Moving up to a slightly larger bike?

[ski_rush]

After I get my fuel line fixed, I thinking of listing my bike locally to see if I get any interest. I'd consider selling it if I break even on it (including the sales tax I paid). I like the bike, and I know many would say it's the perfect size for me right now, having just started over with bikes just 2 months ago.  The GS500 is light and forgiving, etc. However, I'm thinking that I'd like to have just slightly more weight and power. I'm not a huge guy (6', 215lbs), but I'm thinking just a little bit more power would be nice and I live in the midwest where it's super windy. So, perhaps a little more weight would help? It has seemed to already from my past bike. 

I previously had a 250 dual sport...it had 11hp and weighed just over 200lbs...I got one of those China bikes. I was lured by the thought of having a new bike for just over $1000. The thing was a total POS. I sold it as fast as I could (my review on that should go on a different thread...I'd love to write it up if you all are curious about those crappy bikes).

My point is that GS500 is a HUGE step up from that bike, and I do enjoy riding it. However, it needs a few things like a new windscreen (the stock one sucks) and handlebar risers). I feel like the windscreen is engineered perfectly to put the wind directly at my chest/throat level (nice)...I'm thinking before I dump money in those items, maybe it would be worth it to check out the viability of swapping this bike for another. From my searching online, it looks like a new windscreen (Zero Gravity Touring) will be about $85 and handlebar risers are another $80 or so. Most of my riding is open roads in the midwest...read...wide open corn fields with cross wind...and I've been riding it to work which is about 45 miles each way 

I almost went with a 250 Ninja and I'm so glad I didn't. But, what about a 600 or a 750?

Any opinions on the matter? Any suggestions for a comparable 600 or 750?


Thanks,

[qcbaker]

I got one of those China bikes. I was lured by the thought of having a new bike for just over $1000. The thing was a total POS. I sold it as fast as I could (my review on that should go on a different thread...I'd love to write it up if you all are curious about those crappy bikes).

That would be super interesting to read lol.

Any opinions on the matter? Any suggestions for a comparable 600 or 750?

What style of bike do you want to upgrade to? Sport touring? Cruiser? There are tons of bikes in that displacement/power range but which is right for you depends a lot on your personal preferences.

If you're looking for something similar to the GS (standard, but slightly sporty) but with a little more "oomph" you could look into the Suzuki GSX650F or SV650. Both are bigger and more powerful than the GS500, but not to a degree that would be scary. Outside of Suzuki, the Kawasaki Ninja 650 would probably hit some of the same marks (although, it has a bit sportier ergos, so that might not be what you want). Honda's NC700 series has some bikes that might interest you as well.

[cbrfxr67]

Heck yea,...really interested in your chinese turd review!

[Sandgroper57]

Rocket 3 all the way! Save all the disappointment and frustration. Cubes and weight, you know it makes sense 

[rscottlow]

What about the GS do you like? I think that will get you pretty far in answering your own question.

I do a lot of riding on Indiana farm roads, so I totally know where you're coming from. For me, by next month the winds will have died down enough to be manageable. I don't think the other bikes qc mentioned in the 600-750cc range are really considerably heavier than the GS, but the extra power might help with combating the wind.

[ski_rush]

Heck yea,...really interested in your chinese turd review!

Chinese turd...that about sums it up. I'll definitely do a review. I've been wanting to anyway to hopefully prevent others from making the same mistake I did...I got rid of it, thankfully, but others have been stuck with their inoperable China turds and flushing $1000 down the toilet.

[ski_rush]

What about the GS do you like? I think that will get you pretty far in answering your own question.

Likes
1. Sporty looks; I prefer bikes with fairings. I'm not into the "naked" look much or cruisers (they all look alike to me)
2. Light, nimble
3. Power is very manageable for a new'ish rider
4. Fairly upright seating position so I'm not having to lay down on the bike.

