Why I got a GS500f

[ajensen]

I have been riding motorcycles for 60 years--since my brand new 1962 BSA Bantam 125. I do not know how many motorcycles I have owned. I guess it is somewhere around 50. I used to race flat track and worked as a motorcycle mechanic for twenty years or so. The motorcycle I rode before I got the GS500 was a Yamaha SR 500, bored and stroked. I had it for 38 years. When I got too old to want to kick start it, I sold it and looked for a motorcycle with push-button starting. I settled on a used GS500F for a number of reasons.
1. No more than two cylinders
2. Air cooled--no water pumps, water lines, radiators, etc.
3. It had to be at least as fast as my SR--top the ton.
4. I wanted a center stand.
5. The fairing makes riding a lot more comfortable--I also got a laminar lip windshield.
6. I don't do wheelies or stoppies.
7. I wanted something that was fun to ride in the mountains.
8. I did not want to spend a lot of money (I got my GS for $1,750 and an old shotgun).
9. The GS 500f is pretty.
10. I understand carburetors although I do not see a need for CV's.
11. The stock muffler does not grab the attention of police officers.
12. I really enjoy the insights of the people on this forum-Showbiz is my hero.

The GS has exceeded all my expectations. I have put on 8,000 miles (it had 12,000 when I bought it). I cleaned and adjusted the carbs--raising the needle does wonders. I adjusted the valves, put in new fork seals, rebuilt the petcock, put on an R6 rear shock, and put on flush front turn signals.

It does not burn or leak oil, it is happy in the mountains, it takes me back and forth to work almost every day, it is comfortable enough to make 200 miles in an afternoon, it outruns almost every car 0-60 mph, and makes me smile whenever I get on it. I've topped the ton on the speedometer, very easily, which means the lower 90s. I suppose I'll get to an indicated 110 someday.

I guess I am writing this message because the GS500 seems under appreciated.

I'd like to get a self-cancelling turn signal kit, a louder horn, and some sticky tires, but those things can wait.

[Bluesmudge]

I guess I am writing this message because the GS500 seems under appreciated.

That's definitely true in the wider motorcycle community, but not here!

If you ignore the GSXRish plastics, the GS500F was one of the last of its kind: "an motorcycle." A multi-cylinder air cooled bike with carburetors. Put to bed in the US when the 2010 emissions regulations kicked in. The only multi-cylinder bike that carried on with carburetors that I can think of is the Ural, which somehow kept carbs until 2013. I'm sure there are others, maybe some of the big metric cruisers?

I've had half-a-dozen other motorcycles come and go through my ownership, including several with more than 2x the HP of the GS500, but the GS is the only bike that is always there. It does nothing well, but it will do just about anything and do it in inexpensively and teach you how to be a home mechanic along the way.

As great as the GS500 is, I think we can all admit it has its own issues, and we can't expect new motorcyclists to want a bike with carburetors or without ABS. The shame is, there is really nothing to replace it in the market from Suzuki or anyone else. Where is the one-size-fits all bike that can do everything reasonably well, on a budget, all while looking good? The closest thing available new today is probably the Honda CB500(R,F,X), but somehow the GS500 was able to capture the essence of all 3 in one bike. Not as sporty as the R, not as basic and naked as the F, and not as upright and adventure focused as the F, but able to do all 3. Honda makes you pick a specific category.

In some ways, the GS500 was a true middle-weight sport tourer with a full size frame which is a really rare category. I think the manufacturers expect us to now go for bikes like the Suzuki SV650, Kawi Versys 650, and Triumph Tiger Sport 660, Honda NC750X, or Aprilia Tuono 660. All those are really 3/4 weight sport tourers though. They all have more weight and significantly more cost than the GS500 did.

Maybe the industry realized that if you make a bike like the GS500 then many people will only ever own 1 motorcycle.

[mr72]

Ninja 400 is probably today's GS500F.

I would agree with everything except my 21st century bikes are so astonishingly more reliable I can't really get past it. Maybe if I had a 2010 GS, but I don't want one like that.

Anyway, I have to get my GS500 back on the road again for its annual make-ready, run for a day, trip to get it inspected, so I can get another year's registration. If it was my only bike then I'm sure it'd be fine. But since it basically never gets ridden, it just goes south. Carbs really do suck really bad.

[ShowBizWolf]

I was very much enjoying your post with my morning coffee and what a lovely surprise at the end of your list! You just made my day

I've owned my GS for 10 years and ~3 months now and I'm still very much in love. Just yesterday, I got my hands on a used set of carbs finally. Now I can teach myself about them hands-on without the stress of, "I need to learn this/do this to get back on the road."

Again, thank you ajensen. I've been in a bit of a dark place for a while now and you really gave me a boost to start my day <3

[The Buddha]

Get a room you 2. LOL.
Cool.
Buddha.

[ShowBizWolf]

LOLOLOLOL

[cbrfxr67]

I read this yesterday with 2 minutes before they kicked us out of here at work and didn't get to reply but this was a great read!

[Ted]

I had a GS500 in Ducati yellow (or Ferrari yellow, I can never keep them straight) and loved it for all the reasons you listed. Except mine was naked - round headlights look the best. And it had factory clip-ons. It looked great.

It did everything I needed a motorcycle to do, and got 80 miles per (Imperial) gallon in the process.

Did I mention I loved that bike? I reluctantly sold it to help defray the costs of a 2002 Sportster 883R that was barely broken in. No question the Sportster is a better bike, but without a garage I couldn't justify owning more than one of them.