windscreen, maintenance questions

[Scott E.]

I am looking for suggestions regarding where to get this for my 2001 GS500.  Should I go genuine Suzuki?  Aftermarket?  Any other points to consider?

Can any motorcycle dealer do the scheduled maintenance or should I to with a Suzuki dealer only?  

Thanks.

[glenn9171]

As far as the windscreen goes, get whatever kind you like the best.  There are probably more than a hundred models that will fit the GS.  Most that are listed as fitting a 7" headlight will work.

And for the maintenance issue, buy a Clymer or Hayne's manual and do it yourself.  Buy some basic tools of decent quality and do it in an afternoon.  Checking the valve clearances is the hardest part, but most people with a little mechanical inclination can handle it.  My local dealers and shops wouldn't even check mine unless I could hear the valves on it's first scheduled maint.  They all said that if you couldn't hear any problems that they weren't taking my brand new bike apart and wasting my money for nothing.

[Cal Price]

Loads of threads about windscreens/flyscreens, try search. Two main types, small flyscreens fixing the lamp bolts and larger windscreens fixed to bars and/or forks, two or four-point fixing. Look at net catalogues for Givi/National cycle. Kerry has illustrations on his site. I too am still deciding but probably go for a larger Givi type.

[scratch]

The further back a windshield is curved, the smoother the airflow coming off of the windshield will be, and it will be quieter and you will suffer less wind buffeting. But you may not have the coverage of wind protection you desire. It depends on what you want, but even the smallest flyscreen will make a difference.

Ideally, you should take it to a Suzuki dealership.