Hey guys,

I've got 2000 GS500E and I put my girlfriend on the back for the first time this weekend. The ride went ok but with two of us on it, it seems like the back tire is hitting the plastic/rubber guard between the seat and the tire.

Is this normal?

Before you guys ask, between the two of us, we're hitting about 300 lbs and I'm the majority owner of that stat.

I'm thinking something must be wrong with the bike itself or maybe it's really only made for one person. any thoughts?

thanks!

I am 332 and I ride mine just fine normally, its not so much the weight but how far the weight is back on the tail, also all of the pilons weight is on the tail, part of yours is on the lower frame and tank area even the bars. When my wife rides with me and we hit a bump it was bending my inspection plate.

Oh and I have a GSX750F shock in the back... big upgrade.

Upgrade shock, do fenderectomy and your good.

crzydood17, you just said a lot of things that don't make sense to me.

what should i upgrade the shock to? is that an easy job? i'm not sure which shock to buy for it.

I'm also not sure what a fenderectomy is but it sounds pretty harsh.

lastly, what's the inspection plate?

thanks for the quick response.

before doing any upgrades, the stock system will survive adequately.  my wife and I with gear are around 341lbs  and apart form lack of power the bike handles bumps fine, BUT you must do two things when carrying a pillion: first adjust the rear tyre pressure, from memory it must go from 36 rear to somewhere around 42 rear, check the tyre placard on the swing arm for correct pressures; second adjust the pre-load on the rear shock, do a forum search for that if you do not have a manual, there should be a tool in the under seat tool kit that helps with that.  these two alone should be all you need do to make the bike work adequately.  i know plenty of people who comfortably pillion using stock bike setups.  don't fall into the trap of upgrading something that is adequate to the task.

Swap the rear shock. This is an amazing price on the exact shock you want with the exact parts you need. I strongly recommend you buy this.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/125-63-06-07-Yamaha-YZF-R6-rear-shock-/300826795276?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item460aac9d0c&vxp=mtr

The swap is very easy, there is a video on youtube that goes through the whole process.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_0gnFaONfY&playnext=1&list=PL4E5F091D21B9C16B&feature=results_video

You should also upgrade your front suspension with stiffer springs, which is a must with the gs500. I have progressives in mine, I love them:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PROGRESSIVE-FORK-SPRINGS-SUZUKI-GS500E-GS550E-VS700-IN-/180601566517?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a0cb13535&vxp=mtr

They are a bit more pricey, but again, the swap is easy and there is a hoard of info on the forum on how to do it.

I wish I didn't have an r6 rear already, because I paid 2-3x as much for mine. STEAL

Officially, you will need to look at the GVWR and calculate the maximum weight that you can carry.

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=60609.msg699800#msg699800

That said, get a stiffer shock.  May help.  Katana Shock is a direct swap.  You can also fit an R6 or SV shock as well.

The Gross Vehicle Weight of the GS500 is 380kg (840lbs). The bike weighs 193kg (425lbs) wet. That leaves you with 187kg (415lbs) to play with.

The manual says, tire pressure for stock riding is 33 front, 36 rear and for pillion work it is 36 both front and rear. However, it also says to make the rear 41 when fully loaded.

In stock form the rear shock is set at Preload setting 4 of 7. In the toolbag under the seat is a tool for adjusting the rear shock. It is the tool on the right of this photo. It is not the easiest of things to do, but be patient and you'll make progress.



If you don't have an owners manual, you can get one from the GS Wiki here http://wiki.gstwins.com/index.php?n=Maintenance.Books

Hope this helps,

Michael

Tire shouldn't hit the inner fender when bottoming the rear of a stock GS so I looked at your previous posts and found a pic showing a cut off sidestand.  Looks like previous owner lowered the bike with longer suspension links the way the kick stand has been cut off.  Best place to start would be to check the length of the links and replace with stock ones if they are longer than stock. Bike should bottom when shock bottoms. Stock links are 7 1/16" between hole centers.

Bike should carry the rated 400# load with stock parts with tire pressuse and rear shock adjusted for max load.  Don't know how many miles are on your GS but if it's very high milage you could bottom easily with your 300# load.  My 02 GS with 97k miles on it started bottoming for the first time due to a worn out rear shock this past summer and I have a like new rear shock to put on it this winter.  I've weighed 230-255# alone during the 9 years I've ridden this bike.

Stock rear shock suits me but the GS really needs some stiffer front springs to prevent bottoming front.  I have the Progressives.

I don't have this toolkit ;(

i'll have to go buy one.

Hi.

adidasguy said the same thing.

I don't know what the suspension links are but I can look into it. Do you know if this is easy to do? I'd rather do it myself.

I'd have to replace the kickstand too which i'm more than happy to do.

I think this used to be a girls bike.

Thanks very much!

Quote from: gsJack on December 03, 2012, 01:37:22 PM
Tire shouldn't hit the inner fender when bottoming the rear of a stock GS so I looked at your previous posts and found a pic showing a cut off sidestand.  Looks like previous owner lowered the bike with longer suspension links the way the kick stand has been cut off.  Best place to start would be to check the length of the links and replace with stock ones if they are longer than stock. Bike should bottom when shock bottoms. Stock links are 7 1/16" between hole centers.

Bike should carry the rated 400# load with stock parts with tire pressuse and rear shock adjusted for max load.  Don't know how many miles are on your GS but if it's very high milage you could bottom easily with your 300# load.  My 02 GS with 97k miles on it started bottoming for the first time due to a worn out rear shock this past summer and I have a like new rear shock to put on it this winter.  I've weighed 230-255# alone during the 9 years I've ridden this bike.

