Alright so I'm about to be a new gs500e (1996) owner and first things first, Im gonna get the bike riding as it should, and looking half way decent.  And since im not one of those guys who put fart cans on their cars and add lights and stereos and paint to their car without helping the performance one bit, I next plan to get some more power from my 500.  I keep reading about the stages and found the charts on what jet sizes should go with each box, or pipe, but what I want to know is...

Can you do one at a time?  I want to first replace my airbox with a K&N lunchbox because its the cheapest and easiest item to do. Not that I dont want to do difficult projects, but I am short for cash.  So if i go out and get me a new filter, do i have to replace the pipe and jets as well.  Likewise, if i get a new pipe, or more likely make a pipe would I have to get a new filter and rejet the carbs?   

P.S. If i make a new pipe its just gonna be an extension of the headers, straigt pipes to the back that i may make dual or just big bore for high flow and deeper sound.

you need to rejet for the filter, and you need rejet for the pipe, would be best to do the pipe and filter at the same time, that way you only have to rejet once

Thanks, also I forgot to ask, but Ive only found one exhaust on the internet, and beleive me ive looked, that says it will fit a 1996 gs500e, can someone list some exhausts, either full or slip on, that will fit a pre 2001 gs500e?

Slip on is nearly as good.
Yes on the rejet, and I sell jet packs ... K&N with pipe = 150/40/1 washer/3 turns.
Cool.
Buddha.

Their is a whole list of exhausts that will work posted on the wiki.

http://wiki.gstwins.com/index.php?n=Upgrades.Exhaust

These are all proven but other people have done complete custom exhausts and I remember someone even took an aftermarket for a Honda Civic i believe and installed that on his GS.  So depending on how much work you want to get involved with you can make almost any slip-on exhaust fit the GS.

I have the Jardine full system cause i am a fan of it being full stainless with an exhaust can so their is no worry about the pipes rusting and needing to be sanded and painted or stove polished to keep them from rusting.

Quote from: jeremy_nash on September 29, 2009, 05:14:55 PM
you need to rejet for the filter, and you need rejet for the pipe, would be best to do the pipe and filter at the same time, that way you only have to rejet once

+1 i agree. I plan on doing the K&N lunchbox also (btw where are you ordering from?) along with a pipe. However I can't afford to drop cash on both items all at once but isntead of having to re-jet twice i'm just going to order the K&N and keep it aside until i get my pipe and then just do the install att he same time. Or just wait to order both and save on shipping (still deciding).

If doing just a slip on exhaust do you still have to re-jet? I've heard some say yes some say no...?

The stock bike is leaner than pee pee Hilton.
You want to try to ride that ... yea by all means she's all yours.

Yea sorry cheap shot. But hey ... I am a dirty old man.
Cool.
Buddha.

is there no way to richen it up by adjusting the carb instead of rejetting?   Aslo has anyone ever just went straight pipes? no muffler no nothing just a hollow tube to the back? what positive/negitive effects would this have?

Quotewhat positive/negitive effects would this have?

I've got straight pipes. The engine isn't in a bike, but it's the same engine and setup.
Effects? It's f%$king LOUD! Loudest bike engine I've ever heard. Not sure what it is about the GS, but it's louder than most other bikes I've heard when they're straight piped.

Quote from: gregvhen on September 30, 2009, 06:29:35 PM
is there no way to richen it up by adjusting the carb instead of rejetting?   Aslo has anyone ever just went straight pipes? no muffler no nothing just a hollow tube to the back? what positive/negitive effects would this have?

Not without screwing up somehting else and in either case the carbs need to come out and apart.
Setting floats higher would do a little richening but will kill fuel mileage and throttle response ... and its almost as much work.
Cool.
Buddha.

Is the lunchbox street legal? on some websites that sell it, the description will say it isnt, but then on here almost everyone has them.  What the deal?

neither it nor exhaust, nor really anything that modifies the emissions of the motor would be legal, at least in VA from what I understand, and that's true in many states.

TECHNICALLY.