Still working on naming this ugly girl...but it's getting there.

She's a 1990 I bought as a project bike from my boss. Runs great and rides smooth!

What it was when it entered the basement:



By that time I had already painted the tank and plastics with bedliner, now for details.



Painted the frame, trimmed the valve cover and misc parts with a misting of red.

Then installed a Koso DB-01R digital gauge. Koso made a great little unit, small, and simple to install!







The last bit I am waiting on pictures. I hacked off the rear of the frame and seat, brought it flush with the seat latch. Now I am working on the new skins to cover it up.

Man I really like that gauge system. Does it have rpm as well as speed? And it was simple to switch the dash lights over? You said like 180 right?

Yeah, the wiring guide was EXTREMELY simple. Getting the dash lights to work was as easy as, unplug the original harness inside the headlight, and tap into the wires.

This gauge has tach, odometer, and speedometer. Fuel guage yeah but useless. Neutral, oil, high beam and turn dash lights.

Best part, it comes with a jumper lead so you don't have to tap into the coil wires for tach...you just use the provided jumper wire. They really made this easy. Only thing I had to do, as someone else here did, you have to put the speed sensor and magnets on the REAR wheel, not the front.

That cluster looks awesome.....read, "light".
Ill have to consider that same unit for my current, lightweight GT380 custom build.....every pound counts and that looks like it would shave a few lbs.

I think i seen that gauge on ebay, was it around $130 or so?

I bought mine straight from Koso. $170 on the site, plus shipping.

How simple was installing the magnet sensors? Can you post a picture of how they go on?

Here ya go. Again, I can't take credit for this idea...

But, basically, the gauge comes with 2 mounting brackets for the magnetic sensor. By combining them on the rear lower caliper bolt, you can get the sensor to align perfectly with the 4 brake disk mounting bolts. The magnets just sit perfectly inside the head of these bolts.

My weekend plan is to go split the bike up into 2 sections, front and rear. Once I make a list of all the hardware, i will be replacing everything that is worn/rusty/or just plain ugly. I am hoping to replace ALL hardware on the bike with stainless. Then, I need to clean this dusty dirty motor! It's a process...

Cobbed together in the basement, resurrected from storage...with relatively zero budget. Dirty, blacked out and a hint a flare...A PIRATE BIKE.

Oh she's an ugly 'ole girl. A pretty bike is nice...a ratty bike is better! Bolts are tight, engine purrs...everything else is just time wasted not riding.

I think I'l call this ugly babe, "Black Pearl". Just needs LED bolts for the plate, center stand removed, and a flag!













...and, the pile of severed bits...

Looks good ive got somthing very similar in the works with my 93 love the bobber look.

We're gonna have to start a bobber club around here, my bike is going that direction on the tail lol looks good man!

Thanks. May end up replacing the tail light next year, but I figured it would help protect me from flying debris until I can figure out a hugger for the tire. For now I reinforced the underside of the light with some polycarbonate and bedliner

Would like to figure out an adjustment for the exhaust for next season as well. Something shorter, but not much louder. Don't mind rejetting, just don't want to spend more on an exhaust than I spent on the bike.

Metal fab is no problem, do it all day, but hoping to get better at body work items. Don't want fairings or full covers, but would like to clean up the electrical harness area a bit.

Question you may or may not be able to answer regarding the gauge: Does it work with electronic sender units, instead of the magnets on the wheel? My CBR has those, and I had an Acewell gauge that was defective, but worked with the bike's electronic speed senders. Any idea if the Koso would work that way? It looks much better than the gauge I had.

Verr nice Matey!! verr nice indeed! 

Ryott,

Not sure it would work properly, but I won't say for sure. I know the sensor that is provided is a passive sensor, but they sell an active sensor separate that is much more accurate. Both have a plug that runs to the main gauge harness, but there isn't a specified diagram for that wiring. I'm sure you could call them, but a quick search didn't give me an answer.

Quote from: Soloratov on March 13, 2013, 08:37:26 AM
Ryott,

Not sure it would work properly, but I won't say for sure. I know the sensor that is provided is a passive sensor, but they sell an active sensor separate that is much more accurate. Both have a plug that runs to the main gauge harness, but there isn't a specified diagram for that wiring. I'm sure you could call them, but a quick search didn't give me an answer.

Thanks, I may do that.

Our bikes look very similar (mines still obviously not done )



love the bobber look. and heres a sound clip i know you were looking for exhaust options, i glasspacked mine just after the Y (i know the taillight is funky, ive gotten yelled at a few times for not having the plate illuminated well enough, im finishing the subframe next week so i wont have to worry after that.

One of the things I have never liked much about the side profile of the GS500E and more so on the GS500F was the clunky instrument cluster. Aesthetically, yours are way better. Curious if they are easy to see while riding.

I also like the look of the Koso unit.  Really clean look.  Wondering also if it is hard to read since it's not angled at all.