question about forum the prevailing forum mentality here

[qwe]

ive been around this internet dealy as long as the rest of the people, so id like to see some people write some intelligent responses to this. yes im new, thats irrelevant. my question is this, are the majority of users here because they simply cant afford faster more powerful bikes, or are they here because they choose to ride a gs or hawk. ive got a few sportbikes myself, but ive always had a commuter, now ive got two, im just curious because i see some folks being all against the big fast bikes, some all for them....etcetc. so thats it.

[Roadstergal]

are the majority of users here because they simply cant afford faster more powerful bikes

[davipu]

yep, we are all poor.

[scratch]

Both. I see all bikes as tools. If a bigger bike is needed for a certain purpose, get that bike; otherwise, why pay the insurance?

[The Buddha]

I have owned faster before and after, I have owned slower before and after ... faster is over rated ... much the same way as beauty is ... The GS is like a 8 girl that never stops trying to please you ... faster bikes are usually 9-10's that stay on the couch and let you work for it ...  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:
Even slower bikes are like 5-6 chicks that try really really really their darndest ... love em too ...
Cool.
Srinath.

[mjm]

I just prefer small bikes for the kind of riding I do - I have owned bikes sinve the early 1970's (with a break due to a bad back in the 90's) and have owned both large and small bikes.

[themaffeo]

1) Chose GS for a specific reason

2) Animosity towards "larger bikes" you might feel is actually animosity towards "squids" manifesting itself in conversations about larger displacement bikes.

[werase643]

I just like the little POS
other bikes that i have had or still have
this will take a while....

Dandy antique pocket bike
5 or so YSR-50's
Aprillia RS-50
Z-50 or 2
Kaw AR-80
XR-80
XR100
RS-125 GP race bike
RG-V 250....with a DR650 enging waiting to go in
RZ-350 .... first bike...still have...sleeping
(couple of other RZ's)
DR-350
4-6 GS500's
CX-500
SRX-6
TT-600
FZR-600
GSXR600
F-2
F-3
SV-650.....weekend rider for now
GSXR750
ZX-7
RF-900
ZX-9
R-1
FJ1100
FJ1200

most of the big bikes are gone
for the street....back road playing.... the GS is perfect....
if you clean out a ditch....you are not out much $$$$$
and you can part it out and get most of your $ back
my last race bike is going back onto the street with a straight-er frame
then the SV will get sold
I still get great enjoyment making fun of the squids on 10K bikes with a 1K bike

[pnaberhaus]

qwe,
 I "refreshed' the posts re:"Why a GS500?". Some interesting reading there.

[The Buddha]

I just like the little POS
other bikes that i have had or still have
this will take a while....

CX-500

You had a CX ... there is one around my house ... may be free or a couople bucks ... its complete and sitting for like 3-4 years. Its the pre requisite brown color so no idea what is paint and what is rust ... but ... yea what you say about it ...
Cool.
Srinath.

[werase643]

I worked at a bike shop in Raleigh
guy came in one day
said he was moving the next day
offered the bike to the shop....they said NO!!!!!!!
i followed guy home and loaded it up
needed 2 rubber diaphrams in the carbs
sold it to a bikeless friend for dirt...
weird as hell torque effect from the V-twin
i think that is TURD brown!!!!!

[xtalman]

I think the majority of the people that have come through here are new to motorcycling and want a suitable bike to learn on.  The GS500 is a great choice because of its simplicity, longevity, durability, and economy.  Most of the people here aren't against bigger bikes, most want to move up to them - once they've developed the skills on the GS500.

I've moved up, but I decided to keep the GS500 as a commuter bike.  It'll get 50+mpg and be great around town.  Parts are cheap and available, and this forum is probably the best I've seen dedicated to a bike.  The wealth of knowledge on this forum is what persuaded me to get a GS500 instead of a Ninja 500 as my first bike.  In fact, today I searched through the posts and pinpointed what my problem was before I ever picked up a screwdriver (clutch safety switch contact finger) .  There were even pictures and part numbers!

