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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: heent on May 17, 2005, 07:24:21 AM

Title: next bike opinions
Post by: heent on May 17, 2005, 07:24:21 AM
I'm looking to "upgrade" beyond my '00 GS500 I've really enjoyed for a couple riding seasons now.  I'm thinking Suzuki DL650 (Vstrom) because the riding style, long distance/touring capabilities, and a little more kick are kind of what I'm after.

If you've moved on, what did you move to and how's it been?  I know there are some post-GS500 SV650's out there...

If you could/would move on, what bike would you get and why?
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: dgyver on May 17, 2005, 07:38:35 AM
Why sell? Just keep adding to your collection.  ;)

Actually, I have been interested in getting a dual sport. Not sure what I want yet.
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: Catcams on May 17, 2005, 07:52:50 AM
I would not mind saving up & get my bike to look like

dgyver's

1991 GS555R <track>

What forks you used to get double disks in front?

Nice track bike.
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: gazingwa on May 17, 2005, 07:52:55 AM
My next bike will be either a sv650 or a v-strom 650 my wife will get the gs.
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: cheesy on May 17, 2005, 07:58:40 AM
Quote from: CatcamsI would not mind saving up & get my bike to look like

dgyver's

1991 GS555R <track>

What forks you used to get double disks in front?

Nice track bike.

look in the FAQ section.  they are probably off of a katana
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: dgyver on May 17, 2005, 08:04:48 AM
Quote from: CatcamsI would not mind saving up & get my bike to look like
dgyver's 1991 GS555R <track>
What forks you used to get double disks in front?
Nice track bike.
Thanks. They are Katana. Yep, there is a write up in the FAQ section on doing the swap.
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: billdapart on May 17, 2005, 09:34:06 AM
I've been thinking alot about this subject as well. Kind of..

I'm definitely keeping my gs.. but I've got a new project that will finish this next month which will be paying a nice bonus and I'm thinking of adding to the stable. I'm thinking of one of three bikes.

2001 yamaha r6
2002 gsxr600
1970 bmw r69s

The r6 and the gsxr are obviously very fast and very high quality bikes. Definitely the two I would think about if continuing on in the trackday functions. The r69s is just plain awesome!! Super killer looking and great collectible.

That's just what I would go for. but as I said.. keeping the gs for sure. maybe throw some full carbon fiber race gear on it..
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: Catcams on May 17, 2005, 09:44:32 AM
You guys are lucky to have stables of bikes...How much to it cost to plate a bike down there.
Pp here it cost $320 Cnd. or $256 U.S. :x  to plate a Bike for a year &
you do not get a refund when you put it back into storage or transfer to plate another bike.
Where lucky if we get a max. of six months of good riding weather.
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: William M on May 17, 2005, 10:12:46 AM
Quote from: billdapartI've been thinking alot about this subject as well. Kind of..

I'm thinking of one of three bikes.

2001 yamaha r6
2002 gsxr600
1970 bmw r69s


I've had 2 BMWs and absolutely hated them both. Most unreliable POSes I've ever owned. Just my (emphatic) $.02 worth.
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: heent on May 17, 2005, 10:42:40 AM
Catcams,

It really does seem like the neighbors to the north get hit hard in the wallet getting a bike on the road.  I don't recall exactly how much registration costs down here, but it's much less than $256 bucks...I'm imagining maybe like a sixth of that at the most.  Insurance appears to be much less here as well...e.g. I pay $99/year for my GS, though that's just basic liability.

-heent
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: gazingwa on May 17, 2005, 10:44:30 AM
WOW... I was pissed about paying 54 dollars.... not as bad as i thought...
My insurance is 219 a year... i know that is cheap
Title: Re: next bike opinions
Post by: Altruism111 on May 17, 2005, 11:02:09 AM
Quote from: heentI'm looking to "upgrade" beyond my '00 GS500 I've really enjoyed for a couple riding seasons now.  I'm thinking Suzuki DL650 (Vstrom) because the riding style, long distance/touring capabilities, and a little more kick are kind of what I'm after.

If you've moved on, what did you move to and how's it been?  I know there are some post-GS500 SV650's out there...

If you could/would move on, what bike would you get and why?

Without a question a naked TL1000.  :cheers:
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: cheesy on May 17, 2005, 11:08:18 AM
Quote from: William M
Quote from: billdapartI've been thinking alot about this subject as well. Kind of..

I'm thinking of one of three bikes.

2001 yamaha r6
2002 gsxr600
1970 bmw r69s


I've had 2 BMWs and absolutely hated them both. Most unreliable POSes I've ever owned. Just my (emphatic) $.02 worth.

a coworker of mine has a k1200rs... he likes it, other than it's huge and heavy.  great for getting TO the twisties but not going THROUGH the twisties.

He has had a couple problems... like..  something about the cruise control maybe? and the alarm...  IMO when you have that many gizmo's and gadgets things will go wrong with them
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: Phaedrus on May 17, 2005, 11:38:38 AM
My next bike will probably be a cruiser.  :dunno:  I really, really like the 2005 Suzuki Boulevard S83.  :thumb:
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: dgyver on May 17, 2005, 11:47:24 AM
Quote from: cheesya coworker of mine has a k1200rs... he likes it, other than it's huge and heavy.  great for getting TO the twisties but not going THROUGH the twisties.

