GStwin.com GS500 Message Forum

I'm really torn...

I bought my bike *see sig* about two months ago...but i'm craving somewhat more

There isn't much in the aftermarket for the gs to get a little bit more out of it.

I love the bike dont' get me wrong, but there's just instances that you want extra power available on that special occasion. ie, trying to impress chics....hehe..jk  :nana:

Anyway,  If i were to sell this bike now i'm fixing to lose a lot of money from it from two months worth.  

I'd really like to get an sv650....i honestly thought that the 500f was enough for me, but i've gotten fairly profiecient with a bike...not expertly but fairly manageable.

What do you guys think?

keep it. only two months? how many miles? just this weekend i found a good hard circling on-ramp. i've always read people say "the bike will lean as far as you need. it'll always turn just a little more." so i took it out on that circle and gassed the hell out of it. when i thought i wasn't going to be able to make the turn, i leaned further than i've ever leaned, and the bike made the turn with ease.
there's always stuff to learn. i too want power every now and then, but what for? so i can get up to the speed limit faster? i'm not about to start rollin at 120 down the 55mph limited streets.

my opinion, if you really want to impress the ladies, keep the bike, and learn to corner really well. then take your desired victim to a good twistie road, and impress her...   any fool with enough cash can buy a big bike and go fast, but you already have an excellent bike for cornering, and it's not too shabby for speed.

hehe... perfdrug beat me to the point.... guess he has a faster keyboard...lol

Keep it.

Have you finished breaking it in?

If so, what rpm's are you 'hanging' around? I say wring the snot out of the throttle, treat it like a scooter, have some fun actually riding the thing, and keep riding it until you get your moneys worth out of it. Ride it like the underpowered scooter it is. It's a hoot.

This weekend I was the 'sweep' for the number one group of this month's Doc Wong ride. This is usually the fastest group. It consisted of a Triumph Speed Triple, R1, CBR1000, R6, R1150, YZF600, and a ZRX1200. I had no problems keeping up with them.

i actually did the "hard" break in indicated in that controversial page that that guy made?  :?

i never followed the regular break in.  I let this sucker rip from the very beginning.  all the way to 9k actually but never red lined.  No problems so far so i'm assuming nothing wrong was done  :dunno:

I have about 550 miles on it though...but i'm just craving more for some reason.  I know I have to keep it unless i wanna lose money.

-Chino

chinox, I know where you're coming from. One of my first bikes was a '68 Triumph TR-6 single carb machine with about the same power as the GS500...probably about the same weight too. After awhile I wanted more power and a friend of mind demonstrated to me how that little machine had a lot more in it than I could get out of It. No, you can't do 30 or 50 mph wheelies on It, you can't run a 10 second quarter with It...but If you know what you're doing you can get as much legally out of It (and then some) as any machine with over twice the power. Tell you what, take It out somewhere there Is no traffic (private property) and really wring the cat's ass out of It, I guarantee It can spit you off quicker than you can say "sheeit". I guess I'm wondering what exactly the bike won't do that you are needing It to do. I love the little GS500 and this forum.

Quote from: chinox22x
i never followed the regular break in.  I let this sucker rip from the very beginning.  

Thats going to help the resale value if you decide to sell it here.
:lol:

Dude, unless you are over 6' 3" and 250 lbs. and you are dragging pegs and pipe thru the twisties then you aren't anywhere near exceeding the capabilities of that GS.

Quote from: chinox22x
I love the bike dont' get me wrong, but there's just instances that you want extra power available on that special occasion. ie, trying to impress chics....hehe..jk  :nana:

Hey, I'm a "chic" and I'm impressed by they gs500f !! And remember, a skilled rider is much more impressive on any bike, than just "some guy on a fast bike".  :thumb:

Maybe It's 'cause I'm an' ol' fart from the HD cruiser faith, but I'm really impressed with the little bike. Everytime I ride It I wonder just how far the thing really can lean before I low-side...with the Harley's there was never any doubt :lol:  (but I loved 'em). Gotta love this little bike and this forum.

C......

Its just like HDs you can lean it over until hard parts start rubbing the ground.
The only difference is the 2 or 3 times as much lean it takes....

Hey chinox22x,

Tell ya what if you REALLY wanna move up to a big bike, I'll trade you for your GS +$1K for my YZF.
:)

(http://www.knology.net/~ARS/forsale/YZFfront.jpg)

Yeh, that's what I mean...on this little bike you feel almost horizontal and It's still no scrubbin'...like I say, I'm probably too old and chicken...or maybe 'cause of the memory of some of those lowsides on the Sportster. Ah I just love this little scooter and the forum too.

