2000 GS restomod into lazy scrambler

[struckjm]

Hey GSTWIN community. I am new to riding (MSF in June 2020) and new to GS (July of 2020).

I bought this thing:



And it was a bit of a 'barn find'. Had been sitting in a garage for 12-18 months. Had an inspection sticker that had barely expired. The tank was drained, the airbox was disconnected. The electronics and the gearbox seemed to work great.

[struckjm]

I have had some trials and tribulations. Based on what the seller told me, I figured I'd do some basics:
oil change
new sparks
new battery
fresh gas
reattach air box

and it would pretty much go.

It did not. I bought a compression gauge, and go 0 PSI. Ended up readjusting the valve clearances. Once those were all in spec, I got closer to 80-100 PSI. Did the oil test, got like 10PSI more... conclusion, the rings were blown.

Decided a full rebuild on a $750 bike wasn't worth it. Fast forward 4 months, I go out and buy an old Ducati Monster 600. It's fun, but a little intimidating. I decided to test the compression for esses and gees. Guess what? 90PSI (even though it runs great). My damn compression gauge was broke!

So I decide to return to my GS project. I take out the carburetor and buy an ultasonic cleaner. It looks (almost) brand new, and I find that the pilot jets cannot be extracted (screw heads stripped). I use a screw extractor on one, and break it off in the other! Anyways, my machinist neighbor was eventually able to save the day, and now I have REBUILT the carb with a lunchbox and 40/150 jets (it has the full vance and hines exhaust already, so I decided to lean in).

I haven't put the carb back on, because it's been constant snow, rain etc with temps between 25-45 since I got my carb back from the machine shop. But I am very hopeful, as it would almost run with the carbs that had been sitting for 18-24 months, and when I broke the carb down, the pilot jets were the obvious problem (so corroded I couldnt even extract them).

[struckjm]

The long term goal is to spend as little time and money as possible to get it looking like this, and running decent:

[struckjm]

Upgrades already:

Carb and lunchbox
Shorai LiFe battery

If the carbs make the engine run, the next plan is to get new tires (the ones it was on have dry rotted a long time ago). I am thinking Shinko 705 because they seem pretty solid on the road, and I doubt I will actually take the bike off the road hardly ever. I just want it to look more old school and a little mad max if ya feel me!

If that goes well, I want to clean up the tail. Chop a little off, new smaller seat, lose the fairings/plastic bits in the back.

I purchased a center stand, but haven't installed it. I suspect the old stand was removed to accomodate the path of the new pipes, but not sure.

[SK Racing]

Nice project. Best of luck.

I get you with the old skool/mad max look. With these bikes, it's easy to get that look.

Why do you want a center stand? I took mine off and bought a paddock stand for working on the bike. 

You'll probably have to lengthen the side stand with the bigger tires, but it's easy to do. Measure by how much to lengthen, cut it in the middle, find a short piece 'o pipe that fits inside, as well as a piece of 3/4" pipe for the outside and weld it together.

[struckjm]

I guess I could go with a paddock.

I have a center stand on the other bike, and it's a god-send. Maybe one thing I need to do is disconnect the sensor that makes it impossible to start or run the bike with the stand down.

[mr72]

If you do 150/70 and 120/70 Shinko 705s it will radically affect handling, and not for the better. Mine is borderline unstable it's so jittery. You have to run very, very high tire pressure just to keep it from feeling like it's going to constantly dump you off.

Looks? Seriously? With tires, which on a motorcycle are just barely enough at best to connect you to the ground? Dude. Get the right tires! I put 705s on mine because I needed a good gravel bike, but I would never run them unless I was riding on gravel or other light off road. The difference in grip and stability between proper road tires and the Shinko 705s is night and day.

Anyway, don't worry about getting it running right if you are modifying it for looks. Your instagram followers won't know if the bike can idle or start or run above 2k rpm. But you'll get all the likes with your poser knobby-look tires, no fenders and plywood seat.

[struckjm]

If you do 150/70 and 120/70 Shinko 705s it will radically affect handling, and not for the better. Mine is borderline unstable it's so jittery. You have to run very, very high tire pressure just to keep it from feeling like it's going to constantly dump you off.

Anyway, don't worry about getting it running right if you are modifying it for looks. Your instagram followers won't know if the bike can idle or start or run above 2k rpm. But you'll get all the likes with your poser knobby-look tires, no fenders and plywood seat.

Show us on the doll where Instagram hurt you.

But for real: seems like opinions on the efficacy of Shinkos runs the gamut. Tire websites have lots of positive reviews saying they are competent road tires, 80/20 use etc. But seems like 1/4 people on a forum, reddit or facebook are VEHEMENTLY opposed to this very popular high volume tire.

What makes it so bad? Especially when everyone says they are pretty good. Keep in mind, I am not taking this bike to a track.

[Bluesmudge]

What makes it so bad?

Just a guess: maybe for some people it was their first aggressive knobby tire on the street? If you are not used to how knobs feel on the street you will feel that it is squirly/mushy/heavy. That is not just this tire but all aggressive knobby tires on the street. My Continental TKC80s (great tire) make the GS feel like a boat compared to street tires. I have Dunlop D606s (another great tire) on another bike and it feels like you are riding over Gumby's dead body any time you change speed or directions. And don't get me started on knobby tires over grated bridges! Yikes.
Once you get used to the feeling the tires can take you amazing places on the dirt so its worth the odd street handling.


I'm on mr72's side when it comes to all the poor GS500 tail plastics and frames and front fenders that have been chopped and scrapped to make "scrambler" GS500s.

