A sad day... I managed to inflict more damage on my gs500 than I want to pay to get fixed.
So... I guess I have a "parts bike" :(
I havnt officially sent it to the scrapyard yet... I hear people can maybe do something with the "title"?
If so, please fill me in on what is needed, and who might be interested in buying it.
Or suggestions on what I should do now, otherwise.
Please note that I'd like a "All parts out of my garage" solution.
Details:
I"m in long beach, california.
I dropped it going around a freeway onramp, around 20-30-ish.
Happily, I dont have a scratch on me. yay track suit!
but the bike does :(
Tank dented, sadly by the HANDLEBARS. but not leaking. I rode it home. Engine sounds fine.
The "frame slider" thingie did its work protecting the engine. But annoyingly, the external bit of the BOLT of it, got bent! (see pic)
wierdness: the front fork "tubes" seem straight... but they broke loose a bit from the clamp i guess.
Exhaust now has annoying scratches on it. Sighhh..
sad pics:
(http://i45.tinypic.com/f9mnfp.jpg)
(http://i48.tinypic.com/1zow8rb.jpg)
(http://i46.tinypic.com/154u6i0.jpg)
Replace the bolt and frame slider and check for cracks on the frame where it attached. Is there any other frame damage?
Loosen the upper and lower clamps that hold the forks and give the tire a kick, check the tube distance from the top triple spacer and see if it looks rights. Someone can probably explain this better than me.
And ride, it doesn't look bad at all :)
Huh. I guess the pics of the right footpeg being bent didnt show up properly :-/
and the right side mirror is snapped off. And the front .. erm. thingie. (plastic) is a mess.
The bent engine/frame bolt freaks me out . I think the plastic slider, plus the bolt, plus the HANDLEBAR ends, plus the gastank (sob) took that kind of damage. The frame itself was protected enough. It just has the prior small dent in it that I acquired, I think :-/
That doesn't look so bad. The slider looks to have saved the bike from a lot of damage.
Replace the slider bolt (contact an R&G dealer or R&G directly) - heck, only about $80 for a new set. Bent bolt is OK. Remember the slider knob is way out there and took a lot of abuse. Replace it and you're good to go. I doubt any real damage to frame or engine.
R&G muffler guards can hide the scratches there or put on a nice, new muffler.
Replace the tank later and get another mirror.
Glad you're OK. Bike looks easy to fix up.
Dont scrap the bike,
Very little $$$ to fix by the look of the damage?
Great guys on forum to help get you on your way again :thumb:
you'd be crazy to give up with that little damage!!!
Sell it for cheap and move on...
Been there done that, twice with my bike. Fix it and ride on. Maybe won't look as pretty but should ride just fine. As others have said, you would be silly not to fix it.
Quote from: codajastal on June 01, 2012, 04:04:39 PM
Dont scrap the bike,
Very little $$$ to fix by the look of the damage?
Great guys on forum to help get you on your way again :thumb:
Well, you didnt see the front. and the handlebars :(
I now have to ditch the .. umm.. "cowl" completely I think. and the bar ends on both sides look wierd and were half torn out. sigh.
I dunno..
What with gs500s being relatively cheap, it would make more sense to buy a "new" one at $1800, than to spend any serious money fixing this thing. but I dont have $1800 to spare. blah.
Hmm. well, they'ave gone up a bit. $2800 for a 2008.
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/mcy/3044488402.html
Huh. Is this a summer thing?
Some bozos are attempting to sell a NOT RUNNING bike used for "stunting", for $1200?? Sheeesh..
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/mcy/3016609827.html
This is the wrong time to be shopping for a motorcycle, prices are at a premium at the beginning of the riding season. Do you have better pictures, I'm only seeing a few hundred dollars of damage.
-Jessie
We are having the same thing up here ~ as gas gets close to $6 per gallon motorcycle registrations have climbed 40% ~ good if you're selling, not so much if you're buying. I've seen the same first bike I had 25yrs ago (Nighthawk 'S') go for $1000 more than I paid for mine...25yrs ago LOL
On the plus side, bike ownership has essentially been Free except for the cost of gas since you can sell yours for what you paid for it years later. Newer Harleys on the other hand are depreciating quickly
Damage looks minimal but better pics would tell more. The muffler is no big deal. if you're keeping the muffler just get a replacement "bra" that suzuki sells. The chrome piece actually bolts on to the muffler from behind. If i remember it was like 30 bucks about 6 years ago.
