94 Winter dismantle, clean up, & minor customize

[Tombstones81]

94 GS500 I purchased for $750 with 15K miles back in May 2011. (first bike)

Plan to fully dismantle the bike (only the rims & front end left to take off as I type this) over the winter.
Going to fully clean everything to as close to brand new as I can with parts I am not replacing.
Going with a Black and Dark Red color scheme.

Video of my current state as of 2/23/2012 (still unfinished)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiEijQUlvcg&feature=youtu.be

(edited to current plans)

(Completed section)

Black painted frame & repainting the engine black as well. (done but need to redo the area around the engine from scratching from all the engine work)
Dupli-color retro red metal specks paint on the tank, plastics, rims, & not sure what else yet until after all that is done. (done)
Painting around the gauges red or black as it needs it badly and probably the triple clamp the same or opposite color.. (done)
Get an R1 or FZ1 taillight as seen here http://pantablo500.tripod.com/id55.html (done)
Upgrade the rear shock. (done) Kat600.
New Red chain, & 15 tooth front sprocket. (both done)
New clutch cable needed (done)
Change fork oil . (done)
Progressive Springs (done)
New Exhaust (done)
New turn signals http://www.ebay.com/itm/Suzuki-GSXR-600-750-1000-1100-GS-500-LED-Turn-Signals-/220915374182?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item336f951866 (done)
Replace upper motor after a stupid mistake of mine that broke an exhaust valve, which ruined a piston and head. (done, now fixing oil leak)
New reflectors (done)
Valve clearance check and adjustment (done)
Get a K&N open air filter. (done)
New rear tire. (done)
Gimbel headlight cowl (in closet, waiting on paint)


(Yet to buy/do section)


Red hand grips.
Red pegs http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rider-Foot-Pegs-Suzuki-GSXR-600-750-1000-Front-Red-/350107346406?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item51840625e6
Stainless steel brake lines (not an IMMEDIATE necessity)
Replace the seat fabric.
Rear hugger fender http://pantablo500.tripod.com/id20.html (if I can find one cheap after more important things are finished)
and going to try and get an LED strip kit for lighting up the inside of the bike at night (blue leds) (same as hugger, when I get to it)




Pics of bike when I first bought it.



Pics after I was done making it rideable.




and my most recent pic at the end of the season before taking it into the basement to tear her apart.

[Tombstones81]

kk sorry my phones camera sucks.
Broke my digital camera when I dropped it trying to take pics of my rash after my early summer spill.

Day 1 start (only had the seat off, almost forgot to take pics)


Day 1 finish: pretty much had almost everything taken off from the carbs on back on the top of the bike.




Day 3 (day 2 was only cutting my exhaust so I didnt have to wait to get the motor out due to stripped bolts)




Wiring harness out, headlight, cables, brake resi's, & the motor successfully taken out with Zero problems. 






My baby!!! 




All that is left is the rear shock, rear rim, stands, & front end to be removed.

Then I begin the frame & rim cleanup, along with taking care of the tank. (strip, try to get one big dent out and fill in some lil ones)

after that, call around for powder coating prices.

[Tombstones81]

Day 4 

Got the rear shock, rim, & chain off.
Stuck now until tomorrow when I buy the correct socket size for the middle bolt on the triple clamp.
Then starts the clean up!! 






Assume I will need to take the swing arm off as well if I am to powder coat the frame.
Havnt inspected that part yet, got my work done, cleaned up and went upstairs.

(edit)
and I gotta say a few things.
So far I am having a TONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN of fun!!!
I Highly suggest anyone who enjoys wrenching on bikes this much to tear a bike apart sometime or another.

Got me thinking, if all goes smoothly when I put it all back together.
I Might just buy a cheap Harley frame (bare or almost bare) with a title and build it up from scratch the same I am doing to this.
but buy the parts as I got the $ too.

(edit again)

This is the closest pic I found of what mine will Somewhat look like when I am all done.
but with red rims and a bunch of other things.
same color scheme tho.
Adfalchius bike

[Tombstones81]

Well the parts off my nephews 93 Kat 600 might be a no go now....

I guess fun is infectious.
He seen the pics of my tear down and is getting antsy to do his instead of parting it out.

Its all good if it doesnt happen, just means I will have to get the rear shock elsewhere and then just add dual front brakes to the stock front end.

