The importance of a good fit.

[Roadstergal]

A couple of months ago, I bought my first bike.  I have always wanted a bike, and when I discovered that I could afford one, that it would get me in the HOV lane, that it would get great mileage as well as being fun... and have I mentioned that I've always wanted a bike?

I looked at many used bikes.  I bought a '99 BMW F650.  I learned to ride.  It was fun.

And it was heavy.  And tall.

I'm 5'1".  With the seat as low as I could get it, I still had to tilt the bike to get my foot on the ground.  I knew that soon I would encounter a situation where the ground would be wet, or oily, or tilted, and I would dump it, and have to pick a 500lb high-COG bike off of the ground.

So I traded it in to Ride West BMW.  They told me that the steering head bearings were shot.  I asked for some proof, as I didn't want to be hosed on the tradein, so they lent me a normal F650.  Yeesh.  So they're not supposed to steer like trucks.

In the showroom was a black 2000 GS500E with 2700 miles.  I didn't relish the thought of taking a bath on the bike I just bought... but I didn't relish the thought of denying my error and riding a bike that was just too big and heavy for my novice status.  The sales lady gave me the keys while they were inspecting my bike, and told me to ride it around for a half hour or so.  It just felt right.  So I forked over the extra money    and bought the GS500.  They didn't ding me for the bearings on the tradein, though, so all in all it could have been a lot worse.  Ellen at Ride West was very fair and nice to work with; I got hosed on my own error of buying the bike sans inspection, which I knew better than to do but did anyway.



The chain needed a service and the (-) battery terminal was corroded, but once I got those done, I took her for a long get-to-know-you drive.  The bike fits me perfectly.  I love the 11K RPM redline and the nimble handling.  I love how light and responsive it is.  I have learned my lesson!

[Kerry]

Congratulations on finding the right bike and (if I may) the right forum!  

Long live the (Suzuki) GS!  

[kyzee]

Congratulations on finding the right bike and (if I may) the right forum!  

Long live the (Suzuki) GS!  

Right on Kerry!!!  


Anyhoo, welcome abroad Roadstergal.  

[BlueByYou]

Yep, being short (at least, shorter than the average target market) definitely limits one's motorcycle menu, especially if you're looking for something other than a cruiser.  Maybe I should say "affects," not "limits," since everyone's got a different take on what they're willing to put up with or modify to get the bike they want, or make the bike they get the way they want it.

I'm about 5'3" and...uh...OK, my BMI is about 20, so I'm relatively light weight.  I've adjusted the rear suspension preload to soften it up slightly, and I wear boots when I ride (not particularly heavy duty), but I'm still right about at my comfort limit at a stop--I wouldn't want it any taller.   I'm going to look at having my seat cut down just a bit to give me just a tad more assurance at a stop.

And even for a 600 with a similar seat height, 600s and up tend to just be more *massive* than I want.  I've had a big bike before (Moto Guzzi 850 LeMans) and while that bike was a kick in the pants, realistically I don't want to manhandle a big bike through town, because that's where most of my riding is done.  As others here have pointed out, it's way more fun to ride a bike near its limits than it is to have untold stores of power go unused.  Not that I can't appreciate the enticements of untold stores of power, but there you have it.

So I'm willing to give up some horsepower and the cachet of having the latest unobtanium components, and I'll accept light weight and great handling and a motor that's been around forever.  Plus, I'm cheap as hell, and I'm several thousand dollars to the good by choosing the GS.  Me likey!  When I win the lottery, I'll have multiple bikes, but for now this is definitely the bike for me.

At one dealership I sat on a GS and the salesman shimmied on over and brayed, "Looking for a beginner bike?"  He didn't wink but he might as well have.  I said, "No, I'm looking for a short person's bike," and then Mr. BlueByYou launched into his litany of my motorcycle credentials, such as they are.   Mr. BBY was my main wrench during my very brief racing stint, so he takes it personally.  Mr. BBY has been riding for about a hundred and fifty years*, give or take, and he knows his bikes.  And Mr. BBY came back from a trip around the block on my bike the other day with a big ol' sh*t eating grin on his face and said that if he were twenty years younger and hadn't bunged up his shoulders so much he'd be on a GS, too; it is a *fun* bike that suits beginners or the vertically challenged or even an experienced rider who enjoys more than just straight-line acceleration (not that straight-line acceleration isn't the cherry on my motorcycle sundae).

*Mr. BBY hasn't really been riding for a hundred and fifty years.  It just seems that way.  Thirty-five years, tops.

[Roadstergal]

Well put, BBY!  I'm still new to bikes from the world of cars, and am enjoying the smooth power on the GS500 as well as the handling.  The F650 was torquier, but it redlined at 7.5K and I could feel the weight.

Did you race at PIR?  I have a friend who lives in Portland simply because of PIR, and goes out to every bike and auto track day he can make.

[BlueByYou]

Heh...my boss asked how the new bike was, and I said that I was keeping it below 5 grand while breaking it in.  He said, "So, what does that redline at, then?  About 7?"  Heh, heh, heh..."Eeeeeeelevennnn!"

I did race at PIR!  I did two or three seasons of 500 vintage (on a BSA B50T) and about half a season of 250 superbike on a Ninja, before I decided that I was not cut out to be a racer--too cautious by nature to be a success at it, plus...too slow.        I raced at SIR and Mountain High (Westwood--now, apparently, a housing development) in BC a couple of times, too, for the Vintage Triple Crown series.

I've got a couple of plaques and a third-place season trophy, but you can chalk that up to a combination of small classes and a motor built to finish instead of for speed (hey--you've gotta finish the race!).  Here's to all the guys who fragged their motors when the points were on the line!

I don't want to race anymore, but I heartily recommend track experience.  I'm a much better rider now for having had the opportunity to work on skills at speed without dodging motorhomes in intersections.

[Roadstergal]

I became addicted to track events in the car, and hope to do some on the bike.    I have done some days at PR, nee SIR.