Would you move on from the 500?

[Ourea]

[POST HAS BEEN REMOVED BY USER]

[slipperymongoose]

Triumph Daytona for me.

[Cal Price]

I bought a new 03 GS and kept it until I went for a new 07 GSF650 Bandit. - I have dappled with a couple of projects but now just the Bandit, if I go anywhere from that it will probably be a 1250 bandit. The only thing I would say was a downside to a bandit is that they are pretty hefty.

[BaltimoreGS]

Variety is the spice of life!  You don't even necessarily have to go "bigger", you can just go different to keep things interesting.  Sport bikes, cruisers, dual sports, super motos....even scooters!  It's fun to ride something new every once in a while   

-Jessie

[pertt-UP-]

I am quite sure that after I've finished my studies and been working for some time, i will "upgrade" to something like Triumph Daytona 675 or Ducati Monster.

For now, when the second season with GS is about to end it seems like there is maybe four more to come.

[Falcon01]

I love the GS for commuting, running around town and the twisties.  I plan to keep the GS for those purposes - daily driver so to speak - but add a 2nd larger bike for longer rides and touring. 

[tialloydragon]

A SV650 will be my next bike.  Lighter than the GS500 and a lot more HP.

[mister]

I already have a 2nd Bike. The GS500 is now for Daily Commuting, around town and occasionally, a weekend ride. The 900 Hornet is my main weekend ride.

I was stacking on the clicks so fast on the GS I would have been over 100,000km in about 3.5 years. But I want to keep the bike for Much longer cause it's such a good bike. So I bought a second bike for weekend rides (some weekend days would put more clicks on the bike than my entire week of commuting).

This 2nd bike was going to be 2nd-hand so the options were wider. For me, it Has to be naked. I detest fairings. And I had a price range - plus I would not pay a used price that could get me a different bike new e.g $12k for a used triumph when a new 1250 Bandit went for less. So my options became...

FZ6
Z750
SV650
900 Hornet
Speed triple
Street triple
1200/1250 Bandit

The ER6 never entered the picture. And while I do also like the look of the ZR7, they were few and far between for me to have a true selection to buy from.

Of the bikes listed I managed to ride them all except the naked 1250 bandit - though I did ride a Sport version with the half fairing. And the one time I set off the ride a naked, it started raining just as I got there and no test rides in the wet...

Cliff/Coles notes...

FZ6: More oomph than the GS500 but it really is a high revving engine to get anything done on it. (Note, this is not a Learner Approved Motorcycle bike like the FZ6R is - need a full license to ride it)

Z750: Ended up close contender. Less willing to dive into corners initially until riding adjustments were made. Very upright compared to the GS500. Throttle was smooth, nice power delivery (smooth) but the biggest drawback was the hardness of the seat. Best described as "a piece of ply with a thin layer of fabric over it". As comfort is paramount to me, this ended up being a no go. Shame, cause it really is a lovely bike.

SV650: Rode a naked and Sport. Sport suspension was rock hard so I felt every bump and don't like the aggressive riding position. But Vtwin vibes and torque were quite nice. Naked was much better/comfier but the shop hadn't serviced it, it ran like a dog on old gas and they had to Jump it to start it up. But by then, it felt tame compared to the Z750. And for the same money I knew I'd rather the Zeddy over it.

900 Hornet: I can best summarize this bike as "a way more powerful and comfortable GS500". Riding position felt almost the same. I felt right at home from the moment I sat on it, even scraping my boots on the test ride. Similar HP to the Zeddy, with a more sensitive throttle (this could lurch you forward while the Zeddy not so much) but way Way WAY more comfortable.

Speed Triple: Powerful. Uncomfortable. I got off with aching hip flexors as the position was Forcing me to lean forward without relief.

Street Triple: Bike sure has some get up and go. Handles well. But the heat from the exhaust radiating through the seat was a turn off. No way could I ride 500kms in a day with hotbum the entire time. More comfy then the S3 but the heat made it not suitable for my purposes.

1250s Bandit: So so easy to speed on this bike as you didn't feel you were doing the speed indicated. Upright position. I felt quite high for on a bike. Bike felt reluctant to go into even mild turns. But this only took five or so minutes to overcome then it was sweet. Easy to be lazy and enter a turn a couple of gears too high and just power out of it without the engine lugging. The seat did feel like it was sliding me forward into the tank. Made me want to try the naked bike but I was never able to find one available to test ride.

At the end of the day, the 900 Hornet won through with its comfort and handling. And when I get on it on the weekend I'm like "yeah, this is the sh!t". And then on Monday I get back on the GS and think,"Yep, this is why I love this bike." They're similar but different. Love riding either of them.

