A Stock GS is an awesome bike...

[Atesz792]

My previous vehicles had the $1 rule.
but i included gas, oil and maintenance, and didn't include resale value.

The GS, as crappy as it's fuel mileage is, would still beat any Honda bike out there, including modern 250ccs.

$2k gs, vs $4k random 250cc bike, you'd have to buy about $1.9k on gas, rest on oil to be even from the start.
that's 633 gal of fuel @$3/gal, or 35k miles.
If the gs does 55mpg, and the other does 80mpg, it'd be interesting to know when both bikes will have cost as much as the other.

Ps: my bike is completely stock, save for some of the egr hoses that where removed, and a 35t rear sprocket. I just have to readjust the carburetor after the intake change.

And you wonder why it lugs below 3k in 6th, with that small rear sprocket...
I don't ride mine under 4k in 5th and 6th, very rarely in 4th, too, just 'out of respect'.
Come on, really, sell yours before you lug its engine apart.
Buy an NC700, 3-3,5 l/100km is easy to achieve with those.

[MeeLee]

if you honestly think you're going to get 80MPG out of a modded 650, 700, or CB500x/r you're an idiot...

You should sell your GS and buy something else if you seem to hate it so much.

Every part i've seen for this bike is 1/3 the cost of my FZR600, hyosung GT650R, and my CB900C....

You kidding me?
fuel efficiency in the 50s is worse than the klr650, cb500x, and nc700x which all have above 60mpg, way more torque and 10-20mph more top speed.

engine SUCKS below 3k rpm.
and the new gamma of sport bikes and budget touring bikes, and standard bikes all have at least 50lbs shaved off the gs500 weight. (Cb500x, CB300x, yamaha sr400,...).
Stock handlebars are NOT comfy, everyone i know that ever had one all say it's a pain to ride in the city due to low/faraway handlebars
bulky...

Technology has advanced guys, time to update your views on what is good.

I'll tell you what I like about the gs:
i payed $2k for it. About 1/3 the price of any other bike of this caliber, and pricewize the same as the 250cc bikes.
some parts are cheap. Easy to work on. Center stand.

It is a beginners bike indeed, does what most people need, but the bad handlebar position, and the low mpg (60 after mod), make me want to get another bike (80mpg after mod)

Sorry, it appears you're the idiot. It is very much possible.
125mpg out of a 125cc,  100mpg out of a 250cc i have achieved, and better is even possible.
80mpg out of a 500 is not out of the realm of possibilities.

[MeeLee]

My previous vehicles had the $1 rule.
but i included gas, oil and maintenance, and didn't include resale value.

The GS, as crappy as it's fuel mileage is, would still beat any Honda bike out there, including modern 250ccs.

$2k gs, vs $4k random 250cc bike, you'd have to buy about $1.9k on gas, rest on oil to be even from the start.
that's 633 gal of fuel @$3/gal, or 35k miles.
If the gs does 55mpg, and the other does 80mpg, it'd be interesting to know when both bikes will have cost as much as the other.

Ps: my bike is completely stock, save for some of the egr hoses that where removed, and a 35t rear sprocket. I just have to readjust the carburetor after the intake change.

And you wonder why it lugs below 3k in 6th, with that small rear sprocket...
I don't ride mine under 4k in 5th and 6th, very rarely in 4th, too, just 'out of respect'.
Come on, really, sell yours before you lug its engine apart.
Buy an NC700, 3-3,5 l/100km is easy to achieve with those.

Well, it shouldn't. Even in stock 6th gear (my 5th gear), it lugs below 2500rpm. The rebel lugs with the exact same gearing (going exactly at the same speed at the same rpm) lugs below 1800rpm.
the gs could have been provided with a little bit more low end torque, easy to upgrade by suzuki if they just modify the ports/valves a bit.
low end torque makes sense for a commuter. High rpm torque makes sense for a sports bike, not really a commuter.

[MeeLee]

Using 10,000/yr and $3.00/gallon for gas:

50 miles per gallon = $600.00/yr
60 miles per gallon = $499.00/yr

Any bike that gets a steady 60/mpg is going to cost a lot more than $1,000 (or have very few cc's).  In my area you can buy a good running GS for $1,000 or less (I sure did).

