First Post, New Owner...Couple Questions

[Leitcher]

So here's a terrible picture of the bike-- A 2004 GS500F


I've had it for a few months and just came upon this site. Seems like all y'all are full of help, and I think I'll learn a lot here. I am motivated to work on my bike, so this is definitely the perfect place to find people who have had experience with it. Sorry if I use very newbie terms, I'm not fully inundated into the motorcycle culture yet

I just have a few questions:
1) For those who have the same model bike as me...what is the best tank/tail bag? Or is it better to go with mesh?
2) My bike takes a few minutes to warm up (usually 5-7 in 55 degree weather) and I was wondering if changing the oil/changing the spark plugs/anything else could decrease my warmup time?
3) What are the accessories I absolutely have to buy? I have all the necessary safety wear, but don't know about rim locks, frame sliders, or great aesthetic accessories?

Thanks for taking the time to read, I'm excited about leaning from everyone!

[cafeboy]

Warm up will take a few, no prob. 
So ok here is my shameless plug. You need a seat cowl. 
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=45157.0

[kml.krk]

1) I have small Manta tank bag - I like it because it is small. It can hold a cell phone, sandwich, a bottle of water map and an apple or orange, whatever you prefer, I like both  
(I have it in black with no silver add-ons)
http://www.kneedraggers.com/details/Joe_Rocket_Manta_Tank_Bag--610027.html

2) long warm up times are rather normal. do you use choke while warming the bike up?
the solution to make things easier and little quicker would be to install larger pilot jet (let me say 20 or 22.5 - the stock is 18.5 on your model - I have the same by the way as you can see in the avatar to your left  )

3) the only thing you HAVE to buy is FUEL    the rest is completely up to you. do a search and see what you may like and decide if it's worth the money and if you say yes then go for it and...
HAVE FUN!!

cheers

[Toogoofy317]

Cool, I got an '04 I love my Flick! For a tank bag here: http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=47363.0

These bikes are reptiles and they need time to warm up!

Uhm, things you gotta do: Fenderectomy STAT!

Other than that you can look at my sig to see what I've done so far. I can't do much internally etc. cause I bought mine in 07 with a five year warranty!

Mary

[tripleb]

if I were you I'd do the recommended rejet (stock filter/exhaust), fenderectomy and get new turn signals.

[drincruz]

tank bag: rapid transit recon 19 (http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/4/71/3414/ITEM/Rapid-Transit-Recon-19-Magnetic-Tank-Bag.aspx)  it's pretty damn spacious, no complaints.

check out the wiki and use the search function, you'll see a lot of these topics have been covered many times over.

welcome! stay safe!

cheers,
~drin

[DoD#i]

1) For those who have the same model bike as me...what is the best tank/tail bag? Or is it better to go with mesh?

2) My bike takes a few minutes to warm up (usually 5-7 in 55 degree weather) and I was wondering if changing the oil/changing the spark plugs/anything else could decrease my warmup time?

3) What are the accessories I absolutely have to buy? I have all the necessary safety wear, but don't know about rim locks, frame sliders, or great aesthetic accessories?

1) Varies quite a bit with what/how much you want/need to carry and when you ride (dry only or all weather)

2) Per nofearblackstar's recent post here, if you haven't changed the oil in a long time, it might help. If you haven't done this, read up carefully and don't be yet another person with broken oil filter studs. It is normal to take bit to warm up. It is also acceptable (at least to me) to warm up for a minute or two and ride off on partial choke, shutting the choke off after getting a mile or two down the road.

3) None whatsoever. Nor do you have to follow the group-mind and chop off your perfectly useful stock fender (the fenderectomy that's being suggested repeatedly) - it's a good thing to have if you ride in the rain. You might want new fork springs (you can search to find the progressive/sonic debate, and katana front end swap die-hards.) Likewise you might want a new shock - or you might be happy with the one you have. In any case, most of the aesthetic mods are very much personal taste, so pay attention to yours, not other people's. Some folks like to make F models in to naked bikes like an E, or even nakeder streetfighters - others like to make E's into F's, or put full fairings from other bikes on. Jim Knopf's work almost defies easy description, but is always worth looking at, even though I suspect it's beyond most of our budgets and/or equipment to hand.

Does your safety wear really cover all of you, or are you one of the folks with a blind spot for pants? Denim does not cut it...that's the place to start if you resemble this remark.

