First gs

[Dipper]

Just picked up a 1 owner 2007 gs500f with 3000 miles for $2000. Runs great. Can't wait to ride this baby. Unfortunately have to wait for title transfer, plates, and insurance.

[herennow]

Nice Buy! enjoy it. and post pics!

[Dipper]

Thanks herennow. If I can figure out how to post a picture I will.

[Bluesmudge]

Welcome! Post pics of the bike!
Whereabouts are you located?

[cbrfxr67]

where pics?

[Dipper]

I live in Crest Hill, IL. Suburb of Chicago. I was going to get my plates and title transfered tomorrow and now the dmv is closed until March 31. This is the first forum board I have joined so I will post some pics as soon as I figure out how.

[Dipper]

The tires look great but they are thirteen years old. Wondering if I should replace them.

[johnny ro]

Nice. I am not sure if this is your first bike. Yes get new road rubber.

And brake pads are good to have fresh. 

Looks repainted, has a history. OK colors.

You have a shop. Good stuff.

A nice looking 40 hp sport bike.

[Dipper]

Haven't had a street bike since the 90's. I've been a dirt rider since 1975. Still have my yz125 and my 87 suzuki quadracer 250. Bike was a one owner with only 3000 miles. The guy bought it to learn on then bought a DucatI and parked the gs in his garage. It's completely stock. Tires don't show any signs of dry rot. Just thinking I don't want to take any chances.

[ShowBizWolf]

Welcome to the forum! Can't see the pics here at work, will hafta wait until I get home.

I'm +1 for fresh new tires. A while back, I was thinking my front tire was OK even though it was old and I don't ride that aggressively... still plenty of tread... until a huge egg/bubble popped up on it. Luckily, I noticed it when I was washing the bike but I don't know when it happened... IMO it could have been a much worse outcome and I'm thankful it wasn't.

[johnny ro]

the tires are a chemical concoction of rubber, oil and other stuff. They age.

I like to read what the tire companies have to say.

Michelin puts a ten year window on a tire, regardless of use or condition.

https://motorcycle.michelinman.com/motorbike/tips-and-advice/advice-motorbike/when-should-i-change-my-motorbike-tyres

six years here
http://www.tiresafetygroup.com/tires-expire-in-six-years/

[cbrfxr67]

Looks great!  applause!  Can't wait to see more!

[Bluesmudge]

You are pushing your luck with those tires. Probably okay for light duty if they were stored inside and you don't ride hard.

The bike looks nice and clean. Missing the lower fairing stickers...I wonder what the story is there. Probably replaced after a drop but didn't pay the Suzuki premium price for stickers.

[mr72]

You are pushing your luck with those tires. Probably okay for light duty if they were stored inside and you don't ride hard.

Yeah, totally agree. Especially on a bike this light, it's astonishing how much difference the tire compound makes. I'd replace these hardened old tires, just for the safety factor alone.

That said, I do relate to the sticker shock of tires (and mounting costs!!) for cheap motorcycles like this. I mean, sure tires for my Jeep cost more and there are five rather than just two but they last 8x as long and typically installation is included in the price. But that front tire is literally the only thing stopping your bike. Not a place to try and get extra years out of a wear item.

[johnny ro]

Yup.

Don't worry so much about skid crash, which can happen, but instead, if you are gonna pay time effort and $ to ride it, the new tires make it feel and steer way better.

[Dipper]

I have decided to get new tires. Tires don't even look bad but they are the thirteen year old original tires. I am not going to chance it. I only have 2k into it so far and overall I am totally satisfied with this bike. Set the choke and it fires right up. Massage the choke like any other carbureted bike in March in chicagoland and your ready to go. I personally like to let it fully warm up before riding. Any recommendations for tires. It's going to be a commuter with a little highway. No off road. I did find a scratch on the left side handlebar end and engine so maybe bluesmudge and johnny ro were about fairings being replaced or repainted? It was the previous owners first street bike so it was probably dropped.

