When I got my 2007 GS500F it looked nice enough, but there was nothing about it to make a statement about it's owner. The first thing I did was to remove the front lower fairing pieces. I love the way the engine looks and it seems a shame to hide it behind two pieces of plastic. There is also the practical aspect of having to remove them for various maintenance tasks. So, off they came! Just a personal preference mind you, no right or wrong to it!
Next, I wanted more protection from the elements. I had picked up a large windshield from Ebay for cheap with idea of cutting it down for a custom windshield. I'd done this before with good results. I have since ordered a Zero Gravity Sport Touring windshield that I found out about here:
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=62932.0;topicseen (http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=62932.0;topicseen)
I also ordered a set of the "well nuts" that secure the windshield because I managed to lose a couple.
(go to ZG Outlets ebay store, look under accessories)
Anyway, I temporarily lashed the ebay windshield to the bike to get a feel for what kind of wind protection it would offer and to see if it would affect the handling of the bike. I was able to experiment with the angle by putting various thicknesses of rubber at the bottom of the shield where it was secured to the fairing by the lower windshield screw and moving the mirrors forward and back:
(http://i47.tinypic.com/91lb9c.jpg)(http://i46.tinypic.com/213kml2.jpg)
Looks aside, the shield worked surprisingly well! Very stable too. Tested up to an indicated 105 MPH. It's worth mentioning that I have changed the size of the front tire to a 110/80 from the stock 110/70. I knew what to expect from experiments with different tire sizes on previous bikes I owned. No surprise except that I had some concerns that it might rub against the fender. Not a problem. The new tire did exactly what I thought it would do. It increases the amount of force needed to steer the bike. I felt the stock feel was very light and response "lightning quick", so there was some room to play with. To me, it's an enormous improvement. Again, a matter of personal preference. The bike is much more "planted" at highway speeds in a straight line, and the difference in turns is no big deal at all. I've ridden it up in the N. Ga mountains and it handles beautifully! The new tires are Michelin Pilot Activ. Fine tires. I found the matched set from two different sellers on Ebay for a combined total of $90 delivered and I mounted and balanced them myself, so that was another bargain! I love Ebay!
FYI, I used a variation of this approach to break the bead on the old tires, worked great!:
http://www.ibmwr.org/otech/beadbreaker.html (http://www.ibmwr.org/otech/beadbreaker.html)
About the tires. When I took the old front tire off I discovered that the previous owner had done a real hack job on the front tire. He damaged the bead on the tire and put some horrendous scratches on several areas of the rim. It took a great deal of sanding to undo the damage:
(http://i50.tinypic.com/1znpj7c.jpg)(http://i46.tinypic.com/2n9bc51.jpg)
I chose to sand the outer most edge of the rim on both wheels rather than re-paint them because the touch-up paint I had was not an exact match. This is what it ended up looking like with the new tire mounted:
(http://i45.tinypic.com/ayrfhl.jpg)
Here's another shot of my bike. I have my old saddlebags on it in this picture. No matter where I put them they would still hang on the turn signals.
(http://i49.tinypic.com/x21htk.jpg)
I have since installed a combination LED tail/light turn signal bought on Ebay
I'm very happy with the new tail light. It's actually an OE replacement for a Honda 1100 "super black bird", but other than the supplied wiring connector it is identical to the Suzuki part
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_XgO9ZwqhI (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_XgO9ZwqhI)
For trips to the store I lash down a milk crate...I have two different sizes to chose from, this is the smaller of the two!
(http://i49.tinypic.com/ot16if.jpg)
I'll be in the market for a decent luggage rack for the bike if anyone knows where to find one?
I've really enjoyed reading the posts on GStwins. I plan on keeping this bike a long time.
Thanks for having me!
Hube
"Metro Atlanta" Georgia
A milk crate is not very sexy, but it makes up in functionality. I would spray paint it black.
Quote from: john on January 27, 2013, 07:09:18 PM
A milk crate is not very sexy, but it makes up in functionality. I would spray paint it black.
I think it's super sexy as is.
Quote from: N618ft on January 27, 2013, 07:11:22 PM
Quote from: john on January 27, 2013, 07:09:18 PM
A milk crate is not very sexy, but it makes up in functionality. I would spray paint it black.
I think it's super sexy as is.
LOL...I never really considered the "sexiness" factor. I suppose if I was going to go to the trouble of painting them, I'd use some of the dayglo green made for plastic spray paint we already have laying around. Really can't have too much "high visibility" colors on your bike or apparel far as I'm concerned.
I suffered a classic "left-turning car vs. motorcycle" crash early on in my riding career. It permanently changed my attitude toward riding. I *never* assume that I am seen. I've never been rear-ended but I am always keeping an eye in the rearview when coming to a stop or stopped. Some days riding on the crowded streets and highways around here is just too much and I listen to the "inner voice" and take the truck!
I've been utilizing "borrowed" milk crates for years...going all the way back to my 1980 Yamaha SR500 "thumper" which I both loved and hated for close to 4 years and 44K miles, served as my sole motorized transport for nearly two years.
I sure would like to find a luggage rack though...anybody seen one? I haven't really looked. Might do a search of JC Whitney for starters.
Man, some of you guys must not have gotten the memo. Milk crate on the back of a bike = instant chick magnet. Add on a towel cape and a propeller hat and you won't be able to keep them off of you.
Then while you're at it, mount one of those horse masks to your handlebars. Don't forget to make random horse sounds while riding through town and scream HI-YO SILVER! before riding away from a stoplight. You'll feel like you're part of an axe body spray commercial.
Ahem... anyways...
Quote from: OldTwinzNeverDie on January 27, 2013, 01:04:51 PM...........................................For trips to the store I lash down a milk crate...I have two different sizes to chose from, this is the smaller of the two!
(http://i49.tinypic.com/ot16if.jpg)
I'll be in the market for a decent luggage rack for the bike if anyone knows where to find one?...................................................
Make one, I did for my 97 GS. Years and miles later when I replaced the totalled 97 GS with an almost new 02 GS I picked up a Suzuki factory rack and after adding a small Givi case to it I had to add some bracing.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/RackPics.jpg)
Both worked out so well I decided that if I ever needed another rack for a 3rd GS I'd just make one like this:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/GS500_givi_rack.jpg)
I was a fan of "budget touring" myself before I got too old to go that far. Use to make annual trips from NE Ohio to the Smoky Mtns on my GSs.