"Instagram hurt me here..."  [Bluesmudge points to heart]

Its not a scrambler, its a UJM. No amount of cheap Chinese Ebay parts and brown pleated seat fantasies will make it a scrambler. We have been through this with Cafe Racers, Street Fighters, Bobbers and sport bikes. Everyone is always trying to turn the GS500 into something it is not instead of accepting what it is. And with each style bandwagon we lose another crop of GS500 OEM parts.

If you want to ride dirt, swap the tires and be done with it. If you ruin the bike with too many mods that value appearance above utility you will never get to use the motorcycle as a motorcycle.

If you plan on removing that Corbin seat, Vance & Hines exhaust, OEM tail plastics or clocks, please make sure they go to a good home. Parts like the center piece of the tail plastics and the high beam lens are difficult/costly to find. The V&H exhaust is no longer made. That Corbin seat alone is $500+ to replace (if Corbin would even make one for the GS500 anymore).

[struckjm]

I get what your saying about each subsequent fad eating up more and more otherwise original GS500's. I honestly chose the GS500 as my first bike because they were so ubiquitous and cheap. Seems like there's always one for sale on Facebook for $1000. I know we love them, but let's be fair, the market doesn't cherish them the way the members here do.

I don't want to change much though. What I meant when I titled the thread 'lazy' was change as little as possible to make it unique and fun. I plan on keeping the V&H exhaust for sure. In fact I just rebuilt/rejet the carbs to make sure it was jetted for that. And I will keep the Corbin for a long time, or forever, if I can maybe shorten and light the tail end a little while doing so.

I thought the tires would be a lazy way of making it look a little different while not really making a major impact on performance.

"Aggressive Knobbies"
these?


I don't want to argue with anyone, I am sincerely asking. I have only rode street bikes on street tires. But these seems really tame for 'off road'. According to Shinko they are 80% street tire, and according to the customer reviews, they are decent street tires.
Hell, they gave newbies dualsports with actual knobbies at my MSF and nobody died.

[mr72]

the reason the Shinko 705 turn the GS500 handling from stable yet flickable on stock size regular stree tires to borderline unstable is about 90% because to get tubeless tires you have to go up in size so the tire is very round, doesn't fit the rim correctly, and 10% because of a relatively high center of gravity that accentuates the unstable contact patch. Now you could put stock size tires on if you want to put in tubes, and it would have much less effect on handling. They seem to have ok grip almost like a 100/0 tire but just don't fit right.

Shoot, maybe with tubes you could put Shinko 244s and get real knobby looks. IDK if they make a 17" tire in the right width. In 18s they are good on my dad's tu250x, but you'd never think of taking a corner fast on that bike because it won't do anything fast.

[Bluesmudge]

Oh those tires don't look that aggressive and should be fine. They look a lot like Trailwings which are an ok street/trail tire. I was looking at your previous photos that look more like a TKC80.

Based on what Mr72 is saying you are probably better off finding a tire that comes in a size that is closer to stock.

You may want to do what I did and purchase a second set of GS500 rims and keep street tires on one set and and knobbies on the other. Then you can do a more aggressive knobby that is actually going to get you something in the dirt. You can get a second set of used rims for like $150 or less on Ebay. Many parts for the GS00 are cheap and plentiful and that is one of the nice things about this otherwise mediocre but lovable bike.
The advantage of having two sets of rims is that you can easily compare how tires make the bike handle and you never have down time between tire changes.

[struckjm]

you're right. I have seen a few parts bikes for $300-500. I was thinking I could take a few choice parts off and re-sell and recoup my expense pretty quick.

I found these on Cycle gear. The rear is 150.

[struckjm]

So, I am new to motorcycle tires.

This is offered in 130 as well, but it doesn't specify whether tubeless or not for each size.



What's the deal with the tube? I will have them put on at a shop, won't bother doing myself. What are the pros and cons of tubes for the moto tire?

[struckjm]

So, my hunch is that the 130/80/17 rear is a tubed tire, is that right? I kinda think that sounds really close to stock size and kinda solves most of the problems, but I am waiting to be told why tubes are bad...

[SK Racing]

AFAIK the "TL" after 130/80/17 in the picture means tubeless.

Stock tires (from the owner's manual)
Front: 110/70-17 M/C 54H, tubeless
Rear: 130/70-17 M/C 54H, tubeless

And some trivial information: The biggest tire that will fit into the front fork is 130/80-17. (width-wise)

[mr72]

the 150 and 120 are what I have, and would not recommend. Too big.

The Shinko tires with TT are tube type. Tubes are just heavier, ride is rougher over tiny bumps, and you can't just plug a nail hole. That said, I'm not sure a 130/80 plus tube is heavier than a 150/70 without tubes. Main thing is getting the size right. GS500 doesn't need any more twitchy than it has stock.

I'd try the 130/80 if I had it to do over again. Wish this was the only problem, or even the worst, on my GS.

[The Buddha]

Hey GSTWIN community. I am new to riding (MSF in June 2020) and new to GS (July of 2020).

I bought this thing:



And it was a bit of a 'barn find'. Had been sitting in a garage for 12-18 months. Had an inspection sticker that had barely expired. The tank was drained, the airbox was disconnected. The electronics and the gearbox seemed to work great.

There are people who would pay real $$ for that corbin seat.
Cool.
Buddha.

[RedHead_Gez]

Not read through the entire topic, looked good before you done the work, absolutely loving the new look of it, especially with those tires.

[Armandorf]

There are people who would pay real $$ for that corbin seat.
Cool.
Buddha.

He, i was about to ask him if he still has it and for how much...
But i imagine it is way out of my budget