Name is Dwayne, 52 year old old guy, live in Oklahoma City.
I've been lurking here a bit as a guest perusing the forum for info on anything related to the GS450E/S. I recently found a 1980 GS450E frame on ebay that I plan on doing a full restoration on over the coming years. When I was 16 years old in 1980 I had bought as my first motorcycle a used GS450E so this project is based on nostalgia. As I tend to do, I name all my bikes so this one will be Gessica.
Today I found a 1997 GS500E (named her Gesa) on my local CL that was selling for $400. It starts, idles great but has low compression on the right cylinder. The previous owner had done some mods (none to my taste) that will be eliminated and rectified as I rebuild it into a cafe bike.
Of course, I have other bikes I'm working on - a 1980 GN400 (Genny) that is mid-way to being a cafe racer. And a 1983 GR650 (Ginger) that also is undergoing the cafe treatment.
Hiya Dwayne and welcome to the forum!!
You can't just tell us all that and not include pictures... that is way too many bikes and projects mentioned to not show us!!!
Awesome to have ya join and I hope you will stick around and make some project threads :thumb:
Quote from: ShowBizWolf on November 25, 2016, 07:18:00 PM
Hiya Dwayne and welcome to the forum!!
You can't just tell us all that and not include pictures... that is way too many bikes and projects mentioned to not show us!!!
Awesome to have ya join and I hope you will stick around and make some project threads :thumb:
Okay... unfortunately it seems that this forum doesn't allow for direct uploading of photos so I'll have to resort to my cobweb covered Photobucket account:
The GS500E aka Gesa (sellers Craiglist photo)
(http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s465/dweyrich/00s0s_awDRLLtz7Cg_1200x900_zpsqkxcygwh.jpg) (http://s1053.photobucket.com/user/dweyrich/media/00s0s_awDRLLtz7Cg_1200x900_zpsqkxcygwh.jpg.html)
My 1980 GN400 aka Genny. First photo of how she looked in August when I bought her. Second photo shows her current condition. Her frame was completely stripped, detabbed and 180° rear hoop that I welded in. Fresh primer and paint of course. New steering head bearings were installed. She now sports a 1979 GS550E front fork assembly that has new seals and dust covers, 18" wheels from a 1981 GS450S with new wheel bearings, IRC GS-11 tires (3.00x18 front, 3.50x18 rear), new rear 1 inch longer shocks, a drag bar from DCC... and more stuff sitting in my man cave waiting to be installed. Engine awaits being freshened this winter.
(http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s465/dweyrich/Genny1_zpsvfi4omnn.jpg) (http://s1053.photobucket.com/user/dweyrich/media/Genny1_zpsvfi4omnn.jpg.html)
(http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s465/dweyrich/Genny82_zpsl0zmdjfr.jpg) (http://s1053.photobucket.com/user/dweyrich/media/Genny82_zpsl0zmdjfr.jpg.html)
My 1983 GR650 aka Ginger. Again, first photo of how she looked when I bought her last month. Second photo of her being test fitted with a 1981 GS650E fuel tank. The rear sub-frame will be chopped completely off and a new unit assembled and welded in.
(http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s465/dweyrich/Ginger1_zps1a8jain9.jpg) (http://s1053.photobucket.com/user/dweyrich/media/Ginger1_zps1a8jain9.jpg.html)
(http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s465/dweyrich/Ginger5_zps7kbr6mlz.jpg) (http://s1053.photobucket.com/user/dweyrich/media/Ginger5_zps7kbr6mlz.jpg.html)
And finally there is Gessica (seller's ebay photo) who is somewhere in transit between Ohio and Oklahoma as I type this.
(http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s465/dweyrich/Gessica1_zpslifitqnu.jpg) (http://s1053.photobucket.com/user/dweyrich/media/Gessica1_zpslifitqnu.jpg.html)
This collection of bikes wasn't supposed to have happened. Back in August I sold my 2008 DRZ400SM with the plan of getting away from bikes entirely. Two days later I just happened to be looking around on my local CL when I spotted Genny for sale. My plan came to naught. When my wife saw this latest bike she asked if I planned on stopping (buying). I said probably. Or not. Who knows what tomorrow brings, eh? :D
(http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s465/dweyrich/Picture%20785_zpsm40jsv6e.jpg) (http://s1053.photobucket.com/user/dweyrich/media/Picture%20785_zpsm40jsv6e.jpg.html)
Wow, great pics! Thank you for sharing them... I know photobucket can be a real pain... and you're right, the uploader on the forum has been full for ages so photobucket, imgur, facebook etc are the ways to go.
I'd really like to see more pics of Genny and how that bike progresses.
Make sure you check out BigRich's thread about his GR here... it's one of my favorite builds on here:
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=67525.0
The '97 you scooped up for only $400 looks like it's in really really nice shape cosmetically... I'm not sure if anyone on here would be interested in those tail plastics (since you mentioned about none of those mods being to your liking) but I'm 99% sure you'd be able to sell that seat if you wanted to. Looks like a Corbin maybe? Must be super comfy :thumb: What kind of exhaust is on the GS?
If the seat is indeed a Corbin that alone was nearly worth the asking price.
I ordered a Corbin for my Buell about a month or so ago, $383 shipped.
Money well spent, those seats are amazing!
Looks like its in great shape as far as exterior goes. But those rear plastics are pretty Bubba'd...
I'd also change those fuel lines asap, though with the compression being down you've got bigger issues on the list.
For what you paid I think you have a great project on your hands.
I hate to even call it a project, looks like tail plastics and engine repair and call it a day.
Why change the tank on Ginger? The "stock" tank with the blue side looks great in my opinion.
