First bike ever, £500 GS500. Need mechanical advice already!

[RicardoMel]

Turned 25 recently been yearning for a bike ever since I sold my 50 at 16!

Finally scrimped for my DAS and bike and I've been cruising with a smile on my face ever since.

Details:

Suzuki GS500ev

1997

48000 miles

£500

Absolute beast! (Ha)

Took it into my local garage today for a free inspection and came back with the following:

Rear tyre tread low

Excessive clutch play

Notchy headrace (minimal)

Front wheel bearing rough, front wheel spacer fitted wrong way

Front pads low, front + rear discs worn

Chain and sprockets worn (really bad)

Revs rise on full lock right

I am on a serious budget so I asked which of these things he recommended getting ASAP.

Fitted price

Chain and sprockets £154

Rear tyre £110

Front pads £50

Front wheel bearings £50

My question is which of the things above should I really leave to the garage and which should I do myself? My mechanical experience is OK but I don't have specialist tools and would be doing all of these things for the first time minus things like adjusting the clutch and throttle cable

Thanks in advance all!

[Stu]

is that a price separately or all together?

just wondering if it would be cheaper if he did the lot seen as though most of it will be apart

personally I would buy the tools and do it yourself

you will have the tools for life then

ps whats your location

[RicardoMel]

is that a price separately or all together?

just wondering if it would be cheaper if he did the lot seen as though most of it will be apart

personally I would buy the tools and do it yourself

you will have the tools for life then

ps whats your location

 

Yeah that's kind of the way im leaning to be honest

[RicardoMel]

Oh and location is plymouth

[eastanglianbiker]

well wheel bearings are less than £20 and so are head race bearings shop around for tyre and same for chain and sprocket set and do it yourself apart from the tyre fitting onto the rim easier to get a shop to do that bit

[RicardoMel]

well wheel bearings are less than £20 and so are head race bearings shop around for tyre and same for chain and sprocket set and do it yourself apart from the tyre fitting onto the rim easier to get a shop to do that bit

 

Any good bearing brands?

[Scud]

well wheel bearings are less than £20 and so are head race bearings shop around for tyre and same for chain and sprocket set and do it yourself apart from the tyre fitting onto the rim easier to get a shop to do that bit

 

Any good bearing brands?

 

All balls are good brand, wheel bearings are easy to do, head race are a bit harder as you need the front end out before you get to them.

[eastanglianbiker]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ALL-BALLS-FRO ... Swq7JT~z8G

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUZUKI-GS500- ... XQSnVRaIcZ

[fq-craigus]

Rear tyre tread low

Excessive clutch play

Notchy headrace (minimal)

Front wheel bearing rough, front wheel spacer fitted wrong way

Front pads low, front + rear discs worn

Chain and sprockets worn (really bad)

Revs rise on full lock right

Thanks in advance all!

 

I'll be honest all of this is diy

You only need basic tools for these things. Throttle adjustment for revs rising, clutch adjustment worth a try before cable is replaced. That's the free stuff.

Chain and sprocket will prob set you back about £80 and there is plenty of how to vids online it's really simple.

Bearings again are simple just methodical and you need your patience along with a big hammer and a drift.

The tyre you should prob get done by a garage, unless you have all the levers etc, I do my own as I begrudge paying for something I can do myself.

Pads again are child's play and cheap enough online.

All needs doing imo, bearings only get worse and the last thing you want is not he steering at slow speeds, tyres are self explanatory.

A chain snapping leads to an effed up day, and brake failure well........

[RicardoMel]

Cheers for the advice everyone glad I asked!

Have ordered the chain sproket pads, front all balls bearings and EBC pads,. Il get the tyre done elsewhere. Discs are quite expensive so I'm gonna have to have a look at the! And see about going to a breakers

[Classickid21]

Hello

1st thing where are you located ? i am off the road at the moment but if you aren't too many miles away i don't mind popping down to give you hand with some of the items. its all helps

Rear tyre tread low ---- Legal limit on a MOT is 1mm

Excessive clutch play ---- try adjusting the cable or lever.

