First post here! Just bought a 1990 GS500 this past weekend! Solid body with 14,500 miles on her roughly. First motorcycle ever and couldn't be more excited. Already looking in to performance parts.

The popular intake seems to be the k&n "lunchbox" as I've heard it called.

What about exhaust? I've seen a good looking vance&hines system. Is that pretty much the extent of bolt on exhaust kits for my gen bike?

Most importantly I assume would be the carb tuning. With the k&n and possibly the Vance and Hines kit, what jets is everyone using?

Thanks in advance to any help and information. Looking forward to many more posts here on this forum!


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Quote from: Bscanlon64 on June 03, 2013, 04:01:04 PM

First post here! Just bought a 1990 GS500 this past weekend! Solid body with 14,500 miles on her roughly. First motorcycle ever and couldn't be more excited. Already looking in to performance parts.

The popular intake seems to be the k&n "lunchbox" as I've heard it called.

What about exhaust? I've seen a good looking vance&hines system. Is that pretty much the extent of bolt on exhaust kits for my gen bike?

Most importantly I assume would be the carb tuning. With the k&n and possibly the Vance and Hines kit, what jets is everyone using?

Thanks in advance to any help and information. Looking forward to many more posts here on this forum!

Hey Bscanlon64, if you want to know about rejetting the carbs then check out this link http://wiki.gstwins.com/index.php?n=Upgrades.Rejetting
i used all the info on this page to rejet my '06 GS500F and i have to say it works perfect! I dont know too much about the older bikes but ive heard that nothing has changed over the years except the F models have fairings and an oil cooler. Vance and Hines is good, im personally looking to buy the jardine full exhaust. Definitely buy the K&N air filter. I swear by it!

oh and if you decide to get the K&N air filter, new exhaust, or both, then you MUST rejet the carbs! Especially for the K&N air filter, because it changes how much air is getting into the carbs and can make it run lean(er).

I think you need to ask WHY do you want to do things to your bike? Wrong that everyone goes with a K&N anything. Some do. Most do not. Performance at the sacrifice of MPG? Just so you can sound cool when you say what you did for your bike? Do you feel it needs to be changed?

Change the exhaust? Why? Decide WHY then you can decide what to get. Looks? Louder? quieter? Most stay stock. There are louder systems like Jardine and V&H. I went V&H then had to add a silencer because it was just too darn loud. Mainly changed because what was on the bike had holes drilled in it do I had to do something. Now I go with Motad from the UK. all stainless and chrome. Slightly deeper sound than stock but not loud. And they look fantastic.

It is misleading to think that things like K&N are popular. Those who do it - post. Those that stay stock, do not post that they stayed stock. It is a minority that go lunch-box or do massive re-jetting.

I have 3 GS500's right now and had 2 others that I sold to members. 2 stock. 1 Motad. 1 V&H with a silencer and one Sito slip-on (sounds like stock, but the stock on that bike was all crappy and needed replacing). All have stock air boxes. Stock air filters, too.

For the most common things:
1. Change front springs. Nearly everyone will agree the stock front fork springs are crap. Go with Sonic springs. Progressives are not needed as the air column sealed in the fork already acts like a progressive spring. Progressives only make a real difference when they are old school external springs or on a rear shock, which is external for most rear shocks.
2. Maybe change the pilot jets. The rest of the world has a bigger pilot jet for better low end performance. We get smaller ones only to meet emissions requirements so the low end is running lean. And that change is not everyone, either.

#1 would be your first and most significant change to make. After doing that, ride your bike a few hundred miles then you will know how it runs and can decide what else you need to do.

(Replacing the exhaust does not mean you have to re-jet and change the air box. It depends on what you get and how your bike runs.)

Adidasguy,

I personally like K&N just because you can re-use them and you dont have to spend money on a new air filter. I didnt notice that big of a difference in MPG either. I did have to change my pilot jet to a 20 though because it was running leaner with the new filter. I personally like it.

A DISSENTER. ADIDAS' WORD IS LAW. DESTROY THE DISSENTER. ALL HAIL.

