Is your GS500 your first bike?
This was my first motorcycle :lol:
(http://www.meighan.com/bike/purplescooter.jpg)
After riding that thing around for a year or so, I decided to get a real bike!!! (my 2002 gs500)
you're too cute ;)
My 1997 GS500 bought a year ago is my first bike. I am addicted. I am shopping around for bike #2.
This GS is my 11th motorcycle; it is my second GS500.
Edit: Oops, sorry, my first bike was a big, heavy 1982 Yamaha XJ650J Maxim inline 4 cruiser.
this trouble-ridden pile of garbage is my first and only experience owning a motorcycle. so far... it sucks.
not really, when it's at least rideable i love it. but like today, i started to get it ready for "ride to work" day, then notice yet another oil leak, and have been stressed about it ever since.
Quote from: perfdrugthis trouble-ridden pile of garbage is my first and only experience owning a motorcycle. so far... it sucks.
not really, when it's at least rideable i love it. but like today, i started to get it ready for "ride to work" day, then notice yet another oil leak, and have been stressed about it ever since.
That sucks :/ What year is your gs? Are you going to get a different bike?
Well the GS is my second bike. My first was a 2001 Kawasaki Eleminator 125.
1st bike was a Yamaha MR50 when I was 6 years old, have had 6 bikes total, including my new Yellow GS500F.
My yellow 99 GS500E is my first bike. And I must say this is a perfect first bike.
I must also share my getting into bikes story.
18 months ago, my wife said that she would leave me if I even thought about getting a bike. On the 4th of July last year(2003), I had a friend over and asked him to bring him bike and he talked my wife into going for a ride to see what it was like. Needless to say my wife's intrest increased at this point.
In May this year she finally warmed up to allowing me to take the MFS corse. :) Three weeks after the MFS class the un-named GS and I started our adventure.
Now the best part, my wife now kicks me out of the house to go ride. OK, she isn't mad at me, she just knows that I enjoy it and after a hard day at the office (in my house) and watching the kids that it helps lower the stress level.
I also have the kids started on their bike addiction. Anytime they see a bike while riding around in the cage, they are yelling "hey there is a bike, sweet". I also think my son has checked out every book on motorcycles from the library. Not bad for a 7 year old. 8)
jnosal
Yellow 99 GS500E
Yep, my first bike. Got it when I was 37.
Bought a second GS500 a year and a half later, but sold it two years afterwards to richard.
I started on a 1980 Honda CM200T, the pre-rebel Honda. I once got it going 65 downhill with the wind helping. :lol: I think everyone should start on a bike like that then we wouldn't have 18 year olds whining about how slow the GS is. :roll:
This was mine:
1984 Honda Nighthawk 450
(http://pizzleboy.no-ip.info/pizzleboy/My%20bikes/1984%20Nighthawk/Sidea.jpg)
(http://pizzleboy.no-ip.info/pizzleboy/My%20bikes/1984%20Nighthawk/Sideb.jpg)
I started on a 5 hp mini bike and then had a 79 Yamaha YZ100. My first street bike was a 86 Kawasaki ZX1000R Ninja. The only pics I have are after it was crashed. I was towing it to the beach when the trailer came unhitched. 3 weeks old with 3000 miles. Then here are the rest of the bikes:
1986 Kawasaki ZX1000R (http://img21.photobucket.com/albums/v64/dgyver/BikePics/1986ninja001.jpg) (totalled)
1987 Kawasaki ZX1000R (http://img21.photobucket.com/albums/v64/dgyver/BikePics/1987ninja003.jpg) (totalled)
1988 Kawasaki ZX-10 (http://img21.photobucket.com/albums/v64/dgyver/BikePics/1988ZX10001.jpg) (sold)
1992 Suzuki GSXR-750 (http://img21.photobucket.com/albums/v64/dgyver/BikePics/1992GSXR001.jpg) (sold)
2000 Suzuki GSXR-750 (http://img21.photobucket.com/albums/v64/dgyver/BikePics/2000GSXR750001.jpg) (totalled)
2000 Suzuki TL1000R (http://img21.photobucket.com/albums/v64/dgyver/TLR/TalonTLR02.jpg) (own)
2002 Suzuki SV650R (http://img21.photobucket.com/albums/v64/dgyver/SV650/SV-right.jpg) (sold)
1991 Suzuki GS500 (http://img21.photobucket.com/albums/v64/dgyver/GS500/91GSright.jpg) (own)
1997 Honda XR400R (http://img21.photobucket.com/albums/v64/dgyver/XR400/97XR400.jpg) (own)
1994 Suzuki GS500 project track bike (in pieces)
It's my first and only. We've been through alot together.
