I got myself an early Christmas present...
1: GS500 lowering links (from Canada, made from billet aluminum and engraved w/GS500 logo). $20.00 on E-bay w/ship!
2: Avon AV26 110/80-17 Front & 150/70-17 Rear RoadRider tires. $166.54 shipped from AmericanMotoTires.com
3: Straight Rate .90 Sonic Springs & 2 pints of 15W fork oil. $97.50 shipped.
4: A few bucks left over for tire mounting and balance.
I figure this will not only lower the rear back to stock height from rear tire pinch/SV shock (or at least get it closer) and give me a better patch on the rear, but the shocks will even out the ride/braking much better than the slosh-stock springs in there.
It'll be a little work to get it all together and ready to go, but I think (hope) from what I've read on here and all the guys helping me out that this is the right path for what I'm looking for.
1: Good commuting tires that can perform when needed.
2: A better looking rear tire (wider looking).
3: Eliminating the fast turn in due to the SV shock height.
4: Stiffening the front suspension to prevent brake diving, bottoming out and general un-easy feelings attacking a corner.
It'll be like riding a new bike when I'm done! Well.. just different, but 'better' different. Sweet.
Dan
heck man, just one (or two ;) ) new tires will make it feel like a new bike, you've got a new feel all the way around !
my springs have been on back order forever, gave up. (its a reoccuring theme here lately)
as far as wider rear tires, looks are like wayyyyyy down on the totem pole compared to handling and longevity. :)
those are very nice tars !
Good Luck!
One thing to be aware of, and I didn't think of it until now is the fact that the lowering links is going to change the "leverage" of the shock link system. Basically I suspect that adding length to the dogbones is going to increase the "leverage" making the spring feel softer.
You should report back what you find!
Longer links do change the suspension angles so generally you get a more progressive but softer suspension. On the subject of tires, the stock ones perform well enough. You really can't get lower profiles in a small tire size and wider tires are taller so won't work as well with your suspension.
I put 1/4" longer links on my 02 GS to lower it approx 1" in the rear and it made the rear stiffer not softer with my oem GS shock. I've had 150/70 Lasertec, 150/70 RoadAttack, 140/80 AV36, and 140/70 Roadrider tires on it since I put on the lowering links.
As far as tire profile changes go on the GSs, I've had 110/70 and 110/80 front tires and 130/70, 130/80, 130/90, 140/70, 140/80, and 150/70 rear tires on my GSs and never felt the profile made that much difference in the handling compared to the difference that the different types of tires made.
The GS will handle just as good if not better with the 110/70 and 130/70 oem sizes so the only good reason to go to a wider tire is to get a radial rear. But the 150/70 rears won't hurt the handling and they really do look good on the GS.
I think the best handling tires I've had on my GSs over the last 140k miles were the 150/70 RoadAttack rear with a 110/80 Lasertec front and I attribute that to the type of tire rather than the size/profile of them. Your requirements may vary. :thumb:
I will definitely give you guys a FULL review of all parts, functions and reactions when I get everything buttoned up.
I've changed dog-bones/linkage on dirtbikes before and from what I've noticed lowering links do make the ride more stiff, riser links tend to make it a tad sloshy.. No worries though, if that's the case my pre-load is set to 6 of 10 so I can always take a little of the initial slouch out of it.
My biggest concern now is if the lowering links will be enough to compensate for both the SV shock AND the 150 rear tire height. If not, I'll definitely keep the tire and maybe swap the shock out for something else. The links I ordered have 2 holes in them at the lower link for 2" or 4" drop, so hopefully there's enough leverage there to suck the back wheel into the rear fender enough to get it close to stock height again.
I just hope I don't get into the position where I feel as if I'm polishing a turd... I mean, I know the SV shock is the lowest of the upgrades for the rear, so I know I can always swap.. but the truth is, I'm not going to do riding that merits a more aggressive shock that the SV. So I'd like to keep it if I can. I find that it's perfect for me, and comfortable riding 2 up... where as the stock shock is a DOG in comparison.
Anyhoo... I'm almost trying to prevent myself from dismantling my bike before all the parts get here... I suppose it would be a smart idea, but I have no shipment confirms on anything yet due to ordering them on Thanksgiving and most businesses are kinda out till Monday or Tuesday.
OH, by the way, these are the links I got...
(http://i16.ebayimg.com/04/i/001/1e/55/3f9d_1.JPG)
And the tires...
(http://www.bikebandit.com/assets/product_images/08AvonRoadriderAM26LG.gif)
Sick!
Can't wait!!!
Dan
props to whoever made your sig-
(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c143/DannyMoped07/NEWBANNER.jpg)
this is cool :)
Quote from: ohgood on November 30, 2008, 05:58:24 AM
props to whoever made your sig-
(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c143/DannyMoped07/NEWBANNER.jpg)
this is cool :)
(http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc179/gs_beRto/ohgoodgradient.jpg)
:thumb:
Haha beRto got it! I did it myself... Just photo shopped a 72% transparent fade top and bottom...
Dan
gonna have to redo it once you get the ass down...