On a more serious note, +1 to ride it for a while. I weigh about 175 lbs and never had any issues with the suspension. On the other hand, my forks were from an F model, so maybe the lack of weight from the plastics had something to do with it. Also I don't ride aggressively, so I never noticed any issues. Ride it for a while. It's your first bike. YOU don't even know what you like yet, don't let OTHERS tell you what's best.

Except Adidas. His word is law.

Thanks for all the replies, guys! I've always ran an intake, exhaust and tune on all my cars and trucks over the years. It's always worked well in my experience and it most cases helped with fuel economy. Like you said tho, this is my first bike and I haven't even ridden it yet! It's still at the dealership getting inspected and detailed. I am, however, goin to follow your advice adidasguy and just ride it. I'll also start with the upgrades you recommended so be prepared for several more questions!! Thanks again!

Quote from: jmill on June 03, 2013, 05:40:44 PM
A DISSENTER. ADIDAS' WORD IS LAW. DESTROY THE DISSENTER. ALL HAIL.

now now now... settle... no need for destroying anyone!! ... WE SHALL ASSIMILATE HIM!!

Well since adidas brought it up, mine is all stock and probably staying that way. Other than my paint job that I plan on doing and the previously drilled out exhaust I don't have any reason to modify mine. If anything I'll either get of make new header pipes since mine have decent dents in them. It's not a high power bike to mod up, it's a basic bike to get around on to me.

Quote from: Janx101 on June 03, 2013, 07:12:27 PM

Quote from: jmill on June 03, 2013, 05:40:44 PM
A DISSENTER. ADIDAS' WORD IS LAW. DESTROY THE DISSENTER. ALL HAIL.

now now now... settle... no need for destroying anyone!! ... WE SHALL ASSIMILATE HIM!!

*gasp* NOOOO!!!!!!!! *assimilation in progress* We...are the borg....
haha i didnt mean to go agaisnt anyone i was just merely giving my opinion based on my experience so far with my GS500F. 

Some links to help decide.

1) http://www.angelfire.com/mt2/mikesgs500/rejetting/Rejetting_Matrix.html
2) http://www.angelfire.com/mt2/mikesgs500/rejetting/
3) http://www.gstwin.com/rejet.htm

Quote from: Nahian on June 03, 2013, 08:19:22 PM
Some links to help decide.

1) http://www.angelfire.com/mt2/mikesgs500/rejetting/Rejetting_Matrix.html
2) http://www.angelfire.com/mt2/mikesgs500/rejetting/
3) http://www.gstwin.com/rejet.htm

Thanks for the links, man! These are perfect.

heh heh no problem, I rejetted mine and got that filter last week. Bike sounds..well you'll see

Quote from: frylockjim on June 03, 2013, 05:31:39 PM
Adidasguy,

I personally like K&N just because you can re-use them and you dont have to spend money on a new air filter. I didnt notice that big of a difference in MPG either. I did have to change my pilot jet to a 20 though because it was running leaner with the new filter. I personally like it.

There are different K&N's. He was referring toi the lunch-box. There is the one that replaces the standard filter.
actually, I did use one and there are a couple in the Bike Cave. Most of us decided against them. Given the cheapness of a stock air filter.... compared to the cost of the cleaning materials and the time involved in cleaning and re-conditioning a K&N, we really couldn't justify the K&N. For a couple dollars, take out a stock one and drop in another. With the K&N, the time involved in cleaning and the supplies you have to buy, you're bike will be down for a day.

It is all a matter of preference, but my point was that installing a lunchbox is not the thing everyone does, as the OP thought.

Quote from: GI JOE on June 03, 2013, 07:45:10 PM
Well since adidas brought it up, mine is all stock and probably staying that way. Other than my paint job that I plan on doing and the previously drilled out exhaust I don't have any reason to modify mine. If anything I'll either get of make new header pipes since mine have decent dents in them. It's not a high power bike to mod up, it's a basic bike to get around on to me.

Too bad you don't live near me. I've recently thrown away 2 crappy mufflers with perfect pipes. One more is here ready for the recycler. Good pipes but badly dented can (it was the one jmill had before we replaced it and then he sold his GS).

Oh shoot i totally overlooked the lunchbox part. I use the drop in air filter.