Hey guys!

My name is Alex, I'm 23, I grew up in Santa Barbara and went to music school in San Francisco. I recently bought my first motorcycle and I don't know her name yet, but she's a 2000 GS500 that I found on craigslist.

I saw her up there for $1000 and thought, "she could be the one."

I texted the seller to meet for Saturday at 5, watched a video on how to shift the gears, pulled out cash out of the bank, bought a helmet/gloves, and got on the BART down to San Bruno, where I took a Lyft to check her out.

Alex, the seller, was a cool dude. A guy who toured with his BMW bike from California to Alaska and back down to South America.

Half way down to South America, he met his girlfriend and decided to move to Redwood City with her to live at their dope home with a couple BMW Bikes and the Suzuki. He purchased the GS500 for her, but she had an accident with it where she bent the exhaust manifold, dented the gas tank, and scared herself from riding. The bike sat for months.

I showed up at 5 and we had a good conversation that led to me test riding the bike around the block. The carbs are dirty and he showed me that currently, the choke needs to be pulled back all the way when I cold start it. Then, I slowly push it forward as the bike heats up to operating temp.

It was exhilarating learning to ride it around the block. I came back and was so stoked. We bartered and came to $850.
We signed the paperwork and it was done. He gave me a Haynes manual, magnetic bike bag, and a safety vest because it was getting dark out and I was on my way to San Francisco!

I learned how to shift the bike on El Camino Road about 3/4 of the way up. I then thought it was a good idea to try out the freeway, where I totally thought I was gonna die. Got a little speed wobble with the wind cause I didn't really know what I was doing and I don't have a steering dampener(is that normal?). I saw a cop pass me and I honestly would have been happy with him pulling me over.

Alas, I made it home and now it's parked on the street. I'm in love. I love the way she sounds, especially when I downshift her and she shouts back at me with pops of pure joy. I look at her for minutes and take pictures for myself every time I go outside.

I've been riding up the hills in SF on my way to work and it's so cool learning to listen to the engine and how it responds to the clutch/throttle/rear brake so that I can smoothly get up the hills. The stalls are steeeeeeep...

I've got a workstation reserved this Saturday at a community shop out here and I ordered a carburetor rebuild kit to get her running right.
I've been watching this video and studying it: https://youtu.be/AJh1hxNf7BA

I still have to take the safety course, get a license, register her in my name, insurance, and a parking permit.

I'll post again once I rebuild the carbs on her.



Hey, maybe I'll have a name for her!

No steering damper needed. Just experience, and likely ensure the front end is straight. Choke is 100% normal to be required to start it, and if it's adjusted right, probably has to run in half choke for the first few miles.

I probably would have recommended learning to ride before taking an unknown motorcycle on public roads. But hey, everyone starts somewhere. Get to the msf class

Brave of you to just dgaf and get on the freeway green like that! But hey you did it and sounds like you're learning more and more.  I thought it was going to be a real turd while reading but it looks sweet.  Can't wait to read more of your adventures!!  oh and more pics

Awesome story and welcome!!

+1 about the choke... by the way you describe it, it's set up as it should be.

My GS was my first bike as well. Keep us posted and always wear your gear

Welcome to the motorcycle club! The GS500 is the perfect first bike to learn to ride and wrench. I've had my GS for 12 years as other bikes have come and gone. Its just the perfect all-around motorcycle.

Good on you for learning motorcycle clutch work on the SF hills. If you can ride there, you can ride anywhere.
My wife and I rolled through SF on our GS500 once and I couldn't believe some of the hills!. And stop signs before the hill crests? wtf.

As others have said, the choke operation is normal. Bike likes to have the choke on full for a minute or two before turning it off. Its weather dependent. Choke longer when temps are closer to freezing. Choke barely needed when temps are near 100 (Fahrenheit).

If you are rebuilding the carb, don't get carb cleaner on anything rubber. Only solid metal parts. Carb cleaner eats rubber -- you can't just spray it on everything.

