Hey y'all! Sooooo, I did a bunch of drugs, read a book about outlaws, watched SoA, and decided: "well, i'm an adult. I guess i should buy a motorcycle."


So, off to craigslist I go, in search of something to learn on. I didn't exactly know what I wanted, I just knew one thing, I wanted a motorcycle by the end of summer.

and low and behold, I find this 1990 GS500e, in decent shape.  The only real problems to begin with is the fork is bleeding a bit, and the guy who sold it to me dropped it on the right side so the master cylinder lever was busted about 1/4 of the way off.and the right mirror was gone. The mirros have since been replaced, and the brake lever is on its way. The engine for sure needs to be cleaned, and will be done as soon as the bike goes to winter storage (the reason for this thread).


The bikes history, according to the guy who sold it to me (the 3rd owner) was that it started off as a Motorcycle school bike, then it was owned by a guy who barely rode it, then owned by him, and he only rode it 4 seasons (i'm in Chicago, we can't ride in the winter, and by the looks of the guy who sold it to me, he wasn't the type who would ride in any weather below 60 degrees.)


So....its time to do some math: considering the bike is from Illinois since it's purchase by the first owner, and in illinois we can only ride half the year (lol) this bike has seen 14 years worth of riding. With 9900 on the clock, i'd say that's accurate. There isn't much rust on it, save for the usual places you'd find on a 28 year old piece of metal.


The bike runs fine, and will be ok to learn on. I've ridden dirt bikes in the past, and have already taken this bike out once in a parking lot of the nearest motorcycle school for a private lesson from a buddy who used to race.



By profession I'm a bicycle messenger, and have been for the last 9 years. I'm super aware when riding in traffic. I have an audi a4 which I can work on, so working on this bike shouldn't be too hard. But, when help is needed, help can be obtained.

So....this thread is my new build thread. My plan is to breath some life back into this engine, and have some fun.

new mirrors and a few close up pics of the engine.

Quote from: Mauve on August 18, 2018, 09:48:13 AM
new mirrors and a few close up pics of the engine.

The stickers on those old GS500's are my favourite design. Wish the had kept all models looking like tat and your panels look like they're in good condition. I believe they called them slingshots. Is that written on the side?

Quote from: Toner on August 18, 2018, 10:39:22 AM

Quote from: Mauve on August 18, 2018, 09:48:13 AM
new mirrors and a few close up pics of the engine.

The stickers on those old GS500's are my favourite design. Wish the had kept all models looking like tat and your panels look like they're in good condition. I believe they called them slingshots. Is that written on the side?

No, but the Wikipedia page for this bike has the same color and design and it's labled as Slingshot.

Welcome to the site Mauve!!! Congrats on the bike purchase!

Awesome thread and pics... I can't wait to see more

Quote from: ShowBizWolf on August 18, 2018, 12:21:11 PM
Welcome to the site Mauve!!! Congrats on the bike purchase!

Awesome thread and pics... I can't wait to see more

thank you! I see from your build thread that you have a slightly newer one, but with the same slingshot stickers. Your thread gave me plenty of ideas, mostly the lights in the gauges and your led lights in the frames. will have to look through your thread a bit more

I am flattered
Thanks for checking out my thread... yes we certainly do have a similar color scheme going on! If you need any additional info, just let me know

Quote from: ShowBizWolf on August 18, 2018, 08:58:26 PM
I am flattered
Thanks for checking out my thread... yes we certainly do have a similar color scheme going on! If you need any additional info, just let me know

heck ya! we will def be in touch.

from what i've been told by the person who is giving me lessons (a former racer, who raced on a gs500) my bike is going to need to have its carbs cleaned (which is something we factored into the offer on the bike) as well as have the fork seals replaced. I'm lucky bc my car mechanic is a family friend who lets me use his garage to work on my car (oil changes and what not) and his tech there has a GXSR, so it'll be learning time come winter.

So what drugs were you on when you decided to buy a GS500? If your making bad decisions, then the drugs aren't doing you any good LOL
The bike does look clean though, but to be an outlaw biker on a GS is no easy feat.I'm not sure it's even possible.
Well welcome to the forum and i hope you enjoy your stay.
Johno

IMHO 89, 90 and 91 are the best freaking evers on a GS.
That blue/silver of 91 is my absolute favorite ever ...

But yes what drugs did you do, and you gotta share em with us, unless its a pharmaceutical product ... dont want that doctored crap, its terrible for you ... just the low risk of sexual side effects man ... I want high risk of sexual side effects ... cos Low risk just means low chance you get any. Can you imagine peddling say "wellbutrin" on the street corner. Yea fat lady rolls up ... in her minivan, kids screaming in the back ... some winking and some some hand over, and off she goes, next light she's snorting it and 2 sec later she happy, pulls into buuger king and eat the whole menu ...
Now imagine if you were pushing crack ... so crack ho shows up. She walking usually, so she's fit and thin as a rail, and that's where the high sexual side effects happen.

Cool.
Buddha.

I never said I wanted to be an outlaw biker, i just said that i ate drugs and was inspired to buy a motorcycle 



i guess my decision to buy THIS bike was price and the fact that i'm 5'3 and the bike's seat height is 31 inches (my inseam is 30, and we shaved the seat for now, but over he off season the plan is to put different foam all together.)


no matter waht kinda bike you ride, outlaw biker culture is some f%$king cool shaZam!, imo. the ones HST wrote about were the last american cowboys.



as for the drugs? LSD has now led me to purchase 2 things in my life: an arcade machine (I made it into a MAME cabinet) and this bike.

I'm getting my second private lesson this afternoon. The first one, my instructor (a friend of mine who used to race these) rode the bike to a parking lot for me and we tried it out.


coincidentally, it was the parking lot of the nearest motorcycle school (near the United Center in Chicago) and it was at night, but I totally survived.

