1st post, how ya doing?

[turbofb]

Hi guys, new to the forum, but I figured since all my bikes end up being builds/projects, this would be a good place to start.

So, I dont actually have a GS500 yet, although I have owned one (fixed/flipped it) . Thats kinda been my side project M/O for the last year, fix and flip broken or neglected bikes. I never really wanted a GS500 since I alrealy have a small bore standard in my GSF400. But this year I got the bug to build a custom,and Ive always liked the GS for being small,light and simple....and yet high tech enough to be modern. The frame is stout, yet takes a non-stressed member engine, the suspension is easily upgraded and the style is still pretty modern.The thing I never liked was the engine. Just adequate.... ya' know? Im sure Ill take a lot of flack, but I already have owned a ZX-12R, a 150HP FZR1000 and a TDM850, in addition to my GSF400,which is no slouch either. ...so I like a little more kick and character to my engines.
The GS500's engine just didnt speak to me, but Ive always admired the rest of the bike, so Ive decided to take on a project that has been in the back of my head for a while. My current fleet of bikes is lacking one thing.....a 2-stroke! Yep, my plan is to build a naked canyon carver much like my Bandit400 but with the sparten chassis of the GS500E,mated to a 3 cylinder GT380 engine. Small,light and simple will be the words of the day. Yes, I know it might actually be a DROP in hp from the stock GS engine, but the bike will be extensively stripped of all un-needed gear and all things remaining will be as light as possible. The GS chassis will be well suited to the 40 or so hp of the GT engine,and I dont plan to keep it totally stock either. Modern brakes, adjustable suspension, a good chassis,.....all things the 2 stroke bikes of the 70's lacked.

Heres my Bandit now, the GS380E project will follow similar lines with the suspension and brakes, but will only have what is completely necessary to be street legal as far as accessories are concerned.

[jacob92icu]

Welcome to the forum! Nice looking bandit. I don't understand if you don't like the engine in the gs500 then what do you think putting a smaller engine in and taking a bunch of weight off is going to do? Nonetheless, I'm still excited to see it! Good luck!

[weedahoe]

Welcome to the site

[turbofb]

Thanks.

Its not so much about power, more like character. Circa early 90's the GS500E was fully modern in every aspect, except the engine. Every time it went up againt the competition (EX500) it lost out due to its powerplant's antique roots. Far be it for me to come on the GS forum and bash though, thats not why Im here. But the engine is the one part of this bike that never really excited me.
Like I said, the GS twin is adequate, but lacks a good rush. Taking off weight helps in every aspect of performance,so losing 20-30 lbs from the basic weight of the bike will pay dividends all around. The triples of the 70's are smooth,snarling little things that love to be flogged, but never had a good chassis in which to do so with any confidence (except in a straight line). If you want a modern-ish  2-stroke, your limited to the RZ350, and I have enough Yamahas!
Two strokes are peaky and lack lowend, but keeping the engine in its sweetspot while carving up a road is half the fun. Im quite used to that aspect of riding, since the Bandit has nobody home below 8K rpm yet is able to kick out 60hp between 12K and 14K where it is happiest. My FZR makes serious power at all levels, so riding it fast requires only 1 or 2 gears.While that can be addicting, it makes for sometime boring rides. I was actually most bored with the ZX-12! Its was insanely fast,and even handled well for its size, but I (not everyone) couldnt use it ALL on public roads......sold it because it was redundant.

Like they say, "Its more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow!"

[Higgins13]

Welcome.

Im curious about your weight loss techniques. How can I lose 20-30 pounds from my bike? lol

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=62193.0

[turbofb]

Depends on how much you want to keep/spend!
It'll be kickstart only,so no need for starter,solenoid,wiring or a heavy battery. I run a Li battery in my Bandit that weighs about a pound. Starts up no problem, and its tiny. My 380 project will be able to use an even smaller,scooter type 12V battery since it will not be electric start. So, Ill lose the battery box under the seat and the switchgear on the right side. Lose the passenger pegs,grab bar and centerstand. Anything steel can be substituted with a aluminum replacement,.....sidestand,rear subframe, racing style gas cap, mirrors.....every little thing helps. Im hoping to find another aluminuim GSX-R400 swingarm like I have on the Bandit.
The stock GT380 is listed as being about 350lbs while the GS500 is about 390-ish.
Im not sure yet, but Im hoping the GT engine will be lighter than the GS twin which is a rather big engine physically. Seller listed the engine I bought as weighing just over 100lbs.
Exhaust will be 3-1 stainless which is much lighter than the factory GT pipes. Collected two-stroke exhausts boost lowend and midrange when done right,and that is important for responsiveness. Ill lose some topend, but thats OK since I dont want to prematurely wear out such an increasingly rare and pricey-to-fix engine.

Of course, there will be weight added too. Two-stroke oil tank, SV 650 rear wheel with a 160 tire (like the Bandit) and the requisite USD forks and big brakes (like the Bandit). Yes, the stock GS legs would probably be fine, but I rather like being able to brake with 1 finger in any situation, over and over again.

[xunedeinx]

Welcome!

I have been dreaming of a build like this for ages. Please, go for it, keep us posted, and help me with a roadmap should I ever get around to doing it!

[turbofb]

You got it.
Unless I hit a serious snag, this project will come to light. Ive never owned a vehicle that wasnt a project, from my Samurai to my Studebaker! And I always join a forum relevant to my build to share the knowledge and learn. Should have my engine by Tues or Wed, now I just need to find a beat up GS to strip for its frame.....