If you are modding your bike because you just enjoy doing that sort of thing.....great.....but you really aren't gaining much in either speed or mpg.

Just my .02

funny thing is, the higher the initial mpg, the higher the gains with a sprocket change.
I like modding the sprockets, it's fun, and makes the bike more what i want it to be.
with my first bike i had 80mpg stock. I got 125mpg after a sprocket change of 10tooth down on the rear. Unfortunately the bike started to suffer from clutch slipping at high speeds.
the second bike had 75mpg, and i got 100mpg out of it. Some people on the tux forum reported 120mpg out of a 250, but they did more than just a sprocket change.
if you have a theoretical mpg of zero, sprocket changes will make no difference.

Usually going 1 or 2 tooth up on front, or 3 to 6t down on the rear gives a much more handleable 1st gear, and when done right, top speed can be attained in top gear minus one (or minus two), leaving one (or two) gears as overdrive gears.

Excellent for lower engine rpm and better fuel mileage when you're on the highway doing only 60mph or so.

[NYNJ8]

You kidding me?
fuel efficiency in the 50s is worse than the klr650, cb500x, and nc700x which all have above 60mpg, way more torque and 10-20mph more top speed.

engine SUCKS below 3k rpm.
and the new gamma of sport bikes and budget touring bikes, and standard bikes all have at least 50lbs shaved off the gs500 weight. (Cb500x, CB300x, yamaha sr400,...).
Stock handlebars are NOT comfy, everyone i know that ever had one all say it's a pain to ride in the city due to low/faraway handlebars
bulky...

Technology has advanced guys, time to update your views on what is good.

I'll tell you what I like about the gs:
i payed $2k for it. About 1/3 the price of any other bike of this caliber, and pricewize the same as the 250cc bikes.
some parts are cheap. Easy to work on. Center stand.

It is a beginners bike indeed, does what most people need, but the bad handlebar position, and the low mpg (60 after mod), make me want to get another bike (80mpg after mod)

You are comparing bikes that were released in 2014 to one released in 1989.  If you are one of those people who needs to have the newest technology the instant it becomes available - whether you need it or not then have at it.  You probably have one of those cars that parallel park for you don't you? 

You completely miss the point.  Its not the GS is the best bike ever made, it is that the balance of utility, value, performance is among the best I have seen.  Sure there are bikes with better technology, but show me one that I can buy an '06 vintage for $1000 that will perform as well as my GS does.  Very few exist.  I'm not sure just how many people you know, but the consensus on the GS riding position is that it is generally comfortable for most.  Its not perfect for everyone, and certainly not perfect for me, but the opinion that the handlebar position is BAD puts you in the minority.  The GS mpg is not bad for a twin.  Again, completely idiotic to compare mpg to thumpers and 200s. 

Have you actually owned any of the bikes you are comparing?  I've ridden a KLR many times and the GS feels much more torquey to me.  Its not even close.  Don't know what the numbers say, but give me felt torque over theoretical torque any day.  And what makes 10 to 20mph of top speed a benefit?  So instead of going 115 I can go 135?  I typically travel 75-85 on the highway.  That offers me no benefit what so ever.  I'm glad I didn't have to pay for that little perk when I got my GS.

Twocool had it right.  This is the wrong bike for you.  Your opinion is welcome, just don't pass it off as anything other than that. 

[dennisgb]

Have you actually owned any of the bikes you are comparing?  I've ridden a KLR many times and the GS feels much more torquey to me.  Its not even close.  Don't know what the numbers say, but give me felt torque over theoretical torque any day.  And what makes 10 to 20mph of top speed a benefit?  So instead of going 115 I can go 135?  I typically travel 75-85 on the highway.  That offers me no benefit what so ever.  I'm glad I didn't have to pay for that little perk when I got my GS.

Twocool had it right.  This is the wrong bike for you.  Your opinion is welcome, just don't pass it off as anything other than that.

Pretty Clear he hasn't ridden any of the bikes he talks about...and they keep changing. It's top end, then it's low end...then its wheel wobble...no rhyme or reason...just bizarre random thoughts that make no sense.

