How do you know when it's time for a new bike?

[MistahT]

I think you find you will be disappointed with the ER6. I know I was. Stick with the SV650.

I think it looks a lot better and I've heard reviews that make it seem like a good fit for me. Why didn't you like the ER6?

[bubba zanetti]

I had a visit from the new bike fairy.

[GS500Fmode]

i bought...well kinda..traded for my first bike 2005 gs..
i traded a 95 240sx that i paid 1000 for.. the guy wanted an import car 

i rode the mess out of the gs.. the only way i was gonna get rid of it was if someone would trade me straight up for a 600 4 cyl

put a few ad's up.. and got a hit.. a 97 ZX6-r.. i did reading, and felt it was a suitable choice.. as i only had 1k in the gs..

a few months later, im laying in the road with my feet jammed into some idiots wheel.. that bike bit the dust..

now im in the 1L territory..

enter the 2002 FZ-1

best bike..hands down.. power to make your heart race. yet i can do 400 mile days no prob.. (havent done anything farther cause there isnt much over 5, most is 650 and up miles away..

all should consider the FZ. 

[XealotX]

How do I know when it's time for a new bike? When my current bike is leaking oil faster than I can repair it.

[justinmc84]

i bought...well kinda..traded for my first bike 2005 gs..
i traded a 95 240sx that i paid 1000 for.. the guy wanted an import car 

i rode the mess out of the gs.. the only way i was gonna get rid of it was if someone would trade me straight up for a 600 4 cyl

put a few ad's up.. and got a hit.. a 97 ZX6-r.. i did reading, and felt it was a suitable choice.. as i only had 1k in the gs..

a few months later, im laying in the road with my feet jammed into some idiots wheel.. that bike bit the dust..

now im in the 1L territory..

enter the 2002 FZ-1

best bike..hands down.. power to make your heart race. yet i can do 400 mile days no prob.. (havent done anything farther cause there isnt much over 5, most is 650 and up miles away..

all should consider the FZ. 

So you crash a 600 and buying a larger, crazier bike is your next step?

[pookiebear]

had 25 bikes.
dirtbikes, street bikes, motards, 1 cruiser, old CBs, vfr, ninja's, Dual sports( bought werase's dr350)
looking for a gs500 now.
gonna get a dirt bike to go with it.
If you ask my wife why I get a new one, its usually just because I want to clean out the garage of all the clunkers I buy.
Ask me, I will tell you it is because I am still in search of the elusive "perfect ride"
But really I want to have ride everything, I just like to put the helmet on and ride.

[GS500Fmode]

i bought...well kinda..traded for my first bike 2005 gs..
i traded a 95 240sx that i paid 1000 for.. the guy wanted an import car 

i rode the mess out of the gs.. the only way i was gonna get rid of it was if someone would trade me straight up for a 600 4 cyl

put a few ad's up.. and got a hit.. a 97 ZX6-r.. i did reading, and felt it was a suitable choice.. as i only had 1k in the gs..

a few months later, im laying in the road with my feet jammed into some idiots wheel.. that bike bit the dust..

now im in the 1L territory..

enter the 2002 FZ-1

best bike..hands down.. power to make your heart race. yet i can do 400 mile days no prob.. (havent done anything farther cause there isnt much over 5, most is 650 and up miles away..

all should consider the FZ. 

So you crash a 600 and buying a larger, crazier bike is your next step?

the crashing of the 600 had nothing to do with my inability. was hit. and was proven and shown that it was her fault.

i got the fz1 bc i got a hella deal on it.
ive ridden 2 wheeled monsters since i can remember, the gs felt like a 100cc dirt bike to me.. this fz1 is more of what i raced.. the 250cc (2stroke) and 450cc bad boys)....... wanna hate some more? shift happens..

[justinmc84]

Shift happens?  Alright then.  I'm unsure how asking a simple question is "hating" but I suppose there's something new to learn every day.

[MistahT]

i bought...well kinda..traded for my first bike 2005 gs..
i traded a 95 240sx that i paid 1000 for.. the guy wanted an import car 

i rode the mess out of the gs.. the only way i was gonna get rid of it was if someone would trade me straight up for a 600 4 cyl

put a few ad's up.. and got a hit.. a 97 ZX6-r.. i did reading, and felt it was a suitable choice.. as i only had 1k in the gs..

a few months later, im laying in the road with my feet jammed into some idiots wheel.. that bike bit the dust..

now im in the 1L territory..

enter the 2002 FZ-1

best bike..hands down.. power to make your heart race. yet i can do 400 mile days no prob.. (havent done anything farther cause there isnt much over 5, most is 650 and up miles away..

all should consider the FZ. 

So you crash a 600 and buying a larger, crazier bike is your next step?

