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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: 02GSNewb on March 08, 2012, 10:45:31 PM

Title: Look what I ran across
Post by: 02GSNewb on March 08, 2012, 10:45:31 PM
I ran across this ad while taking a break from studying. http://savannah.craigslist.org/mcy/2890473262.html

Long Story short my friend and I went to check it out. We get there and start to look the bike over. The bike does look a little beat up. Some rash on both sides of the plastics, cracks on both sides.  Whenever you try to start the bike you can hear the starter spin but it is not turning the motor, just the noise of the starter spinning. I am not familiar with the starters on the gs. I thought it may be the throwout bearing/ bendix on the starter failing to engage the clutch/flywheel. The bike did not look like it had been sitting.
So I check the oil which seems to be very clean. I ask the owner when he last changed the oil. His response was in the last 1500 miles. I then asked if he has added oil. He said he added just under a quart when all of this happened. I had a fear he ran the bike low on oil so I was beginning to stray away. I happen to noticed the petcock was also in the pri setting while looking the bike over. I popped the bike up on its center stand and shifted it into 5th gear. Turning the back wheel you could feel the motor had compression. I was surprised the motor was not gas locked. 
After some back and forth on the price I told him if I could get it running, and it ran smooth, I would take it. The first push start the bike fired right up. Let her warm up and ran her through the gears to make sure the transmission was in order. The bike ran very well. So I paid the guy, got the title, and loaded the bike up. I then took her to my friends garage where I plan to work on her.
After unloading the bike I decided I would try to make a video to post on the forums of the starter problem. Well she started right up. The starter engaged and the bike fired right up no problems or fusses. I turned her off and tried several times to replicate the problem with no luck.


Pics-
(http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/7749876/640/7749876.jpg) (http://picturepush.com/public/7749876)

(http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/7749878/640/7749878.jpg) (http://picturepush.com/public/7749878)

Now its time for some cleaning, oil change, and research on what to do with the fairings and starter. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.



Title: Re: Look what I ran across
Post by: codajastal on March 08, 2012, 11:05:22 PM
Nice one,
Hope the price was good?
Title: Re: Look what I ran across
Post by: shonole on March 08, 2012, 11:09:53 PM
Quote from: codajastal on March 08, 2012, 11:05:22 PM
Nice one,
Hope the price was good?

According to the ad, he was asking $1k, but was willing to take offers.  Probably got a pretty good deal on it.   :thumb:
Title: Re: Look what I ran across
Post by: rayshon on March 08, 2012, 11:14:18 PM
nice job OP
Title: Re: Look what I ran across
Post by: Kijona on March 08, 2012, 11:14:43 PM
Might have some teeth missing on the starting gear.
Title: Re: Look what I ran across
Post by: codajastal on March 08, 2012, 11:16:12 PM
Quote from: shonole on March 08, 2012, 11:09:53 PM
Quote from: codajastal on March 08, 2012, 11:05:22 PM
Nice one,
Hope the price was good?

According to the ad, he was asking $1k, but was willing to take offers.  Probably got a pretty good deal on it.   :thumb:

Yea I read the advert but was fishing for the price. :icon_lol:
Title: Re: Look what I ran across
Post by: shonole on March 08, 2012, 11:48:47 PM
Quote from: codajastal on March 08, 2012, 11:16:12 PM
Quote from: shonole on March 08, 2012, 11:09:53 PM
Quote from: codajastal on March 08, 2012, 11:05:22 PM
Nice one,
Hope the price was good?

According to the ad, he was asking $1k, but was willing to take offers.  Probably got a pretty good deal on it.   :thumb:

Yea I read the advert but was fishing for the price. :icon_lol:

Lol.  Hopefully he got it for a steal.  Sharp looking bike.   :thumb:
Title: Re: Look what I ran across
Post by: codajastal on March 09, 2012, 12:14:10 AM
Hope so
Title: Re: Look what I ran across
Post by: jestercinti on March 09, 2012, 07:58:30 AM
Sharp Bike!  Keep us informed on how things go along the way :)
Title: Re: Look what I ran across
Post by: steezin_and_wheezin on March 09, 2012, 08:43:38 AM
Good find!! i'm jealous for sure haha
Title: Re: Look what I ran across
Post by: SS Adrenaline on March 09, 2012, 08:56:40 AM
If the fairings are bad then you can just take them off and go for a street fighter look.  Nice find, keep us posted and take more pictures.
Cheers
Title: Re: Look what I ran across
Post by: Paulcet on March 09, 2012, 03:35:36 PM
Definitely jealous. Yeah, just ditch the fairings, I say.  And if you decide to ditch the headlight, let me know. I might take it off your hands, or work out a trade for a set of Dominators.  :thumb:
Title: Re: Look what I ran across
Post by: adidasguy on March 09, 2012, 03:52:29 PM
Quote from: Paulcet on March 09, 2012, 03:35:36 PM
Definitely jealous. Yeah, just ditch the fairings, I say.  And if you decide to ditch the headlight, let me know. I might take it off your hands, or work out a trade for a set of Dominators.  :thumb:

"F" headlight? And I have 2 complete "F" fairings I haven't been able to get rid of  :cookoo:  Not even as separate parts  :dunno_black:
Title: Re: Look what I ran across
Post by: 02GSNewb on March 12, 2012, 08:04:43 AM
I am on spring break this week. So I plan on going to my friends and doing some work on it over the break. Any ideas on why the starter would have hung up? I talked to him this morning and he said the bike started with no problem. I bought the bike with the intentions of fixing it up and selling it. Adidas I may be interested in a set of fairings, don't start packing them up yet though. I need to find out of the investment in the fairings would be worth the return.
Title: Re: Look what I ran across
Post by: numus on March 12, 2012, 12:06:59 PM
Did the starter motor actually turn over or did you just hear the solenoid click and it maybe kinda whined... If so then the battery was probably dead or their is a bad cell in the bat... Kat battery was starting to go bad (AGM sealed so electrolyte is fine but cell was going bad)... Wouldn't start worth anything and died after push starting it... Jumped it with a car battery and it must have temporarily got the cell working again cause everything started up like it had no problems... Went right over and bought a new battery tho..
How old is this battery and what do the electrolyte levels look like... If he dropped it, it could have spilled some out which would cause a drop in overall amperage ...