New GS500 owner

[zossy1]

Hey all,

Long-time lurker, first time poster!  This forum is fantastic - don't you just love the internet?   

My wife has caught the bug and wants to get her license in the spring.  No more two-up riding... hooray!  The TLR handles MUCH better without 115lbs of ballast on the back   

I have always heard that the GS is bulletproof and learner-friendly, with more power than a 250 without the s__t yourself factor (at least for learners) of the average 600.  Found a cheap, non-running (but tidy looking) '99 with 3500 miles locally that has been sitting a while and figured it for a fun winter project.

I've had some fun with it, but so far I have managed to get it to start and idle for a few minutes.  Opening the accelerator results in either nasty backfires or the engine dying.  Thanks to the forum, I have my eye on a few possible problem-areas - have ordered the Honda petcock to remove that as a possible cause, and will be pulling the carbs at some stage to give them the once-over.

Thanks for everyone for their contributions to this forum!  Hopefully with your help we'll make a scooter chick out of my wife yet   

Z.

[fred]

Welcome! Sounds like you have an exciting winter project on hand.

[cafeboy]

Welcome 

[Bluesmudge]

I hope you get it up and running with out too much trouble. Welcome!

[ohgood]

mmm, a tiller. loove the power of those bikes. if you get a chance to play on the gs, you might catch the smaller is better bug... nah, i doubt it.


welcome, and hope the wife enjoys learning the ropes. mine likes the 'us' time we get motorcycling. she won't admit to wanting one of her own, and i won't push her off the back of mine

get some good gear so she can keep her skin !

[zossy1]

mmm, a tiller. loove the power of those bikes. if you get a chance to play on the gs, you might catch the smaller is better bug... nah, i doubt it.

Once you've had that sort of power, it's hard to go back      Or is that just me?   

get some good gear so she can keep her skin !

Already taken care of       She wasn't allowed on the back without it.  My bike is a no squid zone