Hi all.
I'm looking to get CRG bar end mirrors and was curious if anyone has installed these specific ones on their GS500? My bike has bar end weights currently. From what I understand, the bars are not hollow. So do I mount them right on the bar end weight or do I take off the weight, bore out the bar enough to get CRGs internal adapter in? Or am I way off altogether? Just trying to get an idea before I get started on this. Need Christmas ideas for the wife so I'm thinking these could be a great option.
As far as the seat is concerned, here's where I sit (pun intended): My GS500e is a '97. The previous owner replaced the tank (due to it sitting with gas in it for way too long) with one from a '02. On the plus side, I now have 5.3 gallons of gas instead of 4.5 - woohoo. The issue is the seat for the '02 is different and hugs the tank rather than my '97 which rides it (if you understand my meaning). Overall question, will an '02 seat fit on my bike without modification? It's an E not an F so the only fairing is the one around the seat - this is my concern. Either way, any ideas on aftermarket seats? Looking to keep passenger space open but maybe something more comfortable?
Thanks all.
The handlebars are most definitely hollow, I installed bar end mirrors on my bike and they inserted into the (hollow) bar and a screw expands a small sleeve which presses out against the inside of the (again hollow) bar.
The 01 and later bars are hollow but the earlier ones had a piece welded inside that the bar ends screwed into. My 97 had the welded inserts.
Just posted pics recently of a 00 model and a 02 model and you can see the 02 seat would interfere with the 97 side covers so some kind of mods would be necessary to put the 02 seat on your 97.
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=68241.msg820699#msg820699
This has come up before so maybe a search would help you.
Thanks for the replies. And thanks for the link gsJack, those pictures were incredibly helpful. I tried using search for both questions but could not get to a relevant post. I don't know if it's me or the search engine but I have yet to find it useful for any of my questions.
If the only issue with the seat is the side covers - I can easily take a dremel to them for a clean cut to fit it, should I find one cheap enough.
As for the bar end mirrors, I guess it looks like I'll be boring out the bars to fit them in. I want to change the bars altogether but that's not in the budget right now.
Quick search found a couple, I'm sure there must have been more.
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=65993.msg792867#msg792867
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=62065.msg722807#msg722807
What kind of CRG mirrors are you looking at? I have a set on my GS450 and they just clamped onto the ends of the handlebars. If your bar end weights are about the same diameter as the bars, they could clamp onto them as well.
Quote from: gsJack on November 18, 2014, 04:25:21 PM
The 01 and later bars are hollow but the earlier ones had a piece welded inside that the bar ends screwed into. My 97 had the welded inserts.
Good to know
Quote from: Big Rich on November 19, 2014, 06:56:06 PM
What kind of CRG mirrors are you looking at? I have a set on my GS450 and they just clamped onto the ends of the handlebars. If your bar end weights are about the same diameter as the bars, they could clamp onto them as well.
I'm probably going to get the Hindsight LS mirrors. I was originally thinking about clamping them down to my bar end weights, just unsure of how secure it will be. Obviously, I would do that first and see how they hold before I start grinding out the inside of the bars. How long have you had yours on? No issues?
I've been using the plain Hindsight mirrors (not the LS model) for about three seasons now with no issues at all. Once they were tightened down it takes a decent amount of force to get them to budge. Unlike the cheap eBay bar end mirrors that seem to rattle loose after a short time, the CRG mirrors are really snug.
I had a motorcycle shop bar end special, pair of mirrors on my first GS.. lol I broke the clamp tightening down the allen key screws down over my bar ends... careful of that crappy cast aluminum.
Switch the handle bar. I use a bike master drag bar that's hollow and I got it or 21.95 on Amazon