1992 Suzuki GS500E Restoration. (PICS)

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RATFINK13

Whatever you are, be a good one.
Oct 24, 2015
234
398
I've posted this in 2 other forums now, figured since I'm here the most now, I'll post it here too. It will take me a while to post all of the pics but here's what I have for now.

Hello all, my name is Chris. I've been a long time lurker, I've owned my 1992 GS since 2001. If you want to know the history with this bike keep reading, if you don't give 2 shits that's fine too.

In the year 2000 my older brother bought the bike for I believe $1,200. My brother always loved anything with a engine, especially motorcycles.

So when he was 20 he decided to buy his first street bike, which was the 92 GS. I still remember when he got it, he came and woke me up and said come on, I have something to show you! He opens the gate to the backyard and there she was, in all her beauty. I of course was just as excited as my brother was, so he says come on I'll take ya for a ride, yes! I finally get to ride on a street bike! I was only 16 at the time.
So he takes me on a ride for about an hour, of course we're both loving it. We drive back , he then says go ahead take it around the block. I said no I can't ride this thing! I was scared, but of course it didn't take much convincing. So I hop on and take it around the block a few times, of course with a sh!t eating grin.

About 2 months later my brother overdosed on drugs with "friends", they were staying in a motel, and they left him overnight hoping he would sleep it off, they returned and he wasn't breathing and he was foaming at the mouth. The parmedics were able to revive him but he had severe brain damage. He was still there mentally, but couldn't talk, walk, or eat on his own. He stayed in a nursing home until he passed away in 2004 at the age of 24. My life hasn't been the same without my big brother, I'm 32 now.
I'm sorry this is a novel. So after the initial overdose my Mom gave the GS to a motorcycle shop to try and sell. It sat for many months and never sold. So my Mom and step dad went and picked it up. So then it kinda became mine. I started to ride it alot, illegally without a motorcycle license. But I loved every minute of it, I felt in a weird way, I owed it to my brother to ride it.
Well on Christmas night 2002 we were getting ready to go to a party, I told my Mom I was going to run down the road and back on the bike and then we could go. A couple weeks prior they re chipped our road, so there was still alot of loose gravel on the sides of the road, so I go down the road, and as I was coming back, the road curves, I was to close to the edge going 65 mph, the rear tire went, and I rolled and skidded with the bike into a ditch. At first I thought I was ok, then I looked at the bike and myself and realized different, no broken bones, but road rash from hell.

My step dad pulled it out of the ditch and put it in our shop. That's where it sat until now, 13 years later! I took the gas tank and carbs off shortly after the accident. So the good news is that it was never exposed to the elements all those years. I guess life, family, work, and money got in the way all those years, but it's time to restore her. It will be a good tribute to my brother, it will help mend a broken heart...a little. So I'll shut up now and start posting pics.

TLDR version, it was my brothers bike, I wrecked it in 2002, he passed away in 2004, time to restore it and pay tribute to my brother.

 

RATFINK13

Whatever you are, be a good one.
Oct 24, 2015
234
398
I had the frame, swing arm, rims, stands, and a few orher things powder coated.

 

RATFINK13

Whatever you are, be a good one.
Oct 24, 2015
234
398
Rims were powder coated, disc center I painted, and Pirelli sport demons for rubber.
 

b00ts

pews&vrooms
Amateur Fighter
Oct 21, 2015
5,599
8,635
Glad you brought this thread here. I was following it for a while at the other place.
 

ThatOneDude

Commander in @Chief, Dick Army
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
35,390
34,272
Man, really sorry about your brother. Really glad you kept the bike, this sho7ld be an awesome project!
 

Hired Gun

If You Only Knew What I Dooooo
First 100
Jan 16, 2015
1,104
2,317
I am as well. I want to see the finished bike BIG TIME
 

RATFINK13

Whatever you are, be a good one.
Oct 24, 2015
234
398
Thanks fellas, I appreciate the comments.
I'll keep posting pics.

Here are some of the things I've bought over the last while.

Here is the new exhaust, it's a 9 inch delkevic, a common replacement for these bikes that get good reviews.


New instrument cluster, I've painted it since this pic. Pics to come


New petcock


Bar end mirrors.


K&N air filter


Brake pads.


Carb jet kit


New All Ballz steering head bearings and races.


Blinkers


Cat eye brake light.


Yamaha R-6 rear shock.
 

RATFINK13

Whatever you are, be a good one.
Oct 24, 2015
234
398
Well I got the rear suspension hooked up and a few other odds and ends on. It's officially a rolling machine now.



 

RATFINK13

Whatever you are, be a good one.
Oct 24, 2015
234
398
That's going to turn out bad ass. I love bikes but the wife won't let me have one I'll stand up to her one day.
Lol, I hear ya man, if I hadn't had this bike so long I don't know if the wife would be to thrilled either.