C.......

Quote from: chinox22x
I have about 550 miles on it though...
-Chino

In that many miles and two months you became proficient.  Wow I'm impressed.  I did 550 miles in the first three days and I did not consider myself proficient.  I must be a slow learner.
:dunno: Keep it for a year.  You will live longer.  You have a lot of time to impress the chicks.  As far as loosing money, it's only money.  Better to learn it right and stay safe.  Like someone said "It's better to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow". :cheers:

some people are just meant for bikes, i've got this friend that learns everything rediculously fast, i'd be doing something for months, show him, and in like 2 weeks he was better at it than i was, it took him 2-3 months to be better at wheelies than i was after almost a year, and he's always been smoother on back roads

but anyway, if you want a bigger bike, the cheaper option is to find smaller tighter roads,

you're other option, is to get a giant rear sprocket, about $100 total and your front wheel won't stay on the ground

ooh, and by the way, if you still really want a bigger bike, that yzf is looking real nice for just $1k more, remember the jump in insurance too

Quote from: JamesGIts just like HDs you can lean it over until hard parts start rubbing the ground.
The only difference is the 2 or 3 times as much lean it takes....

Hey chinox22x,

Tell ya what if you REALLY wanna move up to a big bike, I'll trade you for your GS +$1K for my YZF.
:)

heck if you lived closer..hehe

i've always been a fast learner...one of those people who adapt to things quickly.  sometimes its good..sometiems its bad , ie, u get bored with things quickly.  :dunno:

Track days.

When I am so confident on my bike that I feel that nothing in the world can touch me, I will sign up for some track days and get taken down a few pegs.  Heck, it happened with my car.

Quote from: chinox22x

Quote from: JamesG

heck if you lived closer..hehe

It's only a couple hundred miles if we meet half way and exchange bikes and titles.
:mrgreen:

Quotecummuterguy Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 1:07 pm    Post subject:  

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hehe... perfdrug beat me to the point.... guess he has a faster keyboard...lol

he may have a faster keyboard but mine corners better with my shorter space bar and lowered return key.  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

oh, and when you learn to ride fast and you start dusting 600's on twisty roads and you are waiting at the stop sign, going what took you so long? I'm on a 500,  it's even better with a luggage rack on the back and a pair of saddle bags.

i ride a bandit 600 my friend mat is on a gs500 he eats me alive in corners its fricken amazing, i keep up in straights but no matter how crappy that rubber is on the gs that damn thing just keeps leaning over and over, shaZam! you can almost ride with the fricken bar end tapping the ground and not lowside

Quote from: chinox22xThere isn't much in the aftermarket for the gs to get a little bit more out of it.

I love the bike dont' get me wrong, but there's just instances that you want extra power available on that special occasion.

Did I say my bike is stock? Maybe massaged a little. Carbs rejeted, Progressives with no spacer. BT45's.

Power does not compare to skill.

Before I got the White Owl I would read about people who race GS500's and I would think...wha...? You gotta be kiddin'. Now I can understand why some people race the things. Love the little bike and the forum.

C.......

I'm not tryin to sound like a jack@$$ chinos but I really dont think you "conquered" the GS in 550 miles. I go with scratch and say BEAT THE PISS OUTTA IT. My friends have an R1 and GSXR750 and I followed them with a camera mounted on my tank. When we watched the video I realized the GS was never under 6k, and I was havin fun. If you go blasting and really wring the bike out I GUARANTEE you will have a smile on your face and might wonder if its really the same bike.

lmao ......  :bs:

dude.... i have owned two bikes... my gs500 and a hyabusa....(like say 1300, kick ass of anything built).....

let me tell you at 500 miles you haven't even BEGUN to understand your bike.... listen to these people!  The GS is the little bike that could... i have kept up with r1 on big sur twisties!...

This bike will teach you to ride. The more you push the more it goes.... Rev the SHI. out of it and it has power to spare.... yes the busa is fun for going at insane speeds, but it can't handle worth a darn... it's a speed demon, and nice for long rides, but for twisties i would rather be on my gs500. With the bigger bikes you need all the skills you can learn on the gs.

