Why a gs500???

[ets_gs500f2004]

No one still has answered my question. Let me restate it: Why would an experienced rider remain on a gs500?

because its not the bike thats slow...

good one cause thats true and pantablo is a the right guy to look up to cause im pretty sher if not pass 600 ss guys he could really keep up to them in twisties am i right or wrong pantablo
 
  and if you find his video with is 600rr he can pass a r1 so think again not bike all rider

[fodder650]

I bought mine because the price was right and it was a good looking standard. But the last couple times I was riding and whacked the throttle it was silly fun. Sure I could get more speed from a bigger bike. But its like Miatas, MGB's or Triumph Spitfires. Going 9/10's of a vehicle's potential is more fun and challanging then going at 1/10th. Sure I could do 185mph on a Hayabusa but I'd also be road pizza. But playing on the back roads on a light bike is more fun.

And outisde of the front disc brake the parts are cheap, the upgrades are inexpensive, this site gives you one hundred ways to upgrade and personalize your bikes. And the insurance is nothing for it.

But I agree with the others. It seems like your mind was made up before you got here. And that you really wanted to say was that you think the little Ninja 250 was a better bike then our GS's.

[ets_gs500f2004]

But I agree with the others. It seems like your mind was made up before you got here. And that you really wanted to say was that you think the little Ninja 250 was a better bike then our GS's.

well said..... im on my second season and i look at the first and my skills has really improved like especially this season ive been laying the bike close to the ground even closer then before... taking twisties smoother then before

   now when i ride with one of my friend.... shes got a fzr 400 i have to stay behind her cause i know if i go in front ill lose her in the curves...... witch last year wouldnt of been that bad......

   remember the r6 i was talking about in my tread 150/60-17 tires how do they handle well now i can keep up with an almost stock bike all i got is the k&n filter and in twiestes im almost able to pass him now.... with that im verry proud but i dont think of passing him cause im at my limits and i dont have to proove myself...... cause i know what i can and cant do lol

[LPC2104]

No one still has answered my question. Let me restate it: Why would an experienced rider remain on a gs500?

because its not the bike thats slow...

It's funny 'cause it's true.   

Ok, seriously though, you got a heck of a deal on that bike........maybe the bike is slow.  I'm wondering if you were on the wrong end of the great deal you got.  I understand you are an "experienced" rider but do you know anything about maintenance?  Maybe it really is your bike and you either need to learn how to wrench on it or take it to someone who does.  If the bike checks out ok then it's definitely the rider that is slow.

And don't mess with AJ and her sister.   

[runsilent]

No one still has answered my question. Let me restate it: Why would an experienced rider remain on a gs500?

With over 115k miles and 7 years on a couple GS500's and over 340k miles and 22 years total riding experience on 6 bikes, I remain on a GS because it is the most fun bike I've had.

When you reach the point where a GS is no longer fun for you, you have two choices; either buy a faster 600cc or larger sportbike or learn to really ride the GS you have.  I'm betting you'll take the softer easier way out, good luck with your 600 next spring. 

[baco99]

i'm a beginning, so i don't have much experience, but the main reason for the GS was because the price was right (VERY RIGHT!). 

Parts seem plentiful new or used (although eBay has been a disappointment).

The riding position is a good cross between a standard and sport bike...it's a "tweener"...and i like that.

The engine is supposed to be very reliable, carbs are supposed to be robust, and the handling/weight characteristics are supposed to be good for learning.

[pantablo]

No one still has answered my question. Let me restate it: Why would an experienced rider remain on a gs500?

because its not the bike thats slow...

good one cause thats true and pantablo is a the right guy to look up to cause im pretty sher if not pass 600 ss guys he could really keep up to them in twisties am i right or wrong pantablo

and if you find his video with is 600rr he can pass a r1 so think again not bike all rider

yeah, when I had the gs500 I used to rock it in the canyons. the tighter it was the easier it was to PASS the 600's and liters...I felt bad for them....okay maybe only a little...They always seemed to be surprised at the stops...

and this is the video of me on my '04 600rr mixing it up with an '04 R1. Both of us are good riders, he was probably a little faster than me but I knew the track better. This was only the 2nd time I ran the track in the reverse configuration like that though.
http://media.putfile.com/powerpantablo_small

I learned to carry more corner speed and to be smooth through the turns from the GS, which I use to my full advantage to keep the R1 within striking distance and to make some good passes (in particular, check out the pass at 6:45).

A good rider can be fast on any bike. The group I usually ride with is a bunch of older (more mature?) riders with tons of experience and one guy comes out sometimes on his Kawasaki Concourse...dragging his saddle bags as he hangs off to make a quick pace through the canyons! he's faster on his superhawk but its pretty impressive. Or the guy on an 80's vintage FZR1000r, but who used to ride a honda nighthawk 700 and no one could keep up with him. he rode chen shin (chen shaZam!) tires and scraped pretty much everything on that bike-things you couldnt imagine touching down! These guys are fast, because they're fast riders not because they have fast bikes...

[ets_gs500f2004]

c its never the bike always riders and by the way pantablo i seen your video and was impressed by your skills       grate job!!!!!!

[ets_gs500f2004]

thinking about it if i ever make it to the grand kanyon ill contact you to go ride a lil bit see if i can keep up a lil bit lol

[dchrist]

Pablo,

just watched that vid and.... damn 

nice pass on one wheel at 1:40

[pantablo]

did you notice my giving him the "you're number one" salute at around 9:03 after a pass? LOL...

[dchrist]

I didn't see that the first time.

nice!

[pantablo]

it was one of those great trackdays with a bunch of friends...every time we came back to the pits we were screaming and laughing hysterically inside our helmets....Same happened with this same group of friends when we did the AMA course in Fontana in april. One guy was trying to outbrake me (I am a very late braking rider) and would overshoot the corners outbraking himself into the runoff (he's a good rider and luckily the runoff is all paved so he'd take a crappy line around the corners).

[dchrist]

when you're on the track is it all your friends or are there strangers out there too? did you know that guy you were after?

[Unnamed]

thinking about it if i ever make it to the grand kanyon ill contact you to go ride a lil bit see if i can keep up a lil bit lol

Come on, is it really that hard to hit the "C" key?

[pantablo]

lots of strangers too, but on that day I was there with about 5-6 of my regular riding buddies. The other rider on the R1 is a good friend. We trash talked for WEEKS before the trackday(s) about how I'm going to kick his liter ass and he would retort (in a friendly say) about my getting a real man's bike....the video is only the two of us-the rest of our friends were on a different part of the track and we never crossed paths that session.

[chrisalberts]

No one still has answered my question. Let me restate it: Why would an experienced rider remain on a gs500? Not why would a beginner choose a gs500 for their first bike.

People pick bikes (and other vehicles) for a variety of reasons.  The fact that there are dozens of different bikes to choose from should be a sign that one bike won't please everyone.

If you think the GS is slow and you don't want to put money into mods, but you have the money to get something faster then do it.  Get a Honda CB599 or a Ducati Monster 695 or an SV650 or whatever floats your boat and matches your pocketbook.  You should be able to sell your GS for a nice profit.

This thread contains lots of reasons why people with experience would choose to ride a GS500 but those reasons may not be relevant to you.

C.

[RedShift]

I think we may have scared Mightymax0319 away.

[pandy]

He was just on a couple of hours ago? 

[Alphamazing]

He was just on a couple of hours ago? 

Maybe he got upset because Pablo was right?