Seems that the old GT engines are pretty availible still, although condition seems to vary quite a bit. They sold a lot of those bikes through the 70's, but with 2-stroke multi's  being somewhat rare these days, I'm sure its getting costly to build cranks and find old exhaust systems.
I would have considered an RZ or Banshee engine for a more modern powerplant, but I really want a triple. I have a thumper,a twin,a pair of 4 bangers, a V-6 and two V-8s.......Just need a triple and maybe an old Audi 5000 and Ill have a straight! Too bad there isnt a 7 cylinder anything!

[Big Rich]

Signed up.

Where are you from Turbo?

[BockinBboy]

Liking every bit of this!  All sounds too promising not to subscribe.  Can't wait till you find your GS frame and see her transplanted powerplant.

- Bboy

[turbofb]

Im about 50 miles north of San Francisco.....Santa Rosa area.
Yea, its Wine Country. Cant say I drink the stuff, but there are lots of great curvy roads around here, from Hwy 1 along the coast, to St Helena Pass.
Im a heavy equipment mechanic and truck driver for a friend's rental company. Been there 18 years, so having access to welding and fabrication equipment is a big plus.

[cbrfxr67]

Nice ideas.  I hope you do it and post lots of pictures.  SOME people talk about doing engine swaps and never finish.  Talk about annoying,...

[BockinBboy]

Nice ideas.  I hope you do it and post lots of pictures.  SOME people talk about doing engine swaps and never finish.  Talk about annoying,...

  No idea who those 'some' people are...  cbrfx67



- Bboy

[turbofb]

Heres a little sampling of my projects over the years. Im not rich by any means, I just preffer to finish my projects, rather than loose interest, even if it takes a decade. Luckily, my gal likes my toys too....so while I built many of them in my twenties, I can still enjoy them in my thirties.

The Bandit.... GSX-R suspension, SV650 rear wheel,Busa brakes,Beet stainless exhaust and all the typical engine mods.Older pic.


Old pic of the FZR1000. Now has 94' Ohlins frontend,Fox twin clicker,R1 muffler,Corbin,all white paint on the tail and nose with a Fox-eye front fairing and all the typical engine bolt ons.


My TDM has no pics yet, but sports Shinko knobbies, R6 brakes,Corbin seat, the muffler off my FZR, full hard luggage(custom), grip heaters and a GPS......and yes, I take it off road regularly. Its our two-up machine since she got sick of riding on the FZR.

My RX-7......12 year project, 350hp smog legal EFI 13BT w/TO4B turbo, SelectMaz brakes, RB suspension, Mariah widebody,took Best in Show at Sevenstock in 2005. Currently being re-painted after a 5 year ordeal with Dupont.


My Samurai.....smog legal 2.8L Chevy V-6,TBI, 4-1 Dana300, 44's with lockers, 33's, discs, and all the good stuff needed to destroy the Rubicon Trail and still be civil on the street. Over 20K miles on it since 2004.Thinking of painting it Cat yellow since I am a diesel tech.


The  ZX-12R......sold. Mostly stock. Fun bike, insane power, but I preffer my old FZR. Still looking for a modern EFI bike to add to my collection.

[turbofb]

Heres a more recent pic of the FZR and TDM that she took.......

This is before the new frontend. Ive rode the hell out of this bike for over 10 years.....I bought that Corbin new!


The TDM is one of the greatest un-appreciated bikes ever made. Its heavier than a DP, but oh-so comfy and cheaper than a BMW.

[turbofb]

Hey guys!

Well, I finally got a bike to start my project, and I think I did pretty well. Its actually nicer than what I needed and I prob spent more than I should have. But I figure Im only going to use the frame and a few other parts, so the rest can be sold off to re-coup my losses. A black on gray 96' with only 10K miles! The last reg sticker was 1997! I dont know if its been sitting this whole time or if the newer stickers were peeled off, but it appears to have little use, just some weathering. Im gonna fire up the engine tommorow to determine its condition, then out it goes, along with almost everything else! If anyone needs good parts, just give me a shout and Ill check. Ill put up a post in the "for sale" section as I strip the bike if no one calls dibs. The whole frontend can go, along with the entire engine and eventually the plastics and seat, since Im going to fit a Ducati Mono-posto aluminum subframe/seat.  Still waiting on my GT380 engine, it got hung up with shipping but should be here in a week or so.......

[PatheticPuma]

Looks nicer than mine haha. Is the 2 tone on the engine from a gasket leak, or was part of the engine replaced? In assume the latter since the engine subframe bolts are gone.

[turbofb]

The numbers all match,so its the original engine. Might have been exposure,maybe it was partially covered.....Ill find out tommorow.
The guy bought it from the original owner, the pink says 5 miles at time of issue. He had it for less than 2 weeks and was going to fix it up after it had sat a long time, but was told by a bike shop that the tank was wasted, so he decided to cut his losses. It wouldnt start so he began to pull the engine to fix it........yea......prob just needs carbs cleaned. The tank doesnt look too bad inside to me, but Im going to use a Bandit 400 "jelly mold" tank for style.
Honestly, I would have rather flipped this bike since its so nice and just built up my other GS that needed a new engine....but that was last year and this is now.

[turbofb]

The engine runs great!
I didnt even drop the carbs, just left the drains open for a little while to flush the bowls. It started and idled nearly perfect, although the slides are a little stuck, the rpm's hold a bit before dropping.....no biggie. The oil is clean, gears all work and inside the clutch cover is all shiney.
So, barring any hold ups in the build, someone is going to end up with a very healthy 10K mile old engine. If the build cannot happen for whatever reason, she will get put back together, tuned and sold. There is no sign that this bike had been run or registered recently. The tank smelled horrible, although it holds gas and shows no signs of significant rot. The peg rubbers look new and the speedo works, so I know the milage is accurate. I think this bike just spent 16 years sitting after being ridden for its first year!

[jacob92icu]

Nice! Ship it to me if nothing works out 

Jkin! Have you bought your GT380 engine yet? I am eager to see the beginings of the build.