Forum and newbie questions

[lilbill]

Hello everyone,

First of all, thank you for the welcome to the forum.  I am new to the world of street biking and obviously have have questions.  I have been researching different makes and models of motorcycles for about one year and have decided that a gs500E is the right choice for me(probably).  I have sat on the bike and it seems to be a good fit, but until I can actually ride one for any amount of time I will not be able to tell.  So here come the questions:
  1.  I'm 6'2".  Am I too tall for a gs/any signs to look for just by sitting on the bike?
  2.  What should I look for on a gs before buying it, i.e. any trouble spots to look for?
  3.  I am planning on buying full gear, any recommendations  on brands, or go for the best fit?  Also, Snell or no Snell?
  4.  Finally, are there any unwritten rules on using the for sale forum that I should be aware of?

Thank you all so much for giving me time and helping a newbie, I really appreciate it.

[nastynate6695]

welcome my friend... i hope you have thick skin you need it here.....
1 no you are not to tall for the gs..  as far as signs go when sitting...um check to make sure the handle bars a straight and you master cylinder is in decent shape.
2.  check the timing chain and the both engiine case seals on the side for any oil leaks.
3. whatever brand you can afford.   just make sure the material and or composite material doesnt feel to cheap..
4. not that im aware of.. except for when two people need the same part   person who needs it most and comes up with the money gets it.

good luck and welcome

oh and before i forget...before you ask anymore questions  use the search button at the top to look for them previously asked  before you time.  Also check out pablos  500 website and the wikki.  Both are good for info and will safe you time and energy not to mention harrasment for not making an effort.

[Unnamed]

Hey lilbill, good to have you here, and you're asking the right questions.

1. Maybe- I'm 6'4" and my knees don't fit into the tank indents in my 1996 (2003+ has a slightly different tank). It's not uncomfortable for me, but I do lose a tiny amount of wind protection.

2. It's hard to say, if you know trouble spots on any motorcycles you'll know what to look for. It also depends a lot on the year. I'd say, if you're looking for a bike that won't require any maintenance for a while, check these things: tire tread; fork seal damage; date of last oil change; condition of chain/ sprockets (rusted or overly worn); obvious damage to bike caused by drops or crashes; and see if the PO did any modifications. I'm sure someone can provide a link to a site with a checklist for this sort of stuff.

3. Fit is very important, if you can go and try some on it will probably help you find good gear. Otherwise check out newenough.com , it's a very popular retailer and their return/exchange policy is awesome. Gear is a huge balancing act between cost, fit, and your own needs, so it will be tough for us to generalize for you.  As for helmets- in 2005 Motorcyclist Magazine gave their best safety rating to a helmet which was DOT but not Snell approved (it was a Z1R ZRP-1). Generally speaking a ~$100 helmet will protect your head as well as a ~$400 helmet. When you spend more money you get helmets which weigh less, are more aerodynamic, have better venting, have better visors/ visor swap mechanisms, and have better decals. Just like gear, fit is important so TRY IT ON before you buy it.

4. Not really. Just be polite. In the main forum just try a search before posting a new thread (this one is fine, but for more specific questions we may have already given answers several times).

Good luck! Ride Safe! Take the MSF course!

[ohgood]

Congrats on a good decision! 

1) I'm 6'3" and my 98 fits fine. I can sit upright like a standard or lean a little like a crotch rocket, depending on mood. Upright is more comfortable, but for 'those' days - you know.

2) a) The obviouse witness marks from a laydown (GET UNDERNEATH IT!!) aren't a deal killer, but will give you an idea of the character of the bike AND the owner. (Did he/she mention it ?)
b) chain /tires / brakes / oil  condition ? you can check all of those in less than 5 minutes and see if the owner did things on time. c) electrics ? check all the blinkers, hi/low beam, brake/run light(s). d) spend some time with the owner while you're looking. you can get a 'feel' of if they really did things proper for the bike, or at least i  like to think you can.

DONT RUSH BECAUSE IT's PRETTY

3) ANSI and SNELL are stamps. Try your helmet / gloves / jacket / boots / pants/ etc on at a dealer, and ask two or three salespeople for proper fitment recommendations. If they're jerks, just buy online once you know your sizes.

Since you're 'normal' sized, you'll prolly want a small windscreen to take the wind blast off your chest cruising over 60 MPH. The buell screens work fine, i have a little flyscreen (second hand) that IIRC was a suzuki aftermarket.

Oh and when you go to test ride/buy: Ask the owner to leave it dirty. And don't run it befor you arrive. Then you can see any oil leaks and find out how it really runs from a cold start. It's got carbs man, and you WANT to know what condition things are in.

Good luck, enjoy the forum and the ride - everyone else here is.

[lilbill]

Thank you all for the advice...I'm very excited to get started riding.  I will definitely register for the MSF class and will heed your advice.  This is a great forum

[Jay_wolf]

sorry to threadjack , but do u not have to take the MSF before u start riding?

[nastynate6695]

no but its recomended.

[VSG]

I just started riding myself.  Check out my newbie thread - http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=35925.0 - there's some good info in there.

I'm 6' 2", about 200lbs and I think the bike fits just fine.  Sitting more upright is a lot more comfortable.

For gear I got:

Olympia AirGlide jacket (great venting for the warm weather)
Aplinestar gloves with carbon fiber over the knuckles
Oxtar Matrix boots
HJC CL-15 helmet
Olympia AirGlide pants (on order)

The jackets and pants both have removable liners.  So I think they'd be fairly versitile.  As mentioned, as long as the helmet is DOT approved, you're good.  The rest that you're paying for is comfort, style, or name.  There's an interesting article out there where they test a whole bunch of Snell and non-Snell helmets.  It's got some cool info about helmets in general too.


As for taking the MSF course before riding.  I think it depends.  If you're familiar with a manual transmission, that will probably help some.  You'll also want a parking lot or some backroads with little to no traffic.

I'm the type of person to just dive into things.  So when I got my bike delievered to my house, I couldn't help it.  I got it registered the next day and off I went, without any prior motorcycle experience.  I did a lot of reading on here and other sites that gave riding tips.  I kept all those in mind, and besides a few shaky starts and some mistakes I think I've been doing pretty good.  It probably even looks like I almost know what I'm doing. 

[nastynate6695]

no you can always tell who the new riders on the road are.

[Jay_wolf]

i agree . U can tell

[VSG]

Yea, I forgot to add the keyword: "almost".

I have made, in my opinion, a nice improvement if you compare day 3 with day 1 though.  The best part is practicing and gaining experience will actually be fun!

[VaRider07]

Hey man, I just recently bought an 07 GS500F, and its definitely the way to go.
1. Im 6'0 or 6'1 and have no problems sitting on the bike...its a comfortable ride.
3. I got an HJC full face helmet, some summer riding Joe Rocket blue gloves, Joe Rocket Mesh Phoenix 4.0 jacket, and Joe Rocket boots.  Im just wearing thick jeans atm for legs.