How much can i get for my GS500F

[Alphamazing]

+1 to everything Badger said. Eloquently and excellently written.

If you can't keep up with higher displacement bikes on the GS, then you've got more to learn. This is a very broad statement I realize, but you get the jist of it.

There is an instructor at Texas World Speedway who works for RideSmart that uses a GS for his instructor bike. He can easily wipe the floor with the liter bikes he comes across.

[Apyung]

Manassas, Va to Leesburge, Va hitting up both back roads and major roads.

[Apyung]

i was going to start out with a 600.  I found an 02 F4i with low mileage for 4200.  I only decided on a GS500 since it was slightly more and new.  I havent racked on the miles becuz for the first 2 months i did small trips around the neightborhood and all to rack on the 150 miles.  Then i took a long 4 hr ride and doubled the mileage to 300.  Since then i took 2 other rides to get another 150 miles in and this past week i rode sat and sun.  i feel like i have the straight line down and feel that i can do a basic corner and turn.  I do have more to learn.  but just thinking and looking I would like to go to a 600.  i'm willing to take it slow and learn a 600.  i know it will be a big differnce.  I am also looking for something a little lighter so its more mangeable.  and i probally have another 500 miles with the GS to learn more of the basics before the upgrade.  thanks for all the tips and responses.

[My Name Is Dave]

and i probally have another 500 miles with the GS to learn more of the basics before the upgrade.  thanks for all the tips and responses.

1000 is an awfully low amount of miles in terms of the learning curve. My 8-year-old neice can ride straight lines, but what about hazard response, twisty roads, emergency stops, emergency acceleration, etc. I'm not getting on your case, but I think there's a lot more out there that you should know before jumping up 100 cc. Yes, it's only 100 cc, but it's a WORLD of difference. I would love a TL1000 or SV650 right now, but I really don't feel safe getting one.

And you're gonna get it in the butt when you sell your bike. I can't imagine that you have paid off the loan yet, correct? You can't get the title transferred until you pay off your loan.

And even when I get another bike, I'm keeping the GS. It's a great all-around bike and you're the original owner, so that should be worth something to you; I know it is to me.

Dave  

[Roadstergal]

There is an instructor at Texas World Speedway who works for RideSmart that uses a GS for his instructor bike. He can easily wipe the floor with the liter bikes he comes across.

One of the NESBA control riders has a V-Strom.  Now that's a fun one to have blow by you.
http://studio819.smugmug.com/photos/26480224-M-1.jpg

A GS500 is fast enough to get into trouble on the street.  An inline-4 is fast enough to make it a concerted effort of will to not get in trouble on the street.  And you get more maintenance, fuel efficiency that a car could beat, insurance that will buy you a GS500 on its own, and really expensive fairings as part of the package deal.

[My Name Is Dave]

OK, I have always been in the dark about this but have never thought to ask: What is the difference between and inline-4 and a V-Twin. Presumably it's like it sounds (I4 is a straight 4-cyl and Twin is a 2-cyl?), but there seems to be a lot of talk about which is preferred. I take it from her last post that RG is in favor if the V-Twin, and I am wanting to know why one is "better" than the other.

And what types of bikes have what? Like is a CBR600 a I-4 and a SV650 a V-T? I am leaning towards things like SVs, TLs, etc. for a future bike, so what are these?

I am not a smart boy,
Dave  

[Badger]

i was going to start out with a 600.

Right.  A lot of people have started on 600's, and I would venture to say that if you stay aware of your limitations, you'll probably be fine.

i feel like i have the straight line down and feel that i can do a basic corner and turn.

I think this is the part that is going to concern people the most.  Straight is easy...motorcycles are laterally stable at speed.  Straight and fast is easy (dangerous, but easy).  Low speed maneuvering is more challenging, and can be extremely dangerous when combined with excess torque.  If you twist the throttle a little too much too suddenly during a turn, you're going to lose traction on the back wheel and probably drop it and slide.  The high torque bikes demand smooth throttle control.

i'm willing to take it slow and learn a 600.

Willing? Sure.  Able? Remains to be seen.

i know it will be a big differnce.

Probably not as much as you think.

I am also looking for something a little lighter so its more mangeable.

Realize that a gixxer, while lighter, also has a higher seat position.  Don't know how tall you are, but the reduction in weight combined with the higher position significantly alters the height of the center of gravity.  In my book that makes it easier to drop, harder to hold upright, but YMMV.  I'd have to defer to someone who's ridden both.  If you're having a hard time managing the 500, I expect it's going to be worse with a 600. *shrug*

thanks for all the tips and responses.

If nothing else, stay tuned on this board.  I'm fairly new here, and all of the folks here are extremely helpful on any number of issues from wrenching your bike to providing new and exciting ways to drop it.

Be safe.

[Badger]

OK, I have always been in the dark about this but have never thought to ask: What is the difference between and inline-4 and a V-Twin. Presumably it's like it sounds (I4 is a straight 4-cyl and Twin is a 2-cyl?), but there seems to be a lot of talk about which is preferred.

