UPGRADES AND MODS

[rpm121370]

ok if you had $1000.00 to spend what would you do to your GS500F and why.

I love the bike and would like to do some mods and upgrades to make it even better than it is

Ron

[RossLH]

For $1000, I'd sell mine and buy one that works.

[weedahoe]

1K could really do A LOT on these bikes.

I think the next few things on mine will all be cosmetic. I like chrome and chrome rims for the GS5 run about 450-500

[fraze11]

Me, honestly; it doesnt add up to $1000 but I'd probably do what I've already done.  Front and rear suspension, exhaust/filter/jet.  I have no desire to put any more money into my GS it is what it is and does what it does.  But the above upgrades (specifically the suspension) were well worth the cash.  If I had a spare $1000 bucks right now I'd probably buy a new tv

[weedahoe]

^^^ We were in Walmart last night and in the center isle they has a pallet of TVs setup and that had 50" screens for like 500 or so. They have come down A LOT in cost. I paid 1K for my 42" plasma years ago

[DoD#i]

$1000 to spend on the GS. 'Course, mine's an E.

Call it 250 gallons of gas to be safe, at least until the price goes up again.

so, ride 10,000-12,000 miles (change the oil a few times, buy a little chain lube, etc...)

Or a few less miles and pay for some hotel/motel/hostel/camp rooms to make your weekend rides a larger loop in a different direction every weekend. Go visit some old friends; Or some online ones you've never met in person. Or go in smaller loops really fast at a track day.

The journey is not about the destination, or the horse-substitute.

[gsatterw]

These numbers are rounded:

Clip-ons and bar end mirrors: $100 - more aggressive, sexier look. I find it more fun to ride as well.
Front Fork Springs - $90 - to got progressives, no preload. love it, way way better.
R6 Rear shock - $80 - same reasoning
Rear sets - $150 - More aggressive posture, more fun again IMO - I somehow fitted cbr900rr
Belly Pan - $180 - oh so sexy, I love mine
Stainless Steel break lines- $75 - better braking, and you can get different colors. I got mine on ebay from this guy that custom makes them for way cheaper.
Life battery - $150 - never have battery problems again
Brake + Clutch lever, matching colors - $40 - so fine
Exhaust - $200 - breathes more air
Lunchbox Air filter - $30 - same ^
Fatter jets - $20 - on ebay - more air, need more fuel

Well shat, I went over.

[rpm121370]

These numbers are rounded:

Clip-ons and bar end mirrors: $100 - more aggressive, sexier look. I find it more fun to ride as well.
Front Fork Springs - $90 - to got progressives, no preload. love it, way way better.
R6 Rear shock - $80 - same reasoning
Rear sets - $150 - More aggressive posture, more fun again IMO - I somehow fitted cbr900rr
Belly Pan - $180 - oh so sexy, I love mine
Stainless Steel break lines- $75 - better braking, and you can get different colors. I got mine on ebay from this guy that custom makes them for way cheaper.
Life battery - $150 - never have battery problems again
Brake + Clutch lever, matching colors - $40 - so fine
Exhaust - $200 - breathes more air
Lunchbox Air filter - $30 - same ^
Fatter jets - $20 - on ebay - more air, need more fuel

Well shat, I went over.

please explain a few of the upgrades to a rookie, rear sets,r6 shock

Ron

[adidasguy]

You forgot to include the stainless steel chain guard in your list. 
That alone gets you 3 more horsepower.

Here you see the Gimbel rear set. Moves feet back about 5 inches and up a couple.


The OEM clip on bars will give a more forward position without being too aggressive


Front fork springs are a must. Personal opinion is the rear shock is fine and changing it is more of a fad or fashion statement unless you weight over 225 pounds or ride really bumpy roads.

[weedahoe]

^^^ Any those nice front braces and side cover

[Zacharia_11]

I'm going with DoD#i mostly on this one.

