Out growing the GS

[RVertigo]

Scared the shaZam! out of the wife...  I wasn't scared at the time...  I was thinking about spending the rest of my life listening to, "Look what you did to my leg you A-Hole."  THEN I was scared.

I took a good mm or two off right side the center stand...  Really stupid...  I started into the corner to narrow and too hot (Which would have been fine solo, but didn't cut it 2up).    I rode like a saint from then on.

[pantablo]

It is at a local dealer. It belonged to one of their mechanics. I guess he never rode it. $5999 for it. I figure they would take my SV on trade. They are also extending a warranty on it unil like 2009. It is yellow and black.

Does that sound like a deal to you?

thats just on the top of the range I've seen 03's sell for. Is it stock or does it have goodies on it (liek slip on exhaust, etc). that and the rextended warranty makes it a pretty good deal.

[dweh54]

if you guys ask me..... yes people make fun of my bike because its a 500 and they say the f is for females..... but i dont care cause its my bike my pride no one can take that away from me lol.....

I'm a new GS owner, got it in April and rebuilt the carb and put new tires on (great info here on the high idle when warm).  No MSF yet, they are all booked up but I practiced in parking lots and passed the test w/100%.  Put on 75-100 miles on the last 5 weekends.  People have made fun of me about how small it is (but they don't even own a bike at all).  Personally,  I love the bike, handles well, enough power to get me up the hills around Cleveland and get going faster than cars.  Can't forget to mention only 100 dollars to insure for a year.  Maybe an upgrade one day, but fun and learning now.

[RedShift]

...  People have made fun of me about how small it is (but they don't even own a bike at all).  Personally,  I love the bike, handles well, enough power to get me up the hills around Cleveland and get going faster than cars.  Can't forget to mention only 100 dollars to insure for a year.  Maybe an upgrade one day, but fun and learning now.

Yeah, I've had that line thown at me as well. 

A Gold Wing rider that was parked beside be came when I was putting my gear on.  Asked me how I liked my "little bike".  I told her it was a hoot to ride, fits in a 6'x4' space with two cars in my two-car garage, gets 65 MPH on the highway and costs practically nothing to insure.  Don't recall we said much to each other after that.  (Musta hit a nerve with one of my plus'es.) 

[TadMC]

  People have made fun of me about how small it is (but they don't even own a bike at all).

Those people are morons!!

[mike_mike]

I've recently discovered that the GS wear's two hats.
The beginner/teacher hat and the fun toy hat.

If you're just beginning to ride, the GS wears it's beginner hat. It is responsive, and the geared in a very obvious manner. If you pop it down into 1st gear when you shoudln't have, the GS will let you know much more than a 600ss bike will. If you're not in the correct gear, the GS is likely to let you know much more clearly than most other bikes.
I find that the GS is very particular about what gear you select and how you treat the throttle. When i ride other bikes thottle and gear control isn't really even an issue because the GS kind of forces good throttle control and gear control on to you. You could argue the same about a faster sportbike, but i highly doubt you'd get the chance to use all of the gears and all of the rpm range like you can on the GS.

If someone already knows how to ride or is beginning to get confident, they may ride other bikes. The gs doesn't mind if you ride other bikes becuase it has something different to offer. It is certainly not the fastest bike to ride, but if you know what you're doing the GS corners with the best of them and has that 'flickable' quality that is loads of fun.

I don't really have a problem riding with 600s on my GS. The GS is just as quick and arguably quicker in the corners, and not that often do you get to really open it up on the street... so the GS works just fine for me.

[Jake D]

It is at a local dealer. It belonged to one of their mechanics. I guess he never rode it. $5999 for it. I figure they would take my SV on trade. They are also extending a warranty on it unil like 2009. It is yellow and black.

Does that sound like a deal to you?

thats just on the top of the range I've seen 03's sell for. Is it stock or does it have goodies on it (liek slip on exhaust, etc). that and the rextended warranty makes it a pretty good deal.

Bone stock.  I'll go by there and have a look.

[aaronstj]

...gets 65 MPH on the highway...

If you really flog it, you should be able to get up to at least 70 MPH. 

[Unnamed]

...gets 65 MPH on the highway...

If you really flog it, you should be able to get up to at least 70 MPH. 

Is that with the NOX kit?

[RedShift]

...gets 65 MPH on the highway...

If you really flog it, you should be able to get up to at least 70 MPH. 

Is that with the NOX kit?

Oops!!  Yeah, ya caught me with a typo.  That should have been MPG (Gallon, not Hour).  Geez, am I embarrased.   

[pandy]

...gets 65 MPH on the highway...

If you really flog it, you should be able to get up to at least 70 MPH. 

Is that with the NOX kit?

Oops!!  Yeah, ya caught me with a typo.  That should have been MPG (Gallon, not Hour).  Geez, am I embarrased.   

WOW!! Now THAT's power!!!   

[TadMC]

Oh hey you changed you avitar back to the old one

[pandy]

Closest thing to a hammer I have...plus, it's one Phae    found for me.   

[ets_gs500f2004]

yeah i have the guys at work saying you just got a scooter... they call the gs a scooter i say its cause your jalous cause you dont have a bike lol..... then im to them well you 4 wheelers are to slow there like yeah want to race im like my lil 500 will eat your 700 on drag race...... and hes like not if i run you of the road im like yeah your scared of a lil 500 ha ha ha

[Sakuraba]

I was riding around town last night when a guy on a white cbr pulled up next to me at a light. We gave the offical nod. He asked me if this was the gsf. When i said "ya its the gsf500", He asked me if i had a hard time getting the training wheels off. ............duck

[Jake D]

That is a d*ck move.

I actually got some stop light approval from a 'Busa owner the other day.  He gave me the nod and said, "Nice bike.  Is that an SV?"  Looking at his 'Busa, I just said, "Yeeeeaaa."   But I didn't actually finish the word. 

Awkward.   

[BaoQingTian]

Seriously, people who make size jokes have  got to be insecure or overcompensating for something.  I've never had a rider I respect make fun of my 500.  Plenty of squids though.  One guy on his Katana 750 (that he's had for over 2 years) couldn't keep up on a group ride up Kingsburg Grade (6% grade, 15 miles, very curvy). 

If anyone makes fun of the size of my bike, I just figure that they're a squid who doesn't know how to ride and uses his power as a crutch through turns.  The really good riders can respect someone who starts out conservatively.

[pandy]

I was riding around town last night when a guy on a white cbr pulled up next to me at a light. We gave the offical nod. He asked me if this was the gsf. When i said "ya its the gsf500", He asked me if i had a hard time getting the training wheels off. ............duck

Next time, tell him that yes, you still have them cuz you figured he'd be needing them.

[aaronstj]

Seriously, people who make size jokes have  got to be insecure or overcompensating for something.  I've never had a rider I respect make fun of my 500.  Plenty of squids though.

Absolutely.  Every single rider I respect has told me what a great bike it was.  Before I got a bike, I had several riders say (copmletely independantly), "Do you know what you need?  A GS500."

[pantablo]

I was riding around town last night when a guy on a white cbr pulled up next to me at a light. We gave the offical nod. He asked me if this was the gsf. When i said "ya its the gsf500", He asked me if i had a hard time getting the training wheels off. ............duck

what a duck. where are you located? I know of only a few riders with a white 600rr (not a stock color) and if I find them on 600rr.net I'm going to give them shaZam! for having a small pee pee...