Earth Motorcycle only appeared on our radar within the last two years, but the shop in Slovakia has made their presence known. So far, with only a handful of builds to their name, they’ve managed to establish a strong signature style. Their vibe is light luxury, with bikes that are restrained, sleek and perfectly proportioned.
It’s a style that this classic Suzuki GS500E wears extremely well. First released in 1979, the GS500E is the junior of GS550. Built specifically for countries where regulations favor motorcycles under 500 cc, it uses an improved version of the GS550’s four-cylinder powerhouse.
This particular GS500E is a 1979 model, and it showed its age when its owner took it into the Earth Motorcycles workshop. Aleš Tomis, who runs the shop with Vladimir Dinga, said: “The car has broken down, has not been used for many years. (Aleš is the resident manager, while Vlad handles the company’s design and marketing.)
Initially, the client wanted something flat in tracker style, but in the end were happy when Aleš and Vlad took the project in whatever direction they wanted. With an open brief, they envisioned a topless everyday runner with the compact proportions of a street trackingbut with a more traditional aesthetic.
Aleš particularly liked the idea of placing a narrow, tapered fuel tank—the kind you usually see on a flat-terrain vehicle—above the GS500E’s wide inline four-cylinder engine. So he rummaged through the store and found an unidentified 2.4-gallon unit that matched the bill. With a little encouragement, the gas tank finally fit into Suzuki’s frame.
“I have always wanted to build a bike with such a narrow tank that the edges of the four-cylinder engine can be seen when riding,” says Aleš. “Also, the rather small 500 cc engine now looks much bigger.”
Next, Aleš cut off Suzuki’s subframe to eliminate the ‘subsidence’ in the car’s shape. He then built a new subframe to replace it, balancing the transition from the fuel tank baseline to the saddle. The chair itself is also unique, upholstered in faux leather fabric.
If the idea of open space underneath a custom motorcycle saddle makes you all the rage, look away now. The only component visible here is the rear brake’s upgraded master cylinder; Aleš did his best to hide everything else. Hidden under the saddle are Motogadget’s Mo.unit Blue controller and a tiny Aliant Lithium battery.
Moving on to the chassis, Earth Motorcycles retains the star-shaped wheels of the GS500E but has a black powder coating. They aren’t the prettiest original wheels out there, but with a fresh coat of powder and in the context of this build, they really look great. Avon Roadrider II tires add a modern grip.
Aleš has also managed to sneak in some suspension upgrades. The fork is from a newer (and larger) 1994 Suzuki GS1100. They are now a few inches shorter and are held by yokes from an even newer Royal Enfield Interceptor 650.
The small front fender sits on a new fork brace, made from 10mm steel by Aleš for maximum rigidity. “The forks were very weak at first, so I could easily turn the front wheel about 30 degrees from the handlebars,” he told us.
Royal Enfield also donated rear shock absorbers, but the galvanized details have been removed and replaced with chrome. Aleš overhauled the stock brakes and built a pair of brackets to match the clamps with the GS1100 fork. He also installed Venhill hoses, banjo latches and exhaust pipes.
As for the bike’s 43-year-old engine, it now looks clean enough to eat off. Earth Motorcycles treated it to a full rebuild, with a fair amount of blowout for a better finish than it shipped. Look closely, you’ll spot the edges of the new pads and pads; it barely gets run in.
The stock carburetor has been upgraded with larger jets and adjusted to compensate for the new stainless steel pod filters and exhaust mufflers. The men hold the stock titles, but Cerakoted them in black.
Aleš was also interested in modernizing the cockpit, with a combined analog/digital Daytona speedometer, Biltwell Inc. handlebars. new, micro-switch and neat Discacciati gearshift. The LED turn signals are from Highsider, mounted in a CNC machined aluminum bracket at the front and on a custom license plate holder at the rear. (As an added touch, the wiring for the rear LED lights runs through the tubes of the license plate holder.)
Curiously, the new headlights use good old-fashioned H4 bulbs, even though there are plenty of good LED options available on the market. Aleš explains: “The client said ‘there’s no LED, I want to be able to change the bulb myself’.
It was one of the few requests he made. Another is the color scheme; a simple British Racing Green jacket, with a brown accent on the saddle. Perfect for a handsome street tracker designed for lounging around town.
Even so, the project is not without hiccups. Before Earth Motorcycles could launch it, the client’s financial situation changed and he was unable to continue funding it. So these people arranged to buy the donor bike from him and take it to the finish line with their own money.
Aleš and Vlad were delighted with how it turned out in the end and snuck in on a few test rides. Aleš says: “The bike is very light and very easy to ride. “The sound is great, not too loud and it’s fun to shift gears.”
However, he is not too attached because this Suzuki GS500E is currently for sale. Interested parties, please line up in order.
Motorcycle Earth | Instagram | Photo of Marian Svitek
