Gs500

[Mekanix]

New project starting in the next few days. $500 is what I'm paying for it. Pickup on Friday hopefully if weather is good.
Funny thing is I only paid 400 for my other bike 1$ per cc works for me.

1989 GS500E with 88000km



After first view I noticed it needed:

Mirrors
Battery
ignition switch
seat latch
center tail plastic
center stand
ignitor cover
All electrical cleanup
valve cover gasket
gauges (fadded)
tires (45% life left)
paint
lots of corrosion cleanup
carb rebuild
cable lube (frozen cold)
plugs
oil & filter
filter or pods and jet kit
exhaust strip weld and paint
gear selector and selector shaft ( its welded on)
Gas tank looks like black death inside
gas cap with matching key
seat latch release mechanism

I'm really picky though.

Allot I can fix but the reason I jumped on it is because I found a local guy with a parts lot full of 500's and 80% of what I want and need for under $50.

I plan to install modern handle bar triple trees and upright bars
The spare dyna rev limiter I have laying around could go in this thing.
Checking to see what I can get done for cam's, valves and porting.
Checking on availability for pistons, big bore kits, gaskets etc.
Thinking of wrapping the plastics and tank in vinyl.

Looking for idea of what to do to with it.

I'm thinking with 88000 km It's almost due for a complete rebuild.

[pete]

Cool, another twin! A bit more modern but still the same basic motor... nice!

As much as I hate to steer you from here... there are plently over on gstwins.com that do funky stuff with these motors, so you might get some good ideas there too.

Keen to see how she goes though!

How's that beast coming along?

[Mekanix]

I've been there. Have an account but I don't get the same vibe or interest or even reply's over there. I find it much more welcoming here.
I'm going to add a few things to it that only the older gs' s had. Like the gear positioning and wiring.

Ran into an issue with the beast and had to send the head back to Ray. I couldn't get enough valve recess clearance into the piston and set the cams where I wanted to. So he's droping in some new shorter better valve guides and sinking the valves into the head.

[tkent02]

I'm thinking with 88000 km It's almost due for a complete rebuild.

I would have thought they would last as long as an older GS?

[ben2go]

I own nothing but GS500E's.Congrats on the find.

[pete]

Cool, I only meant as an addition to here, although yes it's definitely not the same vibe over there.... in fact it's completely different to here, not necessarily bad, just different.

Bugger on the head but hopefully it can get sorted and the beast can be a runner...

[jpaul]

I doubt it needs a complete rebuild, unless it's been flogged mercilessly and not maintained. My dad gave me his 97 GS500 with 80,000 miles on it, and I go another 8,000 miles before the valves could no longer be adjusted in spec. His current 2001 GS500 has over 90,000 miles on it and is still running strong. He keeps the valves adjusted on the loose side of the spec, and changes the oil regularly.

[Mekanix]

I own nothing but GS500E's.Congrats on the find.

Thanks. So what do I look out for?



Here's another pic

I doubt it needs a complete rebuild, unless it's been flogged mercilessly and not maintained. My dad gave me his 97 GS500 with 80,000 miles on it, and I go another 8,000 miles before the valves could no longer be adjusted in spec. His current 2001 GS500 has over 90,000 miles on it and is still running strong. He keeps the valves adjusted on the loose side of the spec, and changes the oil regularly.

I'm thinking at least valve seals, valve cover gasket, and maybe shims although PO said it was done recently
We'll see when Its running.

88000 miles and the valves or valve seats were done ?
Do you replace the valves or go larger in that case?

[jpaul]

It was easier for me to replace the whole engine. I found one on ebay that was only $400, & close enough to pick up. When I tore the other engine apart, the cylinder walls were in perfect shape. Apart from the vavle seats and clutch plates, which were getting close to being used up, the engine ran fine. The only thing that kept me from trying to sell it was the fact that the lower front mounting bolt was corroded in place. My dad used it as a winter beater for a couple of years after he got his 2001. I put another 30,000 miles on it after I swapped the engine. Parted it out after the 2010 riding season because it needed carbs, & my wife was interested in getting back into riding with me. A GS500 was not made for two up riding for people of our size.

[Mekanix]

Sounds good.


Well I tore into it tonight and man do I need allot of parts
!

