2004 GS500F

[Piper5177]

The calipers are the same ones on the 01-03 so if you already have those years don't get too excited, it is one caliper off of the SV650.

[Olivieeeer]

http://www.lerepairedesmotards.com/actu/2003/actu_030912_suzuki_gs500f.htm

 In french but cool pics. We can see the oil cooler.

[JamesG]

One out of two isn't bad. (FI & oil cooler)...

headlight-  There is enough "side scatter" to the headlight that you can see from steering stop to steering stop and even high speed turns arent a problem.  

Yes, getting used to a fairing, headlight, and windscreen that doesn't move with the bars will feel weird at first but you get used to it.

I wished they had detatched the instrument pod and attached it to the fairing but I guess they didn't want to have to redesign the upper clamp and instrument assembly.

[paui]

looks like it gets a fork brace as well.....

i think its good that the clocks are triple clamp mounted so naked lovers can take off the fairing and use a 7" round

[JamesG]

LOL!  Off that frog site.



I call it, "If they only knew...".

[glenn9171]

From the link with the close-up pics, it looks like it may have real tires this time.  

And I love the black frame.

[pattonme]

Seems like the same ol' 38 horsepower to me........  The new braking seems cool but you're still going to pay $5K to go slower than an EX....

oh sure. I race GS's because they are damn CHEAP. Heck, I'm up against 70+HP SV's and get blown into the weeds on any kind of straight. I don't care because I'm out there to have fun. My tires last forever (relatively speaking) and maint is about zilch. Unlike most others I'm not out there to win. I suck. I love to work on technique and skill and give novices on Kat600's and EX500's hell while I'm at it like going around the OUTSIDE of Summit T10. Still, I got 5 trophies last year and I only went to 1 track. It's not about the money, it's about the grin.

But the reason I like the GS's new support is that it keeps the platform viable. As a MSF instructor it gives me no little amount of angst that the other manufacturers have abandoned the newbie rider market. Except faithful Kawi with their EX250/500's. And Suzi's GS has been a staple as well. HOnda is out of the game and Yam doesn't even have anything and hasn't for MANY years now. LOTS of kids (some older than others) come thru my classes and want a sport bike. Well, as great a bike as the Hornet 600 or FZ6 are they ain't newbie material. Ditto Kat600 but that's actually not such a stretch. A fully "tricked out" GS though is a GOOD thing. Otherwise it's GSXR time and we know how that tends to end up...

Big, honkin' Kudo's to Suzi for this move asthetics or not. I already have my street mount so I doubt I'm in the market for one but you bet I'll be recommending GS's all the more!

[DrtRydr23]

I can't say that I like the overall look.  Yeah, the fairing looks good, and I love the headlight, but the fairing on the bike doesn't impress.  The front looks so much higher than the rear of the bike that its kind of funky looking.  If you put a Kat shock on the back or something it might raise it up enough to look okay, but I don't like the way it looks stock.  I wonder how other bars (like clubmans or SM bars) would fit with the fairing.  I'd think that it would fit allright from the look of things.  It would be cool to have the option to put buy the fairing aftermarket and put it on an older model GS though.

John L.

[JamesG]

Yeah and notice the TPS hanging off the carb?  

[Tourmeister]

Howdy,

Sweet looking little bike! The headlight in the fairing is better than having it on the bars. When you enter a turn, the headlight on the bars actually points AWAY from the direction of the turn because you are countersteering (unless you are going very slow). This means there is less light in the direction of travel than if the light were to just continue pointing straight ahead. Having ridden both types of light setups, I'll take the fairing mounted anyday.

I'm really glad to see they brought this bike back to market with some upgrades. It really is an underrated bike. I love my VFR 800's but the GS is still loads of fun, especially in the tight stuff where raw power is not as crucial.  

[JasonB]

Yeah and notice the TPS hanging off the carb?  

So your saying maybe a partial FI with carbs? I dont see why a carbed bike would need a TPS unless they are doing something with ignition advance and the TPS.

I know of some cars with a "carb" but and injector feeding the carb. The 305 camaro's (92 I know) were like that.

[pattonme]

Kawasaki has had TPS on carb'd bikes for AGES. The ZR-7 has it. The ZRX has it, the GPZ had it. I think even the KZ's. It allows the computer to increase the timing so that low-end torque is even better.

Damn, now with the bab-strom I don't know WHAT to do... I just need a winning lotto ticket: GS500e for racing, and the vstrom for commutes... what to do about the ZR now that I've got it tricked out. It's a cruel world indeed!

[JamesG]

Yeah Both of the Bandits and the older SV have TPS on their carbs. I think for the GS it signifys that they gave the GS a smarter ignition computer.  :lol:

It will be interesting to see if the same old jetting tricks work on the new bike vs the old (maybe they finally fixed the bikes start up cold bloodedness).

I know how you feel.  I have my YZF the way I wanted it, now the FZ6 and DL650 are neck and neck on my lust meter...

:x

[pattonme]

> (maybe they finally fixed the bikes start up cold bloodedness).

ha! not a chance. We can thank the EPA for that one. Still, the same tricks will work. I don't know if the jetting formula is different between -99 bikes and the 01+ but if not, the same home jetting recepies should work a treat. I just wish they'd come down on that price. That bike has been paid for multiple times now. And the SV is what, a scant $800 more? A new GS should be high 3K or 4K even.

[Blueknyt]

still, dont see where it would be difficult to slap slightly hotter cams in the 500 and adapt the SV 650 FI from factory, just a matter of remaping fuel curve and tieing in the crank trigger for Base pulse width whats the throat diam of the 650 TBody?

[Olivieeeer]

LOL!  Off that frog site.

 French please.

[V8Pinto]

still, dont see where it would be difficult to slap slightly hotter cams in the 500 and adapt the SV 650 FI from factory, just a matter of remaping fuel curve and tieing in the crank trigger for Base pulse width whats the throat diam of the 650 TBody?

Anybody know this?  What the throat diameter of the SV Tbody is?  Also, is it speed density or mass air?

[JamesG]

SV carb bodies are downdraft and something like 38-41mm.  GSs are sidedraft and 34mm.

not gonna fit.

Besides, its actually an advantage that the GS retains carbs (rationalization ahead).  We can still use the body of tuning knowledge built on carbs,  Probably still use the same jet kits, K&N filters, and exhausts from the older bikes.

[john]

SV carb bodies are downdraft and something like 38-41mm.  GSs are sidedraft and 34mm.

not gonna fit.

Besides, its actually an advantage that the GS retains carbs (rationalization ahead).  We can still use the body of tuning knowledge built on carbs,  Probably still use the same jet kits, K&N filters, and exhausts from the older bikes.

He does have a point people.  Carbs are cheaper to play with than remapping FI.  Also with a new timing retard / advance system maybe there will be no need for advancers on these new models.

We shall see as a new batch od GS500F owners come aboard.  Also I wanna see the stock tires -they look like better rubber than the old bridgestones.  Maybe BT45's from the factory now?  That would be cool  

[Toecutter]

A headlight that doesn't turn with the bars is better.  Think about it.  You're countersteering the bike, which points the headlight off in the opposite direction from where you're about to go.  I'd rather have the light always point ahead.