-Anti :kiss: (Me and my GS)
Quote from: dgyver
2000 Suzuki TL1000R (own)
Awwwwwww Talon looks like he wants to go for a ride ;)
Quote from: perfdrugthis trouble-ridden pile of garbage is my first and only experience owning a motorcycle. so far... it sucks.
not really, when it's at least rideable i love it. but like today, i started to get it ready for "ride to work" day, then notice yet another oil leak, and have been stressed about it ever since.
Sorry to hear that. My '90 GS is my first bike purchased a year and a half ago. It had been sitting in a garage for 3 years so I bought a battery, tires, and a choke cable and have myself a great bike. In the few thousand miles I put on it, no oil leaks, and no problems except the starter button needing replacement. Its even been through a lowside last year and some modding by me :)
i was definatly exaggerating. i replaced the head gasket, did a crummy job (my first time. i just wanted to get it done) and now i've gotta re-do it it looks like. i'm actually kinda looking forward to re-tearing it down. just sucks cause i'm always so strapped for time.
it's a 96. i'm probably getting something new next spring, but the gs will be in great working order when i get rid of it. i wouldn't wish my frustration on my worst enemies. i may keep it tho, if i decide to invest in an autox car instead. otherwise i'm looking at everything from a sv650 to a speed four to something with a fairing (but insurance would suck balls).
i know i would have fixed it all up by now if there was any motivation. it was the worst rainy summer ever (serious, it's official). so i'd prolly be leaving my bike home most days anyways.
gotta 95 gs500
and an 04 xr250
My GS is my eighth bike, following:
Honda CB360 of some seventies vintage
'78 Honda CM400T
'86 Honda VF500F
'77 Moto Guzzi 850 LeMans
'86 Honda VF500F (the bike so nice I bought it twice)
'72 BSA B50T roadracer
'89 Kawasaki 250 Ninja roadracer
I love my GS.
Quote from: MeighanQuote from: dgyver
2000 Suzuki TL1000R (own)
Awwwwwww Talon looks like he wants to go for a ride ;)
He loves to ride in my truck but always tries to bite my motorcycle tires.
My dad 'shared' his dirt bikes with me when I was a kid ;) , but the first bike I ever purchased on my own was a 2003 DRZ400S. That bike gave me the 'street riding bug' and I just purchased my first street bike in June. That, of course, is my modified orange 1998 GS500E. I love them both! :mrgreen:
Quote from: perfdrugi was definatly exaggerating. i replaced the head gasket, did a crummy job (my first time. i just wanted to get it done) and now i've gotta re-do it it looks like. i'm actually kinda looking forward to re-tearing it down. just sucks cause i'm always so strapped for time.
it's a 96. i'm probably getting something new next spring, but the gs will be in great working order when i get rid of it. i wouldn't wish my frustration on my worst enemies. i may keep it tho, if i decide to invest in an autox car instead. otherwise i'm looking at everything from a sv650 to a speed four to something with a fairing (but insurance would suck balls).
i know i would have fixed it all up by now if there was any motivation. it was the worst rainy summer ever (serious, it's official). so i'd prolly be leaving my bike home most days anyways.
I was talking to some guys about the eli 900 I am doing some head replacement crap on... and they said they should be decked... the cylinders and head were so bad from the factory that we should deck them for better seal... dont know if it applies to a GS... but couldn't hurt.
Cool.
Srinath.
First bike was a 1965 Yamaha YG1K (80cc), given to me by my grandpa and restored to working order by my dad and I. That was a great little bike, I'm sad that it's gone, but I have nowhere to store it. See pics on website below
My gs is my first bike. I bought it in the end of april and started riding when I finished my MSF at the end of may.
My first bike was a 1996 Yamaha Seca II.
