Naked Conversion... - Motorcycle-Journal Forums

KSU-Danimal · 05-10-2006, 01:45 AM

I bought a 2005 GS500F in October of last year. I have been having a blast with the bike and I love every bit of it. Well...almost every bit. The fairing was added to the GS500 in 2004, 15 years after the GS500 was created. The fairing just didn't match the style of the bike. It was akwardly proportioned and the graphics seemed to detract from the look of the bike. Here is how my biked looked before:

I decided that the fairing had to go. I stripped the bike naked and I am in the process of trying to find a good headlight set up. Here is how the bike looks now:

The bike seems much more honest now. With the fairing...it just seemed so...fake. It seemed to be trying to look like its big brothers in the GSX-R family. The bike is not a sport bike, and shouldn't be trying to look like one anyways.

Some wont agree, but the bike is MY bike and I LOVE its new attitude. I honestly feel like this is how motorcycles should be. It seems to capture the culture and the essence of motorcycling much more this way. But then again...it's late and I've had too much to drink.

I like my "new" bike!

-Danimal

Atlas68 · 05-10-2006, 01:54 AM

Hey Danimal...if you like it better naked, who's to say you made the wrong decision. Have fun.

Had to chuckle at your dissing the bike for being fake and not representing its true self. He, he...many women would beg to differ with you. (Prolly a few plastic surgeons as well.)

**intimid8er** · 05-10-2006, 09:55 AM

Excellent job dude!!!

I'm just glad they ditched those white wheels. You know...."the eighties called, they want their wheels back!"

I've got some links somewhere for a dual conversion. I've been kicking that around since day one for my M50 to do a "hooligan" look. I'll see if I can find them for you.

KSU-Danimal · 05-10-2006, 10:29 AM

That would be great intimid8er, thanks! I've been considering the dual headlights, but I haven't decided. At this point I'm leaning towards the SV650 headlight. It is a much more modern version of a round 7" headlight.

Thanks for the compliments all. I never made the connection to my "fake plastic" motorcycle to a "fake plastic" woman there Atlas...good call!

-Danimal

viper94bite · 05-10-2006, 10:43 AM

I like it. I have never really cared for the full faired gs500's. I think i looks really good without the upper fairing. Hell I could probably see myself with one if I set it up like that.

RampageRider · 05-10-2006, 10:33 PM

Looks great, I have wondered what it would look like with just the front shield fairing attached, maybe like the SV650?

KSU-Danimal · 05-10-2006, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RampageRider

Looks great, I have wondered what it would look like with just the front shield fairing attached, maybe like the SV650?

Ha! Hardly. I wish. I thought the same thing until I removed just the lowers. The upper fairing is so HUGE and 'top heavy' that it looked like Darth Vader.

Example...

This picture isn't straight from the side. When looking directly at the side of the bike its insane looking.

-Danimal

RampageRider · 05-11-2006, 07:53 AM

I see what you mean, the only thing wrong with taking every thing off is the lack of mirrors

**intimid8er** · 05-11-2006, 08:08 AM

I vote for leaving the upper fairing on.

Either way, it's still good looking.

KSU-Danimal · 05-11-2006, 09:12 AM

Since Suzuki is cheap, they still have the mirror mounts on the bars on the faired GS500F's. I've got SV mirrors waiting to be installed.

Thanks for the comments everyone!

-Danimal

palanon · 05-11-2006, 10:22 AM

Looks a lot like the Bandit that way.

**Louis** · 05-11-2006, 10:25 AM

I was sure that the GS500 (non faired) was still available. Guess I was wrong.

blackie1491 · 05-11-2006, 11:45 AM

There is a British magazine out there, Streetfighter, that features naked bikes.

Lots of good ideas in it.

KSU-Danimal · 05-11-2006, 02:12 PM

Suzuki has offered the non-faired GS500 as well as the faired model in a few other countries, but not the US. Unfortunately, we here in the states have an obsession with plastic. The offerings right now from any company in the "naked" bike market leave a lot to be desired.

-Danimal

blackie1491 · 05-11-2006, 08:22 PM

http://www.streetfightersmag.com/

Silver_ray68 · 05-12-2006, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by intimid8er

I vote for leaving the upper fairing on.

Either way, it's still good looking.

