New project GR650

[radianrider]

Took me a while to figure out what size socket I needed, but finally got the nut off the sprocket. (It's a 30mm, for you other GR riders out there who haven't changed their sprocket yet.)

Had my son stand on the rear brake pedal and used a long breaker bar on the nut. Got it off relatively easily. Now I have to figure out what size spacer I need to retain the 530 chain with a 525 sprocket.

[Fire Escape]

You could probably get by without changing anything, perhaps not elegant but functional. The second (and third?) digit of chain size is chain width*, originally in 1/8s. 530 is 3/8" wide, 520 is 1/4", 525 fits in the middle at 5/16". If you wanted to line it up precisely you would add 1/2 of the difference, 1/32" (0.031") as a spacer inside the sprocket. That, assuming that the factory got the engine, chassis & swingarm put together that closely. I will predict that your chain will never know you changed sprocket width.
* Disclaimer: I have no idea what the 8 in 428 chain size means!
Good luck.

Bruce

[radianrider]

Originally Posted by Fire Escape

You could probably get by without changing anything, perhaps not elegant but functional. The second (and third?) digit of chain size is chain width*, originally in 1/8s. 530 is 3/8" wide, 520 is 1/4", 525 fits in the middle at 5/16". If you wanted to line it up precisely you would add 1/2 of the difference, 1/32" (0.031") as a spacer inside the sprocket. That, assuming that the factory got the engine, chassis & swingarm put together that closely. I will predict that your chain will never know you changed sprocket width.
* Disclaimer: I have no idea what the 8 in 428 chain size means!
Good luck.

Bruce

Good info, but others that have done the conversion report that they were unable to get the nut tight enough on the shaft to hold the sprocket tight without a washer being added.

Hoping to get the change done today. Was going to work on it this a.m., but my wife wants to go the Super Bowl Village this morning. What I saw last night was enough to make me a bit reluctant. Maybe the rain will keep the crowds down.

[Fire Escape]

Originally Posted by radianrider

Good info, but others that have done the conversion report that they were unable to get the nut tight enough on the shaft to hold the sprocket tight without a washer being added.

Hoping to get the change done today. Was going to work on it this a.m., but my wife wants to go the Super Bowl Village this morning. What I saw last night was enough to make me a bit reluctant. Maybe the rain will keep the crowds down.

Good point about being able to tighten the nut, it's been a long time since I had a countershaft sprocket off that was held on that way. Put the washer outside the sprocket and thickness should not be very critical, getting something thin and hard enough not to deform (loosen over time) should then be the criteria. Keep up the good work.


Bruce

[radianrider]

Thanks for the advice, Fire Escape. Got it on with the spacer on the outside as you suggested. Worked perfectly.

Of course I have to take the cover off again as I forgot to use LocTite and to bend the washer over the nut. Got too excited to ride it and jumped ahead of the plan.

Ah, well. At least I know it'll work. Think I'll like it even though I didn't get to run it up to speed. Pulls away from a stop very nicely.

[radianrider]

Much better riding experience with the addition of one tooth on the front. Still pulls easily from a stop, but it just runs so much easier at all speeds and in all gears.

Never liked the way it felt at anything above 60--engine would do it, but it never made happy noises while doing it. Easily pulled up to 70+ today and sounded/felt great doing it.

Excellent way to spend $20 to upgrade the riding experience.

[radianrider]

Decided to make the bike stop as well as it runs, so started on the front brake.

Rebuilt the front caliper without too much hassle. Put all new rubber bits in after cleaning the metal parts and reassembled.

Assembled a stainless steel brake line and installed it.

Then started on the MC. Things got complicated. Purchased a piston and cup set and started to take the old one out.

Tried for a couple of days to locate a snap ring plier long enough to reach the snap ring inside the bore. Finally asked a forum member for help and he got the ring out. Offered to loan me the tool since he was leaving for a dual-sport ride in a neighboring state.

"No thanks, pretty sure I get it put back together with what I have."

Spent another day working on it. Gave up and ordered the tool so I could get the snap ring back in. Amazing how easily that ring goes back in with the right tool.

Got so excited that I punched a hole in the rubber boot, but didn't realize it. Spent a couple of days trying to bleed the system. A couple of gsresources members diagnosed the problem correctly and I spent another $60 for a piston and cup set. Nobody sells that litte rubber boot separately.

$60 for a 35 cent rubber boot. Oh yea, I'm happy about that purchase.

So, I've turned an hour's worth of work worth $60 into $150 repair job and I am still waiting on the second piston and cup set so I can get that rubber boot.

On a good note, I did put some Superbike bars on the old girl and they transformed the riding experience. I liked the dirt bike bars I had on the bike, but didn't like the amount of air I was catching at highway speed. Also didn't like the way I sat back on the bike with the other bars. The new ones move me forward with my hands in more. Nice change.

[vtwin]

Don't feel so bad. I replaced the seals on my MC also and it kept leaking. Instead of doing it all over again, I got a good MC off a GS500 on ebay for about the same price as the kit. It's why I have a silver brake lever. I did have to mess with the brake switch, but that was pretty simple.

[radianrider]

Originally Posted by vtwin

Don't feel so bad. I replaced the seals on my MC also and it kept leaking. Instead of doing it all over again, I got a good MC off a GS500 on ebay for about the same price as the kit. It's why I have a silver brake lever. I did have to mess with the brake switch, but that was pretty simple.

Might have been the better option.

[radianrider]

AAARRRRGGH!

Sigh. Okay, back to the garage.

[radianrider]

It appears (note the qualifier) that I may have finally beaten the master cylinder into submission. I'll know for sure after a couple of cautious rides around the neighborhood followed by a complete inspection.

Hoping that the new rubber bits in the M/C and caliper, the new pads and the new stainless line will provide the better bite I was looking for. At the very least, I now know the condition of the system top to bottom.

[radianrider]

Well, since I last reported on the brakes I have rewired the connection between the stator and the regulator/rectifier. I added a direct link between the battery POS and NEG to the R/R. Changed the R/R to one off of a Kawasaki ATV and got stranded five miles from home when one of the crimp connectors failed.

Spent the afternoon tracing the connectors and THINK I have it back up and running, but I am not going to risk riding it 35 miles to work for Ride to Work day.

Also discovered while 15 miles from home that I was actually riding a GR325. Not a good thing when you can pull the sparkplug cap off one cylinder and it makes no difference to how a parallel twin is running. Solved that one with new plugs and plug caps.

I think I'm going to figure out how to mount a voltmeter to my dash so I can keep a close eye on the charging system.

Brakes are still no threat to throw me over the handlebars, but stops are well modulated and adequate.

[vtwin]

I bought a LED voltage light from ebay and will be installing it in the Mighty Tempter in the 6th gear indicator port. I've had it apart once before and noticed it and figured they used this on some of the other models that have a 6th gear. Will post pictures when I install it.

[radianrider]

Originally Posted by vtwin

I bought a LED voltage light from ebay and will be installing it in the Mighty Tempter in the 6th gear indicator port. I've had it apart once before and noticed it and figured they used this on some of the other models that have a 6th gear. Will post pictures when I install it.

I'll be very anxious to see what you come up with. Can you link me to the one you bought? Sounds like a very interesting idea.

[vtwin]

Have not started working on the charging light, but this is the one I bought.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649&item=150479033981&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT