2004 GS500F

[Guetschow]

Okay Everyone,

This weekend is it.  I going to look at and ride the 500 I was asking everybody about from my earlier post.  $2,500 for 04 GS500F with a little over 2000 miles, garage stored.  Engine was run each of the summers after 06.  I'll take something to lube chain before test ride.  Any suggestions on that.  This should be fun.

Oh, and one other thing.  I went to check out a Suzuki dealer ( kinda of like checking out a doctor for your families future needs).  Asked about rejetting with and without putting on a upgraded exhaust.   
The shop manager told me because this is the midwest with it's accompaning climate that rejetting is really of no value, will not make a difference.  What do you all think?

Any and all suggestions, once again will be appreciated.

Guetschow

[Toogoofy317]

I love my '04 (flick is his name) from what I understand if you just put an exhaust you do not have to rejet. But if you put in a K&N Lunch Box than most def. You're getting a decent deal I got mine for $2800 at the dealership in '07 with 5,000.

Mary

[kml.krk]

I say find another dealer.
Rejetting makes a huge of a difference, especially on cold mornings - it makes start ups a lot easier.
Also the bike may and probably will be more responsive to the throttle input. NOT necessarily more powerfull, but definitely more fun  

PS. I think 2500 is a fair price for 2004

[Guetschow]

Rode the GS500F today.  Battery had to be trickled charge from over the winter.  New battery so didn't take long.  Took it over to the gas station for air in the tires and took off from there. Rode about half hour.  Ran great.  She has kept the maintenance on it herself and all that really needs at this time is the chain lubed and cleaned up from sitting.  Was dropped once by her sister at basically a stand still so the damage is unnoticable unless pointed out. 

Told her I take it $2,500 and the deal is done.  Get it next week.

Thanks for the advice and I will be getting the jetting done at a bike shop (not the dealer) shortly thereafter.

Thanks,

Lance

[joshr08]

congrats on the new bike and welcome to the gs family

[ohgood]

Rode the GS500F today.  Battery had to be trickled charge from over the winter.  New battery so didn't take long.  Took it over to the gas station for air in the tires and took off from there. Rode about half hour.  Ran great.  She has kept the maintenance on it herself and all that really needs at this time is the chain lubed and cleaned up from sitting.  Was dropped once by her sister at basically a stand still so the damage is unnoticable unless pointed out. 

Told her I take it $2,500 and the deal is done.  Get it next week.

Thanks for the advice and I will be getting the jetting done at a bike shop (not the dealer) shortly thereafter.

Thanks,

Lance

welcome to gstwins lance and congrats on the new-to-you bike !

you really don't need to re jet right off the bat. you may want to spend that money on GOOD GEAR, new tires, and possibly brakes, depending on their condition. it will be time for a valve adjustment soon also. there is a valve adjustment kit floating around for the east and west coast... put your name on the list and pay the shipping to the next person, painless and easy. there is even a video (dvd) included, along with the uploaded one on youtube.

i wouldn't worry about re jet until there was a possibility of a new K&N in your future, and a less restrictive exhaust. you won't see any power gains by doing that anyway. either way, you should see 50-60 mpg depending on how you throttle it.

ride safe !

[lawman]

That's a great deal actually.

[Roadstergal]

That's a great deal.

+1 on priorities - gear and maintenance.

[bill14224]

Don't listen to the service manager, listen to a bunch of yahoos on a message board! 

No way you need new brakes or tires if the bike has 2,000 miles on it unless the gal who had it before rides like an asshat!  I get 15,000 miles + out of my brakes, and almost as much out of tires.  Yeah, $2,500 is a steal for that bike! 

If you upgrade the exhaust and leave the stock airbox in there's no need to re-jet.

I live in the same climate. (upstate NY)  I have a Vance&Hines exhaust system and a K&N drop-in filter in the stock airbox.  If the bike runs too lean after the engine warms-up, you will find that you'll need to keep the choke on a little or it won't run smoothly.  If it runs smoothly without choke once warm, it's not too lean.  If it's too lean it will never run smoothly without some choke.  There are others who will tell you differently, but they're wrong, especially those in warmer climates, where engines can run leaner than in cold climates with no problems.

My bike starts in the cold.  I rode it today.  It's 28 degrees.  It takes 15 minutes for it to warm-up in this weather, but eventually I can ride smoothly with no choke.  In the summer it's a 3-minute deal.  Don't be too quick to put larger jets in, unless you want your fuel mileage to drop 20%.

The correct jets for you, or anyone else to use, are the smallest jets that will allow your bike to run smoothly with no choke once warm.  Otherwise you're just blowing un-burned hydrocarbons out the exhaust and wasting money.