Ourea: You do know the FZ6R is a LAMS bike don't you? So you wouldn't so much be moving on as moving sideways from one LAM bike to another.

Michael

[Ourea]

[POST HAS BEEN REMOVED BY USER]

[slipperymongoose]

As if a squid would wait till he had his full license. See mister this is where our bike fills the gap for the GS.

[gtscott]

i gotta admit, if i had a restricted bike, so i know i can make it a shitload faster real easy and cheap, i wouldnt be waiting around for anything and id just do it

[mister]

Ourea: You do know the FZ6R is a LAMS bike don't you? So you wouldn't so much be moving on as moving sideways from one LAM bike to another.

Michael

Correct me if I'm wrong (a newer model has come out since I last looked at it) but it was to my belief that the FZ6R is not a LAMS approved bike. The 'FZ6RL' is the LAMS model with a valve restrictor to reduce the power output. This ofcourse can be taken out once the owner has the correct licence to ride the unrestricted version.

Great post by the way!

http://www.yamaha-motor.com.au/products/motorcycle/road/sport/11-fz6r-0 "This all-new 600 is one of the coolest and most desirable models in the important LAM category"

Yup, it's a LAMS bike. The FZ6S and FZ6N are not LAMS bikes.

Kawasaki adds the L to their bikes. The Ninja 650RL is the LAMS bike while the Ninja 650R is not.

With the LAMS Gladdy, if you want to unLAM it, it will cost you $2k for a new computer. Nothing as easy as a small washer to restrict air or fuel.

Michael

[missk8t]

I'd love to go to a Honda. I've always had a soft spot for them. The 250 would probably do me though. The 600 would be way out of my power range.

[Ourea]

[POST HAS BEEN REMOVED BY USER]

[mister]

I'd love to go to a Honda. I've always had a soft spot for them. The 250 would probably do me though. The 600 would be way out of my power range.

Why not the CB400 then? Performance a little like the GS500, slightly lower seat height than the GS, better than either their CB250 or CBF250 which struggle past 110kph and better than their VTR250 IMHO.

Plus, if you get a CB400 you can do this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agt4XKlJZVw

Michael

[simon79]

Personally I'd be happy to upgrade to a bigger bike, were it not for:
1) finding $$$ (well, €€€) to purchase a new (used) bike
2) finding money to maintain it.
Going up with displacement makes insurance prices go through the roof, more often than not.
I recently asked to my insurance agency how much would it cost to insure a '99 BMW R850R I was falling in love with.
Current price (GS 500): about 270 €/year
BMW: like 440 €/year - Throw in maintenance costs, road tax (proportional to engine kW), fuel economy...
Bottom line: no thanks, at least not by now.

[missk8t]

I'd love to go to a Honda. I've always had a soft spot for them. The 250 would probably do me though. The 600 would be way out of my power range.

Why not the CB400 then? Performance a little like the GS500, slightly lower seat height than the GS, better than either their CB250 or CBF250 which struggle past 110kph and better than their VTR250 IMHO.

Plus, if you get a CB400 you can do this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agt4XKlJZVw

Michael

I stumbled across the CB400 last night on bikepoint. Very nice bike. There was another Honda I stumbled across which looked good but I can't bloody find it now.  Typical

I actually need to get something which will cope with a pillion easily. My partner and I are looking to take the kidlets around on the back but as they grow up I'm not sure that a bike under 600cc will cope?

[Twisted]

I'd love to go to a Honda. I've always had a soft spot for them. The 250 would probably do me though. The 600 would be way out of my power range.

Why not the CB400 then? Performance a little like the GS500, slightly lower seat height than the GS, better than either their CB250 or CBF250 which struggle past 110kph and better than their VTR250 IMHO.

Plus, if you get a CB400 you can do this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agt4XKlJZVw

Michael

I stumbled across the CB400 last night on bikepoint. Very nice bike. There was another Honda I stumbled across which looked good but I can't bloody find it now.  Typical

I actually need to get something which will cope with a pillion easily. My partner and I are looking to take the kidlets around on the back but as they grow up I'm not sure that a bike under 600cc will cope?

GS500 does just fine with a pillion. You won't pillion any better on a CB400 Honda. The Honda is pretty similar to the GS in power. It is much smoother and revs way higher and when you get into the Vtec rev range it can be fun.

[missk8t]

Would a 600 do it better though? 

[BaltimoreGS]

Would a 600 do it better though? 

Yes