What is it about the GS, anyway?

[sblack]

Those are totally sweet looking Triumphs. I never could figure out what the heck the Triumph designers were smoking when they came up with their engine design though. Why would you build a two cylinder engine then have 360 degree timing? It makes no sense. It is like a super extra complicated single cylinder engine. I don't understand...

That would be true if it was a two stroke, but being a four stroke a cylinder fires every 720 degrees, so a 360 degree firing interval would mean the cylinders fire at an even spacing with one cylinder firing while the other is starting it's intake stroke.

[fred]

Those are totally sweet looking Triumphs. I never could figure out what the heck the Triumph designers were smoking when they came up with their engine design though. Why would you build a two cylinder engine then have 360 degree timing? It makes no sense. It is like a super extra complicated single cylinder engine. I don't understand...

That would be true if it was a two stroke, but being a four stroke a cylinder fires every 720 degrees, so a 360 degree firing interval would mean the cylinders fire at an even spacing with one cylinder firing while the other is starting it's intake stroke.

Hmm, yup, definitely time for me to go to bed before I say more dumb things...

[Helmet27]

Haha, my dad had an '06 Bonnie, he loved it and turned it into the bike he wanted when he was 18, but then he started out performing the brakes, and he couldnt justify using it as a commuter, so he sold it and bought a '00 SV650 with 15000km (9000miles i think,something like that) for $3500 Aussie Dollars ($1400US roughly) and he hasnt looked back at the Bonnie since 

[murf425]

I fell into my GS, too.
I wanted a bike in part because of gas prices, and in part because I was grown up, out of my parents house, and my dad couldn't stop my anymore.
I had narrowed it down to a Ninja 500R or a GS500F for a first bike, because I wanted something cheap and tame to learn on.  I sat on a Ninja in the showroom, and it was brutally uncomfortable due to the gas tank ridges being in the middle of my inner thigh.  I sat on the GS and fell in love.
I wandered into a used bike shop a few weeks later, and found my '06 for $3k even and had to grab her up.
I personally love the engine.  It's got enough power to suit me without being so much I get myself in trouble.  It's efficient, comfortable enough (I'm 6'5") for short distances, and, in my opinion, looks pretty darn good.
I do, however, wish that the bike was physically larger, so it would fit me better.  I am eventually going to have to go up to a larger bike just for comfort alone, but that's also going to require a larger engine which I don't need/want.
When I finally get ready to upgrade from my GS, it will probably be an SV650 or an FZ6.  Those are the two most comfortable non-cruisers I've sat on to date.
My GS will be paid off when I get my tax return.  Maybe I'll try to unload it and get something newer/nicer then.

On second thought, I'm getting married in December, so it's probably best to keep my paid-off bike and just keep wrenching on it myself.  THAT is where the fun of a GS lies.

[The Buddha]

Buddha, the test results in the mc mags just don't show the GS-F to be any faster on the top end than the GS-E was, as a matter of fact they are a bit slower.   And there really isn't much difference in the published gas milage figures either.  I got/get a solid 60 mpg overall spring thru fall with a bit less in the winter on both my naked GSs.

I agree they could fit them a bit tighter to reduce the oil consumption on high milage engines.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/GS500tests.jpg

I dunno may have somehting to do with the 04 being almost 100% different form the 89-00 series. Or even the 01-02 set.
I did a test on a 89 that was jetted perfectly to start with, I rode it a few times, tuned it a little while doing so etc and it was set perfectly. A week later I had slapped fairings on it, essentially the same bike, and ran it. to 50 it was slower, 50-65 it was about the same, 65 and up the fairings really helped it accelerate faster and get up to a higher indicated speed.
Now I never counted gas mileage but it gained over 8 mph indicated on top as well as get there quicker from 65. Possibly it was slower to there cos it was slower to 50 which possibly is where you spend a lot of time as well as most of your fuel consumption.

[theUBS]

I fell into my GS, too.
I wanted a bike in part because of gas prices, and in part because I was grown up, out of my parents house, and my dad couldn't stop my anymore.
I had narrowed it down to a Ninja 500R or a GS500F for a first bike, because I wanted something cheap and tame to learn on.  I sat on a Ninja in the showroom, and it was brutally uncomfortable due to the gas tank ridges being in the middle of my inner thigh.  I sat on the GS and fell in love.
I wandered into a used bike shop a few weeks later, and found my '06 for $3k even and had to grab her up.
I personally love the engine.  It's got enough power to suit me without being so much I get myself in trouble.  It's efficient, comfortable enough (I'm 6'5") for short distances, and, in my opinion, looks pretty darn good.
I do, however, wish that the bike was physically larger, so it would fit me better.  I am eventually going to have to go up to a larger bike just for comfort alone, but that's also going to require a larger engine which I don't need/want.
When I finally get ready to upgrade from my GS, it will probably be an SV650 or an FZ6.  Those are the two most comfortable non-cruisers I've sat on to date.
My GS will be paid off when I get my tax return.  Maybe I'll try to unload it and get something newer/nicer then.

On second thought, I'm getting married in December, so it's probably best to keep my paid-off bike and just keep wrenching on it myself.  THAT is where the fun of a GS lies.

If I were 6'5", I'd find a Versys to sit on.  Higher than average seat height for something semi-sporty, with a majorly relaxed seating position by sportbike standards.  For that matter, I'm 5'10" and would still love one!  A good dual sport will give you some more leg room too!  ...like a DR-Z400SM 

[Juan1]

1.  The GS500 is cheap, so the dealership doesn't make as much money per bike.
2.  They don't move very many units of the bike.
3.  The guy selling you the bike probably took the job so he could purchase a more expensive bike with his employee discount.  He probably isn't that enthusiastic about entry level beginner bikes.
4.  Pushing 20 year old technology isn't that much fun.

-I like my GS500, but I bought it as an inexpensive fixer upper, and a first bike that I wouldn't mind dropping.  Within one year I hope to have an '07 FZ6 parked where the GS500 currently is.

[murf425]

If I were 6'5", I'd find a Versys to sit on.  Higher than average seat height for something semi-sporty, with a majorly relaxed seating position by sportbike standards.  For that matter, I'm 5'10" and would still love one!  A good dual sport will give you some more leg room too!  ...like a DR-Z400SM 

The Versy's are just TOO ugly from the front for my liking.  Now the V-Strom, on the other hand...yeah...that would definitely work.

SV, FZ, or Wee-strom...that's where it's at for me.  Unfortunately, it would definitely be irresponsible of me to take on a monthly payment when I'm about to get married.  As is, my only debt is my mortgage and a small student loan; I should probably keep it that way.

[Roadstergal]

I like the Strom's engine better than the Versys's.  I wouldn't call either of them a dualsport - too road-oriented.  The Strom was the bike I cross-shopped with my FZ, and it really came down to what was available.