Okay, typically I'm not abusive towards my gs but today I thought being on an old country highway was a good time to try and pull the front end up.. I was barely moving revved til about redline and dropped the clutch... I heard a clang and low and behold, the bottom of my chain was resting on the center stand.  ... Then, almost spontaneously, it started to rain... I was a good 25miles from home and just remembered driving past this guys driveway where he was wrenching on a 1100BMW... My bike sputttered the quarter mile back towards his driveway and I asked him for a hand... Fortunately enough the guy was a motorcycle genius (nearly 65 yrs/old ) had a 650storm, 1100 bmw, and some type of 70's dirt bike in the garage along side a buffet of tools. We tightened the chain and banged the metal plate as flat as possible... just so I could get home. (Thanks Bob Perry)

Now... Does anyone know where I could pick up a new metal pin & plate for the swingarm?


Thanks guys

Call your Suzi dealer for parts.  It looks like you'll need the plate and the adjuster mechanism.

Make sure to tighten the axle bolt to spec next time.   

Regardless, dumping the clutch is hard on the bike.  If you want to get the wheel up, buy a TL-R and try to keep it engaged with the ground. 

What do you mean "be sure to tighten the axle bolt to spec next time"  ---Do you really thing that caused this ?

Quote from: kellyc on June 21, 2008, 03:54:24 PM
What do you mean "be sure to tighten the axle bolt to spec next time"  ---Do you really thing that caused this ?

Absolutely, yes. If the axle nut is not torqued properly, yes, this will happen. When you dumped the clutch at 8 grand (guestimate) the chain pulled with all of the engines' HP at once, bending the axle aligning AID. I said AID in caps because it's just that. Only an aid. The axle if torqued properly can stay in place just fine with just the nut torqued, provided the bearings, spacers, and alignment is proper.

Those tiny 5/16" (or whatever size) adjusters are like cheese to a knife when you apply that much torque.

Cool, you met an old salt that knows his stuff. Maybe you can ride, exchange favorite routes n stuff ? The old guys are cool !

Quote from: kellyc on June 21, 2008, 03:54:24 PM
What do you mean "be sure to tighten the axle bolt to spec next time"  ---Do you really thing that caused this ?

Well, the cause was dumping the clutch at redline.   

However, think of the axle bolt as a clamp.  It's job it to maintain it's position in a slot with chain tension (power) trying to skew it in the slot.  The more torque on the bolt, the more chain tension is required to slide the axle forward.  That fact that you sucked the plate into the swingarm suggests to me that the axle bolt didn't have much, if any torque.

I'm gonna take a stab in the dark and say it was torqued to less than say......30lbs/ft

For everyones info whats the proper torque spec?  Dont have my service manual in front of me.

a good rule of thumb for the gs is more torque than the bike itself produces.

I did mine at 45 and never bent a thing dumping the clutch but I know how dumping a 7k is enought to ger her up than give her some gas and your good or you can get a 60t rear sprocket than all you need is gas

Just another reason the GS is a poor stunt bike. 

it depends how you maintain the parts and bike. you can also make some better plates for the swingarm

well, the reason I ask about the torque of the axle nut is because I just had the rear tire replaced. And I'm starting to think the shop didn't torque the nut down properly which aided this problem. *(note I said aided... not :"caused" this problem)

Quote from: kellyc on June 21, 2008, 09:58:31 PM
well, the reason I ask about the torque of the axle nut is because I just has the rear tire replaced. And I'm starting to think the shop didn't torque the nut down properly which aided this problem. *(note I said aided... not :"caused" this problem)

Torque specs can be found on the wiki:
http://cgi.stanford.edu/~sanjayd/gs500/Main/TorqueSettings

Did you no know the Gs from Gs500 means *Greatest Stunter* .

I planned a 500mile trip for early next week. How bad would it be to drive on this bent chain adjuster? Will is shread my tires if the bike is slightly out of alignment. The nuts are torque accordingly and the chain adjuster will hold up, I'm just concerned I didn't perfectly aligned the bikes rear tire.    I only ask because the replacement part may not be here in time and I really hate driving cars now days haha

well it could, BUT id try and score at least a used chain adjuster, and properly torque teh axlenut, and replace the cotter pin ( try to never re use those)