POLL: GS500 or GS650F

[PiotrTheGreat]

Okay

So, after a month of buying, replacing, and discovering new problems, I think I'm just about ready to throw in the towel and sell my GS500

BUT

I'm curious to know what you guys think about what I'm about to suggest

I'm thinking of getting a GS650F

BUT

I'm not sure. Should I just fix up the GS500 and sell her, or keep her around? What are your thoughts on the GS650F as a replacement/upgrade?

[yamahonkawazuki]

SEEMS YOUVE MADE UP MIND eh? lol i love the gs of any kind. the e or the f of the 500cc vintage. whats the riding like at your location? and how long  each day do you ride her daily or not so much?   heres another way to see what would best suit you. sit on bikes for a half hour each.. since power levels are close with eachother

[Cal Price]

I had some great years and trips on my 650 Bandit which is pretty much the same bike.

[PiotrTheGreat]

I ride in Chicago, and my daily trip to and from work is about a mile and change. But right now, I've got a Honda CBR600F4i as well as my GS500, so my ideal set-up is to have a sport-touring bike for commuting and long-distance trips and a straight-up sport bike for commuting and shorter distance pleasure rides

Thing is: I'm pretty sure that I'm gonna have to do a hell of a lot of work to the GS5 at this point (probably an engine clean, gasket replacement on the headers) because I over-filled oil. But even after fixing her, I can't imagine I can do a hell of a lot of reliable highway riding, and I know that I should expect certain components to fail more easily than those on younger models.

For now, the GS5 is fine. But I want to know whether the upgrade is worth it

[Slack]

But even after fixing her, I can't imagine I can do a hell of a lot of reliable highway riding.

Why not? If you fix her properly and care for her she'll be good to turn over the odometer.

And I know that I should expect certain components to fail more easily than those on younger models.

Haven't you herd the saying, "They don't make them like they used to."?

But I want to know whether the upgrade is worth it.

What upgrade?

[Kijona]

I've not ridden either the Honda or the GSX650 but I would imagine the 650 will be tuned for low-down torque (if there is even such a thing as low-end torque on a 6XXcc I-4). I would also imagine the 650 would be more comfortable though definitely more spartan.

Have you considered an SV650/SV1000? I'm a huge proponent of 90° twins; they are an absolute blast to ride A) because of how predictable the power band is and B) how much damn torque they make. I had an SV650 and a DL1000; both were torque monsters and were hella fun to ride. Out of all the bikes I've owned, I miss the SV the most.

[Joolstacho]

Don't even think about it, just get an SV650.
Simple!

[PiotrTheGreat]

What is it about the SV650 that you guys recommend over the GSX650F?

[cWj]

Replace the header gasket or the head gasket? header gasket (as in exhaust headers) takes no time all (well, I guess more effort if you have a F).

500 & 600 S/T seem like a good combo for the individual.

600 & 650 seem like a good combo if you want to keep something for a buddy to ride.

Hard to get past the idea that the GS is beyond repair, just knowing how utterly fixable the things are...

Seems like may be addressing symptoms on the bike instead of the core issue?

If you meant change the head gasket, I'm suspicious that you will have addressed the lingering problems by the time you get it all back together....

But if you want to move on, move on. Odds are there's a hyperactive teenager somewhere near you that could use a lesson in patience .

An SV would make a good replacement if you want to keep two bikes.

[PiotrTheGreat]

Replace the header gasket or the head gasket? header gasket (as in exhaust headers) takes no time all (well, I guess more effort if you have a F).

It looks like the gasket on the camshaft cover is leaking oil pretty badly. Plus, the whole bike is down on power, and I have no idea if it's just a combination of things (oil-clogged carbs and a weak stator) or if it's just ONE thing that's throwing everything out of whack.

One way or another, I'm gonna have to do a fair bit of wrenching and learning to get this figured and sorted

As for what I wanna do with the bikes: I'm planning on upgrading the Honda as well to a GSX-750 (ideally), but I want a sport-tourer to take road tripping as well. And with the visual similarities between the GSX-650 and the GS500F, I figured it would be a nice trade-up

[cWj]

Just depends on what you want to do then.

The reasoning you give keeps leading me down the road of suggesting you should just get one really good touring sport bike (Interceptor, F800ST, Triumph).

If you feel like getting that involved with the GS, just take it out of commission for the season early and do a thorough top-down maintenance inspection. Do the work at your leisure. Ride the Honda until a buyer comes round.

[PiotrTheGreat]

Just depends on what you want to do then.

The reasoning you give keeps leading me down the road of suggesting you should really just get one really touring sport bike (Interceptor, F800ST, Triumph) however.

It you feel like getting that involved with the GS, just take it out of commission for the season early and do a thorough top-down maintenance inspection. Do the work at your leisure. Ride the Honda until I buyer comes round.

That's kind of the idea at the moment, so I think I'm just gonna go with that for the time being

[cWj]

I probably should have included the new GSX-S1000F in the above group. It seems like it might successfully combine commuting, sport-touring and hooning.

[Malfruen]

Having ridden a GSX-S1000, it'll do it all. The throttle is quite snatchy on take off and in lower gears though, it might take some getting used to.