Racing shitters

[The Spin Doctor]

He was slower than the bike, the side stand got more lean angle than he did.

Funniest line I've heard in quite a while

[Bigjawa]

GPZs are frigging quick, they just take off above 7k like a two stroke. Dunno about handling tweaks but younger me managed to wipe out the ends of the pegs on my one running BT45 Battlaxs.

Forget about the GS5, it's a plodder and the balance shaft will let go if you tev it too much.

Having owned both, the GPz was quicker, but the GS500E - the early 89 and 90 ones - with the claimed 54 horses weren't THAT far behind, and handled much better once the Biro springs at the front end were replaced with Progressives, and the rear shock modded with the same size one off the GSX600F, with a harder spring and better damping. My first one got despatched all over the UK, got ridden to the S of France on several occasions, did a few trackdays, and topped 138,000 miles before it dropped a valve.

Post 90, they got a bung in the exhaust to keep to new noise limits I believe, then there were carb mods, plus various little alloy bits like the fork brace turned to rusty steel. And the latter restyled GS500F was a horrid machine. I'd doubt they made much more than 30 hp as they wouldn't crack the ton (officer) and they also were significantly heavier which I suspect was down to low quality steel in items like the tank and frame, and low quality alloy in the wheels.

The ER5 was seriously detuned too, as well as incredibly fragile when dropped, as our trainees proved over and over. We soon put ruddy great wrap around crash bars on them so they rolled rather than crashed!

I had 3 GS500s. The first was an 89 and you're right, it was probably the quickest, but it got to about 50k then made the death rattle from the balancer. Second was a 2001 new reg but I suspected it was a far older model, I actually bought two because they were very cheap and rented one to a mate. My one got destroyed in the crash that ended my DR career, the other soldiered on for a while but it's now dead.

The third I bought off Bod on VD, more for a laugh than anything, it did the balancer shaft too. I still have the front wheel off it in my shed that I can't bring myself to skip.

[The Spin Doctor]

The first was an 89 and you're right, it was probably the quickest, but it got to about 50k then made the death rattle from the balancer... The third I bought off Bod on VD, more for a laugh than anything, it did the balancer shaft too.

You did stop revving it when the needle went into the red bit, didn't you??

I know these bikes got regularly thrashed as courier bikes, but honestly, we had well over a dozen at the training schools and they didn't give a moment's trouble.

[Bigjawa]

The first was an 89 and you're right, it was probably the quickest, but it got to about 50k then made the death rattle from the balancer... The third I bought off Bod on VD, more for a laugh than anything, it did the balancer shaft too.

You did stop revving it when the needle went into the red bit, didn't you??

I know these bikes got regularly thrashed as courier bikes, but honestly, we had well over a dozen at the training schools and they didn't give a moment's trouble.

That was the thing, the power tailed off long before the redline, they definitely didn't like the upper region of the rev range, it was all over by 9k even though it was redlined at 11. They also corroded to buggery and the studs that held the oil filter cover bolts always broke after half a dozen filter changes. I suppose it really was an overbored 1970s engine. The GPZ was basically half an RX engine and was much more modern. Although as a pure DR bike, the CB500 was better than both. One nasty habit the GS had from the factory was chafing the wiring loom on the steering head, not great with the amount of full lock the average DR did on a daily basis.

[ZRX61]

That was the thing, the power tailed off long before the redline, they definitely didn't like the upper region of the rev range, it was all over by 9k even though it was redlined at 11. They also corroded to buggery and the studs that held the oil filter cover bolts always broke after half a dozen filter changes. I suppose it really was an overbored 1970s engine. The GPZ was basically half an RX engine and was much more modern. Although as a pure DR bike, the CB500 was better than both. One nasty habit the GS had from the factory was chafing the wiring loom on the steering head, not great with the amount of full lock the average DR did on a daily basis.

So it should be good for around 65-70hp.... alas.

[Bigjawa]

That was the thing, the power tailed off long before the redline, they definitely didn't like the upper region of the rev range, it was all over by 9k even though it was redlined at 11. They also corroded to buggery and the studs that held the oil filter cover bolts always broke after half a dozen filter changes. I suppose it really was an overbored 1970s engine. The GPZ was basically half an RX engine and was much more modern. Although as a pure DR bike, the CB500 was better than both. One nasty habit the GS had from the factory was chafing the wiring loom on the steering head, not great with the amount of full lock the average DR did on a daily basis.

So it should be good for around 65-70hp.... alas.

Only rode an RX once and it didn't seem as quick as my 1100 Slabside.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

That was the thing, the power tailed off long before the redline, they definitely didn't like the upper region of the rev range, it was all over by 9k even though it was redlined at 11. They also corroded to buggery and the studs that held the oil filter cover bolts always broke after half a dozen filter changes. I suppose it really was an overbored 1970s engine. The GPZ was basically half an RX engine and was much more modern. Although as a pure DR bike, the CB500 was better than both. One nasty habit the GS had from the factory was chafing the wiring loom on the steering head, not great with the amount of full lock the average DR did on a daily basis.

So it should be good for around 65-70hp.... alas.

Only rode an RX once and it didn't seem as quick as my 1100 Slabside.

That's because they were less powerful and weighed more, they also handled like a pig on LSD

[KungFooBob]

I asked her indoors. She's up for it.

