brr

but then I rode it to a warmer place

but then I rode it into a ditch and got muddy

and broke it


Backstory
This is a 1995 GS500e I bought from my sister who bought it from another guy on this board
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=47305.0

It is my first motorcycle, I moved to Virginia from upstate NY last fall and couldnt bring it down here until mid march.  I did the MSF course in october right after moving down here.  It was very cold when I left NY but by doubling up on long johns and shoving heating packs down the back of my gloves I brought it 400 plus miles down to VA in a day.

About two weeks after I got it down to Virginia I took it out on a saturday morning just for a nice weather cruise around the area, I got out into farm country and happened to misjudge a left hand corner in the road (corner not a curve like I was expecting).  I saw the muddy ditch glanced at it, next thing I know I am in the ditch, the bike is on its side and still traveling forward.  It comes to a stop, I get up and pat myself down to make sure I am ok, I am just muddy.  I was wearing long pants, boots, a joe rocket jacket, a reflective vest, gloves and a helmet.  I am perfectly fine, the bike not so much.

The left side of the engine cover struck a cement culvert in the ditch, tearing a chunk of the engine cover off, crushing the rotor and stator.  I talked to the landowner he said the little bit of spilled oil wasnt that big of a deal and that people that dont make that corner usually end up 50 feet stuck in the field or wrapped around one of the telephone poles right there.  I got a friend to haul me and the bike back home in his pickup truck and took it to the local suzuki dealership to see the mechanic the next tuesday.  The mechanic thinks that I might have tweaked the crankshaft and even if I replace the rotor/stator and engine cover the engine might still be toast.  

So now I just need to find a replacement engine in Virginia near fredericksburg to replace it.  Once I get it replaced a set of these http://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/1998/101/ will be put on it.

Any input or feedback is appreciated.

Oh man, I thought it looked like a pretty easy fix until you mentioned the bent crankshaft. If you think the engine is toast anyway it might be worth a try to pick up a new crankshaft on ebay and try to rebuild it. If nothing else you'll get some experience at the inside of the engine. If not just part it out to make back the money you spent on the couple parts you needed to fix it.

Glad you came out ok! Makes me want a set of engine guards!

Ooh that sucks.  Glad you're ok though. 

Good luck finding an engine...it'll probably cost as much (or less) than a new crankshaft/rotor/stator/seals/etc. 

remove the rotor and stator, pull the sparkplugs, and spin the motor over. unlikely that it bent the crank, but possible.  sourcing a used rotor, stator, and cover from a bad engine being parted out on here will be much cheaper, assuming you have the tools and facilities to tackle the project  

I know that bike, hmmmm.

Hope the PO doesn't see it, lol.

Odd place to take hit that hard.  Wrong place wrong time I guess.

I hate it when chunks of metal go flying.  Glad to hear you're ok.

I agree with jeremy_nash that it's unlikely that it bent the crank, but possible.  If I was in your shoes, I'd replace the rotor, stator, and cover and see if she runs.  If she doesn't, part it out.

-Porkchop

Glad you're allright.  You should be able to figure out if the crank is bent after pulling the rotor and rotating the crank from the other side; you might have to use a runout dial indiactor.

Now for the rider: What did you learn?

Agreed...you dont know for sure the crank is bent until you have had a DTI on it. We are talking 0.001" max, its not something you can detect by eye. No sense in writing the engine off and wasting time money and effort until you are sure the crank is toast 

DTI??

what did I learn - always wear all your gear, try to stay on familiar roads, try to ride with a buddy because if I would have gotten hurt finding help would have been difficult, I had to walk at least a quarter mile to figure out where I was to have someone come get me, brake more before the curve, if you can look through the curve maybe cut the inside a little bit more.  This also happened on one of the few roads I have found in VA to be crowned so I was also leaning against the crown on the rightside turning left.

The mechanic who mentioned the bent crank might have just been trying to scare me into paying more to him for fixing it, I am not sure.

When I was loading it up into the pickup truck afterwards it was stuck in gear and the rotor/stator was turning but binding up a little bit, I dont know if that was just the rotor/stator or the crankshaft

I am about to go out and start tearing the gas tank off of it so I can eventually get the engine out this weekend.

edit:
pulling it apart this far has been easy


thats it for today, going to do more tomorrow.  Hopefully should get the engine out of it by the afternoon.

to replace the side cover, rotor and stator, you dont have to remove the engine.  what part of va are you in? if your local to me, I cud help

take a look through this, free repair manual for your bike

http://rapidshare.com/files/137205030/SUZUKI_GS500E__89-99_.pdf.html

Quote from: troxy18 on April 23, 2010, 01:39:17 PM

The mechanic who mentioned the bent crank might have just been trying to scare me into paying more to him for fixing it, I am not sure.

Not saying there aren't shady mechanics out there but more than likely he was covering his ass by giving you the worse case scenario.  It's a lot better to quote $1,000 for a job and then find out it will only be $400 than to quote $400 and come back to the customer once the bike has been torn apart and say it's going to actually cost $1,000 to fix.

Not sure what the acronym DTI stands for, I call the tool a dial indicator (got the D and I??), but that is what you use to measure run out in things that spin. 

-Jessie

Dial Indicator

Quote from: BaltimoreGS on April 23, 2010, 05:56:38 PM
Not saying there aren't shady mechanics out there but more than likely he was covering his ass by giving you the worse case scenario.  It's a lot better to quote $1,000 for a job and then find out it will only be $400 than to quote $400 and come back to the customer once the bike has been torn apart and say it's going to actually cost $1,000 to fix.


  jessie

I will do the same thing occasionaly on certain jobs myself (plumber-electrician)  but also let clients know, thats as a worst case scenario

Quote from: BaltimoreGS on April 23, 2010, 05:56:38 PM

Not sure what the acronym DTI stands for, I call the tool a dial indicator (got the D and I??),

some people call them dial test indicators

Quote from: troxy18 on April 22, 2010, 06:46:44 PM
It is my first motorcycle, I moved to Virginia.   misjudge[d] a left hand corner in the road (corner not a curve like I was expecting).  I saw the muddy ditch glanced at it, next thing I know I am in the ditch.

Look where you want to go.  This takes practice.  You already stated that you know to slow down when you are on an unfamiliar road; this is good.

Quote from: troxy18 on April 23, 2010, 01:39:17 PM
...brake more before the curve, if you can look through the curve maybe cut the inside a little bit more.

But, be careful not to cut too early or you will go wide earlier in the turn.  It's almost better to keep a wide line so that you can always tighten it up.  But, it's always best to go into a turn slower the first time; that way there can be a second time.  It's great to see that you are already using good judgement towards applying good riding habits.  You will be a successful long term rider.  

I am in Tucson AZ if you are unable to find the parts local I have everything you will need except the crank. Stator rotor and cover are from an 01 and are grey in color. 

the rotor and stator are magnetically stuck together and i cannot get the nut that secures the rotor off since the stator is in the way. any suggestions?

Rent an impact wrench for a day.

Quote from: romulux on April 24, 2010, 11:22:13 AM
Rent an impact wrench for a day.

but the crank shaft still turns.  I am not sure where to torque it all

Quote from: Bandit777jeff on April 24, 2010, 12:20:35 AM
I am in Tucson AZ if you are unable to find the parts local I have everything you will need except the crank. Stator rotor and cover are from an 01 and are grey in color. 

jeff who sold me the rims? If you still have the covers this summer, ill be hitting you up. Just been waiting for school to get out, and to use up the oil.



sorry to thread jack, best of luck fixing your ride.