New Emgo handle bars: $25
New bolts for bar ends: $2
New aftermarket headlight and ears: $70
Turn signals: $50
Then Replace the R&G engine bolt with the original you took out.
Sell any undamaged fairings for $100+
Then you have a naked GS for very little money and you can ride again instead of pretending you totaled your bike.
Quote from: BaltimoreGS on June 02, 2012, 09:13:00 AM
This is the wrong time to be shopping for a motorcycle, prices are at a premium at the beginning of the riding season. Do you have better pictures, I'm only seeing a few hundred dollars of damage.
Thanks, thats what I thought reguarding prices.
Yeha, during winter, I saw TWO gs500f's, for under $2000.
So, even "A few hundred dollars", is a quarter the price of a new bike.
To make my bike fully pretty again, would cost a few hundred dollars of base repairs.. plus repair the fairings.. plus I'd STILL have the old (cosmetic) dent in the frame, and dings on the engine cooling fins.
$1000 for "still not great", or $1800 for a like-new replacement.
Blaaahhh.
Then again, if I'm still going to ride stupid :cookoo: , seems like doing base repairs on what I've got, may be the best long term choice anyway :icon_confused:
sigh...
There's the other whole thing about how Im' wondering if this screwup is God telling me to quit riding before I do some permenant damage. tough choices all around :(
PS to Bluesmudge: pretty good guesses, not quite:
the handlebars seem clean, but the end things are ugly. could probably live with it. also turn signals are fine I think.
It's more like,
new mirror $100
possibly new right peg holder $100
new R&G $100 (I dont think Ii'd want to ride with original bolt. Then again, if I crashed again, I probably
woudnt want to repair it again, so.. Hmm...)
I'm a LITTLE worried about the dents in the tank. They seem a little extreme.
Iunno
:dunno_black:
+1. I see a lot of 500F's converted to 500E's for exactly this reason. Ditch the plastics, get a round headlight and call it a day.
Quote from: Bluesmudge on June 02, 2012, 06:28:43 PM
New Emgo handle bars: $25
New bolts for bar ends: $2
New aftermarket headlight and ears: $70
Turn signals: $50
Then Replace the R&G engine bolt with the original you took out.
Sell any undamaged fairings for $100+
Then you have a naked GS for very little money and you can ride again instead of pretending you totaled your bike.
+1 as well
Phil B, what happened to your bike was not Ka-Blooie.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v636/xunedeinx/IMG_20120420_071335.jpg)
That was Ka-Blooie.
That is all.
Phil, glad you're okay and the bike isn't (too) mangled. It'd be really easy just to swap out handlebars, find a new/used cowl, and then go on from there. If you love riding, keep the bike.
Quote from: bombsquad83 on June 02, 2012, 07:46:51 PM
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v636/xunedeinx/IMG_20120420_071335.jpg)
That was Ka-Blooie.
What's the story here?
Quote from: Phil B on June 02, 2012, 06:35:57 PM
the handlebars seem clean, but the end things are ugly. could probably live with it. also turn signals are fine I think.
A pair of bar ends range from $15 to $40 https://www.denniskirk.com/search/bar+ends.q
There's an OEM pair on ebay right now for $20 Buy It Now.
Quote
It's more like,
new mirror $100
Generic EMGO replacements range from $15 to $50 each. Looking at the page, I dunno which one is similar to the 500F model's but I'd bet it's around $25. https://www.denniskirk.com/search/emgo+mirror.q
eBay's another option.
Quote
possibly new right peg holder $100
Bent the actual rearset? I'm curious to see a pic.
The rearset is $55 at www.ronayers.com
eBay $15 - $30 + shipping.
Quote
new R&G $100 (I dont think Ii'd want to ride with original bolt. Then again, if I crashed again, I probably
woudnt want to repair it again, so.. Hmm...)
Sand the thing smoothish and put a new bolt in for a couple bucks.
Quote
I'm a LITTLE worried about the dents in the tank. They seem a little extreme.
