Hey there GSTwiners, this will be my first time starting a build thread of any sorts, so please excuse my general lack of appropriate decision making. Hopefully the embarrassment will be kept to a minimum, but feel free to scold me if not
So far, I might have a decent shot at contributing to the list of obnoxious GS500 builds. At least as far as mechanical cosmetics are concerned. I promise "this is just temporary."
(https://i.imgur.com/MnDZJLC.jpg)
Since I'll be removing and reinstalling the gas tank quite a bit the next couple months, I liked the possibility of making that simpler. Installed some bright neon Tygon fuel lines, then went ahead and ordered a NOS Lockhart Phillips dual shut off QD coupler in the wrong size (1/4") and then a motion pro QD coupler in the correct size (5/16") WITHOUT the dual shut off feature. Cool.
Lesson sort of learned - smartened up and ordered some HYSpeed fleebay special couplers for half the price. Just installed them, and as much as I love the color combo, I find that a leaky connection on one of them isn't completely worth it. I can't imagine it's the matching zip ties, those suckers are snug. And also ignore the zip ties as I now only have half the amount of spring clamps I require.
Now I must decide whether I should try the motion pro variety or spring for those fancy looking stainless ones. Did just find a KTM branded stainless pair of them for the same price as a pair of the Motion Pro ones. Might just try it out, hoping it's not too good to be true.
dkits, may I respectfully suggest that you place the image in your post rather than expecting people to click a link to go off-site.
Cheers.
Will be doing that ASAP. Waiting for my borrowed laptop to return and then will make the edit. Haven't figured out how to post the image directly in mobile/iOS yet. Scratch that, just need to manually type out the whatchamacallitbrackets.
Removed the wheels yesterday because i might be able to get them freshly powdercoated this week at work. So this is the current status of the bike..
(https://i.imgur.com/1TESSnE.jpg)
It's definitely somewhat secure.
Some of the wheel bearings didnt feel that great, the one of the rears had a decent amount of axial play. Was surprised as the bike still has less than 8k miles. So I just placed an order for some Nachi bearings enough for all the wheels and sprocket assembly. We'll see how much fun that will be upon reassembly. Now I just to find an applicable drift to tap out the old ones.
Paint guys got some white powder left and hopefully they'll have time to throw a clear on there too.
Should be looking very minty, very soon
Besides that, I'm looking at a chain and sprocket set from sprocketcentet, an R6 shock with yellow spring on fleebay. Have some stainless headers and Yoshimura TRS pipe for a GS500F that I got for a sweet deal on the way too. That might be some time before installation as I'm not sure how it'll fit. I imagine it will need to have a new mid pipe fabbed up. And I will stick with the stock air intake too.
Any tips for getting the rotors off the wheels? l've been letting them soak with penetration fluid overnight, but honestly have no idea if that'll be enough. The screws are verrrry tight.
I'm liking those fuel disconnects! Sweet,..and functional too!
"It's definitely somewhat secure." -my kind of work right there! Love it! :hithead:
Rotor bolts I use my impact. I tried to straighten a whopped zx600 aluminum wheel a couple weeks ago and failed. Afterwards I hit those bolts with the impact and got them out. They were stankin tight too!
Quote from: cbrfxr67 on January 27, 2020, 09:46:15 AM
I'm liking those fuel disconnects! Sweet,..and functional too!
"It's definitely somewhat secure." -my kind of work right there! Love it! :hithead:
Rotor bolts I use my impact. I tried to straighten a whopped zx600 aluminum wheel a couple weeks ago and failed. Afterwards I hit those bolts with the impact and got them out. They were stankin tight too!
It's not a bad idea. But they might need to be upgraded to a higher quality one.. CPC is the OG manufacturer, but these HYSpeed branded ones aren't stamped with CPC. Will be buying the white acetal or nylon Motion Pro branded ones if I can't fix the leaky connection. The chromed brass ones are super classy, but totally overkill for this.
The rotors have been soaking with penetrant overnight so I'll give it a shot. But I might borrow an impact gun. They feel threadlocked.
Managed to make some progress happen on my refresh "build." After a few weeks on the jackstands (including a windy tumble off of them), I finally managed to ride it again yesterday on my brisk, dry, and wintery commute. Although a big part of that was necessity as my Ranger's rear wheel bearings are shot.
A large chunk of the time spent waiting was because the chance to get my wheels powdercoated pro-bono presented itself, but there were naturally some delays. Gotta say, they came out a hell of a lot improved.