Notchy headrace (minimal) ---- will come up as a Advisory but its is an issue that can be sorted after a couple hours of dismantling

Front wheel bearing rough, front wheel spacer fitted wrong way------remove the wheel clean the bearings,should have Rs or Ms on the bearing copy the number look online various shops usually cost pennies to sort. and once the wheel is of 30-45 min job some times less.

Front pads low, front + rear discs worn----pads various Try wemoto online quite reasonable Disc's worth buying new

Chain and sprockets worn (really bad) ----- various place from £45-150 just shop around

Revs rise on full lock right -- snagged cable reroot the throttle cable (will come up on MOT)

I am on a serious budget so I asked which of these things he recommended getting ASAP.

Fitted price

Chain and sprockets £154 ---- found on EBAY £50 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-GS-500 ... Sw3ydVpRT-

Rear tyre £110 -- 110 its not wide but its affordable £47 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-GS-500 ... SwuTxV-B-N

Front pads £50---- from £7- brembo £35 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-GS-500 ... XQlgtS5oOw

Front wheel bearings £50--- various from Pdi £5-10 or Koyo bearings £15.69

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-GS500- ... lVyPL1E5ew

Here is a couple examples there cheap might find things cheaper browsing google, or buy two wheels fit the bearings and tyres and the disc's then when your ready fit them to the bike.

[RicardoMel]

Hello

1st thing where are you located ? i am off the road at the moment but if you aren't too many miles away i don't mind popping down to give you hand with some of the items. its all helps

Rear tyre tread low ---- Legal limit on a MOT is 1mm

Excessive clutch play ---- try adjusting the cable or lever.

Notchy headrace (minimal) ---- will come up as a Advisory but its is an issue that can be sorted after a couple hours of dismantling

Front wheel bearing rough, front wheel spacer fitted wrong way------remove the wheel clean the bearings,should have Rs or Ms on the bearing copy the number look online various shops usually cost pennies to sort. and once the wheel is of 30-45 min job some times less.

Front pads low, front + rear discs worn----pads various Try wemoto online quite reasonable Disc's worth buying new

Chain and sprockets worn (really bad) ----- various place from £45-150 just shop around

Revs rise on full lock right -- snagged cable reroot the throttle cable (will come up on MOT)

I am on a serious budget so I asked which of these things he recommended getting ASAP.

Fitted price

Chain and sprockets £154 ---- found on EBAY £50 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-GS-500 ... Sw3ydVpRT-

Rear tyre £110 -- 110 its not wide but its affordable £47 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-GS-500 ... SwuTxV-B-N

Front pads £50---- from £7- brembo £35 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-GS-500 ... XQlgtS5oOw

Front wheel bearings £50--- various from Pdi £5-10 or Koyo bearings £15.69

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-GS500- ... lVyPL1E5ew

Here is a couple examples there cheap might find things cheaper browsing google, or buy two wheels fit the bearings and tyres and the disc's then when your ready fit them to the bike.

 

Much appreciated! I live in Plymouth so quite far if your in Sussex. I'm gonna have a go at this myself I need to get some tools and a garage sorted and have a crack asap

[RicardoMel]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/599Pcs-Tool-S ... Sw3KFWgUnz

Can anyone tell me if this is a good kit to buy for motorcycles as I have no tools

[eastanglianbiker]

that set will be made of chinese crap metal sockets will break everything is almost worthless in it .............think about it that a 600 piece took it for less than one pence for each item it doesnt take a genius to figure it out,you are better off looking at quality sets from halfords or somewhere like that,if you buy the halfords professional tools they come with lifetime warranty as well

[Classickid21]

Hello

1st thing where are you located ? i am off the road at the moment but if you aren't too many miles away i don't mind popping down to give you hand with some of the items. its all helps

Rear tyre tread low ---- Legal limit on a MOT is 1mm

Excessive clutch play ---- try adjusting the cable or lever.

