the new grips.
This is how it looks now. I plan on putting the Amsoil decal at an angle to match the fairing line in front of the K&N decal.
(http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j22/nascarkeith/GS500F/carb013.jpg)
(http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j22/nascarkeith/GS500F/carb.jpg)
With that particular model, I think it looks better with the decals ON. It does a nice job of breaking up the white. Otherwise, the tail looks like it's an unpainted replacement part. Just my two cents, though.
Sometimes people say "it looks good" while thinking .... you put in a lot of effort into painting it, over a perfectly good amd matched factory paint job and this is the best you could do ???
So like "it looks good" may mean "it looks like sheite".
You remove a lot of questions from a future owners mind if the stock paint job and decals are still on it. There is no question of "I wonder how much bondo there is under the fancy paint job". So putting in $$$ and effort into painting it, will make sure you get even less $$$ out of it at resale.
Cool.
Buddha.
That is exactly the kind of things I wanted to hear. Sometimes I see stuff and get to thinking when really I should leave well enough alone.
IMO well enough should never be left alone... 8)
that said, your bike looks great the way it is... removing the decals won't make it look that much better. You'd have to get a nice paint job to do that.
I vote keep the decals.
Keep the decals AND........add more :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :icon_mrgreen:
Tis what I done...I plan on adding still more.
I am actually trying to get some decals to add to the lower fairing like chef did. I have e-mailed lucas oil, bridgstone, progrip, alpine stars, and a few other companies about some free decals. I read here http://www.z400central.com/invision/index.php?showtopic=74511 that a lot of manufacturers will send you free decals. I sent out e-mails last Sunday but as of today have gotten no responses.
Given your handle, just drop by pit row and beg at the stock car races, eh?
Mind, I'm not actually of the opinion that covering your bike with free advertising to try and emulate people who cover their bikes with paid advertising is a good thing, or an improvement, but you'll suit yourself. Gawd knows the previous owner of my bike was right up your alley - I was particularly impressed by such bike-irrelevant stickers as BMW Paddle-shifting or something like that, and one for some type of fuel injection (nope - plain old carbs on this bike). Meanwhile the front sprocket should have been replaced years ago...
IIRC there was a sticker in the package with my replacement grips. I've probably discarded it, but if not you can have it. Likewise, I peeled one off my new helmet and tossed it. When my "real" repaint is done you'll have to know it fairly well or get really close to even know it's a Suzuki. If some of my other projects that probably won't happen (copious spare time supply dangerously low) happen, it will get even harder to tell.
Dod#i I agree with you on the fact that you should put decals on something if you don't own the parts. I would like to add a few here and there just for the heck of it of stuff I have bought. If I don't like it or change my mind they peal off real easy.
i am going to Bristol next weekend so I could beg for decals and make it a rolling billboard. :laugh:
before cleaning (http://i519.photobucket.com/albums/u355/knbarr03/bike/IMG_0035.jpg) After some cleaning (http://i519.photobucket.com/albums/u355/knbarr03/bike/08-15-08_1419.jpg)
I removed mine originally be cause they were so scratched be the PO dropping the bike. But I really liked it after removal.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m114/GI_JO/GS/100_0212Small.jpg)
I removed mine because I was not going to pay $150 for a new set after a jerk in my apartment complex backed into it and knocked it over. So, now I have a metal Mulisha skull on one side and a dragon on the other. I do have a Shoei sticker and two Alpine Stars on the back. I try to only put decals of what I have on there so Shoei helmet shoei sticker.
Mary S.
Quote from: nascarkeith on August 15, 2008, 09:02:32 PM
i am going to Bristol next weekend so I could beg for decals and make it a rolling billboard. :laugh:
Have fun at Bristol. I love it but usually go in the spring.
I just wish I could get the decals off the tank.
im actually just going to go right over the one on the tank with crome vyinle to tie in the crome s on the tank with something on the bike
GI JO Nathan and Joshr08 both of those bikes look good. The yellow and black Army look is cool. You need one of the big army stars like on the drag car and drag bike on that side fairing. I like the idea of having the stock decals so people know it hasn't been dropped but that one lower stripe on mine just looks out of place. I may take it off and go with this look.
(http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j22/nascarkeith/GS500F/stripe.jpg)
I just received an envelope full of 3 large and 3 small decals from the nice folks at NGK. I am going to wait and see if anymore companies respond before I put the decals on.
I have a 2007 in black and grey. I just removed the silver decals on the rear fairing, those same lower stripes on the sides and also the 2 on the front fairing next to the headlight. I don't plan to take anymore off but I really like how it cleaned up the look of the bike. I also like showing more of the black paint on the sides and the tail.
I know its not to everyone's taste but I like the new look. Its really cool of the companies that will send you free decals.