Hello,
I bought a GS500E last December and have been slowly fixing it during the winter months. Now it actually looks pretty good - considering the sorry state it was when I bought it. The engine starts just fine and runs well - at least as far as I can tell by not having actually ridden with it yet (winter in Finland is not exactly a motorcycling season...).
There's one detail that I have left as the last issue as I wasn't sure what to do with it.
The steering triangle (is that the right term) is installed lower than to my understanding it should be (see the picture1). I assume that the reason is that one of the previous owners had installed the special handlebars (picture2), which then some later owner had removed and installed the current handlebar, without adjusting the triangle position.
There's one other possibility that came to my mind. The bike seems to have parts from different years (registered as year 2000), and at least the rear damper is from a different model altogether. Could it be that the front dampers are also from some other bike and are longer than the originals and that's why the triangle is set up as it is?
Is there any reason why I shouldn't reposition the triangle to the top of the dampers? If I do it, are there any details that a novice like me should take into account?
-- Jukka
Someone installed those clip on's in pic 2.
However atleast in US and much of the rest of the world - the pic 1 - high rise pillow blocks and high rise handlebars aren't stock either.
You could look at other bars, see if you want the non cruiser spec rise and ape hanger style bars - look at some pics of GS'es and the majority would be original bars -
This page could help -
http://wiki.gstwins.com/index.php?n=Upgrades.Handlebars
The steering triangle as you refer to it - I think is the triple clamp - upper and lower triple, and the GS has 2 upper triples and 1 lower triple. But hey, steering triangle makes as much sense if not more than triple clamp.
The rear shock - Put a pic of it, we may know what it is, but katana 600 shocks are a direct drop in fit with no mods needed. So are remote reservoir GSXR shocks from the 90's - pre 95 750 and pre 98 1100.
A whole slew of other shocks work on the bike albeit less common, Bandit 1200, RF600, first gen GSXR 750 (non remote reservoir) and the post 03 or 04 Yamaha R6 ones also have been fitted on.
Its very very unlikely someone managed to stuff longer fork legs into the GS stock triples.
However longer rear shocks - all the ones listed above are effectively 1-2" longer when loaded (you and gear sitting on it and riding it - its higher) We want that actually, the bike has an ass dragging look and feel if we don't install a taller stiffer shock.
Put more detailed pics up, we may be able to decode some of the mods.
Cool.
Buddha.
And looks like someone took the upper triple off, put those clip on's first, followed by taking off those clip on's then installing high rise pillow blocks like this -
https://www.ebay.com/itm/HTTMT-7-8-22mm-Motorcycle-Universal-Alumium-Handlebar-Riser-Clamp-Taper-Chrome/232408605658?fits=Year%3A2001&epid=28005812253&hash=item361ca1e3da:g:4EcAAOSwn8pbCJg-
Then fitted higher rise handlebars onto it.
I'd try the clip on's - your 2nd pic.
Cool.
Buddha.
Thanks a lot - now this starts making sense! I have been looking at the parts diagrams but somehow failed to realize that there are three triples. So I'm actually missing a big chunk of metal from my bike and I didn't realize it! :)
I prefer sitting more upright, so those clip-ons are not really my thing. I could live with the existing handlebar if I get the mounting fixed - it's slightly wobbly with the high rise pillow blocks, even after I tightened the bolts.
Looking at the parts diagrams, what I would actually need is the part 5622101D500FP from model year 2001 (+the clamps 5621131F000FP). It should fit to mine as the part numbers for the lower upper triple are the same for 2000 and 2001 - only the upper upper triple is different. New ones seem to cost about 250 EUR, so that's out of the question. Someone in UK was recently posting something about selling a big collection of parts, so I think I'll check that out next.
Thanks for the offer of checking the mods of the bike! I'll take some photos when I get a chance to escape to my garage next time. Below is one more photo of the triples and handlebar, just FYI.
The UK triple looked to be a clip on style triple. They made those with high rise triples that were clip on's as well as low rise clip on triples for the euro market.
The low rise clip on will leave you nearly where you were with the clip on you had. Might as well run that.
The upper triple - Rather the upper upper triple in this bike is pretty much useless, it just is used as a riser to bolt the bars on. You're not missing anything without having that.
Cool.
Buddha.