My first bike, winter fix up thread

[donimo]

Just wanted to start a thread chronicling my first bike and what I can do to make it better over the first winter.

Yes, I know it is a long time till winter still, but I won't be riding it (much) this year anyways, so the work starts now.

Warning: I have just had my first kid, so the progress will be slow for a while. But I doubt this is that exciting for vets anyways, and I may just be talking to myself right now haaaaa...hello?

Anyways, here is the "as delivered" state of my bike, it is actually rougher in person, the pipes are really pitted, crashbars are scratched and the black paint is rough in a few places. plus the tank fade is reaaaaaly bad.

[donimo]

I polished up the pipes pretty well, better than expected.

Ordered some Cheng shin HiMax tires (ah thank you GSR!), thats whats on the front now anyways, the back is a Metzler, but one is 18 years old, the other is 9 so.... too bad as they have tons of tread left.

The tail light lens was held on with one screw and some wishful thinking. I replaced it with 4 new stainless ones I had around, seems the reflective part inside is melted above the bulb, common?

Drove it around the block. First time on an actual bike. Didn't stall it once and my house is on a really steep hill. I am proud of myself and I don; care what you think thhpt. I got it into 3rd and came home. Very addicting. I hate my moped now.

[bonanzadave]

Those bikes really look like mini 1100s. Good luck with the project.

[jola]

What did you polish the pipes with?

[donimo]

SOS pad and Turtle wax chrome polish. Worked REALLY well. There were rust spots almost an inch across that just scraped off leaving a tiny little grey dot the size of a pin head, awesome.

Not perfect, but considering the investment it is sweeeeet

[spyug]

Congrats on the new ride. A little off topic but you have a new family and you need to be a responsible dad so I wanted to suggest a few things:

1. Don't be tempted to ride the bike until you know it is mechanically fit. You're getting new tires, make sure the brakes are in good shape too. If the bike has sat for any length of time you will need to do a fluid flush and change at a minimum and may need to change pads as well. You could have corrsion in the calipers and master cylinders so rebuilds might be in order too. Not hard and lots of info available.
2. Riding a GS is not like riding a moped so you need to take some instruction. The MSF type courses are likely shutting down soon but get signed up for next year. Check your local community colleges. In the meanwhile, over the winter pick up the Proficient Motorcycle series (2 books) David L Hough available from good books stores. I read mine cover to cover every winter.
3. Invest in good gear and wear it all the time. At a minimum, a full face helmet, leather gloves, leather or textile jacket, jeans and over ankle boots.

Not to harp but your family is going to need you around, so look at the big picture. M'c riding is dangerous. Lots of guys get out of it when the family arrives. I'm not saying that just do all you can do to be around for them.

Enjoy the new ride.
Stay safe.

cheers,
Spyug

[NetBSD]

good luck on the build this winter. i have a 9 month old daughter and she gets 90% of the extra money. not to mention make sure you have a real good car or truck for getting around. if something is going bad on it do that first....

[groundshock]

Thats a really nice looking little bike. Good Luck.

[donimo]

I am riding my bike ONLY for commuting to work, and the speed limit is 60km/hr max, which is why it has taken so long to upgrade to a real motorbike. Moped does 80.

And to be fair, riding a GS is a lot like riding my moped just a bit heavier (200lbs vs 380). At least as far as keeping it under 70km/hr goes.

I am taking the MSF course, it will be next spring most likely, but it might be this fall.

Just bought a brand new Teknic Chicane jacket, Belstaff gloves, already had a full face and with size 15 shoes its going to have to be sneakers unfortunatly. I may try to find some hikers or something, but my workboots are waaaay too big to fit between the peg and the shifter cause the steel toe adds at least a couple inches to the height of the boot.

But again, I have bit it a couple times on my moped (both times not my fault, both times the other idiot in the car got away scot free, nice) with no gear at all but a helmet and mechanix gloves. 30km/hr doesn't hurt too bad .

