A gs500 epiphany

[pantablo]

With all this talk about sv's and monsters and such I thought I would share a little realization I made today while riding...

I LOVE MY GS!

So there I was, riding Angeles Crest Hwy (it's like Heroin...). Rode out from the base/Shell station and 56 miles of twisties later I stopped to pee. I ended up at Mountain High Ski resort (in or just before Wrightwood), where I turned down Big Pines Hwy 8 miles to Mile High Cafe where the Oct 4 Crest GStwin ride will brunch.

20 miles into my return trip and I'm on a moderate clip hitting a zen feeling with the bike. I start to play around and hang off for kicks (not because my speed required it). It was then that I realized I love my gs500.

I was enjoying the shaZam! out of my GS500 and there's NO bike I could upgrade to that would make the ride that much better. Yeah, the SV may have more power but the buzzy nature of the gs made me feel like I was racing about even though I was at what some might even call a civilized pace. The Sv I rode last weekend gave me the opposite feeling.  Other bikes have more power and will probably squirt out of corners much faster but the little GS was a blast and I didn't miss any power coming out of corners; it was plenty fast to enjoy a spirited ride in the canyons.

Sure, I've tweaked it a bit to handle better (and look better ).  And if I bought any 'upgrade' bike I'd probably do many things to it as well...since all the bikes I was considering as upgrade material are considered budget rides and for how I ride I'd have to upgrade suspension just to feel better (yeah, I know, a good rider will be able to ride anything well).

And sure, there are still things I'd like to do to make the GS more what I want-namely a wider rear rim so I can run a 150 tire, a full fairing or half fairing eventually since I still lust for a gixxer look but dont need or want that much power (or that common a bike), a better sounding exhaust (probably a cobra since I dont need the extra top end but would love a bit more mid range), properly jetted carbs, maybe paint bodywork and contrasting wheels.

What can I say...I'm keeping it. I love it.

Felt like sharing...


[btw-you local SoCal riders that are coming out for the Crest ride on 10/4 you are really in for a spectacular ride!]

[jake42]

i knew you'd come around eventually.

jake

[Blueknyt]

pantablo, you can put a 150/60 on there just fine, i have run 130/70 and 140/70 and i have to say the 150/60 feels the most stable to me, both straight up, and leaned over, be it hard or moderate lean. the 130 felt ok but alittle twitchy upright and leaned, the 140 felt ok leaned over but twitchy on highway, not much but enough to notice, the 150 just feels rock solid without being a rock, true i have progressive fronts, raisedfork tubes in clamps just a smidge, gsxr 600 rear shock, also running 110/60 front nothing feels twitchy, its solid. i also have cartrige emulators and run 20w oil,  not that i know much about them, everything on the bike was there when i got it. (extrack bike)  i think if the 2004 GS came with SV650 wheels, the handling would be tops wider front and rear wheels

[pantablo]

blueknyt-
I've got 150/60 michelin pilot sport on there now but would like a proper width rim to not pinch it (I'd like to get rid of the permanent chicken strips at the very least and also have full use of the tire). Have you noticed the tendency when you're really leaned over for the bike to tend to fall into the turn? I have and its from the tire being pinched.

I also have progressive fork springs, gsxr rear shock, Suburban-Machinery handlebars (like position of true clip ons). Bike handles like a dream really.

My wish list would also include a solo seat cowl for 01+ models.

[bbanjo]

Ditto.

[Pkaaso]

Bike handles like a dream really.

I can vouch for that!  

[500rider]

I feel the same way .. (sniff).  

No, really.  The more I ride the GS the more I like it.  Half the fun of owning one, is dreaming about how to make it better!  Part of the satisfaction I get is in researching the modifications (on this site) and then seeing how it makes the bike better.  Plus I do have done most of the maintenance myself.  

Also, the GS forum rocks!

mods to date:
progressive springs
bar end mirrors
ignition advancer
turn signal mods
Metzler tires

future mods considered:
fender eliminator
flyscreen
dual headlights
clipon handle bars
katana rear shock
exhaust tip

[Adam R]

Funny that you posted this Pablo, as I was thinking the same exact thing on my ride through GMR and Glendora Ridge yesterday.  While I had been lamenting the GS's lack of power on the freeway (my last bike was a CBR 600 F1), the trip through the canyons has now revealed that my modified GS handles better than the CBR ever did.

I was smiling and laughing in my helmet for a couple hours yesterday, until I ran out of oil ... but thats another story.  Luckily I found some guys with tuner cars who had some spare oil and made it home without incident.

Although I'm slightly bummed to have to take the GS off the road while I repair the head gasket, the amount of fun I had my ride yesterday made the several weekends dedicated to rebuilding my project GS more than worthwhile.  I had the bike apart for so long, I had almost forgotten what ridding was all about.

Adam