Things started off with breaking all 4 exhaust studs.
3 of them flush and one with an inch sticking out.

Any good ideas to remove them ? I could use an easy out if I could drill them but what ever bolts were in there are very hard.

[pete]

That's a definite no to an easy out! I broke one off trying to remove a stripped head philips screw in the crank case, no way would they be strong enough to budge stubborn exhaust bolts!

I say hit it with some heat to break any bond, maybe a few good solid whacks with a punch and hammer as well, then try the left hand drill bit trick...

[Mekanix]

I managed to drill 1 out. At least I know that one's not hard steel.
The other 3 I haven't tried but I don't think my easy outz are any good.
Going to remove the engine to do one of them at least.


On another note. Should I paint or powdercoat everything?

[Mekanix]

And the list of things to do and parts to get is getting looooooooooooooooger

tripple tree + normal handlebars
seat latch
speedometer/tach
gage bucket
gage face cover paint
idiot lights
battery
shifter
mirrors
ignition key switch
petcock
center stand+
brake lever
clutch lever
exhaust can rattles??
exhaust hanger gromet
headlight bulb
rear caliper cover
front break pads
exhaust studs broken
weld holes in exhaust
spark plugs
head gasket
piston rings
valve seals (got them)
intake boots seals (got them)
clutch cable
exhaust gaskets
front and rear fuel tank cushion
450's Gear position selector
Rev limiter
powdercoat frame, swing arm, rim's, lower forks.
Various electrical connectors
clutch lever switch ( for rev limiter )


So far its now torn down to 2 tires, a frame and an engine. All else is removed and in storage bins. Every bolt is loose and ready to go.
I still have to drain the oil

One thing I did notice is that There are allot of things that would be a direct swap to a 400 or 450.

All ignition parts and coils

Almost all engine parts EXCEPT head, pistons, And something I just found out is that the Gear selector drum is backwards compared to the 400's and 450.

I think the carbs and boots are a direct swap for the 450's . boots are too big for the 400's but mine with the porting would take the 500's boots now.


All upper controls could swap over to the 450's easily and hey you could install the choke cable with it.

So I think if parts are hard to get for the older 450's and the like you could go with any newer 500's control's

pics soon.

[pete]

Wow that's a serious list!

It's good to see confirmation of the compatible parts too. I still have yet to see someone actually put a GS500 ignition setup into a 450 but from everything I've seen it should be a no brainer. Good to see some confirmation... although a check of the advance curve/spec's would still be good to be sure.

I'm not surprised the gear selector's reversed actually after riding with a GS500 the other week. They don't have the heim joints and linkage and instead the lever acts directly on the shift shaft, which would definitely require a reverse action.

I have definitely seen someone on here successfully do a direct swap with 450 and 500 carbs though, so you're right on that one.

[Mekanix]

RR and stator are also a direct swap and the RR seems to be a better design with scr's on each of the phases.

The ignition advance curve is in the manual for the 500's
Its 12 degrees before 1200 and 40 degrees after 4000.
The 450's are 20 degrees below 1650 and 40 after 3500.
That's pretty close.


And if you got a newer style ignitor and put a throttle position sensor on the carbs it would use that too.

Speedo and Tach would be the same I would imagine. Physically they look identical but I'm only assuming on the gear ratio.



New list + = Got it already
--------------------------
triple tree +
shifter+
handlebars +
seat latch +
petcock+
center stand+
brake lever+
ignition key switch+
petcock+
center stand+
brake lever+
clutch lever+
Whole exhaust+
ignition key switch+
petcock+
center stand+
brake lever+
rear caliper cover + 13.36 New
front break pad +
ignition key switch+
exhaust hanger gromet+ 5.24 New
exhaust hanger colar+ 5.97 New
Master cylinder+
foot pegs?
speedometer/tach
guage bucket (kijiji)
Replace idiot lights with led's
led turn signals
battery (70-80$)
mirrors ( 10.00 each)
headlight, H4 (have that)
foot pegs?
spark plugs.
head gasket 28.57
0-rings for head gasket 4x 6.01
valve seals (got them)
clutch cable
exhaust gasket seals
front fuel tank cushion 6.78
side tank pads 2x 5.82
450 Gear position selector (would someone happen to have one laying around? )
Dyna Rev limiter
grommet around gauges
piston rings 53.11