Dislikes
1. Feels like it needs just a touch more power...maybe I'm too fat. Just kidding. I'm 215lbs, but I do think it needs a little more mmphhh...
2. Tires are kind of skinny looking.

I hope that the GS500 looks large enough for me. I test drove a Ninja 250 years ago and I felt like I was riding a pocket bike. I mean...it did get up to 70mph with me on it just fine, it just seemed to really work to do it.

[pliskin]

I had a china bike before I got my GS. It was a Lifan GY5 200cc dual sport. I have to say it was the best $1300 I've spent on a NEW bike. I didn't off-road it much so the frame/shocks/etc. didn't get much abuse. However I'd wind that little sucker out to 60mph on the highway every day for years and never had a problem. The motor was rock solid.  I sold it with over 8k miles on the clock. I did a lot of research before I got mine and all china bikes are not created equal. American Lifan imported some of the better ones. Roketa is another better one. Beware as they all look the same of you don't know what to look for.

I would do it again.

[dominickbuff]

skii i currently have a honda rebel 250cc and i weigh almost as much as the bike 
thats why im looking to buy a gs500f because i should be able to go highway speed

[qcbaker]

Likes
1. Sporty looks; I prefer bikes with fairings. I'm not into the "naked" look much or cruisers (they all look alike to me)
2. Light, nimble
3. Power is very manageable for a new'ish rider
4. Fairly upright seating position so I'm not having to lay down on the bike.

Dislikes
1. Feels like it needs just a touch more power...maybe I'm too fat. Just kidding. I'm 215lbs, but I do think it needs a little more mmphhh...
2. Tires are kind of skinny looking.

Suzuki GSX650F, Kawasaki Ninja 650, Yamaha FZ6R

[mr72]

...
4. Fairly upright seating position so I'm not having to lay down on the bike.

Dislikes
1. Feels like it needs just a touch more power...maybe I'm too fat. Just kidding. I'm 215lbs, but I do think it needs a little more mmphhh...

Do you shift too early? I mean, my GS500 is extremely quick if you have the nerve to rev it to 10K. It is docile and might convince you it's "underpowered" if you shift at 7K.

2. Tires are kind of skinny looking.

I can't really comment on your aesthetic preferences.

I just wonder if it's not low-end torque you are looking for, rather than horsepower.

I'd suggest a SV650S or a Ninja 650. They will have more torque and a bit more horsepower but you will pay a lot more for one than a GS500. If you are really in love with low end torque and don't rev above 7K rpms maybe find a Buell. But all of these are going to be significantly more money. You'll have to some research to figure out which ones are that much heavier. Again I can't really understand the desire for a heavier bike, but I ride in the "hill country" where quick turns and peppy acceleration up hills makes all the difference in the world.

BTW I'm a hair under 6'0" and was 216lb this morning. And BTW also my GS500 will blow away my dad's Shadow 750, which is >100lb heavier, 50% more displacement, more low end torque and less power. But I think that Shadow is more stable in the cross wind due to the weight and especially the weight being so low (everything is low on a cruiser). In fact I'm pretty sure my GS500 will blow away just about any factory-built cruiser, especially if there's a turn. I'm not sure where on the street you really need to get to 60mph in significantly under 4.5 seconds or go on sustained cruising at over 90mph, but if that's you, then by all means, you need more power.

[ski_rush]

Do you shift too early? I mean, my GS500 is extremely quick if you have the nerve to rev it to 10K. It is docile and might convince you it's "underpowered" if you shift at 7K.

I'm not sure where on the street you really need to get to 60mph in significantly under 4.5 seconds or go on sustained cruising at over 90mph, but if that's you, then by all means, you need more power.

I am perhaps shifting too early. I know I'm definitely shifting before 7k.  I will try revving it more and see what I think.

And, no, I don't need to go 60mph in under 4 seconds, nor do I want to do 90mph for a sustained cruising...too old for that...