Yup! I agree. She's a beauty.

jalaan1 · 08-26-2006, 11:02 AM

looks great IMO.

i'm very interested to see what u do with the head light
and can't wait for the finished product.

KSU-Danimal · 08-26-2006, 12:29 PM

Welp...I've had the bike finished for around 2 months. I just never got around to posting it on this site. I ended up opting for the stock GS500 headlight and mounting brackets. I will soon be putting an SV headlight on, as it looks much more modern.

Thanks for the kind words!

-Danimal

LayinLo · 08-26-2006, 08:45 PM

Wow, great look. Reminds me of my old gs.

Zero-G · 09-07-2006, 09:17 PM

Two 5" duels would be a perfect set just a little bit lower then usual. You are not making a streefighter so balance it out.

05-10-2006, 01:45 AM	#1 (permalink)
KSU-Danimal Seat Tester Joined: Oct 2005 Bike: 1998 Ducati Monster Location: Kansas State University Posts: 78	Naked Conversion... I bought a 2005 GS500F in October of last year. I have been having a blast with the bike and I love every bit of it. Well...almost every bit. The fairing was added to the GS500 in 2004, 15 years after the GS500 was created. The fairing just didn't match the style of the bike. It was akwardly proportioned and the graphics seemed to detract from the look of the bike. Here is how my biked looked before: I decided that the fairing had to go. I stripped the bike naked and I am in the process of trying to find a good headlight set up. Here is how the bike looks now: The bike seems much more honest now. With the fairing...it just seemed so...fake. It seemed to be trying to look like its big brothers in the GSX-R family. The bike is not a sport bike, and shouldn't be trying to look like one anyways. Some wont agree, but the bike is MY bike and I LOVE its new attitude. I honestly feel like this is how motorcycles should be. It seems to capture the culture and the essence of motorcycling much more this way. But then again...it's late and I've had too much to drink. I like my "new" bike! -Danimal

05-10-2006, 01:54 AM	#2 (permalink)
Atlas68 Sit speling cheker Joined: Jan 2006 Bike: 2006 Blue M50 SOLD '05 Anniversary Edition VMax #1878 Location: Vancouver B.C. Canada Posts: 1,728	Hey Danimal...if you like it better naked, who's to say you made the wrong decision. Have fun. Had to chuckle at your dissing the bike for being fake and not representing its true self. He, he...many women would beg to differ with you. (Prolly a few plastic surgeons as well.) __________________ Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength. SuperTrapp Exhaust

05-10-2006, 09:55 AM	#3 (permalink)
intimid8er It's A Conspiracy Joined: May 2005 Bike: '06 XB12X Location: 30 41'47.99" N 83 11'26.54" W Hold My Beer Posts: 10,050	Excellent job dude!!! I'm just glad they ditched those white wheels. You know...."the eighties called, they want their wheels back!" I've got some links somewhere for a dual conversion. I've been kicking that around since day one for my M50 to do a "hooligan" look. I'll see if I can find them for you. __________________ Song Pick of the Week 11/12 Metallica - The Day That Never Comes I had no idea 20% ABV beer could get me drunk so fast!

05-10-2006, 10:43 AM	#5 (permalink)
viper94bite Sit speling cheker Joined: Jan 2005 Bike: 2008 Yamaha FZ6 Location: omaha, ne Posts: 1,792	I like it. I have never really cared for the full faired gs500's. I think i looks really good without the upper fairing. Hell I could probably see myself with one if I set it up like that. __________________ *yippee*

05-10-2006, 10:33 PM	#6 (permalink)
RampageRider Fourth gear and illegal Joined: Oct 2005 Bike: 05 Red M50 Location: Iowa, riding in the Rain! Posts: 782	Looks great, I have wondered what it would look like with just the front shield fairing attached, maybe like the SV650? __________________ . "Grow up, what a waste of a good time, if Peter Pan can do it so can we............... " 05 Red M50 (mine) 97 Yellow Honda Rebel (her's)

05-10-2006, 10:29 AM	#4 (permalink)
KSU-Danimal Seat Tester Joined: Oct 2005 Bike: 1998 Ducati Monster Location: Kansas State University Posts: 78	That would be great intimid8er, thanks! I've been considering the dual headlights, but I haven't decided. At this point I'm leaning towards the SV650 headlight. It is a much more modern version of a round 7" headlight. Thanks for the compliments all. I never made the connection to my "fake plastic" motorcycle to a "fake plastic" woman there Atlas...good call! -Danimal