[The Buddha]

Age of Tire (How old is a tire?)

Check the sidewall for the date stamp, a four-digit code inside a rectangular box.  These indicate the week of the year, and then the year, that your tire first popped out of the mold. So a date stamp of "4012" would read as "the 40th week of 2012," or some time in early October of 2012.

BTW I ride like an old man, but I actually do have 13 yr old rubber on my GS. I also have run worse than that, side wall cracking really POS tires mainly on cruisers.

Have I lost traction and crashed due to that - likely no. Was it a factor in getting to a dangerous situation - probably. I've also got into plenty of hairy situations with great tires just cos I was pushing it to the edge.

I'd not say run old tires, but if you're at the limit on new sticky rubber and things go awry, you're now going a lot faster and can do a lot more damage.
Remember the most dangerous part of a car is the nut at the wheel - same here.

Cool.
Buddha.

[IdaSuzi]

Just to chime in. I was also shocked by the sticker price of MC tires, they can get really expensive, and they wear out pretty fast. I put about 8,000 miles on my GS last year and might get closer to 10k this year. I have been buying Shinko 740/741 tires because they are so cheap, I bought my last rear tire for $45 shipped on ebay. They can also be found or about $60 new from Amazon. I ride so much I might try Michelins next time to see if its a better $/mile value.

But as far as mounting goes, the closest Motorcycle Shop to me is about 45 miles haha. So, I usually put my center stand on and suspend the front if needed, remove the wheels, and carry them into a local car garage that will mount them for $5 each. They also repaired a bead leak on my front tire for $5. The trick is walking in with the dismounted wheel since they won't touch a motorcycle. For next time my friend has some spoons so I'll probably try my luck with that 


Example of price, although I've seen cheaper for new.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-SHINKO-SR741-REAR-TIRE-TYRE-130-70-17-MOTORCYCLE-130-70-17/401939245079?epid=27008875888&hash=item5d95722817:g:~3EAAOSwdjdaAeew

Congrats OP on the purchase! Looks like a great low miler to ride around on! Welcome to the forum!

[Bluesmudge]

$5 is a great deal for mounting motorcycle tires. The used car tire shop near me charges that just to set the bead for me after I mount the tires by hand. I then balance them myself. If you have a decent air compressor you can mount your tires forever for the price of 3 tire irons and a box of wheel weights.
The local motorcycle shop near me charges $35 per wheel off the bike to mount and balance. That's a good deal if actually think about what a pain in the ass it is to mount tires by hand.

I do think that the frustration and pain of mounting a motorcycle tire by hand is something all motorcyclists need to have experienced. I mount my tires myself based on some nonsensical masochistic principle. And to save $60. Its just part of being in this motorcycle cult of madness. Bikes with tube tires have to do it every time they get a puncture so if you ride a dual sport or an old bike with tube tires its a good idea to be familiar with tire irons.

For street riding on the GS I have two tire recommendations.

Best dry weather, maximum grip, no care for mileage, have fun tire: Pirelli Sport Demon (110 front, 130 rear)
Best all around high mileage tire, including cold/wet and commute: Michelin Road 5 Tires (110 front, 140 rear)

[mr72]

OMG $5/tire is amazing price.

BTW I made a tool to break the bead from a couple of 2x4s, it sort of latches under the receiver hitch on my Jeep and knocks the bead off easily. Never had any issue reseating them. I did 4 tires myself recently because shops around here wanted to charge an amazing $50/ea to mount them, $40 if I bought the tires from them.

It was a tough half day of work but I did manage to change the tires on both motorcycles in a half of a Saturday.

I totally agree the Sport Demon is a great grippy tire. I actually really like how it matches on front with the Michelin Pilot Street Radial on the rear, this combo was on my GS but I swapped it to my Triumph and it's an unexpected success. I don't, however, recommend the 120/70 & 150/70 combo of Shinko 705 radials on the GS, it's quite wobbly. Probably good on gravel but on the road it takes some nerve to ride.