Potential Group Purchase - Wiseco GS650 741cc pistons

[Ace07]

Hey guys I think I am going to go ahead and get a quote for 10 sets of Pistons (40 total)on Tuesday, and then see about taking out a loan to purchase them. That way we can get them coming and once I get the invoice and everything I can calculate the cost of shipping and everything. That way we don't have to guess at how much money exchanges hands and we can get them coming. I have to wait until Tuesday, because the guy I am contacting at wiseco is out of his office until then. I think I will keep two sets for myself and then that will leave 8 other sets for you guys to buy. How does that sound to everyone? If you think we need more please let me know, or I will probably just get the 10 sets.

also I would like to get in on the MLS head gasket for the bike. Who is taking charge of that group buy?

[tkent02]

OK, one set for me please, and one MLS gasket when that gets going.

When you get your 40 pistons you could sort them by weight so each set has 4 pistons of the same weight. Got a precise scale?

[Old Colt]

I would expect the pistons will be boxed in sets and should be pretty accurate. Personally I would prefer an unopened box.

[roeme]

I'm interested in both pistons and gaskets as well, but it's way too early for me to commit to a buy.

I have quite a bit of research and preps left to do before I can undertake such a conversion. Also, I'm on the other side of the pond.

I expect you guys to document your conversions meticulously, with lotsa pictures.

[Chuck78]

*Ace07
*Chuck78
*Tkent02
*Frankenwabbit
*Old Colt
Boontonmike
Tooheys
charnotx
Rob.M (?)
drey6 (??? my local friend, not ready yet)

Okay so we have 8-10 interested buyers now, 5 of which have stated they are ready to buy now (need 2 more to get the preferred pricing).

Any more confirmations on people ready to go?
Boontonmike
Tooheys
charnotx
Rob.M (?)
drey6 (???) (EDIT: Not yet, Still waiting on insurance check from lady totalling his 86 ninja last fall)

Are you guys able to get in on this soon???

If this doesn't go through until the end of June, I may buy a 2nd set then.

*Ace07 (2 sets)
*Chuck78 (possibly 2 sets)
*Tkent02
*Frankenwabbit
*Old Colt
Boontonmike
Tooheys
charnotx
nerobro(?)
roeme (not ready yet)
Rob.M (?)
drey6 (my local friend, not ready yet)

Okay so we have 9 to 12 interested buyers now, 5 of which have stated they are ready to buy now (need 1 or 2 more to get the preferred pricing unless I buy 2 sets myself).

Any more confirmations on people ready to go?
Boontonmike
Tooheys
charnotx
nerobro(?)
Rob.M (?)
drey6 (???) (EDIT: Not yet, Still waiting on insurance check from lady totalling his 86 ninja last fall)


Ace07, ask Wiseco what the pricing would be if we got another 2-4 sets on top of that as well. I'd wait to get the first price, and then strategically add the higher quantity after the fact. Might get a better hookup on the quantity of 40 if you do it strategically like that.


I have yet to post on dotheton.com and caferacer.net but that may generate a slight but more interest yet.

[Chuck78]

The loan sounds like a good idea. If you get stuck with any sets, you can add a slight markup to them as a "service fee" or interest and resell them to stragglers who found the thread after the fact. Not very risky at all I'd say, as they are a unique item that will be quite in demand when the right people see them.



There's another gs650g parts bike in here at the local vintage Japanese salvage shop if anyone is struggling to find a 650 top end on ebay. I may go buy that 1 if they give me my usual preferred pricing on the not-as-fast-selling parts.

[Chuck78]

I posted on those other two forums with a wealth of info to attract other gs550/650 owners. I should have thought of that a while ago, but at worst, it may spawn a 2nd batch of these pistons to be made in the distant future.

[Ace07]

Ok I am really glad to hear that we are agreeing on this. If my memory serves me correctly, 50 pistons provided another price break. I will have to find out tomorrow. I will start by asking the price of just 40 pistons. I have not seen alot of activity out of the guys on the bottom of your list Chuck.

Old Colt: I will try to get you an unopened box, but I am not a 100% sure how they will send them. I am guessing each piston will have its own box, and I will just receive a few large boxes with smaller boxes in them. Ha ha ha

Trenkt: I should have a scale around here, so I am not to worried about that.

Chuck: Are you going to take the lead on buying the head gaskets?

[tkent02]

I'll do two sets if needed to get to the next price break.

[charnotx]

Yup, I'm still interested in the pistons and the gaskets. Also agree with Old Colt, I'd prefer the unopened,box for the set, but understand if that isn't what happens.

These are for a build that I'm slowly accumulating parts, not my current partial rebuild. That's why I haven't been rushed on getting them. I just don't want to miss out because I know how hard they are to get a hold of.

[Nerobro]

You've got my interest. I wasn't able to find the price.. how much are these going for?

Edit: Oh, I see, first post, about $500. I'm game.

[tkent02]

$500 for a set of four, unless we get to the next price break...

[Chuck78]

$500 for a set of four if we have 3 to 6 sets made. 7 sets made gets us $380-400/set of 4 (25+ pistons)
Sounds like 50+ will get us a further price break. I'm sure those would sell eventually if some of us bought 2 sets and held onto 1 or resold 1. Or if Ace07 bought a few extra with a loan if that is what he decides. How fast future buyers would come through with the deal after buying extras is anybody's guess. Amy extra sets would eventually all sell to stragglers who discovered this later in the game.

[Chuck78]

When I get some free time later I will touch base with cometic. I believe I do have a used gs650 head gasket. Do they have the viton seals around the outer corner stud holes that are oversized to double as oil supply feed passages? If so, then the MLS gasket likely needs to replace the viton seal, so the hole in the oem gasket (w/o the oil seal gasket that is removable) would be larger than we want in the mls.

On the GS1100G MLS gasket that supercedes the part number for the original gs850 & gs1000 gaskets, thoSE original obsolete superceded gaskets had a viton insert that goes into the rear outside corner oil stud holes for oil pressure feed sealing. The MLS gasket that superceded them did not, just more s.s. spring steel gasket material there (hole in gasket was same size as hole in removable viton oil passage seals that inserted into larger hole in gasket).
I cannot recall the gasket hole size around the area of the rectangular cam chain tunnel o-ring seal area on the mls vs the original. I believe I still have the original wrapped in foil tape as a paint masking guide for painting the blocks. I do not have an uninstalled GS1100G gasket, as it went on my gs750-920cc build. I will check to see if the local shop has one, or buy a spare on ebay.
Basically need to see the diameter of the rectangular opening on the MLS to compare to see if it is any smaller than the original gasket that used the long rectangular cam chain tunnel o-ring.

The 650 gasket I have I recall had some sort of reddish orange coating on it. The color of a lot of high temp hvac silicone sealants and high temp hoses used in furnaces. Heck, maybe this is already an MLS type gasket? I'm babbling on without having the basic facts in front of me... I'll dig up that hasket. Not sure if it's oem but an ebay search will show me.

[Nerobro]

Yes, there are rubber gaskets in the corners for oil supply. The stock 650 headgasket does have some sort of sealing coating on it.

I was about to sell my 5/650 conversion... I may need to keep that around now...