Am I Too Heavy For This Bike?

[Chilly Willy]

Hi gang,

El Noobo here.  This is an awkward question, so I'll just cut right to the chase.  I weigh 265 and am 6'2".  I've recently found a great deal on a 94 GS500.  This will be my first bike and I want to be sure to pick out one that I'm going to enjoy learning on.  So, am I too heavy for this bike?

And yes, I know the obvious answer is to lose some weight.  It's not the jeans that make my butt look fat, it's the beer and pizza.

Thanks.

[pantablo]

no, you're not too heavy. the bike is rated for somewhere in the 400lb range for rider and passenger though. still, even with just you on it the bike wont be as quick as it would be for me (125lbs-dont hate, LOL).

really good first bike. welcome.

[hmmmnz]

it'll be fine im in the 200-220 lb braket,  and its sweet to ride, i would suggest upgrading the rear suspension with a rgv or sv or katana rear shock as the gs one is a pile of poo

[Blueknyt]

ok, im nearly 300, and my buddy broke down while riding and had to give him a lift back home to retrieve the truck. he was close at 275ish. so your talking over 500Lbs piled on to the poor little thing.   3things made my GS not care abit and still able to travel 60-70 on highway.


1 Progressive springs in forks with home made spacers for preload ($70)

2 Katana 600 rear shock   off Ebay  ($20)

3 15 tooth front sproket from a board member   ($20)


the bike will still haul you around stock so dont think you life or death need these changes.  im just saying these items made the GS carry the load without strain.   and made for some great curve carving

[Turd Ferguson]

Congrats on the bike.  I deffinately would suggest changing the rear shock to something a bit more firm.  I dig your username!

-El Turdo.

[ChaosGS500]

i weigh 210, and plan on riding with passengers, so i am thinking of upgrading the rear shock, and i apparently the katana shock is a good upgrade, is this a fairly easy upgrade

nevermind, used search and found pantablos tutorial

[scratch]

Welcome!

[gsmetal]

I'm going to disagree with everyone else.

Yes, you're too big for this bike.

Engine wise, it's probably ok for you but frame wise, you're just too big for this bike.  You'll be happy with this bike for a week and then you're going to find that it's just too (physically) small for you. You're legs and hips will (may) cramp up.

I'm 6'5" and tip the scales at about 230lbs. The GS500 I have is my wife's bike and from time to time I sneak a ride and I'm good for about 45 minutes. It's a fun bike - don't get me wrong - but I wouldn't have this as my main ride.

Take a look at a KLR 650. Lots of legroom.

[Turd Ferguson]

6'0" here and no cramping for me.  Granted I weight 137lbs. 

Lots of swirlies growing up.

-Turd.

[pandy]

Welcome to GSTwin! 

I think you'll find, as many others have said, that you'll do just fine on the Baby G! My Baby G hauled me around through (literally) thick and a-little-less-thick! He's never complained a bit!     

[hmmmnz]

im 6'4 and with the sv650 rear shock its not too small at all, i can't remember what it was like with out having the shock lifting the bike as it was the first mod i did, but i don't recall it being to bad,

[TadMC]

x

[pres589]

I'm 6 foot 5 inches tall and I rode my GS for an hour and a half last night, no cramps or any weirdness beyond this lovely blister on my clutching hand.  Picked up some decent Tour Master gloves today which should help stop that from happening again.

I wonder if extra weight would cause more noticable problems with the GS's lumpy low down power delivery with the stock lean jetting... I'm sure the jets in mine are stock, and a previous owner installed a full Vance & Hines exhaust; this thing won't idle much below 3000 RPM in neutral once warmed up.  And it's a little funky for the first 10 feet of take off from a stop on the street.

[Turd Ferguson]

I'm 6 foot 5 inches tall and I rode my GS for an hour and a half last night, no cramps or any weirdness beyond this lovely blister on my clutching hand.  Picked up some decent Tour Master gloves today which should help stop that from happening again.

Gloves are a must.  Even a small wreck at 20 mph can turn into a huge hospital visit and lots of damage to your hands without good gloves.

I wonder if extra weight would cause more noticable problems with the GS's lumpy low down power delivery with the stock lean jetting... I'm sure the jets in mine are stock, and a previous owner installed a full Vance & Hines exhaust; this thing won't idle much below 3000 RPM in neutral once warmed up.  And it's a little funky for the first 10 feet of take off from a stop on the street.

Sounds like your lean stock jetting went UBER lean when the full exhaust was installed with no rejet.  The GS isn't supposed to run like that!

-Turd.

[Chilly Willy]

Wow,

Thanks for all of the great responses and encouragement!  I'm pretty excited about the bike and get to pick it up Monday night.  I test rode it in downtown Seattle traffic a couple of days ago.  It was comfortable and easy to maneuver—one of the best bikes I've tested yet.  Having just moved up from a Yamaha Zuma scooter, I was a bit worried about the "trained bear on a little bike" feel and look.  I didn't have that sensation on the GS500.  The reason I posted the question was a) when I checked out the bike, I bounced both the front and rear suspension—and felt like I could bottom out the rear and b) the guy I'm buying it from (my former karate instructor) is about 5' 8" and 120 dripping wet (even so, he could still kick my butt).  I mentioned the bottoming out feeling to him and he is going to adjust the rear shock before Monday.

Thank you for the recommendations regarding replacements / modifications.  This will give me something to work on over the long rainy Pacific Northwest winters we have out here.

El Noobo

[pres589]

Turd:  Yeah, I was wearing gloves but they were really basic farm/fencing gloves that weren't very tight around the fingers.  The grips aren't nearly as crappy feeling now.

And yeah, the bike doesn't run that well at really low speeds when it's been run for more than 15 minutes unless you're doing about 3500 RPM or more.  I wonder if this is part of the reason why the guy I bought it from dropped it while turning into his driveway; the power delievery is a little lumpy.  Taking off from a stoplight, the thing sounds a little like a tractor until everything picks up.  It runs decently at speed though, but I need to get off my ass and pull the carbs and throw in the new jets I got per srinath's recommendations for a full exhaust and a lunchbox (also waiting in the cabinent); 40 non-bleed pilot's, 150 large round mains.

[Wrecent_Wryder]

Y65

[Alphamazing]

I ride two up with my girlfriend every now and again. Comes out to 275ish with gear and whatnot, and the bike hauls us both plenty fast. That was with stock suspension up front and in the rear, too. You'll be fine!

Also, if you don't believe Turd about quality gloves, believe me: http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=20659.0

[Chilly Willy]

Yikes!

That's some picture!  I have been debating about what type of protective gear to buy.  I currently have a Shoei RF1000 helmet, a mesh armored jacket, lightweight dirtbiking gloves, and ankle-high hiking boots.

I've been looking at some of the Joe Rocket Ballistic gear, but maybe I should look at leather instead of textile.  I know this is a change of thread / topic, but what would others recommend for safety gear.

My MSF instructor said that there are old riders and bold riders, but no old bold riders.  I'd like to be an old rider some day.

El Noobo

[aaronstj]

Hey, Seattle.  Welcome.