Quote from: Danny500 on November 30, 2008, 09:23:36 PM
Haha beRto got it! I did it myself... Just photo shopped a 72% transparent fade top and bottom...
Dan
:) I used a single gradient (black to white; 80% opacity) and masked the middle. I also had to mirror the font and offset it manually.
Copying is easy. Coming up with the idea in the first place is the hard part. :cheers:
Quote from: beRto on December 01, 2008, 09:11:44 AM
Quote from: Danny500 on November 30, 2008, 09:23:36 PM
Haha beRto got it! I did it myself... Just photo shopped a 72% transparent fade top and bottom...
Dan
:) I used a single gradient (black to white; 80% opacity) and masked the middle. I also had to mirror the font and offset it manually.
Copying is easy. Coming up with the idea in the first place is the hard part. :cheers:
Thanks much! I actually did the same thing and had to manually offset the text. I really wanted to find a text that could do a white center with a black outline around each letter... maybe some more fudging around and I'll find something. Maybe in illustrator and not photoshop.
Dan
hey buddy when u get ur tires on u mind taking a picture i need fresh tires too
Dang how do you guys do that! I can't even get my dagum avatar to show up! :mad:
I keep trying the little picture Icon but nothin!
Mary S.
(Danny500, sorry for the off-topic post)
Quote from: Toogoofy317 on December 01, 2008, 11:02:05 PM
Dang how do you guys do that! I can't even get my dagum avatar to show up! :mad:
I keep trying the little picture Icon but nothin!
Mary S.
First, you need to upload the image to a third-party photo hosting site (for example, www.photobucket.com). The size of the avatar should be approximately 100 pixels x 100 pixels. You need to get the address (http://) of the photo you have just uploaded to Photobucket:
(http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc179/gs_beRto/photobuckettutorial.jpg)
Next, come back to gstwin and click the "profile" button. Then select "forum profile infomation" from the menu on the left. Enter the address of the avatar image, and you're done!
(http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc179/gs_beRto/photobuckettutorial2.jpg)
I hope this helps! :cheers:
Ok, threadjacking asside... lol.
Got all my parts in!!!!
Short little run-down of the situation:
.90 Sonic Springs w/15w oil installed no problem. It took a while to get them dialed in and set my sag but they're sitting pretty and are INSANELY responsive. (I did run into a tiny snag with the wrong amount of oil in the forks.) But after it was all cleaned up they're very easy to adjust, plain as dirt simple to install and totally worth the 80 bucks to never bottom out my shocks by GETTING ON MY BIKE again! (JK. I'm only 230... but still.)
Lowering Links: Got in my Diamond Lowering links today to off-set the height of the 150 rear tire and SV rear shock. When I got the package I couldn't believe there was anything in it. They feel like plastic. Not even cold like metal. But, I can't bend them with my bare hands... so they're damn strong. They're 7075 T6 aircraft aluminum and have an engraved GS500 on the side, they look sweet, for something you'll never see.
Here's a looksee:
(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c143/DannyMoped07/CIMG0238.jpg)
(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c143/DannyMoped07/CIMG0248.jpg)
Next, the tires. After a confusion over tread pattern and rotation they're all in all a great looking tire. The 150 doesn't look that much wider than the 130, however I haven't put in on the bike, or even stood it up next to the bike yet for comparison. The tread pattern on both is great, looks like a sporty version of the Battleaxe BT45...
Couple pics:
(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c143/DannyMoped07/CIMG0242.jpg)
(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c143/DannyMoped07/CIMG0243.jpg)
Ok, well.. going out to the garage to install the links now and then popping the wheels off for a drop at the shop tomorrow for the new shoes.
Wish me luck!
I'll definitely give all these parts a run down once I get everything dialed in. This is just a kind-of first impression.
Dan
Cant wait to hear how you like the lowering links, Ive been looking at those too. Did you put on wider rear wheel for 150 tire or is it stock wheel? I just put on the same tire in 140 size and love it, be gentle first few miles I slid the back end around a couple times before it was good to go, a few weeks and 1500 miles later they are sticky enough for any of the riding I do. Youll notice the difference I can see a difference with just a 140 tire, the 150 will look nice.
I actually did install the lowering links tonight... and I'm kinda up in the air on them. (no pun intended)
I put them in on the highest (lowest ride height) setting and I think the bike squats more now than it did with the stock shock and stock linkage. I even clicked the SV shock all the way up on pre-load and still no change. It's not really all that stiff.
I think I'll try going the next link up and see if that gets me where I need to be for now. Either way, I just found a GSX750 (Katana) shock on E-bay for 40 bucks that I just bought... I'd like to be able to screw with the dampening if I ever take the bike up to a track day.
That, and the front is SOOO much stiffer with the springs that it feels like when I sit on the bike it just squats like a cruiser... no thank you.
Pics:
(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c143/DannyMoped07/CIMG0251.jpg)
(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c143/DannyMoped07/CIMG0253.jpg)
(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c143/DannyMoped07/CIMG0256.jpg)
So.. we'll see. I'll try the links first... but the Katana is on the way, so maybe I'll send them your way if you want them... or if anyone wants an SV shock all ready to mount up...
Dan