I just bought a '92 a couple weeks ago and prepped it to race in our "500 Production Class".  Bought it on a Tuesday from a college kid who was commuting on it, had it on the track 10 days later!

Spec rules, stock class.  Only thing you can change is hand controls, foot controls, pipe, jets, brake line, bodywork, fork valving and springs.  MUST retain stock rear shock, but can alter linkage.

Went with Racetech .80 springs and gold valves.  30 weight oil (15 was waaaaaay too light)
Used R6 lowering links to raise rear ride height and get geometry more aggressive.
Cobbled Vortex Ninja 250 rearsets onto stock plates (after everything else was ground off)
Hacked up some Ninja 250 bodywork and it actually fit pretty well (the tail looks janky but otherwise....)
Vortex Clipons
EBC Brake Pads
Steel Brakeline
V&H Full Pipe (couldn't find anything else, but pipe seems WAY too large of diameter throughout)
Factory Pro Jet Kit

Ended up with 44.85 hp at the rear tire
26.3 ft/lbs of torque

355 lb wet

It's definitely faster than the Ninja 300's, and I beat all but one of the Honda CBR500's...

Is anyone else racing these currently?  I'd love some input on what all is available still, and some of the differences between the newer and older models.

anyone?

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I'd love to start tracking mine next year. I've never been to a track, and was planning on doing track days on my gsxr, but seeing as I don't have that anymore, i'd like to bring the GS. Might even make me a better rider if i end up with another R bike.

What did you run for tires? I've seen a limited selection of reputable sport tires for the gs.

I dunno if he still is but burning1 races/ed a gs

Its definitely a bike you can surprise folks with at the track, that's for certain.  After the necessary suspension upgrades, its a speed demon through the corners. 

spcassell2125 did some track for a brief while on his F model, but has since begun to part out his bike from an unfortunate incident with the engine(which I don't believe was track related at all)

I'd be interested in some pics if you could post some up for us!

- Bboy

Airtech makes a bolt on fairing kit, but it is quite pricey.

http://www.airtech-streamlining.com/suzuz/GS500Titan.htm

Quote from: jboogie13 on September 04, 2013, 03:44:33 PM
I'd love to start tracking mine next year. I've never been to a track, and was planning on doing track days on my gsxr, but seeing as I don't have that anymore, i'd like to bring the GS. Might even make me a better rider if i end up with another R bike.

What did you run for tires? I've seen a limited selection of reputable sport tires for the gs.

They're a ton of fun on track... and the minor updates make it very stable compared to stock.

I run the Dunlop 120/70 front and 150/60 Rear.  Technically they "don't fit" but they're both "off enough" that the profiles are good.  Just can't get to the edge of the tires.  Also had to move the rear brake stay arm to the "outside of the mounting tabs" so the rear tire would clear.

IIRC, the Bandit brake arm will fit with no modification and gives you much more clearance than stock... which should help with tire selection on the rear.

- Bboy

Quote from: jboogie13 on September 05, 2013, 06:59:34 AM
Airtech makes a bolt on fairing kit, but it is quite pricey.

http://www.airtech-streamlining.com/suzuz/GS500Titan.htm

I saw that, but it was pricey and the lowers didn't have a compliant belly-pan.  The ninja 250 bodywork actually fits pretty well, with some minor modifications.

Quote from: BockinBboy on September 05, 2013, 07:30:52 AM
IIRC, the Bandit brake arm will fit with no modification and gives you much more clearance than stock... which should help with tire selection on the rear.

- Bboy

Quick fix is nice... but unfortunately with our Production Rules, you can't do that.  Bolting the stocker "off center" is even in the grey area... but I'm like "look, it's all still original and all the parts are there, I just musta put it on wrong..."  lol

I put some pix in the first post.

I'll get some better "stills" this weekend with the bike complete, well complete for now anyway.

I really like the front fairing attaching...straps! 

Completely envious of what you are doing, I'd love to get my bike on a track someday.

Quote from: mra21racer on September 04, 2013, 03:25:11 PM

Used R6 lowering links to raise rear ride height and get geometry more aggressive.

Any more details on this? Are they 1" lowering links? 2" ? Bolt hole diameter the same? Are you running a steering damper? I was going to have some links made up but if I can find something off the shelf that would be great. Looking to raise the rear 1/2" to an inch, nothing drastic.

Quote from: BockinBboy on September 05, 2013, 07:30:52 AM
IIRC, the Bandit brake arm will fit with no modification and gives you much more clearance than stock... which should help with tire selection on the rear.