Gas & maintenance.  Buy some more coffee/ice cream/pizza on your rides - or skip it and by more gas...

When the time comes I will replace my brake lines with steel braided, and I am considering a set of risers.  My bike is an e.  I already bought a pelican case to store my paperwork in the rear cavity and a magnetic tank bag to pack my lunch to work.

[gsatterw]

I got the r6 shock because I live in new orleans, which has the worst roads in the country. the shock is fully adjustable. Do I adjust it often enough to justify having it? No. Was it a pain in the ass to install? Yes. Does it look sexy and red as hell? Absolutely.  Is it better than the stock shock? I'd say so, I feel more confident in turns.

Forgot to mention a colored chain that matches your matching clutch and brake levers. I have a blue tank, so I got all blue (brake lines too). It looks so nice. -$30

Also forgot: Rim stripes to accent your wheels. I got reflective ones too so I'm more visible at night. I had extra (its pretty much colored reflective tape) so I wrapped a bunch of other parts on my bike: around the turn signals, around the exhaust at the tip and beginning of the can, around the dust seals on my forks, etc, be creative. Really makes the bike pop. - $30

[Funderb]

1k?

Replace all of my everything.

[Agno]

Recommended in order of impact on performance:

Huge difference
Front springs                               - $80ish
Rear shock                                  - $70ish 
Tires                                          - $175
Fork brace                                   - $40ish

Mild difference
Brakes(pads/rotors/lines)              - $150ish
LiFe battery                                 - $145

Little difference
Intake (K&N)                               - $35
Exhaust (V&H full)                        - $150ish
Carb Jetting                                 - $35

[Worm]

In order of importance to me:

Bike
Tires (back is getting close to needing replaced)
Suspension (front springs and oil and a R6/Katana rear)
Chain/Sprockets (PO didn't maintain it well)
Brakes (fluid, pads and lines)
Seat (An hour on this one makes my butt hurt!)
Risers (Sit me a little more upright)

Me
Helmet (I've lost 80lbs. in the 2 years since I bought this one, doesn't quite fit as well as it should)
Sena SMH10 Bluetooth headset (These are fantastic! You can intercom, listen to iPod/iPhone, take/make phone calls and people can't tell you are on the bike on the highway!)

[gsatterw]

I don't know about other people, but I feel like when I listen to music while I ride I become a worse rider. I feel like I focus on the music more than the road and bad things ensue. I do zero highway driving, maybe that's why.

[bombsquad83]

I got the r6 shock because I live in new orleans, which has the worst roads in the country. the shock is fully adjustable. Do I adjust it often enough to justify having it? No. Was it a pain in the ass to install? Yes. Does it look sexy and red as hell? Absolutely.  Is it better than the stock shock? I'd say so, I feel more confident in turns.

Forgot to mention a colored chain that matches your matching clutch and brake levers. I have a blue tank, so I got all blue (brake lines too). It looks so nice. -$30

Also forgot: Rim stripes to accent your wheels. I got reflective ones too so I'm more visible at night. I had extra (its pretty much colored reflective tape) so I wrapped a bunch of other parts on my bike: around the turn signals, around the exhaust at the tip and beginning of the can, around the dust seals on my forks, etc, be creative. Really makes the bike pop. - $30

Do you have any pics of your bike?  I'd like to see what it looks like with all those mods.

[gsatterw]

I don't have the brake line on yet here, and I also have a windscreen from a ducati s4r. Rattle canned the rear fairings flat black cause they were all banged up, but i like the black better. Also have the little bullet turn signals...which probably arent the safest, but I'm still around.

[gsatterw]

Also changed my sprockets to 14t/41t, which i wouldn't necessarily recommend because it kills gas mileage and makes most of first gear pointless, but it picks up very quickly from a stop.

And you cant see the r6 shock here, but its red and matches my rim stripes.

[cbrfxr67]

I like what dodi said.  +1