Also saves me time, more work, & money.
Which is good because I want this put back together asap after the rims and frame are powder coated.

The idea of building a Harley up from at least a bare frame (part at a time) is getting me anxious!

kk time to gather my things up and go take that front end & stands off to complete the dismantle.

Not much after that for tonight.
Too cold outside to clean the parts at night so that will wait until tomorrow afternoon.

[Big Rich]

Tomb, do you have access to an air compressor? Is so, you can make a cheap little blasting cabinet to strip rust/paint.

And I don't know if I told you about it yet, but check out Duplicolor Metalcast paint.

[Tombstones81]

Tomb, do you have access to an air compressor? Is so, you can make a cheap little blasting cabinet to strip rust/paint.

And I don't know if I told you about it yet, but check out Duplicolor Metalcast paint.

No air compressor

Was going to rent a sand blaster for a day for like $60.
Not sure if you need your own air compressor with those tho, I only browsed local prices for like a half an hr.
never called to confirm.

and I was probably told about that paint in the Tons of threads I've started for advice etc etc

Went and checked out some pics of motorcycles done with that paint & wow!

didnt get far enough in the process yet to Really investigate and plan 100% on what I am going to do and use tho.

but from seeing some examples with that paint, i May just paint my tank first with a can of that and see how it comes out.
if it comes out really good, may just paint the frame and rims myself with that and save $ from powdercoating.

ugh now after looking it up a lil more, it got me thinking of maybe repainting my engine red instead of black (seen some red grill paint up to 1200 deg)

it would def. be different as I dont ever recall seeing a pic of a GS in anything but black or a grey/silver engine.
would also save me time from messing with a photo by seeing what parts would look good colored red with all the black.
and I wouldnt have to paint so many little things red to make the colors mesh well.
I think a red tank, plastics, & engine with a black frame would look killer.

ugh dangit! just had to get me thinking again! haha
got myself head first into this having a TON of fun, but so many things going thru my brain that my heads spinning! haha
& this is my very first time going this far into something like this as I just started riding this year, so everyday looking up, thinking, or discussing working on a bike and what to do is like being a kid days before xmas!

thanks for the info btw

(edit)
and just recalled.
I have an extra right side crankcase cover that I ended up not needing when I first bought the bike. (used)
so if I want to possibly go with a red engine, I can always paint that and see how it turns out instead of the whole engine and then not like it for some reason.

[Big Rich]

Could strip all the paint off the engine and leave it as bare aluminum. Then any little parts around the engine could get hit with red paint.

The GS comes with a surprisingly clean frame (compared to what I normally work on anyway). That Metalcast paint is usually only available in 3 or 4 colors locally, but Summit Racing offers every shade of it and they ship to PA pretty quick. Back to my thought on the frame though: a nice smoke finish would complement any red paint and bare/polished aluminum. Just my $.02

[Tombstones81]

doesnt sound too bad.
i'll have to take a good look at it when I get the engine down to the bare metal.

(day 5) front end taken off.


HAD to stop there.
Stupid front rims rotor bolt stripped... ALWAYS has to be one of em!
Got me too ticked off that I had to stop before I break something. haha

Now just the pegs, stands, and swingarm to remove tomorrow while i cook some MMMMmmmm chili!

[yamahonkawazuki]

would suggest getting the gas out of the tank. you wont need it any time soon. so put it into anythign that can use it for the time being. ( i have this phobia of anythign wiht gasoline in it, WONT go within hte walls of my home)

[Tombstones81]

would suggest getting the gas out of the tank. you wont need it any time soon. so put it into anythign that can use it for the time being. ( i have this phobia of anythign wiht gasoline in it, WONT go within hte walls of my home)

I know and plan on it today.

I work 3rd shift and when I've been workin on the bike has been at night on my days off or after sunset before work.
which is when its been  a lil chilly out, so I've been putting off anything i have to do outside until a day like today.

Dont wanna get my work area stankin like gas, which is why I didnt just empty it inside.

kk time to go do that, finish the few pieces on the frame and hopefully get it outside for some cleaning before it gets too chilly out to be comfortable.

[Tombstones81]

Frame is finally 99% bare
Hard part is over! (for me)
Putting it all back together Will be alot more fun.
Since I dont have to worry my butt off for any stuck or stripped screws or bolts.
Figuring out what goes where again will be cake since I know whats what, labeled, & have a manual.

