New rider considering buying a GS500. Any advice?

[Twisted]

And after a while you develop OCD with the indicators. You ride along and switch them off - even though you switched them off already. And a few minutes later you press the off button again. And then you pull up at lights and are going straight and you press for off again. 

Michael

LOL I thought I was the only one that does that. It is a good habit to do cause you do catch that odd occasion you leave it on that way.

[angusgst]

Yep, that's already happened to me. I went out for two rides today, both for about an hour and a half. Riding's actually way easier than I'd thought it would be, and the engine/gearbox combo is fantastic. Shifting is a LOT easier and faster than in any car I've driven. It's almost like pressing three different buttons at once rather than manipulating three controls with large movements.

[bill14224]

Bought it. =D  Absolutely f%$king fantastic; so much fun. Now I just have to learn to cancel my indicators... Drove past a woman waiting to pull out while accidentally indicating to turn into the road she was on. =S  Thankfully she waited.

Welcome aboard, Angus!  You have the same name as my favorite rock star!  Glad the bike is AOK.  In addition to all the good advice above, I would have added to look for rust in the tank, but rusty tanks are usually a longer-term problem.  It's not surprising it needed a new battery.  Five years is right on time for a battery to fail.  My friend has an 8-year-old battery that's still good, (he stores his bike in his heated garage) but I've had them fail on me in as little as 3. (I don't have a heated garage, but I take them out and bring them in the house.)

Where you live the GS is a wonderful bike from a bang-for-the-buck standpoint, especially when you factor-in punitive taxes for larger machines like you mentioned.  Luckily we don't have that problem in the states (yet) but I still love my GS.  It's fun to ride, economical, and gets the job done just fine.  Unlike many, I think it's a handsome bike too.

Don't make a habit of baiting cagers to pull-out in front of you by leaving your turn signal on!  I want us all to remain more-or-less in one piece!  I hope you used the dead battery as a bargaining chip and got the bike cheap.

[mister]

Angus...

We NEED to see a pic/pics of your bike. Themz the rulz... pics or it didn't happen.

Michael

[atvwarrior]

And after a while you develop OCD with the indicators. You ride along and switch them off - even though you switched them off already. And a few minutes later you press the off button again. And then you pull up at lights and are going straight and you press for off again. 

Michael

LOL I thought I was the only one that does that. It is a good habit to do cause you do catch that odd occasion you leave it on that way.

Yup you are so right I already am finding myself doing the same thing .