Why Did You Buy That GS500?

[Electrojake]

Y'know, after riding 25 years, I've realized I don't need that much horsepower. 
I've rode my girlfriend's R6, and while it handles like a scalpel, I don't need 110hp, when 40 will do.

Couldn't agree more. 
I just want to get to work.
There are no "twisties" or breath taking vistas, just reality.
110 HP doesn't help much here.
.
Just sayin'
-Ej-

[slipperymongoose]

So true, when it's 11:30pm after an arvo shift or night and your tired, you don't need a bike that's gonna snap its tail out when your a little sleepy from the lights. Great thing bout the GS, put it in 4th or 5th doing 60 and the bike becomes dopey and relaxing and it's not try and kill you at the next opportunity like kato.

[rayshon]

I wasn't really even interested in motorcycles until my dad (who has rode cruisers for years) kept bugging me to get one.

So I took the MSF class, and was hooked. Saved up for months from my part time job, and got this 04 GS for $2,500 off Craigslist.

I want a 636 or a 750 reeeeally badly, but I don't have money for those for a while so I'm stuck with this guy for a few years.

It's a good bike, really is, but I'm probably always gonna be wanting "more".

[skada76]

After borrowing my co worker's 05 ninja 250R on and off for 1yr. after taking the safety course,I knew i didn't want a 250.
Saw the GS500F in the 2010 Cycle world buyers guide and loved the look and the price. Did the research on the GS. Love the gas mileage and the large tank, since it'll be used for commuting. Wanted the full fairing since my commute will be 90% highway with little traffic. REALLY LOVED THE UPRIGHT RIDING POSITION!! Like what i read about doing maintenance on the bike to save $$$.
     This is my 1st bike and I know that'll keep it as long as she can roll. Just wish it had EFI!

[Electrojake]

I want a 636 or a 750 reeeeally badly, but I don't have money for those for a while so I'm stuck with this guy for a few years.

It's a good bike, really is, but I'm probably always gonna be wanting "more".

Big powerful bikes are made for guys that need it.
If you feel the need. . . Then feed it!
But until you get a big expensive sport bike, you'll have plenty of time to practice on your GS500.
Might as well have fun with what ya' got till the GSX-R750 arrives.
Regards,
-Ej-
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is my 1st bike and I know that'll keep it as long as she can roll.
Just wish it had EFI!

My 2 cents worth. . .
I'm no master mechanic but having multiple bikes, it has been my experience that nothing is more user-friendly than an air cooled carbureted machine.
You can add "reliable" to that list too.
Cheers, 
-Ej-

[steezin_and_wheezin]

just bought my third one!

1- my 04
2- 94 parts bike
3- complete and titled 06 with needed engine work

[numus]

Can't sell mine cause once it gets warm, it dies.....

Going to try to fix it up but have the gsx600f as my primary now.

[slipperymongoose]

Any new reasons on buying your current GS?

[codajastal]

Bought mine because I wanted something faster than my 85 KZ250W LTD Belt drive. So I sold it for $1500 and bought the GS for $1300 and am extremely happy.

[XealotX]

Same answer I gave to the same question 3 years ago...

It was cheap.

[adidasguy]

Sat on a Ninja 500. Legs so spread eagle felt like a gynecology exam or a lap dance from a 300 pound pole dancer. GS500 felt just right.

Bought Suzi May 2010.
Bought Junior August 2010 as a "working on learning bike" but fixed him up so I needed another as a learning bike.
Bought Trey Feb 2011 while leg healing from surgery. Now I have a bike to learn maintenance on. He has been a learning experience thanks to a bad previous owner that didn't take good care of him.

Collected parts. Building a bike from scratch. Built a bike cave just for GS500's (though other bikes may visit.)

If I was doing this on a computer people would say I need help. No, wait, I AM on the computer... on gsTwins so do I need therapy? I'm not the post whore of gsTwins, but am a parts whore.

Help me, please


Back to the question: GS500's are fun. The more you have, the bigger the party.

[knowles]

Looked at reviews, on starter street bikes, I didnt want a big bike or something that I would be afraid of. Looked at one for $900, and passed on it it had been layed down, and had a small oil leak on the oil cover. Ended up finding one on craigslist for $1,000 talked the guy down to $700.

Been wanting a bike for years, but something always seemed to come up. I had a little money and decided to spend it on one before something else came up. I like the bike will mostlikely keep it until I retire and buy a old hot rod or something, mostly I think if i sell it my wife will put up a big fuss about buying another one.

[Legnd]

Took the MSF course and immediately started looking for bikes. I liked the naked/standard look and looked up good beginner bikes. I didn't want a 250cc so I figured the 500cc twin would be a great started bike but able to do highway *I know 250cc can do highway but 500cc doesn't have to rev as much* Figure I'll keep the bike for a couple years, get the basics of biking and then upgrade to a inline 4.

Found one locally and honestly fell in love. Even thought it was purple/pink the look was exactly what I had hoped for. Still cannot wait for spring.
Ian

[k.rollin]

I didn't buy mine, it was free and only needed a title transfer and cleaned carbs (not bad for an '04 with less than 5500 miles on it). I took it with the intent of fixing it up, maybe riding it for a few months, and selling it. After taking off the fairings, I liked the looks much more; after riding it for a few miles, I decided to keep it around. Taarna may not be everything I want in a bike, but she's got everything I need in one.