I asked Steve, he's renovating his house, booo!

I could do with selling the GSXR to make some room.

[ZRX61]

He was slower than the bike, the side stand got more lean angle than he did.

I came across one of those jackasses on Sunday in The Playground. Fucker was cruising along at barely 25mph in a 45 while he admired the scenery... AND he slowed for the corners. Every spot where I could have passed him I was stymied by oncoming traffic. I'm DEFINITELY fitting a fucking loud train horn to the truck after this...

Sloth4.JPG (235.78 KiB) Viewed 716 times

[The Spin Doctor]

That was the thing, the power tailed off long before the redline, they definitely didn't like the upper region of the rev range, it was all over by 9k even though it was redlined at 11. They also corroded to buggery and the studs that held the oil filter cover bolts always broke after half a dozen filter changes. I suppose it really was an overbored 1970s engine. The GPZ was basically half an RX engine and was much more modern. Although as a pure DR bike, the CB500 was better than both. One nasty habit the GS had from the factory was chafing the wiring loom on the steering head, not great with the amount of full lock the average DR did on a daily basis.

I'll be honest, my 90 model didn't corrode and I rarely cleaned it - my buddy's CB500 looked like it had spent several years in the North Sea after a couple of years. I never had any trouble with the oil filter either, even though it got a change every couple of thousand miles. It was still fine at 138,000 miles when it finally dropped a valve. The GPz was more modern but it was far more fragile - getting 50 or 60k out of one of those was luck - and with the 16 inch front wheel, the earlier ones were wobblers.

I wouldn't say no to a low mileage 89 or 90 GS500E even now, except it won't be LEZ compliant

[Tricky]

Obviously not legal for Bob's intended purpose, and doesn't look like a real shitter either IMO but this seems the most approriate place to put this-



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/167982342247

Best (or worst?) of both bikes?

[KungFooBob]

I'm still not sure, I like racing, but even racing a shitter is going to cost a big chunk of cash.

But then I have a beer and it becomes a great idea!

The moho might be a no go, so last night I was looking at panel vans. The wife says she doesn't mind a tent if the weather is nice, which is how we did it for my first season in Desmo Due.

Looking at next year's provisional calendar, there probably only 5 rounds I'd be up for, I really can't be arsed driving to Wales or Dover.

[Dodgy69]

Has anyone ever considered a forum race bike in the past. ? I suspect it would fail on shared responsibilities.

[Bigjawa]

That was the thing, the power tailed off long before the redline, they definitely didn't like the upper region of the rev range, it was all over by 9k even though it was redlined at 11. They also corroded to buggery and the studs that held the oil filter cover bolts always broke after half a dozen filter changes. I suppose it really was an overbored 1970s engine. The GPZ was basically half an RX engine and was much more modern. Although as a pure DR bike, the CB500 was better than both. One nasty habit the GS had from the factory was chafing the wiring loom on the steering head, not great with the amount of full lock the average DR did on a daily basis.

I'll be honest, my 90 model didn't corrode and I rarely cleaned it - my buddy's CB500 looked like it had spent several years in the North Sea after a couple of years. I never had any trouble with the oil filter either, even though it got a change every couple of thousand miles. It was still fine at 138,000 miles when it finally dropped a valve. The GPz was more modern but it was far more fragile - getting 50 or 60k out of one of those was luck - and with the 16 inch front wheel, the earlier ones were wobblers.

I wouldn't say no to a low mileage 89 or 90 GS500E even now, except it won't be LEZ compliant

That's the odd thing, I sold my GPZ with 75k on it and it was running perfectly, it wasn't even two years old at that point. It didn't get a particularly easy life apart from always being warmed up properly and well serviced. It's now owned by an ex of mine and she's had it for about 15 years. Its got well over 100k and it's as sweet as a nut if a bit faded, it was a 96/97 model with the 17 inch wheels and only a single disc.

[The Spin Doctor]

That's the odd thing, I sold my GPZ with 75k on it and it was running perfectly, it wasn't even two years old at that point. It didn't get a particularly easy life apart from always being warmed up properly and well serviced. It's now owned by an ex of mine and she's had it for about 15 years. Its got well over 100k and it's as sweet as a nut if a bit faded, it was a 96/97 model with the 17 inch wheels and only a single disc.

Ah. The GPZ500 and not the GPz500... at least I think that was the difference, apart from the 17 inch wheels. I think Kawa had fixed some of the issues, including beefing up the cam chain tensioner and making sure that magnets didn't come off the generator - that was what did for mine at about 70k, just after I'd had the cam chain done. Remember Tony Galea?

[The Spin Doctor]

Best (or worst?) of both bikes?

There was allegedly someone who'd bought a Norrumph at uni... this reminds me of that!

[Bigjawa]

That's the odd thing, I sold my GPZ with 75k on it and it was running perfectly, it wasn't even two years old at that point. It didn't get a particularly easy life apart from always being warmed up properly and well serviced. It's now owned by an ex of mine and she's had it for about 15 years. Its got well over 100k and it's as sweet as a nut if a bit faded, it was a 96/97 model with the 17 inch wheels and only a single disc.

Remember Tony Galea?

He was reputedly able to change a maggot cam chain in 30 minutes!