[Watcher]

When I had my GSs I weighed about 220-230, also 6'0", and it never really disappointed me in the power department.  I lived in the Midwest as well and commuted about 30-40 minutes by expressway.  The wind pushes you around but there's really no avoiding that at all, unless your bike is hollow so the wind passes through it or it weighs as much as a car.  Every bike I've had has been pushed about by large gusts.  No doubt a 250 is bad, but the GS was on par with my Ducati Monster and CB500F for highway stability.  The Buell I had was a little better, and it wasn't really a heavy bike, but a low center of gravity surely helped.

That being said, I'm inclined to say that you've owned the bike entirely not long enough.
I get that feeling of not enough power, but the GS really can give it where you need it.  If you aren't comfortable with the bike you won't ever be tapping into it's real potential, and I don't really mean ergonomics, I mean just general bike bonding, and that takes time and miles.
I've been known to chase 600s and keep up in turns both on my GS and my CB, and while it doesn't have the raw power those bikes have it doesn't fit the supersport profile either.  It's more sensible to commute on, more responsible in town, and can potentially get better fuel economy than alternatives.

If you're willing to do a little work, then the GS can come alive with just a rejet, even more with a better air filter and exhaust.  That being said, there is no replacement for displacement so if you feel like it's too slow then maybe a different bike will work better for you.  But be wary because for a lot of people the feeling of too slow is hard to satiate and before you know it you'll be on a bike that really is too much to handle.


As far as the comfort aspect, a hard reality is if you switch to, say, an FZ6R you might still be too hunched over and have the windshield deflect into your face.  And now not only will you be spending the money to fit this bike to you, but you likely spent more on a different bike and are further in the hole financially.
But there are ways to cut cost.  Instead of $80 risers you can go with some $20 handlebars that are taller, for example.  Not all options will fit a GS without longer cables and brake lines but dirt-bike bars seem to be drop on and offer a slightly more upright body position.



But if you're dead set on a similar bike with slightly more power I'd suggest searching for the following.

Suzuki:
GSF600 "Bandit"
SV650/SV650S
VStrom650
GSX-S650Z

Honda:
CB500F/CB500X/CBR500R
NC700X
CB650F (new bike, maybe not available yet)

Yamaha:
FZ6
FZ6R
FZ07
XJ6 (maybe not available USA)

Kawasaki:
ER6N
Ninja 650
Z650 (new bike, maybe not available yet)
Versys 650


And maybe even an older Ducati Monster ~600 if you feel up for a little more involved maintenance.

[J_Walker]

Instead of a Vstrom 650, get the 1000, but don't get the SV1000, instead of the SV650. First gen SV650s will always have a place in my heart. really late models they had done some REALLY funky stuff to make the bikes make the EPA regs. like having two spark plugs on a single cylinder...


what im looking at for a new bike personally is -

aprilia caponord 1200

or

the 2018 Suzuki Vstrom 1000.


I live in florida, LOTS OF highways and straight roads here too. with the occasional hurricane.   

[mr72]

I am perhaps shifting too early. I know I'm definitely shifting before 7k.  I will try revving it more and see what I think.

And, no, I don't need to go 60mph in under 4 seconds, nor do I want to do 90mph for a sustained cruising...too old for that...

Yeah try revving. Everything comes alive at 8k. I bet you don't need a bigger bike after all.

[mr72]

And maybe even an older Ducati Monster ~600 if you feel up for a little more involved maintenance.

Lots of good advice Watcher.

But an m600 doesn't have any more power than a GS. Might be 10 lb lighter. And the OP wants fairings. Really a gs500e is kind of a reliable Japanese M600.

I sure like the looks of the Duc though. I'd swap my GS straight across for an M600. I'm good at maintenance.

[ski_rush]

All very sound advice. I like the Bandit and the GSX. I think I'm going to spend some time with the bike to: 1) fix fuel line, 2) replace factory links to raise the bike to factory height, 3) change oil to synthetic, 4) and any other general maintenance that's mentioned in the new service manual I ordered.