05-11-2006, 07:53 AM	#8 (permalink)
RampageRider Fourth gear and illegal Joined: Oct 2005 Bike: 05 Red M50 Location: Iowa, riding in the Rain! Posts: 782	I see what you mean, the only thing wrong with taking every thing off is the lack of mirrors __________________ . "Grow up, what a waste of a good time, if Peter Pan can do it so can we............... " 05 Red M50 (mine) 97 Yellow Honda Rebel (her's)

05-11-2006, 08:08 AM	#9 (permalink)
intimid8er It's A Conspiracy Joined: May 2005 Bike: '06 XB12X Location: 30 41'47.99" N 83 11'26.54" W Hold My Beer Posts: 10,050	I vote for leaving the upper fairing on. Either way, it's still good looking. __________________ Song Pick of the Week 11/12 Metallica - The Day That Never Comes I had no idea 20% ABV beer could get me drunk so fast!

05-11-2006, 09:12 AM	#10 (permalink)
KSU-Danimal Seat Tester Joined: Oct 2005 Bike: 1998 Ducati Monster Location: Kansas State University Posts: 78	Since Suzuki is cheap, they still have the mirror mounts on the bars on the faired GS500F's. I've got SV mirrors waiting to be installed. Thanks for the comments everyone! -Danimal

05-11-2006, 10:22 AM	#11 (permalink)
palanon No Significant Other Joined: Apr 2006 Bike: 2003 Bandit 1200S Location: Newmarket, NH Posts: 2,326	Looks a lot like the Bandit that way.

05-11-2006, 10:25 AM	#12 (permalink)
Louis Administrator Joined: Sep 2003 Bike: SV650S '05 (Blue) Location: Gatineau, QC, Canada Posts: 10,657	I was sure that the GS500 (non faired) was still available. Guess I was wrong. __________________ Louis

05-11-2006, 11:45 AM	#13 (permalink)
blackie1491 I took the All Bran Challenge Joined: Jun 2005 Bike: C50SE Location: Aldergrove, B.C., Canada Posts: 7,316	There is a British magazine out there, Streetfighter, that features naked bikes. Lots of good ideas in it.

05-11-2006, 02:12 PM	#14 (permalink)
KSU-Danimal Seat Tester Joined: Oct 2005 Bike: 1998 Ducati Monster Location: Kansas State University Posts: 78	Suzuki has offered the non-faired GS500 as well as the faired model in a few other countries, but not the US. Unfortunately, we here in the states have an obsession with plastic. The offerings right now from any company in the "naked" bike market leave a lot to be desired. -Danimal

05-11-2006, 08:22 PM	#15 (permalink)
blackie1491 I took the All Bran Challenge Joined: Jun 2005 Bike: C50SE Location: Aldergrove, B.C., Canada Posts: 7,316	http://www.streetfightersmag.com/

08-26-2006, 11:02 AM	#17 (permalink)
jalaan1 Where Am I ? Joined: Aug 2006 Location: LI, NY Posts: 38	looks great IMO. i'm very interested to see what u do with the head light and can't wait for the finished product.

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08-26-2006, 12:29 PM	#18 (permalink)
KSU-Danimal Seat Tester Joined: Oct 2005 Bike: 1998 Ducati Monster Location: Kansas State University Posts: 78	Welp...I've had the bike finished for around 2 months. I just never got around to posting it on this site. I ended up opting for the stock GS500 headlight and mounting brackets. I will soon be putting an SV headlight on, as it looks much more modern. Thanks for the kind words! -Danimal

08-26-2006, 08:45 PM	#19 (permalink)
LayinLo Flipper ( Don't Ask ) Joined: Jul 2004 Bike: Crunchy 02 GSX-R 750 Location: Alabama Posts: 3,936	Wow, great look. Reminds me of my old gs.

09-07-2006, 09:17 PM	#20 (permalink)
Zero-G Banned Joined: Jul 2006 Bike: 88 Kat w/ vamped 1100 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 53	Two 5" duels would be a perfect set just a little bit lower then usual. You are not making a streefighter so balance it out.

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