What don't you like about the GS?

[GsJuNk]

Since everyone is always talking about how much they love the GS, tell me what you don't like about it.

[octane]

No matter what you do to it, the little GS is still underpowered. The gauges/controls could be jazzed up a bit too.

[octane]

And the horrible graphics on the early models.

[jake42]

And the horrible graphics on the early models.

what you don't like the tiger stripe graphics :lol:

[John Paul]

the fact that mine is broken :guns:

[Piper5177]

The stock tires are made of rubber dog shaZam! (I'm not joking they are!); the front forks are mush; oh that thing that doesn't work right under the seat called a fuel petcock.  They have the most beautiful rear fender I have ever seen!  It really makes the rear tire look bigger.  Rear shock is too soft unless you weigh 100 lbs.  It's jetted way too lean (I guess whitened spark plugs on a stock motor are good?)  Other than that it's great.  

[Rashad]

Im just starting to LIKE my gs...whatchu talkum bout willis~

hehe, its just starting to run right... and im actually haveing fun now.

But if i had to say, it would be headlight, gauges, lack of fairing, handlebars being too cruiserish, and the front part of the frame in front of the motor.. makes the bike like wussy in that one area. Otherwise the rest of the frame is hott!

[Black Snowman]

Needs to be moded = bad
Can be modded and cheap = good

Things I didn't like about my GS but have since been corrected:
Wind protection
Front springs
Rear shock
Uneven throttle response. Mine had already been rejetted (but I rejetted again when I got a K&N clamp-on and full exhaust).

Things that I don't like about the GS and I am about to fix:
Unreliable vacuum opporated fuel petcock.

Things that I don't like about the GS and can't fix:
No stock size tires in radials.
Might eventually go with a bigger rear rim but that mainly depends on how well I end up liking the Sport Demons that I'm going to put on after my long haul to Branson and how cheaply I and find a rear wheel for the swap.

[Rashad]

Needs to be moded = bad
Can be modded and cheap = good

Things I didn't like about my GS but have since been corrected:
Wind protection
Front springs
Rear shock
Uneven throttle response. Mine had already been rejetted (but I rejetted again when I got a K&N clamp-on and full exhaust).

Things that I don't like about the GS and I am about to fix:
Unreliable vacuum opporated fuel petcock.

Things that I don't like about the GS and can't fix:
No stock size tires in radials.

Might eventually go with a bigger rear rim but that mainly depends on how well I end up liking the Sport Demons that I'm going to put on after my long haul to Branson and how cheaply I and find a rear wheel for the swap.

Hey man, i LOVE my Avon azaro's.. the rear is a 140/80/17  i believe. Why dont you give it a shot? About 100 bucks, awesome grip and handling, killer looks and its a radial!

[Black Snowman]

The Avon's are a Radial? I didn't know that. I already have the Demons in my living room so the Avon's will have to wait a few thousand miles

[bbanjo]

Stock+
Springs
Shock
Chop that damned rear to the seat!
Mirrors

My tires I can live with until they expire.

Lean stinks a little (verry little on my '02) but mileage rocks.

What I COULD do (but don't need to as the GS I have now kicks ass)?

GSXR 750 USD front end & GSX-R front wheel wheel
Tokico 6-pot front caliper
Braided front brake line
400 Bandit rear wheel
Michelin Pilot Sport - Front 120/60ZR17 Rear 150/60ZR17
GSXR 750 adjustable shock
Carbon slip-on
K&N Filter
Re-Jet Kit
Carbon Fiber Monster Fairing
Buell turn signals front and rear
Bandit 400 Hugger
GSXR Passenger Peg Brackets
Suburban Machinery Type 2 Bars

Most of "why it's cool" is that I CAN do the above to it.

How boring would it be to be square with a bike that wants nothing?

[Black Snowman]

Stock+
What I COULD do (but don't need to as the GS I have now kicks ass)?

GSXR 750 USD front end & GSX-R front wheel wheel
Tokico 6-pot front caliper
Braided front brake line
400 Bandit rear wheel
Michelin Pilot Sport - Front 120/60ZR17 Rear 150/60ZR17
GSXR 750 adjustable shock
Carbon slip-on
K&N Filter
Re-Jet Kit
Carbon Fiber Monster Fairing
Buell turn signals front and rear
Bandit 400 Hugger
GSXR Passenger Peg Brackets
Suburban Machinery Type 2 Bars

Or for about the same money and a lot less time buy a used SuperSport and have all that plus a lot more power

Not that I'm much of one to talk. I've put a lot of money into my little GS. I don't often find myself wanting more power. Just that I'm in the wrong gear  