I have a 2007 Honda 919 which is a fuel injected water cooled 4 cylinder naked bike using the Fireblade engine. It will do 145 and you can stand it straight up with a light twist of the throttle. Has a linear power band that scares the crap out of you if your not careful. Would I compare it to the GS500? Why? They are completely different bikes designed for completely different uses. Yet our friend MeeLee continues to compare bikes that are so different and complains that the GS500 can't compare. It is quite silly. Like you said he can have his opinion, but that's about all it is...most who own a GS500 know better.

[NYNJ8]

Thread Jack: The 919 is on my "will own one day" list.  Just a beautifully balanced bike.  Had a chance to grab a 599 at a great price but I feared it wouldn't satisfy my longing for the 919.  Ever ridden the little brother? 

[dennisgb]

No I haven't but they are very similar bikes and if you go back in the history the CBR400 inspired the 600 Hornet. They built a naked detuned 400 that I think only sold in Japan. The 600 Hornet is loved around the world although not quite as popular in the USA. All the road tests on the 600 Hornet are very good so I wouldn't be afraid to buy one...I've actually looked at a couple.

The 919 is an amazing bike and you can ride it like a commuter or push it in the twisties. It's very powerful and quite different from the CBR Fireblade as they detuned it to get the more linear power curve. Makes it feel like a rocket right off...you don't have to wind it up to 8000 to get to speed. It's just there. It handles like a dream because it is light for the size of bike. It only weighs a little more than the 600 Hornet.

I love to ride the 919, but when I get on the GS500...it's a little noisier and works a little harder but it feels so much lighter it's just fun to ride. My girlfriend got on the GS500 after years of not riding and just took off...she loves that bike. She didn't like it when I first bought it, but after riding it changed her mind. This may sound like a criticism, but the GS500 is just less to handle. It doesn't scare you...the 919 can at times. It will lift the front on a gear change if you are just a little strong on the throttle. It's fun but at my age a little scary too. If I was 20 I would just laugh my ass off...

[MeeLee]

A lot of complaints about oranges and apples, but nowadays there isn't much out there that is to compare to a GS500.
An CB500, and a SR400, and the rest is all 650+cc, so yes, there's not much to compare it with

Yet if you compare 500cc ptwins, with other budget bikes attaining better gas mileage, better torque, and higher top speed, it is some kind of comparison, and it is valid.

I'm not comparing the GS500 to a super sports bike.
All I'm trying to say is, that a lot of people are 'content' with their bikes, but haven't stuck their noses in other bikes (with 20yrs of newer technology).
If anything, it surprises me that Suzuki didn't keep producing this 500, but with fuel injection. It would probably solve a lot of the MPG and performance differences these older bikes have compared to the new ones in the store today.

[dennisgb]

NYNJ8,

Here's a picture of me on my 919. I looked for more than a year to find a good one. Nice ones are hard to find. It's a 2007 with 6000 miles on it.

[NYNJ8]

A lot of complaints about oranges and apples, but nowadays there isn't much out there that is to compare to a GS500.
An CB500, and a SR400, and the rest is all 650+cc, so yes, there's not much to compare it with

Yet if you compare 500cc ptwins, with other budget bikes attaining better gas mileage, better torque, and higher top speed, it is some kind of comparison, and it is valid.

I'm not comparing the GS500 to a super sports bike.
All I'm trying to say is, that a lot of people are 'content' with their bikes, but haven't stuck their noses in other bikes (with 20yrs of newer technology).
If anything, it surprises me that Suzuki didn't keep producing this 500, but with fuel injection. It would probably solve a lot of the MPG and performance differences these older bikes have compared to the new ones in the store today.

You have no clue what you are talking about...

By your logic anyone who is happy with a motorcycle is content.  Dennis' 919 can do 150mph and will wheelie if he sneezes too hard but maybe if he changes to a K&N air filter he can get it to 152mph and lift the front end with a fart.  The point of this thread is that the GS in its stock form is impressive compared to the other bikes I have owned.  That is my experience.  If you have some actual experience that gives you a different opinion I would love to hear it but it sounds like you are just regurgitating a bunch of BS you read on forums. 