I have no desire to ride on the highway, I want to see my daughter grow up. No one beleives me when I say this, but I will never ride on the highway, backroads get me most places and my car gets me to the rest.

I have a 2003 subaru, thing is a tank, no worries there.

[NetBSD]

i wear steel toes all the time, you will never see me in sneakers, size 11 1/2 herman survivors and i have no problem shifting. the shifter is adjustable

[donimo]

hmm, well thats ANOTHER thing that ain't in my manual, how do you make the shifter accomodat bigger feet?

cause I have some giant work boots I dont actually need...

[rudy]

Funny you guys talk about steel toed boots. The instructors in my MSF told us that wearing workboots is a bad idea. They said try kicking a cement wall with them on and see how it feels. Dunno what their point was , but I know kicking a cement wall steel toed or not, still hurts a helluva lot.

I have a bigfoot shifter on my XS650. MILES better than the short stock one. XS400 has rearsets that I made myself, so they're made for my feet (13's. I know, baby feet compared to Mr. Bigfoot 15's ). Dunno what I'm gonna do with the GS yet, but IF I can make a bigfoot shifter fit, I'll put one of them on.

Bigfoot shifters are available from Mike's XS http://www.mikesxs.net/mikesxs-chass...ategory_id=1.4 right down near the bottom of the page. Will see if the splines match up with my GS1000 tonight.

[spyug]

They used to say that steel toed boots are dangerous as the boot can get bent and possible amputation of toes can result (from the edge of the toe cap). Mythbusters disproved this.

The only problem I can think of might be getting the laces caught on the shifter or brake pedal and there is no "feel "on the shifter side as they are somewhat clunky. I have a pair of Sketchers I bought for the bike specifically but I didn't find them comfortable and they are heavy compared to my Alpinestars.

The good thing, if you did go down, would be they'll stay on your feet (if laced tight) and if the bike falls on your lower leg you'll likely not fry if in contact with the pipes.

Better than running shoes or the street shoes I saw a guy wearing today.

Ride safe all.
Cheers,
Spyug

[donimo]

I have a bigfoot shifter on my XS650. MILES better than the short stock one. XS400 has rearsets that I made myself, so they're made for my feet (13's. I know, baby feet compared to Mr. Bigfoot 15's ). Dunno what I'm gonna do with the GS yet, but IF I can make a bigfoot shifter fit, I'll put one of them on.

Bigfoot shifters are available from Mike's XS http://www.mikesxs.net/mikesxs-chass...ategory_id=1.4 right down near the bottom of the page. Will see if the splines match up with my GS1000 tonight.

Thanks mang, those look PERFECT if it fits, I find the the shifter way too short, have to put my foot further back on the peg than I want fo sho, hopefully it fits!!

[donimo]

They used to say that steel toed boots are dangerous as the boot can get bent and possible amputation of toes can result (from the edge of the toe cap). Mythbusters disproved this.

The only problem I can think of might be getting the laces caught on the shifter or brake pedal and there is no "feel "on the shifter side as they are somewhat clunky. I have a pair of Sketchers I bought for the bike specifically but I didn't find them comfortable and they are heavy compared to my Alpinestars.

The good thing, if you did go down, would be they'll stay on your feet (if laced tight) and if the bike falls on your lower leg you'll likely not fry if in contact with the pipes.

Better than running shoes or the street shoes I saw a guy wearing today.

Ride safe all.
Cheers,
Spyug

I tried the boots, no go, way too big, they have a rubber toe cap thing on them that makes them huge thick there.

If I can't find boots, maybe some ankle high hikers or something, like timberlands maybe?

I wish I had 13's man, almost all shoes and boots go to 13, maybe 14, but 15 is apparently not worth their time (even though every shoe place I have ever been too says the same thing, "we had a few pair but they fly off the shelf before we can put them up", SO MAKE MORE, jeez supply and demand guys!)