How quick can one of these bikes really get?

[Badot]

I disagree completely.  I have a liter bike, and a 600.  Truth is the smaller the displacement, the more fun it is to wring it's neck.  My 1k is dull, overpowered, and almost dangerous in the wrong hands.  Sure I don't have to shift as often, but what fun is that?  Oh how I wish a Japanese manufacturer would start selling a 400cc in-line four sportbike.

Agreed. With my little Nighthawk 250 I could go WOT around the corners in my development and still be going a reasonably safe speed. With the GS500, heck no. I just needed something that could go interstate speeds where the Nighthawk not once got past 70 (with the wind at my back). Plus 70 mpg no matter how hard I ran it was pretty awesome.

I'd love to get a Ninja 250, but at 6'7" my options for low displacement high MPG bikes are pretty limited when I need to be able to make 500+ mile trips with bags.

[shonole]

Shonole was banned for pissing me off.

HAhahahaha!  Not banned ----> poo poo head, get it right!   

Was a joke you knot head.

So was mine, you don't see me custom title?    I was referring to myself..

[john]

Shonole was banned for pissing me off.

HAhahahaha!  Not banned ----> poo poo head, get it right!   

Was a joke you knot head.

So was mine, you don't see me custom title?    I was referring to myself..

Ha ha.  I have been rather distracted lately as you can imagine.

[shonole]

Shonole was banned for pissing me off.

HAhahahaha!  Not banned ----> poo poo head, get it right!   

Was a joke you knot head.

So was mine, you don't see me custom title?    I was referring to myself..

Ha ha.  I have been rather distracted lately as you can imagine.

Just a little..  Damn technical difficulties!   

[J banning]

I have both -- '01 GS500 and '09 GS500E

There's no comparison between the two. The GSX-R is a great track bike (what I use it for) and the GS is a great inexpensive commuter bike/cruiser.