First ride on my new GS500F!

[TCARZ]

OK... I have a confession to make. I never test rode my brand new GS. It was very cold a couple of weeks ago and it wasn't doable. But from what I've read here and my Miata forum, I knew I had to get her.
Well... Anyway, I got a lift to the dealership, 14 miles away, to finally pick her up. I did get a nice FF helmet w/ flipdown shade. Very nice and warm for the 38 degree temps. People questioned my sanity, but figured "No brain, no pain".     I was dressed warm enough, the real test, was learning how to ride a sportbike (as in positioning feet). It felt so weird, at first, to have your feet behind you, instead of in front of you. Has anyone else experienced this?    Anyway, I had to drive on the shoulder of the road for quite a while, before I got the hang of it.
Then, oh boy, I LOVE THIS BIKE! It's awesome and I plan on taking her out as often as I can! Much more fun than a cruiser! Here's to many happy miles on my new love, Blu Sue 

[Twisted]

gRATZ on your new ride! 

Take it easy and keep the rubber side down.

[Cosimo_Zaretti]

Your feet aren't really behind you on a GS like they would be on a proper sportsbike, I rode a VTR the other day, and by comparison that really did feel like my feet were tucked up, and it's hardly an aggressive position either.  I find the naked bike position feels like it places your arms and legs about where they'd be on a mountain bike.  I got my learners permit on a riding school cruiser and at first I had to keep looking down to find the pegs, which were right out in front of me for some stupid reason.

You'll love actually being able to get your bum off the saddle, if only when going over bumps, and you've got proper control through the footpegs to help steer the bike.  On a cruiser you're stuck in that seat so any shocks go straight through your tailbone.

Edit - I did pretty much the same thing as you when I bought my GS, I rode it around the carpark at the sellers apartment and satisfied myself that everything seemed to work, then laid down the cash and rode it 30kms home along some fairly major roads.  It rained on the trip as well, just to make things interesting.  That was my first time in traffic on a manual bike.  I just headchecked lots, left plenty of stopping distance and got on with it.  It was probably good for my riding, because I didn't have a chance to be scared, there were too many other things to worry about.

I had ridden a scooter in Indonesian traffic before, now that was a rapid learning experience.

[tt_four]

OK... I have a confession to make. I never test rode my brand new GS. It was very cold a couple of weeks ago and it wasn't doable.

Sometimes you've just gotta take a chance. When I bought my last bike I didn't get to test ride it because it was 5 hours away and I had only ever seen 3 in person before: 2 randomly riding down the road and 1 parked at a bike night. I hitched a ride with someone I knew who just happened to be taking a trip to that part of the state and rode it 5 hours home.

[adidasguy]

I was dressed warm enough, the real test, was learning how to ride a sportbike (as in positioning feet). It felt so weird, at first, to have your feet behind you, instead of in front of you. Has anyone else experienced this? 

Feet are really right below you. You're probably familiar with "cruisers" which I hate. I can't stand having my feet in front of me like I'm sitting in a chair. I've always preferred the standard style bikes where your feet are right below you. Feet down - on ground. Raise feet a few inches: on the pegs. (Like the GS500). None of this "raise the feet up and forward to reach the pegs".
I think you'll get used to it really fast and find it is a fantastic ride.

[rickyny]

OK... I have a confession to make. I never test rode my brand new GS. It was very cold a couple of weeks ago and it wasn't doable.

In NY dealers won't let you test drive a sportbike, so I bought my GS same as you... but
I just knew she was perfect!! 

[Cosimo_Zaretti]

Why do we keep calling it a sportsbike? It's technically a sports tourer, but even that shouldn't have the word sport in it.  It's an anaemic old 4 valve 500 which used to put out 50 odd horses, more like 45 on the newer ones, probably due to emissions requirements.  It's nowhere near sports territory in terms of power.  The GS has upright bars, a low seat, footpegs under rather than behind the rider.  The riding position is traditional naked, nice and natural.  It's in the tradition of the Universal Japanese Motorcycle.  I love my GS, it's exactly what I was looking for because it's nice and easy in traffic, but is still a contender in the twisties.  It aint no sportsbike.

[rickyny]

You're right, I think is a Standard bike.
We got to tell Suzuki Corp to fix their website, they have it under "sportbike".http://www.suzukicycles.com/Product%20Lines/Cycles.aspx

[Cosimo_Zaretti]

Whilst I admire Suzuki's optimism, I think it's better than we appreciate the GS for what it is, because it was engineered with a purpose, and it fulfils it damned well.

[TCARZ]

I guess the footpegs were directly under me. I have know idea what my initial problem was...  I caught on and was doing superbly, a few miles down the road.
A couple years ago, a dealer had a demo day and I took a Trumph Triple Rocket out for a spin. That was a rush! No fumbles, just pure ecstasy! 
Well, anyway, it's in my garage and there will be her home for a good many years to come. With plenty of romps, just to make life interesting! I love her just the way she is.

[bill14224]

Welcome aboard!  Since you bought a new bike you didn't really lose anything by not riding it first.  You are forgiven.

I think "commuter bike" describes the GS better than anything else, but if this bike was made earlier, in a time that was technologically in tune with it, which would have been the early 80's when monoshock street bikes came out, it would have been considered a sports bike, especially if the pegs were moved back. (which I would not recommend, this bike already has very little legroom)  This bike was technologically-dated when it began production in 1989.  ZX500, modern... GS500, not so much.