Last weekend I was on a ride and out of 20 bikes, only two were going faster than me in any sort of corner - an R6 and a GSXR1000. Now, frankly I don't know what their corner speed was because they were into the horizon after the first two corners, but they hammer enough to have no tread left on the outside of their tyres (track days). On rides, my GS is rarely below 7000rpm, often between 9-10,000. Use your gears and you'll find the ~40 horsepower in the meaty bit of the powerband will do most of the things you want.
I did feel a bit lacklustre in some high-speed transit sections, but these were over 100mph and frankly, I think it's good I couldn't go faster. I had to crouch down on the tank to avoid wind buffeting as it was. I had comments about how people behind me knew how much I was hammering it due to little puffs of black smoke when I downshifted to aid in passing. They are going close to starting up a collection to stop the merciless abuse I give my engine.
All this, and I still have chickenstrips on the tyres.
Power is good for high-speed overtakes and two-up touring. Otherwise, our little GS does everything it needs to. If I could have two bikes, I'd not upgrade and by myself a R1200 or something just for touring on the weekends. I don't, so eventually I'll upgrade, but only after I really feel the GS can't teach me any more. And if I had a GS500F, I wouldn't be hankering after a fairing at high speeds.
And these comments after 6,000 miles. Probably another 6,000 to go...

Quote from: davipu... learn to ride fast and you start dusting 600's on twisty roads and you are waiting at the stop sign, going what took you so long? I'm on a 500....

Thats when I decided it was time for a sportbike. I put 9,000 miles on my gs in 16 months...almost all were canyon miles. I'd hold on to the gs500f for a bit longer. Unless you can do what it says above, or are consistently dragging hard parts you dont really need a bigger bike.

You'll be better off sticking with the gs and learning more. It forces you to do things right, instead of hiding it with horespower.

I'm noticing that there are two types of people that usually recommend serious time spent with a smaller bike like the gs when starting out.
a) the mature, experienced riders and,
b) the new riders who started out on 600 sportbikes, and who scared themselves. One guy on the 600rr forum said it best when he said he wasn't learning to ride, he was learning to survive...

Quote from: scratchPower does not compare to skill.

I like that!
Reminds me of the saying "the faster the bike, the slower the rider"...

ok...i'll keep the little devil  :thumb:

Oh now look at what y'all have done... I was going to buy an 04 cheap... and y'all fooked it up...
Cool.
Srinath.

Quote from: pantabloOne guy on the 600rr forum said it best when he said he wasn't learning to ride, he was learning to survive...

Question; please clarify: He was learning to survive on what? A 600?

BTW, great write up, Pablo!

Makes me think about getting a Ninja 250 and exploring that 14,000rpm redline.

Yeah, 600rr as a first bike. He wasnt learning to ride it, only surviving being on such a powerful machine-basically riding scared. How is someone going to learn to push their personal limits if they're afraid the bike's going to bite them?

My 600rr rear tire speaks for itself...The edges are near the tread wear bars and the center is near new, thanks in whole to the learning I did on the gs. The guys I ride with all comment on how smooth I am. THAT is the key to good (ie fast) riding, being smooth. I still feel I have lots of miles to go before I consider myself a good rider (ie experienced) and thats with 11,000 miles under my belt.

----
There's one guy in particular this makes me think of from the about.motorcycles board. He came on asking if an R1 was a good first bike. Pretty much everyone said it wasnt and he should at least consider a 600 instead. he insisted he was a "mature" rider and would "respect the bike" blah blah blah...maybe a month later he comes on and says he "dropped" the bike. Turns out he target fixated in the canyons and tossed it over the edge, dropping it 20-30ft down a ravine. uh, dropped it-yeah right. Everyone gave him grief for trying to minimize it. He later came online and fervently warned others against an R1 as a first bike. What do those guys usually do? They go to the R1 forum where they'll find someone who'll tell them with "respect" they can do it. Bugs the shaZam! out of me.

Respect is a learning tool, and respecting the unknown is wise, but if the wisdom of others who are experienced, or the knowledge of the unknown, is unheeded, makes respect useless.

I had respect even before I purchased my first bike, and learned a whole 'nother type of respect after.

http://www.beginnerbikes.com/editorials/makingtransition.htm
I read this yesterday, and it's related to all this sort of stuff, comments from a guy moving from a ninja 250 up to an FZR600.
I think a lot of it is from the fact he hadn't ridden for 6 months before the new bike, but many comments seem valid. I actually really enjoyed my first 600cc bike ride (TT600), found it soooo much more stable in corners and being a 4 cyl, the power was easy to manage based on gear selection and throttle control. Steering was harder though, and doing a U-turn was far more difficult... the thing I loved the most was better acceleration off the line  :)

get the sv