If you rode it home you don't need a carb clean or rebuild.
You really need a rebuild kit only if the float bowl gasket is leaking and even then you don't need all the jets and screws etc etc those kits have. Those kits are a simple waste of $$$.
Anyway you may need to clean and adjust the carb yea, but rebuild kit is a waste of time and $$$. Cleaning and adjusting is where you get the "better running" from a rebuild kit. In fact these 00's have jap parts originally and those last a lot longer than these Chinese rebuild kits.
Cool.
Buddha.

If you don't know your way around a carburetor as well as The Buddha, sometimes cleaning and replacing everything is the best method.

That said, Buddha is right that if the bike got you home then it probably doesn't need much attention. What symptom are you trying to solve with a carb rebuild? A fresh tank of gas may be all the bike needs.

Hey guys!

Thanks for the warm welcome. I've been riding every day and I'm slowly getting the hang of things.

I bought a nice jacket and back padding for it.

Also, I finally came up with a name for her, Stacy.

Quote from: Bluesmudge on March 12, 2020, 04:15:03 PM
Buddha is right that if the bike got you home then it probably doesn't need much attention. What symptom are you trying to solve with a carb rebuild? A fresh tank of gas may be all the bike needs.

When I start the bike with the choke is fully open, the rpms jump and hang at 5-6k. As it warms up, I'm able to slowly push the choke forward till it hits all the way and the rpms are at 800-1.5k on idle. If I push the choke forward too far before it warms up, the bike stalls.

The throttle response is delayed by about 1 second and the rpms hang around 4k for a couple seconds if I rev high enough.
I noticed some performance issues when accelerating, like a secondary delay followed occasionally by a clang of a metal part below me.

Do these seem like issues based out of the carburettors?

I also noticed that there is an oil leak in between her pistons front and back side. oil smoke lightly comes out front when i start it Any ideas?

It looks like I'll be riding in the rain for the first time to the bike shop across the bridge. Any riding advice for this scenario?

Quote from: AlexPerkins on March 12, 2020, 08:31:56 PM

When I start the bike with the choke is fully open, the rpms jump and hang at 5-6k. As it warms up, I'm able to slowly push the choke forward till it hits all the way and the rpms are at 800-1.5k on idle. If I push the choke forward too far before it warms up, the bike stalls.

How long does it take before the rpms jump to 5-6k? Everything you've described in the quote above sounds correct. These bikes take a while to fully warm up and run without choke.

Riding in the rain... the main thing that comes to my mind is how the painted lines get pretty slick... same goes for leaves if there are some on the road.

Awesome to know you got yourself a nice jacket!! What kind did ya get?

Quote from: ShowBizWolf on March 12, 2020, 10:41:13 PM

How long does it take before the rpms jump to 5-6k? Everything you've described in the quote above sounds correct. These bikes take a while to fully warm up and run without choke.

Riding in the rain... the main thing that comes to my mind is how the painted lines get pretty slick... same goes for leaves if there are some on the road.

Awesome to know you got yourself a nice jacket!! What kind did ya get?

It take a couple seconds before the rpms jump to 5-6k. Then rpms hang up there till the choke is back about half way. If I try to push any further before the bike is warmed up, it stalls. The choke at 7/8ths closed keeps the rpms at 2k.

Is it not bad for the bike to have it revving this high on a cold start for a minute?

I'll make sure to watch out for that!

I got a REV'IT! Tornado 3 and a back pad.

That's normal correct cold start choke behavior. The so called hanging idle is due to the idle being set too high, which may be in effort to compensate for some other issue, most commonly in my experience because the owner expects to run with no choke before the bike is warmed up completely. They take a long time to get fully warmed up. Use the choke, it's your friend.

If you want to clean the carbs, read my blog post about it. But better to just first adjust the idle mixture correctly, and don't mess with it if nothing is wrong. Again, my blog explains that.

Again, what you are describing is normal choke operation. That is how a choke is supposed to work in order to get the bike up to operating temp.
Set choke to full, let it rev to 4,000 rpm for a minute or so. At this point you can probably ride off and turn off the choke but may need to watch the revs at stop lights for the first few minutes so the bike doesn't die. To prevent this, let the bike warm up longer with the choke on before riding it.