The most important thing right now fixing the fuel lines. Can't sell it with that going on...

[Kiwingenuity]

I live in a pretty windy place.. and there are some rather interesting days when it gets to 100kph / 60Mph cross wind gusts.  I have practiced leaning off and am now used to "catching" the bike back in the gusts.  you do get the odd day when it gusts over 150 k / 90Mph and yep, the GS is just too light and it trys to wander over a lane... 

One of the guys here has a Bandit (2k15 1250cc) and he hardly notices the wind at all despite the fairings. The overall size between our bikes is pretty similar (the GS is about 50mm shorter than the bandit) but the bandit is 32kg heavier - most of that is the engine block and it is a bit lower than the GS - most likely why it is more stable. The Bandit does drink about twice as much fuel for a similar commute though..

I replaced the factory windscreen with a zero G touring one, and put handlebar risers on - that made a big difference to comfort and noise reduction (the factory seat isn't so good long distance - but that seems to be an affliction with sports style bikes).

With the costs of registration and the like here I will probably stick with my GS a while - I have looked at a GSX 650F - think its about 20kg heavier than the GS - possibly going to be similar to the bandit with a bit of extra weight down low and about +30HP with injection.

[Watcher]

And maybe even an older Ducati Monster ~600 if you feel up for a little more involved maintenance.

Lots of good advice Watcher.

But an m600 doesn't have any more power than a GS. Might be 10 lb lighter.

According to this website (which who knows how accurate but at least it's a consistent source), the GS500E makes about 45HP/29LB-FT and weighs 381 dry.  The M600 makes about 53/35 and weighs 383.
So it's a mild increase, and it reaches peak power at a lower RPM which can change how much pull the motorcycle seems to have.

It's also geared way different, 6 speed vs 5 speed.

According to the same site standing 1/4 mile for the GS is about 15 seconds @ 85mph.  M600 is 12.5 @ 102.


But no fairings...

[philward]

I upgraded from a GS500 (after riding it for 3 or 4 years) straight to a 1000 sports tourer.  I've been riding that bike now for 9 years and enjoyed the choice.

I'm 150lb and it weighs 530 (iirc).  I don't find the extra weight an issue at all.  In fact I quite like the big bike feel: very sure and sturdy in lumpy corners when riding in the mountains on day rides.  Though I also have to point out that a more modern, higher tier bike will also have better suspension etc than the GS so that might also account for some of it.  It's physically larger too in terms of dimensions, but I still happily commute to work through the city on it and have no problems lane filtering, etc through the slow moving traffic.

The things that I liked immediately from making the switch are:

• Power in all gears at all rev ranges.  It pulls like a train.  Sure you can ride in the power band and the GS will respond with quite some spirit, but it can also be nice on longer rides to not have to sit buzzing in a lower gear and to not have to hunt around through the gears into a corner, out of a corner, up a hill, down the other side, etc.  It's nice to have the choice to do that when you feel sporty and really attack, or just settle down and plod along.
• More modern features.  Fuel injection, uprated suspension, twin discs up front, abs, hydraulic clutch, etc.  These are all nice things to have that come with an upgrade.
• A 4 cylinder bike is very smooth compared to the GS twin.

There are some cons that spring to mind (minor but worth mentioning):

• The GS is a much easier bike to work on if you like to do maintenance yourself.  Modern bikes are really packaged tightly.  For me to replace the spark plugs (especially the centre two) involves taking all the fairings off, lifting the tank, rerouting hoses, disconnecting the ignition coils, removing brackets and even then you need to be a contortionist to get your hand in and manipulate a specialist tool that will get you into the deep plug sockets.
• If I give the right wrist a bit I use as much fuel as my small car.
• Tyres are a bit more expensive because they're bigger and sportier.
• It costs money to upgrade (obviously).