- Bboy

is the brake arm the only thing that limits the tire size on these? Chain line isnt that close, or the swing arm width? The bandit runs a 150 stock on the same wheels, so if i can do it, you bet i will haha.

I don't want to thread jack too much though so i will do a search for further answers.

Great job on the fairings OP, i would probably leave mine naked as i wouldn't be racing, and its cheaper if(when) I lay it down from that enthusiastic entry speed.

But if they gave you grief about the brake arm, why not about the fairings? After all, they were from a completely different bike!

Quote from: jboogie13 on September 05, 2013, 09:24:14 AM

Quote from: BockinBboy on September 05, 2013, 07:30:52 AM
IIRC, the Bandit brake arm will fit with no modification and gives you much more clearance than stock... which should help with tire selection on the rear.

- Bboy

is the brake arm the only thing that limits the tire size on these? Chain line isnt that close, or the swing arm width? The bandit runs a 150 stock on the same wheels, so if i can do it, you bet i will haha.

I don't want to thread jack too much though so i will do a search for further answers.

Great job on the fairings OP, i would probably leave mine naked as i wouldn't be racing, and its cheaper if(when) I lay it down from that enthusiastic entry speed.

But if they gave you grief about the brake arm, why not about the fairings? After all, they were from a completely different bike!

Brake arm is the only limiting factor... and I try to run the wheel towards the back of the adjustment vs. the front just to be safe.  Rear tires grow a bit when hot...

The bodywork is "unlimited" for our production classes, simply because some of the bikes that could be eligible don't have proper race fairings available.

Quote
Brake arm is the only limiting factor... and I try to run the wheel towards the back of the adjustment vs. the front just to be safe.  Rear tires grow a bit when hot...

The bodywork is "unlimited" for our production classes, simply because some of the bikes that could be eligible don't have proper race fairings available.

Neat stuff,  that's something I have to read up on a lot more..heat cycles, street vs track tires etc.

Quote from: fleshpiston on September 05, 2013, 09:15:27 AM

Quote from: mra21racer on September 04, 2013, 03:25:11 PM

Used R6 lowering links to raise rear ride height and get geometry more aggressive.

Any more details on this? Are they 1" lowering links? 2" ? Bolt hole diameter the same? Are you running a steering damper? I was going to have some links made up but if I can find something off the shelf that would be great. Looking to raise the rear 1/2" to an inch, nothing drastic.

2" lowering links for the R6.  Same hole diameter.  I had to grind away at the back side of them to clear the swingarm cause they're a little wider than the stockers and the swingarm angle changes enough that the clearance is limited.  Gotta unbolt the top shock mount to get em in cause it's the absolute limit of stretch to get the bolts thru.

No steering damper - not required in our production class, and I've not found a need for it anyway.

Tried to simulate TZ250 geometry to the best of my ability which is 23.5 deg fork angle and 11 deg swingarm angle.  Got to 24 and 11, and similar wheelbase - so it handles really well.  Rear shock could use some rebound dampening (or maybe just a newer stock shock that doesn't have 21 year old oil in it....) but again, we can't modify so I do the dampening with my knees, ankles and toes!  ha ha

^^^  Thanks for the info!  Off to find some R6 lowering links   

Quote from: fleshpiston on September 05, 2013, 12:22:28 PM
^^^  Thanks for the info!  Off to find some R6 lowering links   

The r-6 shock i got off here raised through rear about an inch or so. Now the back tire isnt off the ground with the center stand down. Much better than stock.

Quote from: mra21racer link=topic=65481.msg784158#msg784158................. Brake arm is the only limiting factor... and I try to run the wheel towards the back of the adjustment vs. the front just to be safe.  Rear tires grow a bit when hot...

Tires grow in diameter and narrow in width with speed due to centrifugal forces.  If they don't touch the brake arm when not turning they won't touch at speed.  Getting hot is just a side effect of turning at speed but must be considered when choosing compounds of course.    

A 150 wide tire mounted on the GS 3.5" rim will just touch or almost touch depending on brand.  A little adjustment of the brake arm with a BFH will give it clearance for most any standard size 150/60 or 150/70.

The 150/60 was a favorite of GS500 racers before racing tires in smaller sizes were available:

http://gstwin.com/racers_corner.htm

Those new Rosso ll tires in 110/70 and 140/70 sizes should be of some interest to GS racers:

http://motoseries.com/articles/2012_pirelli_specs.pdf

I have Diablo Rosso II 160/60-17 on Kat rear wheel, and it's visibly narrower than for example Michelin Power One, or Dunlop Qualifier of the same size. No clearance issues whatsoever.

So, I believe a 150 D.Rosso II would still be ok on GS wheel.

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