GS1000 head paint

[finchy4]

Good morning all.

It's time to tidy up the appearance of my "S", specifically the motor.

I believe that the heads were originally painted and mine is looking somewhat the worse for wear and oil stained (cam cover weep) which is well burnt in.

Can anyone recommend a VHT paint that matches the original finish? The ones that I have seen so far seem far too bright.

Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

David

[Nessism]

SP127 is very close.

[finchy4]

Unfortunately SP127 seems to be unavailable here in the UK.

[Rob S.]

Show us pics of your S. It might even help your search for a paint match.

[finchy4]

I have tried to load a picture from my phone but I get a message that the file is too large

[chuck hahn]

Order it off ebay if you can. Cure it in stages. Start engine and let it run till the cylinders startb getting pretty warm to the touch..maybe up to 10 minutes. Shut off and let cool. Start it again but now go maybe 15 minutes. Idea is to cure it in stages so it does not bubble on you. Then just a good spirited ride will set it good.

[finchy4]

I have looked on eBay but the postage cost(s) from the US are... interesting to say the least (as is the variable price of the paint).

Thank you Chuck for your curing method, that's very useful to know.

I'll keep on looking for a source here in the UK.

[finchy4]

1979_GS1000S_640.jpgAdvert picture of my bike from the dealership near Leeds and that was over twenty years ago.
It was a very nice ride down to sunny Eastbourne.

[Rob S.]

See many other similar models in your parts?

Is that how she looks today, aside from engine paint fade? If so, well done!

(It's not weeping oil, it's sweating horsepower. )

[finchy4]

Thank you for the comment Rob. She still looks essentially the same today as she did then. This includes the original paint job which could probably now do with a refresh but still looks good enough.

She was for many years my daily bike for commuting when I worked in London. These days she's taken out on a regular basis but no longer used daily for work.

The horns were replaced when they gave up the ghost some time back and she now wears RG500 mirrors after I caught some low life trying to remove the original ones (now tucked safely away).

She could do with a bit of a tidy up thus the hunt for a match on the engine paint.

I also have a stainless 4-2 standard looking exhaust to fit once the original system gives up. Not quite identical but close enough to keep me happy.

I have seen one other blue and white version locally (we get a fair few bikes here during the summer) and an immaculate red/white one but that was on a trailer. Not so many about these days.

I'd load some more recent pictures but they seem to be too large to post here.

[Rob S.]

But, aside from the engine crash bars, nothing added? So many riders take a beautiful bike like yours and hang saddle bags, and a trunk that looks like a BBQ. And a tank bag.

And music systems. And backrests. And highway bars. And pull a trailer. And...don't get me started!

[Grimly]

But, aside from the engine crash bars, nothing added? So many riders take a beautiful bike like yours and hang saddle bags, and a trunk that looks like a BBQ. And a tank bag.

And music systems. And backrests. And highway bars. And pull a trailer. And...don't get me started!

And fairings, don't forget the Mighty Windjammer.

[finchy4]

Absolutely nothing added Rob aside from some upgraded brake hoses.

I prefer it as is.

The crash bars were already fitted when I purchased her and proved their worth when some driver pulled out of line of traffic. GS 1 , car 0. The crash bars caught her bumper and pulled the lower front of her car clean off. No damage to the bike at all

[steve murdoch]

Finchy, could post a photo or two of the RG500 mirrors while on the bike.
I have read in the past that they "fit" the fairing fairly decently but are prone to vibration.
How have you found them?

[finchy4]

Good morning Steve.

The pictures I have exceed the limit for posting according to the message I get when trying to down load here.

I've sent you a PM on here with my contact details so I can send you some pictures directly.

If anyone can tell me how to resize them then I can try again. Be warned though that I'm a luddite when it comes to technology.

To be honest the mirrors don't give much of a better view than the standard ones did. Vibration doesn't seem to affect them badly though.

You do have to "sacrifice" the upper fairing brackets by drilling them out as the RG mirrors have fixed bolts rather than the separate ones with the GS ones. Slightly fiddly to fit though. Fortunately replica are easy to obtain.

HTH

David