Picked it up in Jan '03, dumped it in Jun '03 ( tankslapper ) :(
Coincidentally enough ( and there's more than just this one ) the day I bought the GS500 ( which still isn't put back together ) was exactly one year after I dropped the Seca.
My first bike was a 20" foot brake...oh you mean motorbike. First was a Harley Davidson Sprint 250. Kick-start on the left side, felt heavy as truck and was a barrell of fun to ride. Second bike was a '68 triumph TR-6 single Amal carb, 6-volt Lucas electrics that I bought for 200$ in a basket. I had a lot of fun building the thing. I put 6-over tubes in the front which made it handle like wheelbarrow, but It was a lot of fun. You can learn a lot about motorcycles by riding an old Triumph or BSA. My third bike was a '73 FLH bought from a police auction. I tore the bike down and rebuilt it from the ground up. Named it Spooky. That was undoubtedly the most fun, most reliable, most comfortable bike I have ever owned or rode. I really wish I could get another. People who cut down Harleys have probably never owned one of those because they are so simple and easy to maintain. My third bike was a '79 Honda SS750 which was a piece of crap. I rebuilt It also, but something was always tearing up on it. I finally sold it to my Brother who didn't have much more luck with it. The fourth scoot was a '77 XLCH which (yes again) I tore down and rebuilt. I went whole hog (no pun intended) with the motor and drivetrain on that bike. S&S bottom-end, Andrews gears, Barnett clutch, ported heads, S&S carb, PB+ cams...everything. Plus we lightened the thing up about 40-50 pounds or so. That was one good running Sportster and It surprised many a KZ and GS (not 500's, the big ones) in a straight line run. It handled OK for a Sporty but It definitely wasn't a corner carver. My last bike before the current White Owl was a '48 Pan-head FL with no front brake and a mouse-trap eliminator clutch. Now that was one cantankerous motorcycle. Sometimes you could kick for 10-20 minutes without so much as a burp from It. But It was fun and drew a crowd wherever it was parked. It may have been a little better If I had converted It to 12-volt electrics. Now, after a 9 year hiatus I have the White Owl, thanks to my Bebe. I don't get to ride much because of my medical condition, but even If I get to ride one day a week I'm happy. Oh, BTW, I finally made a crutch holder for the bike so when I stop somewhere I can get off and walk. Oh I love that little GS500 and the forum dedicated to It.
C.......
Well......., here's my first bike. (http://home.earthlink.net/~jwb1938/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/picture3002.jpg)
Ooops! Wrong photo. Actually,
the GS is my first. (http://home.earthlink.net/~jwb1938/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/2004_0622bike0001.jpg)
My first bike was a 1971 Honda CB350 Super Sport like the one below, only red and white - and much, much dirtier.
(http://www.franksmotopage.com/photos/honda.jpg)
NO! I didn't buy it new. I had ridden minibikes and friends' dirtbikes as a kid and my Dad would take my brother and me to the local Honda shop in New Orleans in the late Sixties seemingly every Saturday. The three of us would drool on tanks, (just like today), but we never had the money or Mom's "go-ahead" to get one. Anyway, fast forward to 1982 and I was a newlywedded 20 year-old. A friend at church said he had this old Honda in his carport and I could have it for 200 bucks. I had to take 3 or 4 paydays but I finally got him his money and rode the thing home under cover of darkness with my wife following closely behind in the car. You see, the tabs were several years expired and I still didn't have a MC endorsement. That Summer ranks among the best in my life. I think the joy and the sense of freedom that I felt, finally getting to ride after waiting 10 years or so, was incredible. I rode that thing around for a month or two and decided I should tune it up. While replacing the points, (anybody remember those?), I discovered that one set, (yes, one set for each cylinder), was wired incorrectly causing them to simply ground out. - I had been riding it around on one cylinder!! Since I had never ridden one before, I had no way of knowing this. My first ever, (could be my last I don't remember), wheelie was right after that. I took off the way I had become accustomed to while it was a "CB175" and, with the newly doubled horsepower, the front wheel came right up. I have had many, many bikes since then but I don't think I loved any of them any more than that old CB. My owning that bike inspired my Dad to finally get a bike, an older Kawasaki 650CSR. We took many enjoyable rides together on the various bikes we owned during those years before Mortgages and children righfully took priority in my life over toys. It's impossible to say now which is more fun - riding around with my Dad when I was still in my 20's and thought I knew everything or, nowadays, riding around with my adult son, (it hurts to even type that), me in my 40's and knowing only that I am NOT crash-proof. It's funny, he's the same age now as I was when I bought that old Honda.
