The new GS500F

[drewz21]

Well, I used to be on these boards quite a while back but I sold my 1997 GS500 to help buy my house and stopped coming by here.  However, after seeing the 2004 model, I'm excited about getting another one.  I read the posts here about it already and it doesn't seem there is a lot of enthusiasm for it.  Am I wrong?

I've owned 2 bikes since my GS500, a 1997 Ninja 6R and a 2002 Ninja 9R, but sold them both.  After the mods I did to my 1997 power was really enough for me but I wanted the protection of a full or partial fairing and tried the pure sport bike route.  Got tired of it.  Didn't like my head down and butt up all the time.  I missed the comfort of my GS500.

So I'm looking to buy one when they come out and was wondering if you guys and gals thought I'd be making a mistake by paying much more for the the fairing or if I should find a 2002 model and just put a windsheild on it.  Does anyone know for a fact if anything else changed beside just the new fairing?

Thanks,
Drew

[bbanjo]

Oil cooler too.

Welcome back!

One way or another I'm going to have one of the new ones. Think it'd be cool to have one of the last ('02) and one of the next.

[pantablo]

no one really knows for sure what the new bike will have but the previous threads make some guesses about it.

I think there IS enthusiasm about the bike. I dont think you'd be mistaken buying one. I'd love to have an 04 full fairing bike. I suspected the same route (bike ownership-wise) as you for me in terms of wanting a full fairing but only needing a gs500.

I love my gs!

Welcome back.

[Cris]

Welcome back!
I think there's definitely some excitement about the new GS even if not all of us care for the full fairing...
I'm anxious to see one up close!  

[jag69]

At first I wasn't that excited about the full fairing, but everytime I come tot he gstwin site I like it more and more!

[dmp221]

Welcome back to the best board in motorcycling!!

I have mixed feelings about the "F".  Don't get me wrong. I totally adore my GS ('01, with a few mods...jetted, F1-R can, progressive fork springs).
The appeal was of an inexpensive bike (new OR used) that could be easily worked on and modified by anyone from a newb to an enthusiast.

The problem I have is that by adding a fairing and pricing it up, the GS is now pretty close to competing with bikes that are a lot more bike.  GS MSRP is 5000, and you need to get to the mid-sixes to get into the next level.  Over the life of the bike, that's not much...especially when factoring in mods you don't make on the more expensive bikes.

Still, I love my GS....

[Sportbilly]

Different strokes...

I like the GS naked.  Mostly because I like just naked bikes.  They're easier to fix, cheaper to fix, cheaper to buy, I find I'm not nearly as paranoid on a naked bike as on a dresser, mostly as I can feel my checkbook gnawing on my buttocks whenever I see gravel on a corner.

I'd imagine a lot of the people on here aren't necessarily riding GS's because they're a good learner bike, but because they really like riding them, if they wanted to ride a bike with a fairing, I'd think a lot of us would have bought one...

[JamesG]

Yeah, it is a mystery why Suzuki choose putting a full fairing on the GS when they could have done so much more that would have been of better value (FI, watercooled engine, modern forks & wheels etc...).   If they HAD to put a fairing on it, an SV style 1/2 fairing would have fit its role as an introductory and budget commuter bike much better.

But that said, perhaps in the global market place, perhaps there is a bigger niche for a mini-ocre sportbike than here in the US? Anyone from Europe or elsewhere  care to comment on how they see the GS500F fitting in?

Anyway, the timing of this couldn't be better for us.  We had been shopping for a replacement for 'Lita's '00 GS, she wanted something with better wind protection, but most everything we looked at (even the SV) was to tall or heavy for her.  Almost seems Suzuki made the "F" specificly for her.

[kyzee]

FI, watercooled engine, modern forks & wheels etc...).

Yup, totally agreed.  these items are much more desirable than the plastics they put on the 500F. As for the wind protection part, I think the GS is too light in the first place.  And coupled with smaller wheels adding the fairing may not be effective enuf to mitigate wind buffeting at higher speed.

[Lars]

Yeah, it is a mystery why Suzuki choose putting a full fairing on the GS when they could have done so much more that would have been of better value (FI, watercooled engine, modern forks & wheels etc...).   If they HAD to put a fairing on it, an SV style 1/2 fairing would have fit its role as an introductory and budget commuter bike much better.

But that said, perhaps in the global market place, perhaps there is a bigger niche for a mini-ocre sportbike than here in the US? Anyone from Europe or elsewhere  care to comment on how they see the GS500F fitting in?

In Europe it would fit in as a commuter/learnerbike, or as a bike for people with a restricted (25kW/34 hp) license.As a commuter bike it's too small for most people's tastes and as a learner bike there are also the Kawa ER-5 or the Honda CB500. Both liquid cooled, last longer than a GS. Finally, within 1-2 years emisson laws will be so strict that only liquid cooled, fuel injected bikes with a catalyzer are allowed on the public roads.  The GS will never make it through these laws.

My guess is that Suzuki will introduce a new model GS500 within 2 years and this model serves as a bridge between the old and new model GS500. There's also the possibility that they will dump the GS500 in favor of the SV650.

When Suzuki makes a liquid cooled twin with about 60-70 hp (would be needed to keep up with CB500) it will come too close to the SV650.

[500rider]

As much as I like my GS500 and as much as I like the '04, I don't know who will buy this bike.  Anyone looking for a bike that looks like that, will want a CBR600 or R6.  

I think they should have done something unique with the bike instead of making it a R6 look-a-like.  Give it more of a streetfighter look I say!  Dual projector headlamps, flyscreen, proper suspension, oil cooler, proper exhaust pipe, LED tail-lights! ... or something like that.


Any comments?

