Is this a good deal on a 2008 GS500F?

[Roadstergal]

Say you pull up to a light and there is a GSXR there.  You're both jack asses so you gun it when the light turns.

And you both get plowed by the car that mistimes running a stale yellow.

I'm in no hurry to leave from a light.  I don't let the cars run over me, but I let the Ricky Racers go.  They're easy to pass in turns.  Hell, they're easy to pass on freeway onramps.

[Roadstergal]

I would think the 500 would actually beat a Gzxr 600 off the line cause its a 2 cylinder, but then the 600 would catch up and smoke the 500 in the end. 

I don't know how a GZXR would do.  :p  But any I-4 race bike is going to be faster everywhere than an aircooled 500 streetbike - given equal riders.

Riders are almost never equal.  Especially when it comes to the demographic that tends to buy 600 race replicas.

[cafeboy]

Say you pull up to a light and there is a GSXR there.  You're both jack asses so you gun it when the light turns.

And you both get plowed by the car that mistimes running a stale yellow.

[paxfaux]

Say you pull up to a light and there is a GSXR there.  You're both jack asses so you gun it when the light turns.

And you both get plowed by the car that mistimes running a stale yellow.

I'm in no hurry to leave from a light.  I don't let the cars run over me, but I let the Ricky Racers go.  They're easy to pass in turns.  Hell, they're easy to pass on freeway onramps.

really, the 500 will hold a line that much better then a GSXR?  why is that?  Is is just because it is lighter?  and does 100ccs really make it that much lighter?  normally i would think it would have to do with suspension but I doubt the 500 has a better suspension then the gsxr (but i could be wrong).

[paxfaux]

I said we would both be jackasses

I think i have a pretty healthy fear of my own inexperience and other drivers lack of attention.  Very right of you guys to point that out though

[Roadstergal]

really, the 500 will hold a line that much better then a GSXR?  why is that?  Is is just because it is lighter?  and does 100ccs really make it that much lighter?  normally i would think it would have to do with suspension but I doubt the 500 has a better suspension then the gsxr (but i could be wrong).

A GSXR has better suspension and more motor.  A GS500 is a better daily streetbike by a long shot.

Just because a bike is faster on the track doesn't make it a good bike for every purpose.  IMO, a lot of what makes a race replica fast on the track makes it a bad daily driver.

Just because a bike is faster on the track doesn't mean the owner can ride it.  It's more fun to learn to wring the neck of a 'slow' bike, and then, if you get really good at it, get a race bike as well and race.

A lot of people buy race replicas because they think it makes them fast.  It doesn't.  Kenny Roberts starts his racing school candidates out on little dirtbikes.

[tripleb]

If I could offer you any advice on a new bike, it would be to stay away from the dealerships and buy off of ebay or craigslist.  Get something cheap so that when you drop it (and you definitely will) it won't be nearly as big of a deal.  If you're brand new, IMHO, you should get a nice older bike for less than $1500 and ride until until you get some experience and then possibly think about getting something newer and/or more powerful.

[paxfaux]

really, the 500 will hold a line that much better then a GSXR?  why is that?  Is is just because it is lighter?  and does 100ccs really make it that much lighter?  normally i would think it would have to do with suspension but I doubt the 500 has a better suspension then the gsxr (but i could be wrong).

A GSXR has better suspension and more motor.  A GS500 is a better daily streetbike by a long shot.

Just because a bike is faster on the track doesn't make it a good bike for every purpose.  IMO, a lot of what makes a race replica fast on the track makes it a bad daily driver.

Just because a bike is faster on the track doesn't mean the owner can ride it.  It's more fun to learn to wring the neck of a 'slow' bike, and then, if you get really good at it, get a race bike as well and race.

A lot of people buy race replicas because they think it makes them fast.  It doesn't.  Kenny Roberts starts his racing school candidates out on little dirtbikes.

I guess my question is: given equal riders the gs500 could take the same turn faster then a GSXR 600?

[cafeboy]

I think so.

[paxfaux]

If I could offer you any advice on a new bike, it would be to stay away from the dealerships and buy off of ebay or craigslist.  Get something cheap so that when you drop it (and you definitely will) it won't be nearly as big of a deal.  If you're brand new, IMHO, you should get a nice older bike for less than $1500 and ride until until you get some experience and then possibly think about getting something newer and/or more powerful.

that was exactly my plan from the begining.  I wanted something old and cheap for the very reasons you mention. Then someone made the statement that things go wrong on old machines and on a motorcycle that could be deadly.  That makes a lot of sense to me and I think its worth the extra investment.