(https://i.imgur.com/7OVhRpk.jpg)
I also blasted/painted my rear brake caliper axle mounted brace and sprocket carrier for whatever reason, popped in new front/rear wheel and sprocket carrier bearings, new front and rear JT sprockets, a new EK chain, broke the riveting head on a used Motion Pro PBR chain tool trying to install a rivet master link, installed a clip style master link, and enjoyed a little mid Wednesday evening front brake flush/bleed after discovering how useless that brake was after I squeezed it sometime with the wheel off.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZBQUTnI.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/mBD4679.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ifGrmpN.jpg)
Scored me some exhaust goodies that will be installed after I get around to checking my valves and rebuilding my carbs with a orings from that DR350 Gregory dude and jet kit from Buddha.
(https://i.imgur.com/5Kxh9tD.jpg)
I have a lot to do still. First off, the bike didn't feel super sturdy for some reason on my commute. I torqued all the important bits to spec. The rear axle nut is near the top end because i needed it to be aligned for the cotter pin, but maybe I can back that off. And the only other thing I can think of is the wheel bearing spacers. I pressed the first side of bearings into the counterbore, and then the secondary ones until the spacer was only able to move just a tiny bit. The manual calls for some unknown amount of "clearance."
The mounting surfaces for the brake rotors were accidentally powdercoated due to my poor communication, but I can't imagine the few thou it added made that much of a difference when its between the brake pads?
Carbs aren't running perfect, but I'm sure the valve check and rebuild will solve that. Besides that - I'm machining some handlebar risers to see if it'll improve my posture. I'd like to order some progressive springs, but might start with some heavier weight oil and a thicker front fork brace/fender mount. And then a yellow R6 shock.. and stainless brake lines... and custom luggage rack.... maybe a neat windshield..... and definitely work on my two-tone frame paint job!
Now, if anyone needs some old-ass Pirelli Sport Demons with a decent amount of tread left, feel free to have at em.
Great work here! Some powder coatin' winning right there (https://www.motohouston.com/forums/images/smilies/headbang.gif)
sweet update!
Quote from: cbrfxr67 on February 24, 2020, 08:31:58 AM
Great work here! Some powder coatin' winning right there (https://www.motohouston.com/forums/images/smilies/headbang.gif)
sweet update!
Yee, you know it! Tearing apart my carbs as I reply to this. Put a few miles on it since I got the wheels back on, so that's been nice. But it's time to get some more work done lol. Gotta have it running like a top for the summer.
Test fitted the new (to me) pipe and headers earlier today as well. Gotta get a reducer or something made so the muffler will fit. Can't imagine you can get 1.785" OD swaged up to 2.125"..
(https://i.imgur.com/BnSRnqV.jpg)
I have the same can but Ti on mine, mine is a slip on fitted via a flange - that I did not make LOL. I made a 100 of those, but this one came off a bike I bought.
Yours is a full system ?
Cool.
Buddha.
It is not a full system. The headers are Delkevic that I scored new in box. The Yoshimura is meant for a newer GS500F model.
I'm wondering if I can just make a sleeve that slip in between the pipe ends and seal it up with that red exhaust RTV stuff. I have access to SS material at work, so if I can do it on the free I'd rather avoid paying a shop.
At the same time I don't really like the idea of having 3 separate sections instead of just the muffler and header
Oh, never mind then, but do not use RTV, you're better off using a coke can for sealing up gaps.
I have a 3 piece setup, the can, original headers and the flange that bolts to the can and slips onto the headers. Nothing wrong with that.
Cool.
Buddha.
Hmm, I thought there was specific silicon crap for putting on exhaust systems. My headers came with a little tube of it.
Still gotta figure out a solution for a reducer. Will probably go the free route and make a split sleeve at work for now.
Permatex ultra copper is the high temp rtv you can use to seal the exhaust, although on my triumph it never seals because it moves too much. My gs has the flange welded.
Might be fine without the RTV then. I turned up a sleeve and it's a pretty tight fit even without clamping down on it yet.
(https://i.imgur.com/JIIr2Xv.jpg)
Also, on a sidenote for anyone curious about using diluted PineSol to clean their carbs.. don't leave them in too long (this was about 3ish hours). Worked pretty well except for basically strippinh the galvanized or whatever costing on the steel hardware. Big whoops.
(https://i.imgur.com/ah0LN8u.jpg)
awww yea like to see progress! O0
That custom exhaust sleeve will be the bling'iest thing on the bike!
Ahaha yeah, I can't believe I spent all that time making that sleeve just to shove it in my exhaust. But it beats paying a shop for welding work! Hopefully I don't have any exhaust leaks from it. The header end has a teeny bit of play and that sleeve is very snugly fit in the muffler end :hithead:
However, it's not as bling-a-lingy as my plastic "chromed" handlebar screwhead caps.
I couldn't help myself after reinstalling the carbs earlier today. to start up the bike for a second without any of the exhaust installed. The initial gloopy sounds and fireballs were well worth it !