In what way? Is there a hole in the tank? If not, then no big deal. Yeah, it doesn't look great, but having a dented motorcycle is better than no motorcycle.
The plastics are a bit more of an issue, but there are options. The Sale forum here. eBay. Converting to an unfaired E look. (which could be done with parts bought cheaply from someone here, undoubtedly.)
Many new(ish) riders go through the soul-searching period after their first get-off of any consequence. This is when you decide if you're a motorcyclist or not. If you decide that it's not for you, fair enough. But don't let the cost of minor repairs play into it.
Quote from: Dizzledan on June 02, 2012, 07:51:16 PM
What's the story here?
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=60203.0
Quote from: dougdoberman on June 02, 2012, 07:55:18 PM
Bent the actual rearset? I'm curious to see a pic.
....
Many new(ish) riders go through the soul-searching period after their first get-off of any consequence. This is when you decide if you're a motorcyclist or not. If you decide that it's not for you, fair enough. But don't let the cost of minor repairs play into it.
Actually, this is my SECOND one. the first one was much worse. I dont think my tendon has still fully healed, after almost a year.
This one, was trivial, due to improved gear.
The footpeg holder... basically, same thing happened as in my last one, only not as bad.
the peg bent FORWARD instead of flexing the way it's "suppose" to go, and so it bent the side part of the "U" that it sits in.
Unlike the other time though, at least the main part connected to the frame didnt bend. So maybe I can bend it back.
Man up or give up!
You seem to be more worried about how you look than the love of the ride, I may be wrong.
If looking good is important, get a new bike. If riding is important, fix it, and get back on the road.
I personally don't care what my bike looks like to others, my tail light is what most people see anyways and that's the way I like it.
It may be an expensive lesson, but those are the ones we learn best from.
Ride on
You say you have minor cosmetic damage and then declare your bike "totalled"? Lol.
Phil, Please don't tell me you tried this...
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=60543.0 (http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=60543.0)
Certainly glad you are okay. Do yourself a favor and sit on your thoughts for awhile. If evertime it looks nice out and you think of riding before you think of your lowside, then you can really start thinking about what you should do with your bike. But one thing is for certain, you don't want to psych yourself out and you need to get back on a bike soon if you feel you want to continue riding.
- Bboy
We also haven't talked about why you "dropped" the bike at 30 mph. Have you learned anything from this?
make sure you can correct whatever went wrong so that it doesn't happen again. And remember, crashing is okay, almost everybody does it at some point.
I am only a little ashamed to say I have crashed 3 times on the street, and each one has taught me something. I am a much safer rider today because of those harsh lessons.
looks like a typical drop with some scratches. i'd ride it as is, after checking for safety. if everything still holds fluids and doesn't have large shards of metal pointing at you, just ride. it's cheaper this way.
I still ride around on a bike that used to look like this:
(http://bluesmudgepictures.com/photos/motorcycle/NX650%20crash%203.jpg)
And ended up looking like this:
(http://bluesmudgepictures.com/photos/motorcycle/NX650%20crash%201.jpg)
(http://bluesmudgepictures.com/photos/motorcycle/NX650%20crash%202.jpg)
Much worse than your damage and it only cost me a couple hundred to get it looking good and ridable again.
Quote from: Bluesmudge on June 04, 2012, 10:23:28 AM
We also haven't talked about why you "dropped" the bike at 30 mph. Have you learned anything from this?
make sure you can correct whatever went wrong so that it doesn't happen again. And remember, crashing is okay, almost everybody does it at some point.
I am only a little ashamed to say I have crashed 3 times on the street, and each one has taught me something. I am a much safer rider today because of those harsh lessons.
Mm... did I learn something? well, yes and no.
I was attempting a slightly different riding style around the corner.. but I think I may also have been holding onto the brake a bit, and may have squeezed the silly thing without meaning to.
So not sure which one I goofed on.
But I do know both are bad now :oops:
I think the big lesson here is, I need to quit "experimenting". but the trouble is, I'm not sure I'm self-disciplined enough to do so :(
and/or dont change your handling decisions mid-turn.
to B.B.: no, I dont think I was at "max lean", or that other stuff.