Today sportbikes must have gobs of power, among other things.  Back in the day there was no such thing as gobs of power until you got into the liter-class which was 100 or so HP.  Our engine would have been considered a great little engine a generation ago.  Most were similarly made in fact.  Now it's thought of in the same way as a lawnmower engine, which I think is a mistake.  If I have fun getting there and it's cheap to maintain when I get home that's a good thing.  It's not like we have to twist the grip and wind-out every gear, waiting forever for anything to happen like the good old days.

I've said it before and I'll say it again.  Americans are spoiled on horsepower and looks to the exclusion of anything else.  Give them looks and a lot of power and that's all they care about.  If anyone doubts me look at prices for muscle cars in good condition.  Any bike with a frame like this would gotten rave reviews in the 1980's.  It's nice and stiff, but not overly so, reasonably light, and cheap because it's steel.  Flexy tube steel frames are finally gone, yea!  I remember those articles.  However, Americans generally don't care about that.  Give them a steel tube frame that bends like a noodle but that's ok as long as they have 150 HP, baby!  You can even have spring meets at the dealership where they adjust the dyno to give high numbers so they can lie to their customers all day long!  As long as they see three digits they're happy, and they'll probably buy another leather vest or a bippie top for the old lady while they're there!  Forget that he has almost no chance of dodging the lady in the minivan when she pulls-out in front of his chromed-out 100-inch dresser pumping out all that power.  It's all about the chrome and noise, baby!

[bman]

I love my gs a lot. I did a lot of research to try and decide which bike to get and the gs fits. It is fun to ride, not very expensive compared to other bikes I looked at  and the seating position is really comfy. I have a buddy that rides a cruiser, he took my gs out the other day for a short ride. He told me that if he didn't have so much in his bike he would buy a gs...so having said all that to say this "you made a great choice".

Be safe, have fun
Brandon

[mikeybikey82]

yep congratulations on your new bike!  i wish i couldve gotten one brand new, but used and dirt cheap works for me    i also found the foot position to feel a little behind you, and it was awkward at first.  i was riding an old xs400 before, which is by no means 'out in front' of you but didnt feel so..... directly under you? so i know what you mean!  all of my friends here have gsxr's, a 600 and 750, and one friend has an r1, so they told me 'why did you get a girl bike!' when i got my gs. ill take the mpg's and reliability over the gobs of power any day, especially since its so fun to ride!

[TCARZ]

Thanx to all the nice responses. I was considering 250 Nighthawk. Sure glad I waited. Really like my GS, now that we've gotten acqainted. So glad that Spring is here! 

[scratch]

Congrats and welcome!

[SAFE-T]

I remember a 1989 article in Motorcyclist magazine where they really talked up the GS500E. "Everything you needed in a motorcycle and nothing you didn't", they said.

It's just a standard, not a sportbike or a sport-tourer. It's the no-name vanilla ice-cream of the motorcycling world, which is both its greatest asset and greatest disadvantage.

[madjak30]

Yup, I think SAFE-T nailed it...everything you need and nothing you don't...a standard that can be used for anything you want...commuting, no problem...touring, put a tank bag and some soft saddle bags on and off you go...check out what ken in regina is doing, adventure touring on a gs500...carve up some twisties, yup...the only thing it can't do is cruise at over 100mph, but really when is that a requirement...

I just need to work on my flexibility, then I will stop whining about my knees...what other bike is this cheap, reliable and fuel efficient...I can get 400kms (250miles) out of a tank, and it needs a tune up...and smaller riders will probably get even further, so I am having a hard time justifying spending more money to get a bike that may not be able to fulfill as many of my needs as this GS500 does!!

I think it is a great choice in bike for anyone...fat bastards like myself included...

Later.

[viggen]

Excellent first bike choice.   Seems like many people hold on to these bikes even after they 'graduate' on to some bigger ego-stroker.  I plan to do that, but only because mine isnt worth anything after all the deer and jerks took their toll on the fairing and the title. 

My recommendation for first mods:
1. Frame sliders - Sure, you gotta cut a hole in the fairing, but it'll be the ONLY hole! 

2. Saddlebags - You're gonna want to be able to ride everywhere, might as well include the grocery store, work, and weekend trips.  Helps to keep some warmer clothes and a quart of extra oil in there too.

3. Vacation time.

[mike__R]

OK... I have a confession to make. I never test rode my brand new GS. It was very cold a couple of weeks ago and it wasn't doable. But from what I've read here and my Miata forum, I knew I had to get her.
Well... Anyway, I got a lift to the dealership, 14 miles away, to finally pick her up. I did get a nice FF helmet w/ flipdown shade. Very nice and warm for the 38 degree temps. People questioned my sanity, but figured "No brain, no pain".     I was dressed warm enough, the real test, was learning how to ride a sportbike (as in positioning feet). It felt so weird, at first, to have your feet behind you, instead of in front of you. Has anyone else experienced this?    Anyway, I had to drive on the shoulder of the road for quite a while, before I got the hang of it.
Then, oh boy, I LOVE THIS BIKE! It's awesome and I plan on taking her out as often as I can! Much more fun than a cruiser! Here's to many happy miles on my new love, Blu Sue 

I had the opposite experience - going from sport-touring (SV650S) to cruiser (VTX1800F) - but same principal.

[SAFE-T]

Now if only they would last more than 50,000 miles...

Mind you, that's ten years of riding for some people.