As someone who bought a GS expecting a superbike, you should know how damaging misinformation can be.  Suggest you start speaking from experience and not out of your arse.

[dennisgb]

Some of us have "real world" experience with other bikes, rather than just reading something on the web. We have bikes that can go faster or do other things...yet we still like the GS500. It's just a great all around fun bike. What more can you say?

[Old Mechanic]

First bike I ever owned in 1974 was a Kawasaki 900 Z1. 23 years old, indestructible and crazy. The problem with bikes when they reach that level of performance where people just don't understand how fast you can move around them is they run over you and maim or kill you.

A good friend rode my 900 and bought one, so did his brother, who was run over by a woman in a dodge dart. The cops followed the trail of motorcycle and body parts to her driveway. She swore she never felt the impact and did not even know what she had done.

Never owned anything you could call a superbike after that 900. For me even young and crazy, that was enough. You are only 1 idiot away from eternity.

regards
mech

[NYNJ8]

Dennis your 919 is in awesome condition.  I have an aversion to heavy bikes so maybe I might just be happier on a 599.  Again its just such a aesthetically balanced machine.  I love it.  Good to hear your comparisons to the GS.  Your right, it moves, but you can tell its working hard. 

[dennisgb]

First bike I ever owned in 1974 was a Kawasaki 900 Z1. 23 years old, indestructible and crazy. The problem with bikes when they reach that level of performance where people just don't understand how fast you can move around them is they run over you and maim or kill you.

A good friend rode my 900 and bought one, so did his brother, who was run over by a woman in a dodge dart. The cops followed the trail of motorcycle and body parts to her driveway. She swore she never felt the impact and did not even know what she had done.

Never owned anything you could call a superbike after that 900. For me even young and crazy, that was enough. You are only 1 idiot away from eternity.

regards
mech

Yup...exactly! Been down 3 times in my life and lived to tell about it. I'm paying for it now with neck fusion in 2004 and 3 back surgeries in the past 2 years. Finally had fusion on my lower back in Sept. All attributable to my crazy youth 

That Kawi 900 was the bike in the day...yet they didn't handle as well as they went in a straight line. Better than the "Widow Maker" but the Japanese were still learning about frame stiffness and suspension. I was a bit ahead of that bike in time being into Brit bikes first a BSA Spitfire Hornet and then a Norton 850 Commando (you will see in my signature I own a Commando today). I also had a Ducati 450...and then a whole period of not riding.

Now it's a matter of respect for the machine and much more awareness when I ride. Speed is really not important although I do crack the throttles on occasion  I just enjoy riding now. Not crazy like we were back then.

[dennisgb]

Dennis your 919 is in awesome condition.  I have an aversion to heavy bikes so maybe I might just be happier on a 599.  Again its just such a aesthetically balanced machine.  I love it.  Good to hear your comparisons to the GS.  Your right, it moves, but you can tell its working hard.

The 919 is only a little over 400 and the low center of gravity makes it feel very light and nimble. It only weighs about 10 lbs more than the 600. It's not a heavy bike.

[dennisgb]

Ultra highjack.

Just for fun. I got back into motorcycles a few years ago after a long period of not riding. I bought an old CBR Hurricane (1987). It was in parts and I wanted the engine to put into an ATV. I got it home and got it running and when it reved up to 14000 I realize it wasn't a good choice for the ATV project. So I started building it back into a motorcycle. It didn't have any fairings...most of those old sport bikes don't because they were all put down and the parts were busted. You pay through the nose for replacement fairings so I came up with a plan to convert the bike into a 2003 CBR600RR - sort of. Those parts are cheap and available. It turned into a ground up build and the bike is quite different now. It never left my shop and I did all the custom paintwork and turned it into a MotoGP replica. It was almost ready to fire up when my back went out and I had to have surgery.

Here's a picture as I was assembling it. Hard to tell it's a 27 year old motorcycle.

[dennisgb]

This is what the Hurricane looked like when I got it.

[Big Rich]

 

[NYNJ8]

That is an awesome build.  You didn't miss any details on the finishes.  Well done.  Is it running now?  I think you have too many bikes.  Time to start selling some of them off (to me)