I did learn something else though:
Find someplace to brace your leg :-/
I had my knee out on the turn... on the way to the lowside, my knee (with puck on it) touched down, but wasnt braced against anything. So bike kept going down towards the asphalt.
I think if it was properly braced against the bike, we would have recovered.
For the record, no I was not actually trying to "get a knee down". But ironically, if I was prepared to do so, perhaps things would have gone better.
but I also think I need to not do any experiments myself to find out ;)
Pay for track school, or quit messing around, I think is the biggest takeaway from this.
Quote from: Phil B on June 04, 2012, 03:59:36 PM
but I also think I need to not do any experiments myself to find out ;)
Pay for track school, or quit messing around, I think is the biggest takeaway from this.
:star: One gold star for that realization.
Quote from: Phil B on June 04, 2012, 03:59:36 PM
Quote from: Bluesmudge on June 04, 2012, 10:23:28 AM
We also haven't talked about why you "dropped" the bike at 30 mph. Have you learned anything from this?
make sure you can correct whatever went wrong so that it doesn't happen again. And remember, crashing is okay, almost everybody does it at some point.
I am only a little ashamed to say I have crashed 3 times on the street, and each one has taught me something. I am a much safer rider today because of those harsh lessons.
Mm... did I learn something? well, yes and no.
I was attempting a slightly different riding style around the corner.. but I think I may also have been holding onto the brake a bit, and may have squeezed the silly thing without meaning to.
So not sure which one I goofed on.
But I do know both are bad now :oops:
I think the big lesson here is, I need to quit "experimenting". but the trouble is, I'm not sure I'm self-disciplined enough to do so :(
and/or dont change your handling decisions mid-turn.
to B.B.: no, I dont think I was at "max lean", or that other stuff.
I did learn something else though:
Find someplace to brace your leg :-/
I had my knee out on the turn... on the way to the lowside, my knee (with puck on it) touched down, but wasnt braced against anything. So bike kept going down towards the asphalt.
I think if it was properly braced against the bike, we would have recovered.
For the record, no I was not actually trying to "get a knee down". But ironically, if I was prepared to do so, perhaps things would have gone better.
but I also think I need to not do any experiments myself to find out ;)
Pay for track school, or quit messing around, I think is the biggest takeaway from this.
What do you mean, your leg wasn't braced against anything? Was your foot not on the peg? Was your leg not attached to your body which was sitting on the seat?
That said, saving yourself with your knee isn't something that most riders are gonna be able to do regardless.
A track school is a great idea.
If you haven't check them out already though, there's reading material that can point you down the right path even before you get on a track to improve your skills.
Sport Riding Techniques by Nick Ienatsch]http://www.amazon.com/Sport-Riding-Techniques-Develop-Confidence/dp/1893618072/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338859828&sr=8-1]Sport Riding Techniques by Nick Ienatsch (http://www.amazon.com/Sport-Riding-Techniques-Develop-Confidence/dp/1893618072/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338859828&sr=8-1)
Total Control by Lee Parks (http://www.amazon.com/Total-Control-Performance-Street-Techniques/dp/0760314039/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1338859828&sr=8-2) Parks' Total Control class may actually be a better riding class to take before one takes a track class.
Smooth Riding by Reg Pridmore (http://www.amazon.com/Smooth-Riding-Pridmore-Way-Reg/dp/1884313469/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338859949&sr=8-1)
And, of course, Keith Code's A Twist of the Wrist Volumes I & II. Wading through his hippy-dippy prose is a right of passage for anyone who wants to ride a bike hard. :)
All riders should read also Proficient Motorcycling & its sequel. Doesn't matter if you're a hard twisties rider, or a gentle tourer.
No bracing? What, you trying that half-a-leg-hanging-in-the-breeze things some of the motogp guys do just before a corner?
Michael
Update, as per my other thread:
turns out front right fork tube is bent.
So back to my original musings, of "now what"?
sigh...
New fork tube from adidasguy?
I'm really not sure why you are asking all of us about this. It's ultimately up to you whether to part the bike out, sell as whole parts bike, or fix it and ride. Figure out what it's worth to you in all those scenarios and reconcile in your own mind what your course of action is.
adidasguy has a pile of forks. I've seen 'em. I'm sure he could hook you up for a reasonable price if you decide to get the bike running again