I'm on my first bike. Will probably ride it for a couple of years, teach my wife to ride on the GS, get a 600 and go for rides together. I might be dreaming but thats my goal... :thumb:
My first bike was an Auto Union 75cc scooter which was old when I got it in 1975. Next was a Yamaha DT125 then a TY250 trials bike. This was followed by a Kawasaki KZ900 (the only bike I've ever seriously broken) then a KZ650. 6 months without a bike was followed by a Yamaha R5 350 2stroke twin, a Kawasaki 250 triple then a Mach III. A Honda CB350/4 and a Yamaha XT550 followed in quick succession, then a Kawasaki Z250 and a Honda CB125T (twin). A second KZ650 helped me pick up a wife, who loved to ride pillion until the kids came along. A Suzuki GS450 lasted 12 months before it was replaced with a Moto Guzzi V65TT (road/trail, and my favourite of all my bikes) that carried me to university and 185,000km in 6 years. A brief obsession with a Yamaha SR500 as a project bike eventually led to the GS500 which I have now had for 3 years. I am thinking of getting something a bit bigger in the next year or so.
My first bike was a 97 KDX200, my second is the brand spanking new 04 GS that should be arriving on my door step next week!
My GS is my first and only bike.
I had an AR125 I used to ride around on (with L-plates) until the piston blew up (2 strokes!)
Then I had a GS125 for a year. Then a break from riding - then I took my Direct Access course et voila - I now have a GS500. I loved it when I was training on it...
The first one I owned was a 88 Kawi KB 100 2 stroke back in India... First in US was a 87 Kawasaki 600 ninja. GS'es are #5 (still own with 45K miles and a shredded magnet), #8, and #15 and #17 I think... or some like that.
Cool.
Srinath.
Quote from: Michaela Honda CB125T (twin)
Not the first bike I ever rode, but this was the kind I used during the MSF course. (I assumed that the "T" stood for "Trainer" or something. :lol: ) It seemed pretty gutless, but that was GREAT for the course.
When i was seventeen, I had some very good beer, some very good beer i purchased, with a fake ID......
While my 'rents were on vacay and i worked at Friendly's i bought a then 12 year old 1975 cb400f from a bike mechanic not knowing or caring what caliber machine that was. I just wanted a motorcycle. I had a permit and i hauled around until i got a ticket and was told the bike would be confiscated unless i got it legal, whatever that meant. I put it in a friend's garage before my parents (who wouldv'e flipped out) came home. We were in so much trouble with local law enforcement for nightly loud noise and lawn driving at that point i didn't feel it was an appropriate time to bring it up.
1977 CJ360T Honda. Drum brakes and bad handling. I miss that bike.
Your pic reminded me,
I guess my 96 gs is my 2nd. I tooled around for a couple summers in High School on my older brother's 1987 Yamaha Razz. 30mph top speed unless you had a downhill.
That thing was a blast. thanks for the memories
Riz
:thumb:
the gs IS my first bike with a gearshift, however.
my 04 GS500F is my first bike, but hopefully not my last
My GS is my first. I bought it in '01, and I've put a lot of miles on it, but when someone backs over you're parked bike :guns: you will have a few problems riding.
The GS is my first bike.
I'm only resurrecting this old thread since I was confused as to which thread I should post in. There's currently a new thread, but this thread was brought up and I figured we should work on this one instead and possibly delete the other thread. There's no point in having two threads about the same thing. :icon_twisted:
(http://www.bikez.com/pictures/yamaha/1980/17339_0_1_2_xt%20250_Image%20credits%20-%20Jon%20Litts.jpg)
The first motorcycle I had ever ridden was the 1980 Yamaha XT250. I spent a year and a half in the dirt with it. My first street bike was the '97 GS500. Three weeks later I totaled that one. Got the '04 in late August of '05.