On thursday, my plan is to try to get into the first moto class at the DMV, even though im booked for one in October, you can sometimes get in on standby/walk-in. people just don't show up for whatever reason (it's common.) and since they want to run a class and need at least 8 people (they book 12) its a good bet i can get in.


I do feel like this bike is a bit big for me, but, i'll get used to it, and i'm sure after this 20 hour course I take, where I can use a smaller bike and take all the tests for a license, i'll be more comfortable on mine. I read some article about being mentally prepared to ride a motorcycle. f%$k if that aint true.


I've ridden my bicycle on the streets here year round for the last 12 years. 9 of them have been as a professional bike messenger. I'm not afraid to ride in traffic with cars (and i've been hit by/hit a car more times than i can count), but ya, i'd be a liar if i didn't say i was SUPER nervous as of right now to ride this bike anywhere but a parking lot. I figure it's normal, to be nervous about riding a 400lb machine amongst the 3,000 lb machines, but you'd think my experience riding a 15 lb (LoL my bike really is that light-weight) machine amongst those same 3,000 lb ones would hedge that feeling a bit.


only time will tell.

Congrats and welcome! 

Quote from: Mauve on August 19, 2018, 07:51:07 AM



i guess my decision to buy THIS bike was price and the fact that i'm 5'3 and the bike's seat height is 31 inches (my inseam is 30, and we shaved the seat for now, but over he off season the plan is to put different foam all together.)

Instead of modifying the seat, you can lower the rear suspension pretty easily.  Mostly I think you just replace a couple of linkages and re-tension the chain.  Simple to do and simple to put it back if you ever want to.  Search the forum or the Wiki for instructions.

I have an inseam of 28.74inches and I ride the bike just fine. One you get more comfortable on it, you'll be good just flatfooting it with one foot. I like to use my left for that and put my right foot on the rear brake to stabilise the bike. Although I have to admit, I'm now running the R6 rear shock on preload 1 and that's made it a wee bit lower so I can put my left foot flat down without having to scoot one buttocks off the seat and that does feel better.

Kilted is right, lowering links (which are actually longer than stock) are plentiful and pretty cheap on eBay.

Best wishes to you Mauve with your lessons and whatnot... I'm enjoying your thread

Quote from: Kilted1 on August 19, 2018, 08:21:03 AM
Congrats and welcome! 

Quote from: Mauve on August 19, 2018, 07:51:07 AM



i guess my decision to buy THIS bike was price and the fact that i'm 5'3 and the bike's seat height is 31 inches (my inseam is 30, and we shaved the seat for now, but over he off season the plan is to put different foam all together.)

Instead of modifying the seat, you can lower the rear suspension pretty easily.  Mostly I think you just replace a couple of linkages and re-tension the chain.  Simple to do and simple to put it back if you ever want to.  Search the forum or the Wiki for instructions.

Yea and a lowered GS looks - well ... like crap. Almost as crappy as one with a shaved seat ... what is that, like a shaved sheep ?

If you have to flat foot it or this or that ... buy a lower bike.
That's why they make I dunno, smaller/lower bikes.

Cool.
Buddha.

Quote from: The Buddha on August 20, 2018, 04:08:48 PM

Quote from: Kilted1 on August 19, 2018, 08:21:03 AM
Congrats and welcome! 

Quote from: Mauve on August 19, 2018, 07:51:07 AM



i guess my decision to buy THIS bike was price and the fact that i'm 5'3 and the bike's seat height is 31 inches (my inseam is 30, and we shaved the seat for now, but over he off season the plan is to put different foam all together.)

Instead of modifying the seat, you can lower the rear suspension pretty easily.  Mostly I think you just replace a couple of linkages and re-tension the chain.  Simple to do and simple to put it back if you ever want to.  Search the forum or the Wiki for instructions.

Yea and a lowered GS looks - well ... like crap. Almost as crappy as one with a shaved seat ... what is that, like a shaved sheep ?

If you have to flat foot it or this or that ... buy a lower bike.
That's why they make I dunno, smaller/lower bikes.

Cool.
Buddha.

A lowered GS looks like crap: according to you. which is fine I guess.

a shaved seat looks like crap: according to you. which is fine I guess. you're not the one riding my bike.


I should buy a smaller bike: according to you. thanks for the consideration. it's duly noted in my motorcycle diary that I should've either spent more money, or just not have bought a motorcycle at all, since this one doesn't fit properly like a tailored suit.


Right now, you can't really tell the difference from afar between the seat before I shaved it and after. I'm not a complete moron when it comes to foam, and upholstery. The plan, by the way, is to replace the 28 year old open cell foam that came on the bike with something close celled and closer to the bike, while still retaining enough cushion to block vibration. that's the point of a seat right?

I guess i could buy a new seat, but i feel like replacing the foam on the stock seat pan and recovering it is the way to go.


I would never lower a motorcycle. I live in a city, with potholes and speed bumps.

Quote from: Mauve on August 21, 2018, 10:47:22 AM

Right now, you can't really tell the difference from afar between the seat before I shaved it and after. I'm not a complete moron when it comes to foam, and upholstery. The plan, by the way, is to replace the 28 year old open cell foam that came on the bike with something close celled and closer to the bike, while still retaining enough cushion to block vibration. that's the point of a seat right?

Sounds like the kind of project that at least some of us would love to see pics of.    It's your bike.  Do what you want with it and don't let someone else's puristic sensibilities get in the way.

COngrats on sweet gs!  Don't worry about buddha,..he gets cranky sometime   He's a great guy and wealth of knowledge.

Can't wait to read somemore of your experiences and what you do with it!