Brian likes the retro look

It all began with an Yamaha RD350. Then I had the ultimate bike for week-end racing, a Kawasaki KR-1. But that bike affords a labotomi to drive it! End of the strokers.
I had been looking arround for a GS500, for some time, as I don't like four cylinder bikes due to their car-like sound. I also own a LS650 Savage, but sometimes it's fun to race the small roads, without offering a Ducati. In Denmark the dealerprices on cars and bikes are marked up with 3!!!! ... this means that 2/3 of the price on a new bike is TAX! Imagine the prices you pay for a bike!!!
While looking arround for a 500, I fell over this GS450E, from the last series in '89. It was shipped from Japan to US at the same time as the GS500 was introduced on the market. Suddenly it was impossible to sell the old model, when the 500 had arrived on the market. With the Danish taxes in mind, the bikes could be sold cheap in Denmark, if the prices was kept low. Some of the GS450E's was then redirected to Denmark, and sold to a price a bit under the price for the GS500E.
This bike was in original painting, and looked to be well maintained over the years. It could still be bought for a brice well under the price for a GS500E of similar age. I also like it's retro-look. Actualy it's not only looking retro, it IS retro!
So I bought it in January 2003. With the bike I also got some spares like oilfilter, camchain, steering bearings, a Haynes etc.
The milage was 37.000, and the only mis-sound from the engine was an occasional ticking, from the cam moving sidewards, probably a defective valve shim. After a month I changed the stator.
The charging circuit has been modified to series regulation. The original regulator is a shunt type, that shorts the stator to chassis, when the battery is charged.
A dane, Mr. Schnabel, having a small firm repairing bike-electrics has invented a new regulator, that simply cuts of the stator. The regulator then couples on and of the stator, depending on load and battery charge. This curres the common problems with Suzuki and charging circuits! It fits in the same place as the old one, and costs the same. Mr. Schnabel also makes hand wound stators at an extreemly good quality. By the way, he is not a member of my family - just an excelent handworker!
The bike is not a racer, and its quite heavy compared to modern bikes with lots more power. As soon as the wheels rolls, the heaviness totaly disappears and it nearly handles like a bicycle! The frame is not stiff as a boxframe, and the steering is a bit soft but it handles very well in the corners. The biggest problem seems to be the tire dimension, which does not allow more modern tires.
The engine draws well from 3.000 rev.; but when the needle hits 6.000 rev. a bit more happens and the sound changes drasticaly. Unfortunately the limit is 9.500 rev.!!
In April 2003 I unfortunately had a small crash - my first on this bike. The damage was limited with only a small damage to the tank and some scratches on the exhaust.
Afterwards it has been modified a little bit from strictly original. The forklegs are glassblasted and polished. It also have got Clip-On's with stainless steel 'pins'. The original, very large, blinkers has been changed to some that actualy looks exactly like those on Buell's.
I also lowered the front 15mm, and this together with the lower sitting position, gives a quicker steering. During winter I will look for new modifications!

Contact: Brian

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