[Mk1inCali]

I learned how to ride street on the GS, had been racing dirtbikes for 6-7 yrs before my parents bought the 00 for me to ride.  I chose a motorcycle because it was a natural way to continue riding when a blood condition developed and stopped my motocrossing ways.

I've stuck with the GS so far because A) I don't really care to have a faster bike, B) I don't need any more power for how I ride (ie, on the street), C) economy, I'm one of the few guys my age that I've met riding that is still riding.  I want to move to a supermotard now since I'm on San Diego's crappy streets/intersections and I've got a big itch to get back on a thumper.  Probably gonna ride the GS until I'm out of college (3-4 yrs) but I'll probably save up for a dirtbike and convert it myself in my spare time.

[werase643]

MOTARD THE GS!!!!!!!!
dirtbike bars
gsxr shock
14 T c/s sprocket
may-B a bigger rear sprocket also
won't be fast but definately silly

[Mk1inCali]

I've got a GSXR shock sitting on my shelf waiting for an oil/nitro charge...

Hmm...NAH!!!!

I could use a smaller c/s sprocket though...

[jjr_vw]

Couldn't agree more with Scratch :

Both. I see all bikes as tools. If a bigger bike is needed for a certain purpose, get that bike; otherwise, why pay the insurance?

The thought of handing over money like crazy to an insurance company keeps me on the GS.  So I guess it comes down to money.  Although I can afford the bigger bike and the bigger insurance bill, but choose not to.

[werase643]

take it to a local dirt bike shop
my local shop will strip/clean/oil/recharge for about $35-40

[RVertigo]

I'm poor...  But, I ride the GS 'cause I love it...  And I REALLY hate plastic.   :lol:  I was thinking about losing the rear plastic...  Hmm...

[Badger]

I fall into the new rider category who wants something hard[er] to get into trouble with.  I have a tendency to go really, really fast when given the opportunity and the right tools.  My initial impulse/desire was to get a GSX-R600, but I know that's a ride that could get me into a lot of trouble very quickly.

are the majority of users here because they simply cant afford faster more powerful bikes

Well, I bought a brand new one, paid cash.  I could have had a used GSX-R750, CBRF4i, etc. for a lot less $.  I looked for a used GS500, but couldn't find one...I took that (perhaps incorrectly) as a sign that people are generally unwilling to give up their old GS's.  *shrug*  Could be that they sell a lot more 600's to people that either crash them, really can't afford them, or scare the willies out of themselves on them.

im just curious because i see some folks being all against the big fast bikes

I'm not against the larger displacement bikes...more than likely I'll eventually have one.  I don't, however, feel one needs to have 100+ horsepower to...umm...demonstrate one's virility (or test one's immortality).

Here's my fantasy plan:  My wife decides she's interested in the motorcycle, takes the MSF course, and she inherits the GS while I step up to a gixxer.  Alternately:  my wife takes no interest in the motorcycle, and I trade in the blue/white GS for a blue/white gixxer and hope she doesn't notice it's not the same bike (no...really...I just waxed it...the stickers make it look faster   ).

That said, the fuel economy of the GS is enviable as a commuter.  Keeping it around would probably be a good idea (if I could find the space).  I suppose that means I'll have to buy an airplane so that I have an excuse to rent a hangar.  That's the kind of logic that really drives my wife nuts.  

[LizardQueen]

I have a GS for 2 reasons: 1 ) it's great to learn on and 2) it's still doing the job for me.

Like scratch, they're tools to me, and for me the GS does the job. Why use a fancy jackhammer to hammer a finishing nail ( translate that to why ride a expensive-to-insure expensive-to-fix twitchy-throttled bike that gets worse gas mileage when my cheap naked economical GS gets the job done, the job being pretty much everything but long-distance touring).

I could afford more bike but I don't want one right now - it would be expensive overkill for me at this time. Someday I may want to upgrade and if so I'll do it, with the money that I've saved riding the GS.  

Plus, hubby has a Honda 919 so if I want to ride a torque-monster crotch rocket all I have to do is steal his key :lol:.  

LQ