Notchy headrace (minimal) ---- will come up as a Advisory but its is an issue that can be sorted after a couple hours of dismantling

Front wheel bearing rough, front wheel spacer fitted wrong way------remove the wheel clean the bearings,should have Rs or Ms on the bearing copy the number look online various shops usually cost pennies to sort. and once the wheel is of 30-45 min job some times less.

Front pads low, front + rear discs worn----pads various Try wemoto online quite reasonable Disc's worth buying new

Chain and sprockets worn (really bad) ----- various place from £45-150 just shop around

Revs rise on full lock right -- snagged cable reroot the throttle cable (will come up on MOT)

I am on a serious budget so I asked which of these things he recommended getting ASAP.

Fitted price

Chain and sprockets £154 ---- found on EBAY £50 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-GS-500 ... Sw3ydVpRT-

Rear tyre £110 -- 110 its not wide but its affordable £47 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-GS-500 ... SwuTxV-B-N

Front pads £50---- from £7- brembo £35 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-GS-500 ... XQlgtS5oOw

Front wheel bearings £50--- various from Pdi £5-10 or Koyo bearings £15.69

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-GS500- ... lVyPL1E5ew

Here is a couple examples there cheap might find things cheaper browsing google, or buy two wheels fit the bearings and tyres and the disc's then when your ready fit them to the bike.

 

Much appreciated! I live in Plymouth so quite far if your in Sussex. I'm gonna have a go at this myself I need to get some tools and a garage sorted and have a crack asap

 

Too many miles away, other wise between me and you we would get it done rather quickly. But miles and miles away, as for tools torq sockets from bnq come on a metal rail A+++

Not as good as snap on but i have been using the same sockets for 3 years nearly every day, can't fault them.

[RicardoMel]

Hello

1st thing where are you located ? i am off the road at the moment but if you aren't too many miles away i don't mind popping down to give you hand with some of the items. its all helps

Rear tyre tread low ---- Legal limit on a MOT is 1mm

Excessive clutch play ---- try adjusting the cable or lever.

Notchy headrace (minimal) ---- will come up as a Advisory but its is an issue that can be sorted after a couple hours of dismantling

Front wheel bearing rough, front wheel spacer fitted wrong way------remove the wheel clean the bearings,should have Rs or Ms on the bearing copy the number look online various shops usually cost pennies to sort. and once the wheel is of 30-45 min job some times less.

Front pads low, front + rear discs worn----pads various Try wemoto online quite reasonable Disc's worth buying new

Chain and sprockets worn (really bad) ----- various place from £45-150 just shop around

Revs rise on full lock right -- snagged cable reroot the throttle cable (will come up on MOT)

I am on a serious budget so I asked which of these things he recommended getting ASAP.

Fitted price

Chain and sprockets £154 ---- found on EBAY £50 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-GS-500 ... Sw3ydVpRT-

Rear tyre £110 -- 110 its not wide but its affordable £47 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-GS-500 ... SwuTxV-B-N

Front pads £50---- from £7- brembo £35 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-GS-500 ... XQlgtS5oOw

Front wheel bearings £50--- various from Pdi £5-10 or Koyo bearings £15.69

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-GS500- ... lVyPL1E5ew

Here is a couple examples there cheap might find things cheaper browsing google, or buy two wheels fit the bearings and tyres and the disc's then when your ready fit them to the bike.

 

Much appreciated! I live in Plymouth so quite far if your in Sussex. I'm gonna have a go at this myself I need to get some tools and a garage sorted and have a crack asap

 

Too many miles away, other wise between me and you we would get it done rather quickly. But miles and miles away, as for tools torq sockets from bnq come on a metal rail A+++

Not as good as snap on but i have been using the same sockets for 3 years nearly every day, can't fault them.

 

I appreciate the offer though mate decent advice on here!