I was in grade five and ten years old when my mum took me to viist family in India. I had some pretty cool (or maybe incredibly irresponsible) uncles who thought it would be cool to let me try out their motorcycle. Well.. actually, I started on a 4 speed vespa, and then moved to one of these..
(http://www.mindspring.com/~saint/95bullet1.jpg)
I was hooked. They took the seat off for me, and would kick start the sucker to get it going. After that I'd run beside it until it was moving fast enough for me to jump on and balance. It took another 30 years before I bought my first bike.
oh man is that actually THE bike? Or just a pic you found on the web? That's a beautiful Bullit!
My '89 Gs 500 is my 7th bike, the others were:
-Beta 50 Cross (italian offroad bike, bought in 1974, sold in 1976)
-Guazzoni 125 (really rare competition offroad bike, with 6 speed gearbox and bizarre rotary valve inlet. Powerful and funny bike, sold in 1978)
-Ducati GT 250 (well....a Ducati. I had two different setups, clips on, short exhaust system and open carb filter during the winter, standard setup to travel during summer. I did beautiful trips around Europe with her, "Old Aunt Sally" was called, bought very used in 1978 and sold in 1982).
-Kawasaki Z 400 (a lots of travels also with her, sold in 1986)
-Suzuki GS 550 E (my first Suz, indestructible and quite fast, sold in 1990)
-Kawasaki GPZ 900 R (long, heavy but bloody fast, sold in 1995)
-Her
Ciao
my first bike was a 74 honda xl70 bought for $70.00 in 79
have owned over 30 bikes since
My first... nothing exotic, '82 KZ 750 LTD... An $800 crap pile that almost got me through two seasons...
My first one was -87 Kawasaki KMX-125, a street-legal two-stroke dirt bike. No speed at all, but... the handling, man. It really could climb the trees; I didn't. :laugh:
Second was -88 Honda NS-125R. Nice street two-stroker. Rode it for about three years, then sold it and bought a cellphone. Bad Investment.
Last spring I got -98 GS-500. Easy bike to ride, with lots of room to develop my driving; I've been nearing the edges of my skill with the bike, not the other way around. Another plus side on this bike is that I can do most of the maintenance work myself.
Cheers,
-J
My first was a 1980 yamaha xs 400. I paid $400 for it, got it running and rode it for two years. I gained a little weight just after graduation and it started to have trouble getting over the bridge to work with a headwind. But the ride home was fine(tailwind had me going 60mph). I sold it to lower expenses before buying a house, made $100 off of it. Then a year later found a GS for $500 almost the same story, got it running, been loving it for three years now. Don't think I've spent over $1000 on motorcycles or even parts and been riding for almost six years now.
jeeze. I've been dormant to this site for close to a year - but I posted in this original (about 18 months ago).
I still have the same ole GS. I got it running acceptably, and it was my commuter all last semester. Gonna upgrade this spring to maybe a SV or, if i can handle it, a speed four. Gonna go for some rides and test out a lot of stuff. I'll never forget the ole gs tho.
Well the gs is my first street bike. It is a 98gs. I love it. Before getting the gs I purchased a 83 yz250 for 300 bucks and learned on that. It was a nice experience but I blew up the engine in like 3 weeks!
The GS is my biggest bike so far.
I've started like this:
1964 OSSA 160 GT (2-stroke, 90km/h top speed, did several trips around Spain with it)
1970 MONTESA Impala 250 sport (2 stroke)
1972 Ducati 250 sport (4 stroke)
1980 Ducati 350 Forza (4-stroke, a real lemon, sold it in 6 months)
1999 Suzuki 250 TU (4 stroke, 27.000 kms with it in 3 years, a real gem!)
2003 Suzuki GS 500 (current, 10.000 kms in 14 months, love it)
My dream: a long trip (may be through Africa) on the GS... :cheers:
I'm riding my first bike...my naked dark blue '01 GS500. Bought it from MotoJava in San Francisco in June 2005. Great shop. Had it delivered the 140miles to my door.
Great first bike. Feels best with about 3/4 tank.
Using the old saying that it is easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission, I bought it then called my wife to tell her about it.
me: "I just bought a motorcycle!"
her: "You what!!!!?"
She wouldn't even look at it for the first few weeks. Now she sends me out on rides. :)
David.
GS500FK5...