+1

[s10nova]

lmao, i think it's time for a new/different bike when you want one for whatever reason...uh, hopefully though it's not to "cruise" up and down the same stretch of street like some idiots around where i live though....my gs is about to have a friend, hopefully i'll get some pics when her friend arrives...and reason for this new "friend"....opportunity/bike came up for sale and looks like a good deal and been wanting something bigger but i do like my gs alot...i mostly use it to commute back and forth to work but at least i ride it, half the people at my work barely ever ride their bikes to work and that's more riding i do than if i were to go to the local "bike nights", also big factor for wanting newer/other/different bike is is hell....they take up a lot less room in a garage than one car....plus i read alot about all the diffferent bikes made and reviews of them and pretty much swooned every which way reading about them, i'd love to have a 900rr...919 hornet, sv650....sv1000....fz1...srad gsxr...ducati monster....etc...but when it comes down to it i think i'll always hang onto the gs...after reading people reviewing and talking about them on here and seeing all th eendless possibilities of mods to them, it'd suck to get rid of something that costs me about 115 bucks a year in insurance thats so cheap to maintain and take care of
GS Forever!!...(HOpefully)!

[scottwalker]

Honestly, I bought my new GS500F in the spring of 2011 with the thought that it would be my beginner bike for a year or two and then I would move on up to something bigger.  I am at about 3000 miles now.  I use it as a daily commuter in heavy interstate traffic and also on two lane highways.  My commute is around 70 miles round trip per day.

As my riding abilities have improved I have begun to appreciate the GS500 more and more.  I am now to the point where I do not believe I will need to upgrade to a faster bike any time soon.  I can do everything I ever wanted on the GS500.  It can out run, stop quicker, and out maneuver just about any car or truck.  It has plenty of power and is very dependable.  I truly appreciate the bike now and am somewhat ashamed that it has taken me 3k miles to appreciate it.  Not to mention I am getting 60mpg and that is sweet too. 

[Phil B]

For me the decision would be based on comfort.  I've been thinking about buying a larger, heavier bike for touring.  But I'll keep the GS as my daily ride because it's a great commuter bike, it's fun in the twisties and riding a large/heavy bike around town sucks.

disclaimer: I'm a new rider, so please state what may be "obvious" to others

Why is heavier, better?

Maybe I've been spoiled with LA weather or something, but in tootling around the LA freeways, I think the gs500 is just fine.

Also, for those people who wrote about buying a new bike, for a bigger windscreen...
Um... why not save yourself (mumble) THOUSAND dollars, and just buy a Bigger Windscreen? !
They're only about $100 ?

[FJCharlie]

was riding a super motard 200cc, was fun in winter time, riding on icy road is way fun fell few times, 3 actually, every time i fell cause of white lines-  until i was missing gears and throttle-solt id got GS
GS was a rocket when i first got it, never fell of it, actually once but while was parking with 60+kgs of stuff on bike, couldnt hold it-now im missing gears n throttle- will get 4cyl 100hp bike, thinking gsxf750 or zzr600 i want a tourer but with lot of power-next best thing.
as i said first 2 times "this is fast enough and powerfull enough for me i will not want faster" ill say it again when i buy bigger bike, but this time is for real     

[slipperymongoose]

I've already decided on my next bike. Triumph Daytona, as to when, well dunno money is the biggest factor. Since is the GS is a 500 and mechanically simple and a hoot to ride it will be a while before my eye starts to wander.

[mister]

will get 4cyl 100hp bike, thinking gsxf750 or zzr600 i want a tourer but with lot of power-next best thing.

Honda 919 - 100+hp, can be set up as a tourer easy. See mine...

I've already decided on my next bike. Triumph Daytona, as to when, well dunno money is the biggest factor.

Is that the Daytona 675 - faired version of the Street Triple - or the not-made-anymore 955i?

For me the decision would be based on comfort.  I've been thinking about buying a larger, heavier bike for touring.  But I'll keep the GS as my daily ride because it's a great commuter bike, it's fun in the twisties and riding a large/heavy bike around town sucks.

disclaimer: I'm a new rider, so please state what may be "obvious" to others

Why is heavier, better?

A heavier bike has more momentum and thus takes a larger force to make the bike move in another direction. Thus, as you hit bumps, the main part of the bike is more likely to stay put and the shocks will be forced to take the bump's force, giving the rider a smoother ride. Larger heavier bikes also have a longer wheelbase which also diminishes the felt bumps.

Michael

[FJCharlie]

not into naked anymore, at least i think so

this is kinda sexyer

[Falcon01]

+1 to Mister's response.  The other benefit is that heavier bikes don't get pushed around in the wind as much.  We get some strong winds in Northern Cal. 

[slipperymongoose]

I've already decided on my next bike. Triumph Daytona, as to when, well dunno money is the biggest factor.

Is that the Daytona 675 - faired version of the Street Triple - or the not-made-anymore

Michael
[/quote]


I'm pretty sure they still make it, if not one of the ones with fuel injection. They were named bike of the year so has to stand for something, plus the noise.

[mister]

I've already decided on my next bike. Triumph Daytona, as to when, well dunno money is the biggest factor.

Is that the Daytona 675 - faired version of the Street Triple - or the not-made-anymore

Michael

I'm pretty sure they still make it, if not one of the ones with fuel injection. They were named bike of the year so has to stand for something, plus the noise.

Triumph still makes the 675, but the 955i isn't available any more - unless they have left over stock somewhere.

Michael

[slipperymongoose]

Then all is still mostly right with the world lol.