New with questions

[aluka42]

I'm very serious about getting a bike and I have heard alot of good things about the GS500 and I even found a decent bike. 2005 model. the problem is this. It's a 2005 model but it has miles on it. They are trying to sell it to me for 5,000 when I can easily go down the road and get a brand new one for 5,149.

Here is the question.. What would be a reasonable price for me to try to knock it down to. I am not good at haggling but I'm not going to be ripped off because of it. If anyone can help I would appreciate it alot.

[roguegeek]

How many miles on it?

I think you'd be better off going with an older GS500E instead of the F. Besides the fact that it looks cooler, it's going to be cheaper to buy and cheaper to fix when you drop it. It's also going to be just as reliable.

Welcome to the boards!

[maxwellf]

Do yourself a favor, and don't buy it new. You can find plenty of used GS bikes for a lot less. You won't worry about it so much.  In addition, it will allow you to play around, learning the mechanics a lot more.  The GS is a solid machine, and buying one used will give you the same satisfaction. Just an opinion of one who bought a 94 GS, and loves it.  

[Roadstergal]

I echo all that.  Look around for a naked earlier GS500 in good shape for less than half that.  Spend the rest on gear!  Do your learning, and any potential dropping, on the nekkid GS.  After a year or so, you'll have a better idea of what kind of rider you are and what kind of bike you want.  Then you can get a gently used faired GS500 for less, or whatever you decide you want at that point.  Or you can put the money into upgrading your nekkid GS500.  

Oh, in answer to your original question - if they're firm on $5K for a used '05, walk and let them smoke their crack.

[davipu]

4200 max is all it's worth in pristen condition.

[Slowe30]

i just bought my 01 gs500 for $2k.  keep in mind you are going to spend another $1k or more for gear, msf course, title, registration, taxes, repair manual, and the first  year of liability insurance ($170 thru progressive for me).

[Badger]

Oh, in answer to your original question - if they're firm on $5K for a used '05, walk and let them smoke their crack.

Right.  The seller is probably trying to cover the remainder of their financing, and possibly eek out a small profit they can use as a down payment on a CBR or Gixxer (so that they can be upside down on that loan ).

Recently, I saw an early 90's GS500E for $700.  No idea what condition it was in, but I considered picking it up just on principle.  Then I thought about the domestic consequences of such an action... :guns:

[TarzanBoy]

First off,  you won't necessarily drop your bike.  Going straight by the numbers... odds are good that it will get dropped (more than half new riders drop their bike in one manner or another)...   but its not inevitable as some folks say.

Its akin to saying "If you get married, then you WILL get divorced since half of marraiges end up in divorce".  Those may be the oddds, but there are steps you can take to mitigate such an occurrence.   I am of the opinion that this is also the case with a motorcycle.
(For the record, I have never dropped my bike... I have had 1 or 2 instances where it was a distinct possibility... but so has everyone else).

That being said, I heartily agree that your first bike should not be a new bike.  If you buy something that you can either purchase out right, or own free & clear within a month's time.   Then you'll end up freeing up a lot of capital for insurance, gear, and bike upgrades (good way to get familiar with the particulars of ownership).  The bad side to this is that going used will make it harder to find a faired gs, since only the '04 and '05 come stock with factory fairings.  There are after-market fairings available... if you're up for the project then you might be more satisfied with modding an older bike with the snazzy brazilian fairing (its basically a scaled-down replica of a GSXR fairing).  Do a search on 'aluizio' on this site (or visit http://www.aluiziomotos.com.br's gs500 section/pics) to find some posts and pics.

--EDIT-- fixed link and spelling of "Aluizio"