Do not be so quick to count out the K1200RS. Last time I rode with Mike, who has a RS, was tearing up the road. He never moved out of the seat and he tires looked like they came off the track. No problem keeping up with me and out running everyone else. We were on the "slow" bikes.
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: cheesy on May 17, 2005, 12:12:31 PM
Quote from: dgyver
Quote from: cheesya coworker of mine has a k1200rs... he likes it, other than it's huge and heavy.  great for getting TO the twisties but not going THROUGH the twisties.

Do not be so quick to count out the K1200RS. Last time I rode with Mike, who has a RS, was tearing up the road. He never moved out of the seat and he tires looked like they came off the track. No problem keeping up with me and out running everyone else. We were on the "slow" bikes.

:dunno:

this guy also has a v-rod in which he tears up the curves...  same for his brand new ducati s2r..  but he complains about the bmw's heft (even though I think the vrod is close in weight?)
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: RVertigo on May 17, 2005, 12:33:58 PM
Quote from: PhaedrusMy next bike will probably be a cruiser.  :dunno:  I really, really like the 2005 Suzuki Boulevard S83.  :thumb:
My sister just bought the S40...  She loves it...  It vibrates a lot, but I guess you'd expect that from a 650 thumper...
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: themaffeo on May 17, 2005, 12:34:37 PM
I've figured that when I'm done with my gs (still a ways off) I'll move on to a busa or 1000r.
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: gazingwa on May 17, 2005, 12:52:48 PM
I have no use for a busa... they are just stupid for street riding. and i'm sure the insurance is really high.
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: Jeremichi on May 17, 2005, 01:08:22 PM
I moved up from my 99gs500 this year to a 2005 gsxr600.  I love the bike so far.  I use it mainly for my 20 mile each way commute to and from work.  The gas mileage definitely isn't the same but that's what I expected.  I haven't been on any long trips with it yet but after my 1000 mile ride on the gs I'll definitely buy a gel seat first.
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: cernunos on May 17, 2005, 01:34:09 PM
I guess you could say I have moved "back" into biking. The Baby GS is my first bike since I sold my last Sportster. Before that was a plethora of HD, Triumph and Honda with a smattering of other odd-ball machines thrown in. If and when I get a chance to move to another machine again I hope I can either find a good HD basket-case as a starting point or buy a new HD or Buell. Failing that I wouldn't mind having a little Savage (S40 now), or some other thumper like a Honda FT500 or even one of the Royal Enfields which are now being produced in India. I've heard they are a tinkerers dream. I really wouldn't want any of the Big Four V-Twins, unless I could get one for a song, because the best V-Twin in the world has already been developed for my purposes. If you like the V-Strom then go for it. I've heard and read that they are wonderful machines and for highway and occasional back/dirt-road riding it should bring many grins to your face. Love the Baby GS, India (keep crankin' out those Royal Enfields), and this forum.

C........
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: scratch on May 17, 2005, 01:34:52 PM
Depends on what kind of riding you want to do. If you still want to ride street like the GS, get the DL; and price insurance on the DL for yourself. I've nixed the SV from my list due the seat and tank being uncomfortable for me (just me).

Personally, I'm looking to get a DR650 as my next bike, the insurance is whay cheaper, it makes 43hp, it's lighter than the GS, and I can dirt it when I can (I'm planning on keeping dirt oriented tires on the DR rims and have a set of GS rims to motard it out for the street).
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: 94suzuki500 on May 17, 2005, 01:41:39 PM
I rode my dads dl1000 and it felt like you were on stilts, but really quick though.  Personally if I was going to get something like a dl I would get the supermotard, alittle more sporty, and the black looks so awesome.
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: ChuckS on May 17, 2005, 07:58:51 PM
Love my vee strom 650.  Very controllable, comfy, plenty of power, 50mpg, will go about anywhere.  Check out http://stromtrooper.com

ChuckS
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: Roadstergal on May 17, 2005, 08:43:18 PM
Well, I love my BMW.  :)  6000 miles on it since I bought it last November, and it's dead reliable (scrape the ice off on a January morning, start up and go), comfy for commuting, and although you can scrape hard bits fairly easily, it's tossable in the twisties.

I "upgraded" to an SV650S from an '00 GS500E.  And I have just "parallelgraded" a GS500F to add to the SV.   :cheers:  They're good bikes; had my financial situation been then what it is now, I woulda kept the 500E.
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: Lukewarm Wilson on May 17, 2005, 10:30:40 PM
How about a 900 Hornet haven't ridden one yet but am told easy to ride powerful enough and comfy I spoke to a courier and he had put on 98K on his in 2 or 3 years (can't remember but it was a hell of alot in a short time) and said he has had no problems what so ever and its seating postion looks much like the GS :thumb:  :cheers:
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: apbrian112 on May 17, 2005, 11:21:21 PM
either a ducati monster 750 or 900 dark... or a triumph speed tripple... nekkid bikes have really really grown on me.  :cheers:
Title: next bike opinions
Post by: rww22 on May 18, 2005, 05:41:59 AM
For me, a Z750 or Z750S.  If you're still into sport bikes I like this as a next step up from the GS.  I think it's a nice balance in between the 600/650's and liter bikes.  Probably has all the power I would ever need.  Good luck with your choice!