[SgtBatten]

My first bike, an 07 gpx250, was destroyed when I was hit by a car who didn't see me on a clear sunny day @ 3pm.

I wanted a more visible bike. The gs was perfect. Slightly larger, brighter colours and known as a reasonably docile learners bike with enough kick to keep it interesting and safe.

I looked at nothing except gs500f bikes for 3 weeks before I found my one on bikesales.

[SS Adrenaline]

Well my story is thus:  I always wanted a bike but my parents wouldnt hear of it, so I did with out for years.  One day at the office a coworker told me to come looke at this bike.  Now it wasnt a GS500 but was a 1988 Honda CB450S.  I fell in love with that bike so I decided right then and there that I was going to get into mororcycling.  So I started doing research on it and found that it was only sold one year in canada and america.  I know parts would be hard to find less the engine components beacuse it was a Honda 450cc.  I eventually found one and then signed up for a coarse.  In the time it took to register and actually go to the coarse I was still doing research on all bikes both new and old.  I found the GS500 to get such high praise from everyone around the world.  Now I realized that I have the Honda which I never rode befor but I didnt want to get stuck with a bike where parts are so hard to get so I then decided Im going to get a GS500F.  I took the coarse and started riding the Honda.  I love the bikle so much that I dotn want to get ride of it but I still wanted something that was better on the highway.  So I found a 2006 GS500F and never looked back.  I got it at the end of the year so its not safied yet but my parts list if growing on all the up grades Im going to do.  I love both bikes and dont think I will ever give either of them up.  Ones for vintage city riding and the other is for city/highway/ touring riding.
So In conclusion I got my GS due to the following:
1:  Parts are available and cheap.
2:  Insurance is very cheap for a bike.
3:  Loved the looks and performance.
4:  It has its own web site.  GSTWINS
5:  Easy to work on.
6:  I love oil/ail cooled engines with carbs.
7:  Initial price was low  (Best Bang For the Buck)
8:  I could go on and on but I think you all get the point..lol.
Cheers

[applecrew]

Several reasons, but to be fair, it was essentially an economic decision. My first bike was a 73 Yam RD-350, and although I loved it, it just did not fit my needs. It got 70 miles per tank and I was commuting 70 miles a day - I just plain got tired of filling up every day, plus the fact that I was racking up a lot of miles on a classic two-stroke that was still in excellent shape. It was time to hand it over to another 2-stroke lover who could take care of her and not beat her up.

So, I needed a bike that could handle my commuting needs, deliver great fuel economy and be reliable. My kids also needed a car, so I had to find a way to get both on a tight budget. I stumbled across my 2007 at a local dealer - he was blowing out a couple of bikes - two GS-500's and a DL-650. I did my homework - I did not know too much about the 500, but knew that it was as powerful (but not as quick, and without that 2-stroke punch) as my RD, so I knew it would do just fine on the freeway. I learned that the heart of the 500 was a reliable, older engine design and would be easy to maintain, and got great fuel economy.  I figured that for the price, I could get a new bike AND still afford to get a decent car for the kids.

I will never regret my decision to get the 500. It has delivered all that I needed and more! It was after I bought it that I found out how much fun she was throw around on a tight road. That seals the deal for me!

[kg1709]

The GS500F is my first 'big' bike after learning and doing time on a 125, which I couldn't wait to get rid of!

GS offers great value for money whilst building the riding skills up.

Only real gripe is the cold-blooded nature of the bike, but when she's warmed up is fine, and great for the odd commute.

I think ultimately I will upgrade, though I think it'll always be Suzuki.

[Juan1]

I think ultimately I will upgrade, though I think it'll always be Suzuki.

Don't be a brand loyalist!  Buy bikes based on the quality of their parts, not the letters on the tank!

I purchased my '98 GS500 because it was only $500 on Craigslist with new tires and chain, and in decent shape except for the effects of a lowside.  My experience from restoring a previous GS meant I could get the bike running well, and then either fall in love with the make again, or at least sell a mechanically perfect, cosmetically good bike without losing money.

[ohgood]

In another thread aussiegs asked; "A rich person walks up to you and asks how much for your bike?"
The thread drew some interesting replies, http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=57737.0

Surprisingly a lot of people simply asked for between $1200 and about $6000. (seems reasonable to me)
This led me to an equally important question. . .
Why did you buy your GS500 in the first place???
Obviously for economical transportation, but in the bike market there is a lot to choose from.
So why ride a bike that is frequently referred to as. . .
An entry level machine, Training wheels not included, etc...
Or as one Yamaha parts vendor I used to deal with in the UK summed it up; An outdated rust-bucket that's so underpowered its actually dangerous".
Personally, with several different bikes in the stable, I simply do not understand why the GS gets such a bad rap.

So all things considered, tell us, Why did you buy yours?

it was cheap, looked great (kid in a candy store first bike), and sounded better. that, and the HD guys said it was a 'girls bike'. since girls are smarter and have vaginas, i figured i might get lucky.

gs500 gone 32,000 miles
cb350 gone 45,000 miles
drz400 LOVE IT 14,800 miles
fz6 DEPENDA-BIKE 35,000 miles

lusted after:
ktm 300 EFI dual sport
goldwing
motus (made here in alabama)
any dakar capable 900cc
concours (the old one)
anything from the 50's that isn't a HD
anything with 200 or fewer cc's
the skills to ride a two smoke like my buds