Here is the link to mr72's carb post:
https://joshkarnes.blogspot.com/2017/09/fixing-common-gs500-carburetor-issues.html?q=gs500
Note that the idle speed should be set when the bike is fully warmed up (at least 10 minutes of riding). Set it to 1200 rpm. You may find it now takes even longer to warm up (not die) before you can take the choke off. This is normal. All GS Suzuki bikes are known to be cold blooded. Welcome to the world that existed before fuel injection.

Quote from: Bluesmudge on March 13, 2020, 08:45:30 AM
Welcome to the world that existed before fuel injection.

No kidding.

But FWIW my Triumph is fuel injected and while it will start and run when stone cold with no "choke", it does have a fast-idle plunger that you pull out to one of two stops, and it starts and runs a whole lot better when cold using this fast-idle thing. Triumph manual says always use the full-stop plunger for cold start and always use it at half when starting the bike even if it's warm. IME it sure runs a lot better when starting if you use at least half "choke".

I think some newer FI bikes use closed-loop operation and IAT for more than just enrichment.

These days so many people think requiring the choke to start is a sign of poorly tuned motorcycle, and it's just simply not true.

Man, I remember my 240z. I had to use the choke on that too! Crazy. How many of us on here are old enough to have driven a carb'd car with manual choke?

Quote from: mr72 on March 13, 2020, 09:07:53 AM

Quote from: Bluesmudge on March 13, 2020, 08:45:30 AM
Welcome to the world that existed before fuel injection.

These days so many people think requiring the choke to start is a sign of poorly tuned motorcycle, and it's just simply not true.

How many of us on here are old enough to have driven a carb'd car with manual choke?

Very true. Fuel injected cars (and automatic chokes before that) have been around so long now that many people new to motorcycles don't understand what a choke is or how it works. The list of new motorcycles that still have carburetors is getting very short (and probably over-represented by Suzuki bikes). The DR650 and DRZ400 come to mind as carb bikes still available. Even simple bikes with drum brakes like the TU250X and VanVan 200 have fuel injection.

My 2003 BMW R1150RT has the same fast idle "choke" as your Triumph. It seems a little goofy...like one foot stuck in the past. I can't wait to someday own a properly modern bike with fully automatic fueling and safety aids. Or maybe I'll just skip straight ahead to an electric motorcycle because gasoline engines with electronic aids feels like a stop-gap measure.

I have no allegiance to any fuel or notion of what a "true" motorcycle is. My first car was a 1996 Dodge Grand caravan that had fuel injection, ABS and power locks. Growing up I rode around with my Dad in an early 1950's Willys Jeep that had a manual choke. I love my GS500, yet I am fascinated by the simplicity and quiet of electric vehicles.

For the OP, the GS500 is a great bike to learn to work on motorcycles from a certain era (basically late '70's, '80s and '90s bikes and Japanese bikes from the '00's). However, with modern bikes being so different the main thing you are learning is a methodology and mindset to tinker and understand mechanical and electrical objects. Specific knowledge of how carburetors work will be nearly useless in 15 years. But the experience of fixing and knowing that If some other human designed and built it, you should be able to understand it and repair it -- that is the important lesson to learn.

My first vehicle was a 1975 Valiant, which I sold because I wanted a motorcycle. I still miss it sometimes!

I'm currently still rocking my 1994 Caravan and Spirit... I love the simple stuff... and hate how now it seems that everything needs to have a touch screen and more electronics than the Circuit City I used to work at 

Hey Alex, welcome to the gang!

I live right next to you in Pacifica, so hit me up if you ever need any help with the bike or want some riding company.

I'm impressed / amazed / horrified / happy that you survived your first ride back with so little practice.
Would really encourage you to take the MSF course - there's one right in Daly City.  Given how dangerous it is riding around SF, it's a really good idea to get some formal training.  Plus it may save you on your moto insurance.

Sounds like your moto is riding OK.  Listen to the Grand Poobah Buddha.  Just leave your carbs alone for now. 
The enemy of good is better.  In the process of tinkering with your bike, you may actually screw up something and leave you without a bike to ride. 
Get used to it first, get some more (safe!) time in the saddle, and then start the serious tinkering.