[Rashad]

As much as I like my GS500 and as much as I like the '04, I don't know who will buy this bike.  Anyone looking for a bike that looks like that, will want a CBR600 or R6.  

I think they should have done something unique with the bike instead of making it a R6 look-a-like.  Give it more of a streetfighter look I say!  Dual projector headlamps, flyscreen, proper suspension, oil cooler, proper exhaust pipe, LED tail-lights! ... or something like that.


Any comments?

The new one DOES have an oil cooler. But i agree with the rest of the stuff..I could use all that

[can-can]

Let me start by saying that I love my GS. I also love naked bikes. However, I do not like the highway performance of the gs. I don't have a windscreen so it's a little rough on the upper body, unless I practically make love to my gas tank. I do appreciate Suzuki putting a faring on the gs as I love my bike(without any performance mods, it's faster than I will ever NEED), the price is right and I don't necessarily want to get rid of it. I was thinking of a Yamaha R6 to upgrade/get farings and a windshield to make the highspeed ride a little smoother but now that Suzuki is coming out with this, I dont think I am going to. Thinking of sticking with the gs but with a faring and windshield. Hopefully I can keep the old one(97) unless I trade the old one in on the new. We will see.

[Blu]

If anyone is looking to buy the new 2004 GS, this might help you get a good price.  I got this from www.pwccost.com so it is accurate.

List Price $4999
Dealer Cost $4265
Assembly Cost $50
Ready to Sell $4315 (at not profit to dealer)

I'd say anything below MSRP price is a good deal.  Just remember that dealer cost includes their shipping so don't pay for the shipping the dealer adds to MSRP.

Hope this helps everyone!

[The Buddha]

They should make a cruiser...like a vulcan 500 and the sport bike. Now the fairing doesn't make sense to us, however in terms of collective common sense we are very very high up in the strata of society. This is made to appeal to the lower life forms... Of course those same life forms will buy it in droves and then show up here and get enlightened and say Nekkid is better. The EX500 appeals to the prospective buyers just on the basis of its fairing. How else did that POS outsell the GS for that long and it was more $$$ too.
Cool.
Srinath.

[tmc008]

well, for sales and marketing sake you have many things to look at. true, the sticker price of $5000 is close to your more high tech models, but the things to remember are #1 insurance rates. the sportbikes are geared for males from 18-24, not saying different age groups or genders are not interested, but this group is the big $$ producer. and unfortunately for males aged 18-24, insurance for a sportbike is way up there, especially if the bike is financed.  so the new 'f' will get more riders riding, so you should think of this as a good thing. (i realized the sv650 is in a lower category, but you have to realized that the majority of AMERICAN buyers of sport bikes like FULLY faired versions) i do believe that america was the only country that the 2003 was not available to.  this new gs will appeal more to the 'younger' crowd.
as for the gs guru's, i don't like to say it, but there not that many. don't  :guns: me down, i'm not trying to dis on the gs or the owners. i'm just saying, look at all the aftermarket parts you can buy for it. oh, wait, you can't. not unless you hunt for them and modify parts from other bikes, etc. now maybe with this new 'f' model there will be a bigger crowd of owners which may open the doors for new aftermarket parts.
i will say right now i am in love with the 2004 honda cbr600rr, but i'm not about to pay $8600 + tt&l and an extra $?? a month on it for insurance. i may be a 25 year old girl, but i couldn't imagine insurance on that thing. especially since i only currently pay $10 a month on my gs.  so i would much rather play with the gs and mod it out and have fun with it then go out and but the cbr and clean it all the time. what else could you do to it? add a $700 exhaust, $350 rearsets, a better seat? rr = race ready, so i guess what i'm going on about is this:
the gs500f is good for the new rider who can't afford the insurance on a bigger bike, the gs guru who LIKES a full fairing, and those who love to spend time modifing a bike.
ok, i'll shutup now  :mrgreen:

[can-can]

I totally agree with you tmc. While I enjoy my GS, it sure wasn't my first choice of bike but insurance and overall cost definately factored in! I can afford the bike, the insurance, and the mods on this bike. Whereas, with a Yamaha R6, I can't afford it, the insurance, or the mods the damn thing DOESN'T need anyway. GOD help me, I do love that fully fared look as well as the my nekkid GS(naked is sexy but so is a YamR6! :mrgreen:

[JohNLA]

I likes to ride, NAKED!!!!!
You are all right about newbies wanting a full fairing.
I hate most pop, crap. I turned down free Michael Jackson tickets when he was packing arenas because I new better. (That Alien Ant Farm Song of his, Sucks to  :x )
Back to topic
I won't buy one but I will reap the aftermarket spoils.
I do have a tiny windscreen( Buell Blast) which is all I need. My bike has never been to much over 100mph. Full fairing is overkill and will keep the heat on your legs in traffic.
The final reason I would not own one is I could no longer feel manly parking next to a GSXR. You know the baby jokes will fly.

[pantablo]

I could no longer feel manly parking next to a GSXR. :

Its not like you're riding an ex250. How will a fairing make you feel less manly when you ride a GS to begin with [dont take that the wrong way-I mean that next to the gsxr it is pale, fairing or not.]

btw-have you seen the gsxr '04 front headlight? They've changed it and shaped it more like an agressive eye(s) a bit more like the other sportbikes.

Either way, I've always wanted a full fairing and I'll try to figure out a way to get one...maybe another side project? But I don't expect them to cost $700 at the dealer-more like $1000-$1500 I'm guessing [you know how those dealers can be].

[JasonB]

Either way, I've always wanted a full fairing and I'll try to figure out a way to get one...maybe another side project? But I don't expect them to cost $700 at the dealer-more like $1000-$1500 I'm guessing [you know how those dealers can be].

Maybe a Ron Ayers or simular will have a decent price on it?