question about springs and 600 mile check

[coopstar55]

am new to motorcycling and love my new gs500f. 1st question I got is can and how much can i go before the first 600mile check is it okay to go a bit over? next everyone always talks about replacing the front springs with progressive and the back with a katana shock but the factory seem fine to me. As i said never rode before this bike and this setup feels good is there a real reason to make these changes? I am 6'3'' 180lbs and sometimes haul a 130lb partner if that makes any difference. I am not against putting money into the bike I just want to make sure there is a reason. Thanks

[Kerry]

I put over 20,000 miles on my bike before I changed the suspension at all.  I finally installed Progessive springs up front using the easy method on Pantablo's web site.

Since then I have helped richard take his forks apart and replace his seals and oil.  One of my seals is now leaking, so since I have THE TOOL I'm planning to take mine apart and replace both the seals and the oil soon.

I have never messed with my stock rear shock.  It's still on the stock '4' setting.  I may try to crank it up to 5 or 6 just to see what kind of a difference it will make.

I weigh ~170 and have taken a passenger weighing 140 or so on a 240-mile trip.  It could be better, but I have lived with it OK.  Installing a Katana 600 shock definitely raises the rear end of the bike, which I'm not excited about at all.  (We installed one on richard's bike.)

[MikeB]

Just call a couple of dealers and ask, how far can I go on the 600m checkup and not skrew up my warranty.  Its never been a big deal on any of my new Suzuki, Kawasaki, Yamahas.

Nose dive? what nose dive?  Iv'e been reading the post on the GS soft front end and to be honest, I don't see or feel it on my GS/F.  I had a fairly aggressive ride for break in this weekend, (I'm not afraid to use the front brakes) and comparing to the 30 some other bikes I've owned think Suzuki may have changed the front forks.

Mike