There is blue smoke coming out the tail pipe and also from the left side of the engine on cold starts. Every cold start blasts the sidewalk with smoke. People on the street are getting very upset with how it starts. I bartend at a bar that has a patio on the street side and I parked in front of the patio in the morning. When I got off work, mid happy hour, I turned my bike on to warm up and I smoked out the whole patio. One of our bussers started yelling at me right before the bike was warmed up and I just gave him and everyone a big smile and enthusiastic nod.

Here are some photo's of a leak I have going on down unda:





What are your guy's thoughts?

I dropped off the bike tonight in front of the shop that I was going to go to in the morning to do the carb rebuild and took the bus home. It's raining tomorrow and I've never ridden in the rain, so I thought it may be best for me to take the bus there when it's pouring.

I also bought some pants today! They're pretty solid and they have knee guards. Both the jacket and pants are so damn heavy, but I'm stoked on the protection considering that I haven't taken the course yet.

Last thing I need is some boots. Any recommendations?

I do plan to take the msf course soon and I'm studying for the written test.

Blue smoke on startup is classic valve stem seals leaking. Could also be a head gasket. Could be rings. Of course it could just be condensation in the pipes. Have to diagnose.

Smoke coming from the engine, not the tailpipe, is not a good sign. Maybe it's just leaked oil burning off. I'd have to see it in person. Could be as little as a leaky gasket or as bad as a crack in the crankcase. Or lots in between.

As usual I contend a good usable GS is a $2000 investment, however it stacks up between the price of the bike and immediate repairs. In your case I'd do a compression test right away and get some idea of the condition of the rings and valves. But the symptoms you describe could lead to a top end rebuild which can cost $500-1000, half if you do it yourself. But if you have an oil leak at the bottom of the cylinders then you have to pull it all apart just to replace the gasket, might as well do rings and valves while you are at it. Anyway, hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Check the oil frequently until you get this sorted. At least it sounds like the bike is usable until you can fix it properly. Tweaking the carbs are the least of today's worries.

Oh and trust me you don't want to try riding in the rain until you get a front fender on that bike. I personally think you have about 20 hours of riding in parking lots to do before you are even close to safe to be in the road. You'll have lots of time to evaluate the issues with the bike without risking getting stranded if you do that. Otherwise potential hospital bills could dwarf your moto repair costs.

Congrats on the bike! I second (third or fourth?) what others have said have said about your normal choke operation. The GS500 is a great bike to learn on and tinker with and has been an amazing commuter. I have put about 12,000 miles on mine so far and have had no problems beyond general maintenance.

Is the smoke blue or more of a sooty black? Or is it white like steam? On cold early spring mornings some white "smoke" is normal as the condensation in the engine and exhaust is evaporated and sent out the pipe. Blue smoke indicates burning oil. If this only happens at start up then likely it is the valve guides/stem seals. If it persists when warmed up or worsens with higher rpms likely you are looking at piston rings. Black smoke indicated rich running and would usually be accompanied with bogging off idle and black sooty spark plugs.

Happy learning! You'll love the bike! Also glad you got some gear, as far as boots go I ride to work every morning I can so I just wear my Red Wing Work Boots (#2245) and jeans usually since thats the appropriate work attire. They are thick leather, steel shank, slip resistant, and steel toe. I would consider them the minimal needed. Good riding boots will give you a better shift feel and more ankle and shin protection (if they are taller boots).

Good luck and before you get carried away fixing 1,000 things, always remember to diagnose properly. IE: Baseline carb settings to start with, compression test, look at spark plugs for fuel mixture etc. 

A quick thought for smoke coming from the engine. Is it possible that oil is dripping from your engine onto the exhaust, and the the hot exhaust is causing the smoke? I have seen in on cars before, but you might need to clean the area first to really tell.

Otherwise, if it is actually coming from the engine it seems like a head gasket or exhaust manifold gasket/crack blowing combustion fumes out. The only thing that's 100% certain is you have some new seals and gaskets in your future to stop the oil leaks