All I got left is to take the bolts and screws out that I put back in after taking parts off, label and bag em.

and then tomorrow starts the clean up

Gotta start with the kerosene, getting all that grease, dirt, and grime off of... everything!
wow was that sucker filthy!

Have to be pretty quick at it too (not clean it quickly but get it done before this warm enough weather to clean outside is gone)
as I sprayed the Filthy parts of the frame with a lil kerosene in the cellar and it even gave the neighbors a headache.

so since I cant do it inside, my time is limited.

and since my nephew doesnt know what hes doing with his Kat 600 now, just going to keep the front end thats on there and add dual front brakes with stainless steel brake lines.
Still going to get a better rear shock tho since im 6ft2 & 225 pnds.
also change the fork oil.

kk off to work in a bit.

[Tombstones81]

Got out this morning after work and degreased and cleaned off the frame, swingarm, & stands.

Put a lil bit of that Aircraft stripper on a small spot under the seat lock, just to see how the paint came off.
didnt come off so well.
A sand blasting it will be!

Then put a nice spot on my tank to see how that paint would come up.
WOW!
Freakin LOVE that stuff!
Small paint brush to apply the stripper in sections.
Left it sit for a bit.
Small putty knife to scrape it off.
90% of the top came off so easily, I coulda rubbed it off with my hand if I wanted to. (just an example)
Just have the bottom left to do on the tank now.
Also, there was the stock purple paint, a layer of blue (maybe primer?) and then the top layer of black from the PO.

That was enough for the day tho.

Also.
Been using Kerosene to degrease everything.
Was runnin low ( plastic soda bottle like container from walmart )so I bought the metal tin of what I thought was the same thing.
Ended up it wasnt, sure as heck didnt smell like Kerosene and woof did it Stink!

But I gotta say, cleaned the grease off with a scrub brush ALOT better then the kerosene was!


Clean frame on crappy phones camera


Swingarm and stands


Nice and clean, bare tank


Wish the frame didnt need a repainting.
Also wish the tank didnt have such a big dent in the side.
The bare metal of the tank while wet on the frame looked Really nice.
if they were both in perfect condition, I might have considered going with that look.



kk time to pass the heck out now!

(edit)
they look better in the photos then in person.
Frame does need to be sand blasted and repainted.
tank needs the dents filled in and painted.

[cbrfxr67]

Great stuff here!  Excellent pics too!  Can't wait to see it come together!   

[Tombstones81]

tnx.
Just wish my digital camera wasnt broken.
as these pics are only of my progress.
you cant tell how absolutely Filthy everything is & was with my phones camera.
or how Great that Coleman fuel worked vs the Kerosene I was usin but ran out of. (it just has a Very strong chem odor)

Possible change in plans tho.
After seeing the frame clean and the tank bare (except the bottom), wet and shiny together...
I wish I had an aluminum frame ><
& an undented tank, or $$ for one ><

POSSIBLY changing up the color scheme.
sorry, seeing how nice it looks apart and clean has spurt up more ideas...

Still want to go with a dark red or burgundy with the tank, plastics and insides of the rims.

Outside of the rims will be polished (planned that from the start)

Frame: I think I will probably sand out the (unseen when put together) blemishes and get off the bit of overspray from the PO.
and just get it lookin brand new and leave it the color it is.

Engine: NO idea how to go about this yet but after looking up  some polished aluminum bikes and/or parts on bikes.
If I can, going to strip the engine bare of all Paint, grease, & grime and see if I can get that as shiny and polished as other pics i've seen from other bikes.

and pretty much shine and polish every and any aluminum part on the bike to a mirror shine.


Still just another idea and I have to research more.
But after seeing how nice the frame and tank looked all clean together, it kinda stuck on me.
(frame was Alot cleaner then I thought it would be!)

Might just continue with progress and wait on the painting and see if I can get a PRISTINE tank with not a single dent and just go with that polished bare metal look there too when I get my income tax as current $ until then is going into current progress..

But then I would be stumped as to what to paint the plastics that would go good with it.

UGH I hate being so passionate about everything with motorcycles!
so many ideas floodin my head.

[Tombstones81]

small update but no pics as you cant see what I did on my crappy phones camera.