[RyanClarke]

For me the Katana wheel and shock swap was an absolute "have-to".  But again as was said in an earlier post it's all about what you like or what your riding style is.  My last bike was an R6, so for me I did not feel comfortable in a 130 wide rear tire and very "loose" stock suspension.  There's a million mods out there, and any, all, or none of them could be right for you.  Your title says new owner but is this your first bike?  If it is this is a great bike to learn to ride on.  I used this bike to become comfortable on a motorcycle again after a crash.  Once I regained my comfort level, like I said I swapped for the kat shock and wheel with 160 tire for a larger contact patch.  I also installed the 14t front sprocket and have truly enjoyed the added quickness.  Pulls like an SV.  Still sounds like a lawnmower at times, but hope to rectify that sometime after I buy my new car.  So long POS Accord hello 2004 Xterra haha.  But again, if you're a new rider get some good solid hours of riding in and get comfortable in traffic and dodging squirrels and dogs and sticks and boxes and trash and shaZam!, and then worry about mods once you know what you'd like to change for your riding style.

[Roadstergal]

1: Search 'Cortech.'

2: Ride it gently until it warms up.  It'll warm up faster, and the whole bike will warm up as a unit.

3: Track days and instruction.

[Leitcher]

For me the Katana wheel and shock swap was an absolute "have-to".  But again as was said in an earlier post it's all about what you like or what your riding style is.  My last bike was an R6, so for me I did not feel comfortable in a 130 wide rear tire and very "loose" stock suspension.  There's a million mods out there, and any, all, or none of them could be right for you.  Your title says new owner but is this your first bike?  If it is this is a great bike to learn to ride on.  I used this bike to become comfortable on a motorcycle again after a crash.  Once I regained my comfort level, like I said I swapped for the kat shock and wheel with 160 tire for a larger contact patch.  I also installed the 14t front sprocket and have truly enjoyed the added quickness.  Pulls like an SV.  Still sounds like a lawnmower at times, but hope to rectify that sometime after I buy my new car.  So long POS Accord hello 2004 Xterra haha.  But again, if you're a new rider get some good solid hours of riding in and get comfortable in traffic and dodging squirrels and dogs and sticks and boxes and trash and oh my goodness, and then worry about mods once you know what you'd like to change for your riding style.

Yeah this is my first bike...everywhere I looked, people said this was the perfect starter bike. I agree, because I'm not even tempted to go too quick on it or push the limit.

[Toogoofy317]

As far as Fenderectomy goes I did it and ride in the rain. Florida + summer= Rain EVERYDAY actually it's raining now But this is a different one it's gonna last alll week instead of the 1500-1700 stuff we get here. I have never had splash up. It was already done when I got 'ole boy so I don't know what it's like with it on there. As long as it is partially there say to the tag mud shouldn't nail you. I think the reason they are so long is for European tags. correct me if I'm wrong but alot of those tags seem for some reason to be about that big!

Do what you like. Nothing I did to the bike was because someone said do it. Although, getting ideas such as hey GSXR pegs fit on the bike. I found some that I liked and a member on the board hooked me up. Definatly check out the for sale trade section! I woulda never done the pegs but someone had them for a good deal.

Mary

[sankyo]

Leitcher,
Two weeks ago I just got the same bike too - same year, same color.  Mine has sat in a garage most of its life and has only 2,200 miles, but has fallen on both sides.  It is my first motorcycle too.  So far I have only put about 100 miles on it though, been busy, and only trust myself to ride in the early morning hours when there is no traffic in San Francisco. 

I had to do a lot of adjustments/maintenance to get it ready to ride.

When I first bought it,  I registered on this site and got a lot of encouragement from members on this site to get the service manual  and do service/maint. myself rather than have a local garage do it.  That was a great suggestion as I feel a good connection developing with the bike.  I don't have a garage, so I just put down some junk fabric on the street to collect any spills.  So far the neighbors don't mind.  I wish my street wasn't so steep though.  The first instruction is always "place the bike on the centerstand on level ground".  Just ain't gonna happen for me.

So far I have:

changed oil and filter
cleaned and lubed the chain
lubrication for choke cable, clutch cable, and throttle cables
grease the side stand pivot, rear brake rod.
adjusted clutch cable
adjusted throttle cables
tightened chain (seems like voodoo to me)
replaced broken clutch lever and broken brake lever (wow, much easier to ride)

Now I want to replace my brake fluid, as I believe it is the original fluid from 2004.  It isn't very brown at all though.

Also, the manual says to replace the brake lines every 4 years.  Mine don't look too worn or feel brittle. 

If and when I replace them, I'd like to replace the front line with stainless.  It doesn't seem too easy to order the right parts to me though.  Seems like there is a good chance of getting a bolt with the wrong thread pitch or lines of the wrong length. None of the websites that I have visited from discussions on this site give me a warm, fuzzy feeling that I am ordering the right part.

As far as the rear brake line goes, I'd like to replace it with stainless just to avoid having to replace it in the future, but I agree with one post that said,  "that thing locks up just looking at it" and thus am inclined to just replace it with rubber.