I have a 1999 gs 500e and I am looking for carbs and was wondering what all years I can use.
89-00 is the same design.
Do you know if the newer years would work at all some look like they would hook right up even though the carb style is alittle different.
The new style carbs are larger, they won't fit on the older intake boots. The engine hasn't changed; though, so if you fitted the newer style boots to the engine, you should be able to fit the new style carbs, too. I've been on this forum for about a year, and I haven't heard of anyone doing this mod. Would be interesting to see if there's any improvement.
Newer bikes have 2 throttle cables. I understand the second cable is throttle position. Without exploring it more, I think if you put on new carbs, you'd have to change the throttle, too, and add the 2nd cable.
I've never really understood why there would be two throttle cables. Why wouldn't one suffice? Why is two better
Two cables insure positive throttle closing without making the return spring too heavy on a single pull cable setup. I had a single cable on my 97 and now have dual cable on my 02 and never really noticed much difference. Someone here was considering using the 3 circuit carbs on an older GS only using a single cable but I don't know if they tried it or not. You definetly need the larger intake manifolds with the 3 circuit carbs on the older bikes.
I had/have both a 97 GS and a 02 GS and had them both for a while and I think the 3 circuit carbs (01 and later bikes) are the biggest improvement made on the GS500 bikes over the years. Much more flexible performance for everyday mid-range riding about, seem to pull stronger all around.
I dont see a problem with the carbs being for a 2 cable design. a friend of mine is running my stock 95 gs barswitches on his sv650. the housing on the controls are single cable only. we removed the second cable from the carbs, and its working fine, with a few thousand miles and a track day on it. however, going from the newer controls on an older carb may be an issue, as I have sv650 throttle tube, and controls on my bike, and the throttle stop doesn't work now, which may be an issue for some. wont be an issue for you, as you have a 99 apparently