just bought a gs - a few questions

[birdseye]

Just bought a 2008 GS which is in generally good nick but cloearly has been used through winter. So:

1/ does anyone do a bolt kit for these bikes - some of mine have surface rust and I would like to replace them. Things like the caliper bolts.

2/ Where there has been some small pitting of the paint on the rocker box covers, it has started to bubble. What is the best approach for curing this ? Take them off and powder coat? Touch up paint?

3/ Very slight sideways play ion the rear wheel. I vaguely remember something about this from the last GS I owned but I cannot remember the tolerance on play. What is it?

4/ Rusty centre stand - best cure?

 

[blues n twos]

There are some bolt kits on ebay. Avoid "boltmeup" as I bought one of their 280 piece kits and hardly any of the bolts were of any use

Rocker cover, The cost of repairing them you might be better off on ebay for some decent second hand ones.

Centre stand just rub it down and paint it.

Not sure exactly on rear wheel play from 9-3 sideways but I think its a couple of mm laterally.

Jon

 

[frank1200]

Don't think any play in the rear wheel is good.i had 1mm play in mind and had to get the bearing replaced
Some of the experts will be along soon

 

[Greenman14]

Rocker covers can be powder coated, if they are silver it should be easy to get a near enough colour match.

 

[(RIP) Johno23]

1mm is acceptable that's at 12 and 6 o'clock movement. A good test I was told by a BMW tech was ride it at about 60 pull in clutch and coast.Lean back and See if you feel a rumbling/noise coming up through the frame.I did over 3k with about 1mm play on the FD bearing,had no noise/rumbling and it was fine.I changed it before a long summer tour. Hope that helps.Steptoe is the man for advice re: GS repairs etc.

 

[Bobbin-Man]

1/ Chris Shaw Stainless for bolts.

4/ Remove the centre stand and take it to be blasted off and powder coated.

 

[Neil A]

Dirty is the new black

I hate cleaning bikes. I find if you just spray them with something and then let them get really dirty you no longer notice/worry about any signs of deterioration
In a strange way, this seems to protect them - it's surprising how well they come up when you do have to give them a good clean (like to sell them or if they have to go in for some service work)
And it saves so much time. I have no idea how anyone can keep a bike looking like new unless they don't ride it or give up work or sleeping

 

[Neil A]

Sorry

I am sorry - my previous reply wasn't much help to anyone, but it is how I feel!

 

[Mattcooke99]

That's because on the IOM the horizontal rain on a daily basis does a better job than any pressure hose.

Can't help with most bits but the centre stand....either sand down yourself and paint or take to be sand blasted and powder coated.

Rocker covers....keep an eye out on eBay

 

[Neil A]

cheeky monkey

That's because on the IOM the horizontal rain on a daily basis does a better job than any pressure hose.

That's not the only reason....it's fairly mild here during the winter (some microclimate gulf stream thing going on), so they don't salt the roads as often. Or not at all in some cases, which can make things a bit tricky when it does get cold.

I try to avoid the Creg ny Baa back road in very wintry conditions nowadays. Another reason not to get too fussed about the appearance of the bike; I'd have spent good money on replacement handguards, rear footrest, etc, when the scraped ones still do the job perfectly well

PS it's not raining here today and it didn't yesterday, either, so there!

 

[birdseye]

I am sorry - my previous reply wasn't much help to anyone, but it is how I feel!

Strikes me as a good idea. In the past I've coated the dodgy bits with waxoyl and will probably do so again on the centre stand once repainted. Same with bolt heads. God cleans my bike by sending rain - a reply guaranteed to shut up anyone who asks you why its so dirty.