Stock rear shock suits me but the GS really needs some stiffer front springs to prevent bottoming front.  I have the Progressives.

gsJack, i think this is what you mean

http://www.ebay.com/itm/95-SUZUKI-gs500-gs-500-REAR-SHOCK-SUSPENSION-LINK-/150945980008?pt=Motors_ATV_Parts_Accessories&hash=item232514de68&vxp=mtr

But please help me understand this. Wouldn't a longer linkage rod lead to a higher bike?

i've got the Haynes manual in front of me.

Thanks again!

Quote from: gsJack on December 03, 2012, 01:37:22 PM
Tire shouldn't hit the inner fender when bottoming the rear of a stock GS so I looked at your previous posts and found a pic showing a cut off sidestand.  Looks like previous owner lowered the bike with longer suspension links the way the kick stand has been cut off.  Best place to start would be to check the length of the links and replace with stock ones if they are longer than stock. Bike should bottom when shock bottoms. Stock links are 7 1/16" between hole centers.

Bike should carry the rated 400# load with stock parts with tire pressuse and rear shock adjusted for max load.  Don't know how many miles are on your GS but if it's very high milage you could bottom easily with your 300# load.  My 02 GS with 97k miles on it started bottoming for the first time due to a worn out rear shock this past summer and I have a like new rear shock to put on it this winter.  I've weighed 230-255# alone during the 9 years I've ridden this bike.

Stock rear shock suits me but the GS really needs some stiffer front springs to prevent bottoming front.  I have the Progressives.

Quote from: gsatterw on December 03, 2012, 11:49:00 AM
Swap the rear shock. This is an amazing price on the exact shock you want with the exact parts you need. I strongly recommend you buy this.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/125-63-06-07-Yamaha-YZF-R6-rear-shock-/300826795276?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item460aac9d0c&vxp=mtr

The swap is very easy, there is a video on youtube that goes through the whole process.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_0gnFaONfY&playnext=1&list=PL4E5F091D21B9C16B&feature=results_video

You should also upgrade your front suspension with stiffer springs, which is a must with the gs500. I have progressives in mine, I love them:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PROGRESSIVE-FORK-SPRINGS-SUZUKI-GS500E-GS550E-VS700-IN-/180601566517?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a0cb13535&vxp=mtr

They are a bit more pricey, but again, the swap is easy and there is a hoard of info on the forum on how to do it.

I wish I didn't have an r6 rear already, because I paid 2-3x as much for mine. STEAL

I hope this shock works on my '02 because I just bought it.

talk about ninja buying :p

Quote from: paradoqs on December 03, 2012, 03:17:00 PM
I hope this shock works on my '02 because I just bought it.

I'm proud. I too have an 02, and it fits perfectly.

You may want to look into what others have said about your bike being lowered. In which case your gonna want to get stock gs500 dogbones and a new stock side stand

really clutch buy.

and definitely look into a stiffer set of springs up front. almost pointless to stiffen the back without stiffening the front as well.

I weigh 180 (usually. less now that I'm 2 weeks into mono) without gear and have progressives with no preload and its workin out really well. I had a 3/4" spacer before (preload) but the roads in new orleans made the bike really bouncy, but preload would be good in a city with roads that are worth a damn.

Quote from: anoopb on December 03, 2012, 02:31:39 PM
gsJack, i think this is what you mean

http://www.ebay.com/itm/95-SUZUKI-gs500-gs-500-REAR-SHOCK-SUSPENSION-LINK-/150945980008?pt=Motors_ATV_Parts_Accessories&hash=item232514de68&vxp=mtr

But please help me understand this. Wouldn't a longer linkage rod lead to a higher bike?

i've got the Haynes manual in front of me.

Your link shows the lever assembly which is quite expensive along with the connecting links which are all you need to change heights.  New connecting links alone are less than that assembly. 

Longer links lower and shorter links raise rear of bike up, this suspension diagram makes it easier to picture.  The longer links pivot the swingarm upward:

It must be worn out. Me and my gf can ride around on mine with the shock at setting 4. We weight 310 put together + anything we have on us.  Bike doesn't bottom out or anything in the back like this

So I found this on ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/REAR-SUSPENSION-LINK-95-89-02-suzuki-gs500-gs-500-gs500e-500e-linkage-dog-bone-/271006485721?_trksid=p2045573.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D27%26meid%3D3921054387269113996%26pid%3D100033%26prg%3D1011%26rk%3D3%26sd%3D310501334091%26

the local shop here takes five days to order it so i might as well get it from ebay.

Would pictures of how it's setup on the bike currently help?

Is it possible that the shock was also replaced? or just the link rods?

thanks!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200819589092?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

I recently found a steal of a deal for this whole setup from a 2008 with 6000 miles for $20 shipped.  It includes the linkages and knuckle, which I don't need.  I can get you the the linkages for $5 shipped.  Shoot me a PM if you are interested.

It would help us to see your setup as it is now to help solve the issue.  Also check your rear tire size and report back.

here are some pics I took

http://imgur.com/a/d6NQ9

Let me know if they're not good enough.

It does look to me like @gsJack was right with the longer link rods.

I'll be replacing those with stock link rods when i can.

Do you think the shock itself needs to be replaced? i.e. does it look like a stock shock? or does that look different as well?

Thanks guys.