ShowBizWolf... glad you like the pics. Photobucket does suck but at least I already had an account there. I suppose there are other venues I could use such as Imageshack, Vimeo, etc. Might have to look into one of those later.
Watcher... back in 1983 when I was looking for a new bike, I had narrowed my choice down to a new '83 GS550E or a '83 GR650 'Tempter'. The GR650 wasn't tempting enough and I opted for the GS550E. The only photo that I have of that bike...
(http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s465/dweyrich/GS550E2_zpsus8p2ys3.jpg) (http://s1053.photobucket.com/user/dweyrich/media/GS550E2_zpsus8p2ys3.jpg.html)
The stock GR650 tank is in great shape, with only a few tiny rust spots on the inside and a couple of small dings on the exterior. But it's shape doesn't work for the cafe look I'm headed towards, especially once the rear sub-frame is replaced with something taller and flatter. I've never been a fan of anything that even remotely looks like a cruiser. For me it's all about cafe's.
-----
The seat on this new acquisition is definitely a Corbin. It's for sale as it doesn't fit my plans for the bike. Overall the bike is in really good shape. If it warms enough today I'll put my compression gauge on it to see what is actually happening with the engine. The side cover plastics have about lost all of their paint. The PO had hacked off the rear fender and part of the side panes then zip tied the turn signals onto the frame behind them. Guess it's visible from behind. Shoddy way of doing things though and will be changed when I swap out the stock signals front and rear for newer components. The clubman bars will be ditched as well and likely replaced with a drag bar or superbike bar that won't hunch me over as much which at my age is something I take into consideration. The PO gave me the original factory bar as well. The fuel lines are definitely a mess and will be changed. The exhaust is a Delkevic header and 8" mini carbon fiber assembly. Definitely keeping the header, the can may be jettisoned for something else. Not sure at this time.
For the $400 I spent I'm fairly content with what I got. :)
Hiya Dwayne, nice to meet ya. Welcome to the boards. I've been around for about 6 or so months i believe and the people here are extremely helpful with questions and advice. I'm sure your experience will be the same. Lots of good old hands and smart folks floating around. Look forward to keeping up with your project.
SirHansford... thanks for the welcome. I definitely will tap the collective knowledge available here on my projects. I enjoy reading what others have done and learned on their projects that can be applied to my endeavors.
Anything from the 80s floats my boat.
Welcome on board.
Thanks sledge. The '80s Suzukis are the sh8t in my book as well. :)
Snapped a photo of the right side of Gesa in order to show the current exhaust system.
(http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s465/dweyrich/IMGP0014_zpswklgfals.jpg) (http://s1053.photobucket.com/user/dweyrich/media/IMGP0014_zpswklgfals.jpg.html)
And one of three sisters Genny (GN400), Ginger (GR650) and Gesa (GS500).
(http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s465/dweyrich/aaa3bikes_zpsicaqrgtu.jpg) (http://s1053.photobucket.com/user/dweyrich/media/aaa3bikes_zpsicaqrgtu.jpg.html)
Nice bikes and write up! Welcome to forum, you should checkout the projects & builds forum, there's tons of great info and excellent builds.
Thanks Mr. BIGGZ. I've been perusing the forum a bit before I had officially joined and now am scouring it for information. It's all good stuff.
Thanks Dwayne for posting up all the pics! I love old Suzi's too and I'm an "old guy".....in my 5th decade anyway. :cheers:
I think I've gravitated toward the Suzuki's because of how straight-forward they are to work on. The GS's especially and the bikes they're based off of ....which is probably nearly every non v-twin street bike they make!
Welcome aboard, the knowledge is always helpful here!
I guess it's appropriate to share.
When I got started riding all my friends were getting into classic bikes, mainly due to cost, until I stumbled on the GS500.
But here's my first bike, a 1982 GS650GL with "super-bike" bars and a paint job. Got it for like $1000 in good mechanical condition, missing side plastics, but the PO rattle-can black painted the tank. I had a guy who wanted paint practice over the winter and painted it for free, so that worked out.
Had it for a few months before I fell in love with GS500s.
It's filthy in this picture, got it out of winter storage and went for a ride before cleaning it off proper. It's the only good picture I have of it, unfortunately.
(http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/5/suzukinewpaint4.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/05suzukinewpaint4j)
After getting the GS500 I haven't gone to any other style of motorcycle since. 2 1990s GS500s, a 2013 Honda CB500, and now a Buell Lightning. The mostly upright "3/4 tuck" position with straight down or rear-set pegs for me is the sweet-spot. I can do full tuck but it gets uncomfortable after a while, but mid or forward controls I can't handle, like on UJMs and cruisers. They actually hurt my back, believe it or not. My 82 did, my friends Magna V45 did, Harleys do, a Yamaha Bolt I test rode did, I've sworn off cruisers and "standards". "Naked" is the way for me.
Aarpee... same here. Transitioned to 52 about a month ago.
Watcher... I figured no body would get upset by sharing. But I'll concentrate mostly on the GS500 here. I hang out on a few other forums where Old School stuff is the norm.
@Dwayne
We're pretty relaxed here, going off topic seems like a regular occurrence. It's a GS500 forum but we have a diverse membership.
Many of us don't even own GS500s anymore, but we stuck around.
Heck yeah I agree. I love reading about other bikes on here. If it was strictly just GS500 stuff on here omg it would be pretty quiet I think :icon_sad:
I've seen a fair amount of forums over the years... and this one is by far the friendliest and most helpful... right up there with the Showbiz Pizza fan forum I was a member of about 15 years ago haha :icon_razz:
I really can't stomach reading people being ugly to each other, constantly pointing out faults, immature comments and name calling etc... and yeah, that's the internet in which we live lol... but to find a place like this forum here is really nice !!!