'89 GS500E First Bike Project (The Spartan)

[xunedeinx]

Do what you'd like with it, but please, don't turn it into a complete POS.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Look at my sig pic, that's my bike pre-inferno (I thought the flames would make it faster, psh).

Ripped off the fairings, debadged it, 89 clipons, integrated tail-light, crash bars, headlight (from adidas himself, btw), raised it with a gsf1k shock, sonic springs, 20w oil, good rubber, 15 front sprocket, etcetc.

It was sharp. Would make a purist probably roll in their grave, but it was not a butcher job.

P.S. I saved all the original stuff, still in my garage after 2 moves.

[IAmSpartacus]

Thanks for your understanding xunedeinx

On a side note, has anyone taken a close look at the OEM belly pan? That thing is the most asymmetrical piece of work I have ever seen. The right side is longer than the left side (to make room for the shift pedal)- that's understandable, but still weird. But the slits/air openings are different sizes on each side too! And the front dual openings with the chicken wire mesh? Yep, they aren't the symmetrical either. It's like the designers were drunk when they punched in the AutoCAD numbers that day. When it's on the bike you can't really tell, but dang, you'd expect better quality workmanship from the factory than that...

[xunedeinx]

Can you see both sides at the same time?

[adidasguy]

It is true the length of the sides of the belly pan are different.
I hadn't notice a difference in the front or side holes, though. Suppose there could be some difference.
I have a couple of those belly pans in my stash of parts. There were stickers on them originally with the aqua blue and black stripes, as the tail plastics originally had.

[IAmSpartacus]

It is true the length of the sides of the belly pan are different.
I hadn't notice a difference in the front or side holes, though. Suppose there could be some difference.
I have a couple of those belly pans in my stash of parts. There were stickers on them originally with the aqua blue and black stripes, as the tail plastics originally had.

Yeah, the pinstripes were aqua blue and navy blue (matching my factory tank), so I know it is in fact an OEM belly pan. I'll post a pic when I get home to show the noticeable size differences.

[adidasguy]

And please check on the threaded stand offs used on the headlight to hold the headlight cowling. Those should go with the cowling and be replaced with normal bolts holding the headlight.

[IAmSpartacus]

Here's my belly pan. Notice the different sized inlets/slits:



Here's the front intake. You can see the asymmetrical cuts, though they are minor:

And please check on the threaded stand offs used on the headlight to hold the headlight cowling. Those should go with the cowling and be replaced with normal bolts holding the headlight.

Yeah, I already took those off and will package them with the cowl. Thanks for the heads up though!

[adidasguy]

That's the way they are.
My 3 are all that way. You really don't notice it when on the bike.

[IAmSpartacus]

No, you don't notice while it's on the bike... But why on earth would you purposefully design it that way? Imagine a car that had asymmetric body panels and looked different on one side than the other. The only car that comes to mind that tried this was the Nissan Cube and that thing is the epitome of ugly.

[xunedeinx]

Hyundai Veloster

[IAmSpartacus]

Hyundai Veloster

What? It has symmetrical body panels, it just has asymmetrical doors. Trucks have done that forever. Anyway, I'll quit griping about it- it just struck me as odd.

I was able to sand down the exhaust pipe and shoot it with 2000* paint tonight. It had a touch of rust and a lot of white overspray on it. Will remount it tomorrow. (Sorry, forgot to take a before/after shot).

[IAmSpartacus]

Alright, so I've been making some progress. Here's the ever-so-slightly modified tail plastics. I just didn't like the harsh angle, so I rounded it off.

Before:


After:


Also, I've been trying to pull this dent out of the top of my tank. I've tried the hot glue trick and the BP cuff trick. Neither have been successful. Anyone have any suggestions?

[weedahoe]

Maybe take it to someone that does PDR and them use a few more skillful tricks

[mustangGT90210]

Whatever you do, don't weld a slide hammer to it! 


Don't ask, just don't do it. The metal on the tanks is so stupid thin you could probably flick it and leave a dent.



OH! Idea! Take your tank off, drain it, remove the petcock on the bottom, and you may be able to use a long screw driver or something to push the dent out from there

[jacob92icu]

You can try to get that dent out by heating up the metal pretty considerably with a hair dryer, then spraying really cool air on it, like key board cleaner etc.and the dent should pop out. Seen it done, never tried it myself.

[Zethioth]

You can try to get that dent out by heating up the metal pretty considerably with a hair dryer, then spraying really cool air on it, like key board cleaner etc.and the dent should pop out. Seen it done, never tried it myself.

I heard this also, a lot of people have tried it and it failed.

[Funderb]

worked for me:
gopro suction cup, or similar very good suction cup, right in the middle, yank sharp and hard.


in other news, when your bike doesnt start, punching it only makes things worse. My temper has taught me hard lessons. learn from others' mistakes! 

[jacob92icu]

I heard this also, a lot of people have tried it and it failed.

I have also heard that it fails sometimes, but the youtube vid I watched it worked haha.

[IAmSpartacus]

Yeah, well, the bike deserved getting punched 

I had planned on trying the dent puller suction cups for sure- but I have a lot of doubts regarding the heating/cooling method on a dent this large. I've seen it work on hail and similar sized dents, but this is a large surface area to try to heat and super cool all around the edges rapidly enough to pop it.

If all else fails, I will indeed resort to calling the PDR guys- but that option isn't nearly as satisfying.

[jacob92icu]

You dont want to try bondo at all?