Inline means just that, the cylinders are lined up in a row (also called a "straight" configuration) along the shaft.  V- configurations are lined up in pairs at an angle to one another (thus the "V").  A V-8 has two rows of four cylinders, each pair is timed in opposition with it's buddy cylinder so that they alternate the power stroke (remember the 4 strokes:  suck, squish, bang, blow...only one of them generates power).  The V-Twin has 2 cylinders, oriented in a V.

The general consensus (in cars anyway) is that inlines are smoother, but V's generate more power.  I drive a straight 6.  Inlines are typically heavier and longer.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[Roadstergal]

Presumably it's like it sounds (I4 is a straight 4-cyl and Twin is a 2-cyl?), but there seems to be a lot of talk about which is preferred. I take it from her last post that RG is in favor if the V-Twin, and I am wanting to know why one is "better" than the other.

One isn't better than the other; they're made for different purposes. I prefer a V-Twin for the street.  It's typically torquier down low and doesn't rev as high.  I-4s were made expressly for the purpose of wringing every last hp possible out of a given displacement. They do that very, very well.  All of the V-twins I've had have been fuel-efficient, and the I-4 I have has not been, even cruising at a fairly low RPM all day.  I'm not sure why that is, but there you go.
Early I-4s, from what I hear, had sheooty power down low and a burst up high.  The modern ones have rather nicely linear power delivery and aren't lacking down low.

It's pretty fun to listen to them at the track as they go on the front straight.  The V-twins go brawwwwww; the I-4s go Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeyaaawwwww.... like an F1 car.

[Jake D]

Edit: RG got to some of this first.

The TL, SV (sport V?), all Buell (except the Blast) are v-twin, I think.

V-twins won't rev as high and as fast as in I4 (I think), but have more torque (I think).  

Pretty sure most popular sport bikes, the 600's  750's, and 1000's are I4's.

Triumph is doing 3 cylinders in some bikes, Speed Triple, new Daytona 650 (which can compete in the 600 class, I think).

Isn't the Honda RC51 a 1000cc five cylinder?  Some sort of v-5 configuration (MotoGP)?

Another question:

What is the deal with all the firing orders moto GP bikes use?  Can someone explain "Big Bang" firing order to me?

[Badger]

Isn't the Honda RC51 a 1000cc five cylinder?  Some sort of v-5 configuration (MotoGP)?

From Honda's '06 RC51 specs:

Engine Type 999cc liquid-cooled 90-degree V-twin

[aaronstj]

What is the deal with all the firing orders moto GP bikes use?  Can someone explain "Big Bang" firing order to me?

Google Can.  The first search result looks pretty good.

[Jake D]

Respect!

[Alphamazing]

The I4s spin faster and higher because they have lighter parts. Thusly, they can get more peak horsepower and more peak torque out of the engines because the RPMs are higher. Twins, on the other hand, are moving pistons that are twice the size, and thusly can't move them as fast as an I4s. Twins produce more torque down low due to the chamber size and the bore of the piston. 90-degree V-twins are even better because they don't need a counterbalancer, as they are balanced naturally with the V configuration.

[My Name Is Dave]

90-degree V-twins are even better because they don't need a counterbalancer, as they are balanced naturally with the V configuration.

Examples? Besides the RC-51.

[Roadstergal]

The I4s spin faster and higher because they have lighter parts.

Partly true.  But there's a lot of engineering that goes into revving that high, like preventing valve float.  F1 cars have pneumatic valves.  Also, generally speaking, more cylinders = higher revs, since the piston doesn't have to travel as far for a given displacement and the whole engine can go at higher rpm because the individual pistons aren't moving as fast.
Ducati has started doing a funky thing where the valves are physically linked, so one has to close as the other opens.  Nice bit of engineering.

90-degree V-twins are even better because they don't need a counterbalancer, as they are balanced naturally with the V configuration.

Nope.  The only "naturally" balanced engines are 180 degree twins (BMW boxers), I-6s, and any duplicate of I-6s (V-12s, e.g.).

[Badger]

The I4s spin faster and higher because they have lighter parts. Thusly, they can get more peak horsepower and more peak torque out of the engines because the RPMs are higher. Twins, on the other hand, are moving pistons that are twice the size, and thusly can't move them as fast as an I4s. Twins produce more torque down low due to the chamber size and the bore of the piston. 90-degree V-twins are even better because they don't need a counterbalancer, as they are balanced naturally with the V configuration.

What's always confounded me is the fact that a twin is only delivering power half the time.  With 4+ cylinders you always have a cylinder on a power stroke.  With a twin, one is on the way up while the other is heading down, and it only pushes on the alternate downs.  The twins give have more raw oomph, but the inlines have constant oomph.

[dionysus]

What's always confounded me is the fact that a twin is only delivering power half the time.  With 4+ cylinders you always have a cylinder on a power stroke.  With a twin, one is on the way up while the other is heading down, and it only pushes on the alternate downs.  The twins give have more raw oomph, but the inlines have constant oomph.

But at high HP, thats not a good thing since the rear wheel will slip more (ahem, hence big bang timeing)

[Badger]

Nope.  The only "naturally" balanced engines are 180 degree twins (BMW boxers), I-6s, and any duplicate of I-6s (V-12s, e.g.).

Almost all aircraft piston engines are horizontally opposed (180* cylinder pairing).

[Roadstergal]

Oh, try a thumper.  A power stroke every 720 degrees.