Stripped down half of the swingarm and about 40% of the frame.

Decided to stick with the red and black theme.
Just the easiest and cheapest way to go and most fun.

if I can get 1200 degree red engine / grill paint to match the other red I will use, then probably going with black rims as that would be too much red.
if I have to go with a black engine, then red rims.

also decided: no sand blasting or powder coating.
isn't much rust at all really after degreasing everything to need a sand blasting and I can strip everything by hand.
the most is on the battery box and where the box mounts in the frame & it isnt even much at all.

Since this is my first bike and first time going head first into a project like this.
just going to do EVERYTHING myself. (as long as I am able to! haha)

everything painted will just be rattle can.
but not cheap garbage.
and since I STILL have alllllll winter long, so i'm going to REALLY take my time and make sure it all comes out the best it possibly can.
as that is all I have left to do is strip, sand, prep and paint.
well and a few little parts needing degreased but nothing more then a 10 min job.

When its all repainted and reassembled is when I will start buying replacement parts.

but I'm the type of person who really appreciates my hard work and doing it all myself will please me all the more.

kk nothing to do to it now until this weekend that is going to be nice.
Then I can get some sandpaper, finish stripping the frame & swingarm, sand it down, clean & prep it for primer and possibly primer them if I have time.

(edit)
main reason I was going to get the frame and rims sandblasted was partially laziness haha
and because I thought it would be harder to strip then it actually is.

so far its been easier then expected.
Aircraft stripper, putty knife to take off what I can.
then follow it up with brillo pads.

its been working good so far.

I'll finish it up with sandpaper this weekend tho to get even more off.

[Tombstones81]

Been thinking I probably want something other then a plain colored tank or a Suzuki sticker on the side.

Lightly browsing but never found anything I really liked.

Popped in my head when asking about paint in the general thread.

Going to have my nephew see if his friend can make me a custom sticker of

http://www.wickedjester.com/wickedjester_com_12.gif 

or

http://www.wickedjester.com/wickedjester_com_24.gif

Wicked Jester makes up about 90% of my Tshirt wear. lol
Love the sayings and designs.

not sure how they will look tho.
if bad, will just toss them on my car windows or computer case.

(edit)
and maybe even
http://www.wickedjester.com/wickedjester_com_31.gif
in the top front of the tank as well, if it wont be too much (too many decals that is)

[Big Rich]

Have you ever seen this site?
http://www.suzukicycles.org/

The guy is trying to get specs (and pictures) of every Suzuki cycle ever made. Which includes ones that have never been in the US. Personally, the "Impulse" is one of my favorites - I plan on using its paint scheme this winter.

[Tombstones81]

Cool!
Bit much to navigate thru.
at least when your looking up a ton of other things. haha (all motorcycle stuff of course)

small update now tho.
Since I finally have the exact red color picked out, I cant paint the engine red as well.

product
http://www.duplicolor.com/products/metalSpecks/

color (retro red)
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Metal-Specks&153;,-Retro-Red,-11-oz--Aerosol-Duplicolor_7141554-P_N3276_T|GRP2050_____


Since even finding a red 1200 degree engine/grill paint was a pain.
I am almost certain I wont find the same color with metal flakes for 1200 degrees.

So the engine will be repainted black as it is now.
and going to go over the rims with the same red paint as the rest of what im painting with it.

I just dont want that much of a difference in paints.
aka: if I cant paint the engine the exact same color as the rest of the red, it will just be black to match the frame.

[Tombstones81]

past few days I've been busy stripping and sanding the frame.

Finally got done and nice enough to primer the frame today, also decided to do the rear rim too since it was long ready for it.

replacing the tire so there was no need to tape it off.




(edit)
after the frame is done, I am never touching another one to paint ever again!!
Should have went with getting it sand blasted and powder coated but I want everything to be all done by me.
Since its my first bike, tear down, paint job etc

[Tombstones81]

update

took the top part of the motor off.

Wanted to do more like fill in the dents in my tank but those WRETCHED copper washers that have to be Screwed off were a real pain!!
or else this would have been a fairly Quick job with the manual.

just the cover off


same


top of pistons


bottom of the upper part of the engine


now I can finally take that and my front rim next pay to have them dang stripped bolts removed   

(edit)
and most of all.
Still having a TON of fun!