Sold the gs

[ekim]

Well I sold my 01 gs500 last week.  It was a great little bike and I'm going to miss it. I sold it to a friend so I can go and check up on the old girl every once and awhile. On the bright side it was replaced with a 99 Katana 600.  The bike has really low km (8700) and is in great shape. What can I say but you can't pass up a good deal when it comes along!

[vtlion]

sweet.  Congrats on the new (to you) bike.  Having owned/ridden the GS500, SV650, and an R6, I've always wanted to ride a Kat600 to see how it stacks up.

Have fun on it  

[Anonymous]

So, tell me, how do you feel the 600 class I4s stack up to the GS500?

[ekim]

The power of the Kat is smooth.  The gs always felt like it was working too hard on the highway, but not the Kat. It's not close to a 600 class sport bike (R6,CBR, etc...) but it still has great power for me and my riding level, were I think the other bikes would get me into trouble. It's not as easy to flick around like the gs because of the weight, but it's not that noticeable. Power is awesome compared to the gs. Once you get it past 5,000rpm you can feel it come on very strong and it pulls all the way to 11,000rpm.
The gs is in my opinion the best starter bike you can buy and if the wife let me I would have kept it and bought the Kat.
I'll miss the gs......... but not that much!

[Anonymous]

I agree wholeheartedly...  The GS is GREAT for what it is...  A beginner OR "older" person bike to putt around and take it easy.  

I'd recommend ANY new rider get a cheap used one for the first season.  THEN, after they know what they're doing and they WANT to move up, get a 600, liter bike, or whatever they want.

Yes, the I4s do have some balls eh?  My Ninja does the same, will take off with 2-3 times the power (quickness) of the GS at 4K and becomes an animal at about 8-9K all the way to the 14K redline.  100HP will pull you pretty quick.  

I can't see ANYONE needing more than a 600 class bike on the street.  What, 0-100 in 5 seconds instead of 6-7?

Good luck and ride safe...

[john]

I still think a literbike is too big of a step.  A 600 certainly is reasonable, though huge step in power and performance.  A literbike is insane.  I own one, and I still shake my head at how insanely fast it is, and how easy it is to get out of sorts with it.  I can whack the throttle in second and actually spin up the rear wheel

[sys49152]

Yes, the I4s do have some balls eh?

I haven't forgotten the same advice you gave me, and you're absolutely right.  The CBR600F4i feels "just right".  It's incredibly smooth up to 6K RPM, and intoxicant-ingly fast past that point.  After about 9000Km's on the GS, and after having my wife ask to take it over, the I4 was the right choice.  

ekim,

Anytime you're planning on visiting T.O., let me know, and we can swap bikes for a bit.  If you'd like to try a CBR for a bit, I'd be happy to swap it for a Kat.  My buddy has a '01 Kat, and it's a great bike, but believe me when I say it's geared very differently then the high revving I4's.  It's a great ride, and very very smooth.

Enjoy your ride!