Of course, my cousin bought a brand new bike and it had a devastating mechanical failure.  According to him, the brake like was too close to the tail pipe (I can't remember what kind of bike it was but it was a cruiser) and that caused the brake to engage on its own.  I don't know if thats really true but i guess even a brand new bike might have its problems, though probably far less often then older bikes.

[paxfaux]

I think so.

well thats really cool, a friend of mine kept telling me the lighter bikes are better in the twisties, i thought he just meant they were eaiser to manuver, I didn't realize that meant you could actually ride them a little faster.

[Roadstergal]

I guess my question is: given equal riders the gs500 could take the same turn faster then a GSXR 600?

Stock for stock, no.

Riders will never be equal, or races would be boring.  You'll be a better rider for starting on a smaller bike.  I'm not all that by a long shot, and I still pass 'faster' bikes on the track.

[cafeboy]

I think so.

well thats really cool, a friend of mine kept telling me the lighter bikes are better in the twisties, i thought he just meant they were eaiser to manuver, I didn't realize that meant you could actually ride them a little faster.

Just take it easy untill you know what you can and can't do.   (stupid hurts)      

[paxfaux]

I guess my question is: given equal riders the gs500 could take the same turn faster then a GSXR 600?

Stock for stock, no.

Riders will never be equal, or races would be boring.  You'll be a better rider for starting on a smaller bike.  I'm not all that by a long shot, and I still pass 'faster' bikes on the track.

I really think that is true too.

[paxfaux]

I think so.

well thats really cool, a friend of mine kept telling me the lighter bikes are better in the twisties, i thought he just meant they were eaiser to manuver, I didn't realize that meant you could actually ride them a little faster.

Just take it easy untill you know what you can and can't do.   (stupid hurts)     

Point taken.

Are the 650s i listed in the first post bad choices for a beginner bike?  the extra 150 ccs really makes the 650's a heavy bike and the 500 a light one?

[SteveM]

Hi,

I'm a brand new member and completely new rider. 

I'm looking for a first bike...   and so far here are my options, starting with the gs500f

1. 2008 GS500F - 1,500 miles - $3300


Thanks for you opinions in advance.

That seems to be a killer price for a near new bike. Check that it hasn't been dropped or involved in an accident.

[paxfaux]

Hi,

I'm a brand new member and completely new rider. 

I'm looking for a first bike...   and so far here are my options, starting with the gs500f

1. 2008 GS500F - 1,500 miles - $3300


Thanks for you opinions in advance.

That seems to be a killer price for a near new bike. Check that it hasn't been dropped or involved in an accident.

good idea i'll have to do that, can you just check it through carfax? and by checking to see if its down - the only way to do that is check for bad scratches etc?

[paxfaux]

I see in the maintenance section of this forum that there are a lot of things to be done in the first schedueled maintenance.

If he tells me that he did not have that done how bad is that?  It would be worth it to get it done ASAP if he has not correct?

[fred]

Hi,

I'm a brand new member and completely new rider. 

I'm looking for a first bike...   and so far here are my options, starting with the gs500f

1. 2008 GS500F - 1,500 miles - $3300


Thanks for you opinions in advance.

That seems to be a killer price for a near new bike. Check that it hasn't been dropped or involved in an accident.

good idea i'll have to do that, can you just check it through carfax? and by checking to see if its down - the only way to do that is check for bad scratches etc?

There is no way carfax would know about a bike getting dropped unless the insurance company got involved, which is unlikely. Just check for scratches, mismatched paint and stuff like that. It should be fairly obvious if it has been dropped, especially if it is an F, scratches in the faring are pretty hard to fix.

[bikejunkie223]

A couple of points:
1: The GS is the perfect beginner bike- it is very easy off the line, the powerband is broad, and not as peaky as the 600cc boy-racer bikes, and the riding position is not as extreme- much better to cruise than a full-on sportbike. Also, it's fast enough to go from 0- illegal in around 5 seconds but won't ride away without you with a firm twist of the throttle.

2: It's more fun to ride a slower bike fast than to have a super-fast bike you can only ride slow.

That's my opinion, your results may vary...