[Piper5177]

GSXR 750 USD front end & GSX-R front wheel wheel
Tokico 6-pot front caliper
Braided front brake line
400 Bandit rear wheel
Michelin Pilot Sport - Front 120/60ZR17 Rear 150/60ZR17
GSXR 750 adjustable shock
Carbon slip-on
K&N Filter
Re-Jet Kit
Carbon Fiber Monster Fairing
Buell turn signals front and rear
Bandit 400 Hugger
GSXR Passenger Peg Brackets
Suburban Machinery Type 2 Bars

Somebody's been spending a lot of time in Pablo's site :nana:

[sprint_9]

My personal favorites are the stock turn signals that look like yard sticks with oranges stuck on the ends of them, and the brick size rubber foot pegs, real cool. Oh well, for the money and the fun you cant bet the GS.

[pantablo]

There's nothing really wrong with that the GS is. It is a budget, entry level bike. And as such it will have budget suspension, tires etc. just like any other budget bike. It will also have stuff most US bikes have (lean jetting, etc).

Accepted for what it is the GS is quite a good little bike. Some niggling problems and some areas for improvement but all in all a good ride. I'm enjoying riding the shaZam! out of mine in the canyons.

Its not the bike...its the rider.

[mrslush50]

besides, all the "niggling problem" can also be seen as opportunities to improve your bike by working on it yourself.

[The Buddha]

Or for about the same money and a lot less time buy a used SuperSport and have all that plus a lot more power

Not that I'm much of one to talk. I've put a lot of money into my little GS. I don't often find myself wanting more power. Just that I'm in the wrong gear  

OK My first GS cost me $800 back in 95, my second cost me $900 in 98, and my third was 550. Say I spend $500 modding them (a huge number that $500 cos I did it all super cheap - but of course I dont have GSXR USD on it and heve never sent it to a shop)...Lemme see where I can get a supersport (meaning modern 600 right) for $1400 or less. Cheap to mod, huge knowledge base thanks to John and over the years Michael Moore, and Joris and Munnin and of course Pablo You never have to look far to fix it. My vulcan and virago 535 and all others (except the eli's and KZ440) have no support. Stoopid suzuki should have realized they have a harley/hawk style following here and tried working with the bike to make somehting of it. A more cruiserish baby triumph Bonneville america would have made sense too in fact instead of killing it.
Cool.
Srinath.

[Black Snowman]

Damn Srinath I wish I could have found deals like that. Not counting consumables (tires, oil, filters, gas, etc . . . ) I probably have almost $3000 into mine. I don't like to keep exact track. It's bad for me Of course it has been crashed once and dropped twice.

OK, I'll go over it anyway.
Lets see:
1992 GS500E w/ 4800 miles, targa fairing, and small rear turn signals   $2,000.00
Bar ends   $12.00
Braided steel brake lines   $100.00
Brake levers (from crash and drops)   $40.00
Cargo net   $10.00
Case guards   $53.00
Center stand (missing)   $22.00
Clutch and throttle cable   $35.00
Fuel filter and line   $8.00
Fuel line "Y" fitting   $3.00
Fuel valves   $30.00
Gasket   $13.00
Grips   $8.00
Handle bars   $22.00
High-temp paint   $8.00
K&N filter and kit   $150.00
LED tail light   $37.00
Mirrors   $15.00
National Cycle F-15 windscreen   $70.00
O-rings   $3.00
Progressive springs:    $65.00
Rear shock with materials for mods   $90.00
Replacement gauges (crash)   $85.00
Sprockets   $53.00
Used exhaust w/shipping and matrials to clean up the rust   $150.00
Exhaust gaskets   $14.00
      
Total:   $3,096.00


And once you start on all the racing level mods (engine internals and USD forks, bodywork, etc . . . ) it's pretty easy to go over the $3500 I routinely see SS bikes from the mid 90s go for.

Of course the experiance I've gained riding and working on my GS has been invaluable and I'd do everything the same if I had to do it over.

[lloydbanks]

man, the only thing i really don't like about my GS is that it doesn't pull hard btw 5-8rpm's.  i wish there was a cheap fix for that.  i really don't want to spend $300+ for a jet kit, filter, & exhaust -i'd rather spend it on new tires.

but i do love riding the bike hard.  it's soooo much fun wringing the sh*t out of this bike.  it pulls pretty good above 8 & the brakes aren't bad either...

[Black Snowman]

For low RPM grunt a pipe, filter, jet, etc won't help. In fact it might hurt you. About the only thing you can do for low-end power is the ignition advancer.