first bike.
I had a gs500 I put plenty of time on... srinath installed fairings on it and I decided it wouldn't be ideal for the girls first bike or a track bike. Had too much love to see something happen to it - so I sold it. Then I bought a new zx6r (and scorpio alarm.. I love that thing).
It's too pretty to put on the track.
Sooooo... two birds with one stone... another gs500, or a ninja 500? I know you guys have gs's like I did... here's the thing.. this will probably be her main bike.. I doubt she'll move up... I think an sv may be too big for her (she's about 5'2 or 5'3?..) and too fast as a first bike.
She's got a 5 speed car, so the clutch aspect is down..
opinions?
I see buying a bike for her to street ride and then you whore it on the track is an insult to her....."My bike is to nice for the track, let me buy you one so I can ride it on the track". If she agrees to this then no problem. Hopefully she realizes that it could (and probably will) get damaged.
If she gets the bike only for her to street ride and she wants upgrade or not ride, then using the bike later as a track only is fair.
There have been a lot of GS vs. EX comparisons and thoughts posted.
IMO, track bike and GF's main bike are a bad combo for one bike. Get the cheapest, rattiest bike you can find for the track. Have her look through the EX vs. GS comparisons posted, have her take the MSF and check out both herself, and then get a decent one as her main bike.
Edit - slower typing, same idea. :)
i perfer the term umbrella girl.
Quote from: davipui perfer the umbrella girl.
:)
buy 2 ex250's. one for her, one for trackdays.
hm ok.
here's the deal.... she can't afford a bike. I can't afford to buy a track bike AND a bike for her. I've got about $2500 to spend on one/both
if you keep your eyes open you can find running gs's for 500 or so, and then you can find ex's for 1500 or so and you still have 500 for that new track shoei.
oh and I have a 89 gs "track special" that I'd be willing to part with.
ex's are alright choices for street bikes, but have no business on the race track without serious modification. 250's are out of the question- tire selection limits this. same goes for early 500's- 16" wheels once again limit decent tire selection that is worth of the race track.
get a cheap GS. any GS. put good tires, tune it up, and spend the good $$ on a set of leathers and decent gear for your girl.
Quote from: cheesyhm ok.
here's the deal.... she can't afford a bike. I can't afford to buy a track bike AND a bike for her. I've got about $2500 to spend on one/both
do what you can to buy two bikes-one that is appropriate for her to learn on and one that is better suited for the track. I bet with enough patience you could come across a good beater for her (it IS only a learning tool), and you could find a savage title 600 sportbike, or sv650 with the rest..
500 bucks, runs and rides 89 gs.
i got a friend in Raleigh NC
his dads old race bike......
EX500
F2 front end
ZX600 swingarm with a F2 rear wheel
spares to fill a truck
extra engine
sold as one great big pile o race bike
$1200
Quote from: pantabloyou could find a savage title 600 sportbike
Arrr! *grunt*
Dude! $2,500! LOL.
I could build a whole FLEET for $2,500!
As it were. My advice is .. as before.. get a beater for $200. Get her an ex250 for $1200-$1500. Take the rest. Buy tires and parts. Then go and beat the crap out of the junker until it dies.. or.. hook up a sweet track bike over the next couple months.
Quote from: RoadstergalQuote from: pantabloyou could find a savage title 600 sportbike
Arrr! *grunt*
what is your point?
Pun on typo.
hahahahah...got it... :lol: :kiss:
I've been looking for something even cheaper than the to-be-Aaron's GS as a trackbike, and saw a VTR 250 for muy cheap... I might go that way unless someone has a good reason not to. The iginition has been jimmied and the bodywork is crap, but that goes fine with a track bike.
i got a 89 gs 500 bucks
Quote from: Roadstergalsaw a VTR 250 for muy cheap... I might go that way unless someone has a good reason not to.
Here is a good reason not to: it'll be slow as molasses. Once you're out on the track a couple times and can carry good corner speed you'll want a bike with at least more power than the GS, which is already very slow.
I would buy an already track-prepared (w/upgraded suspesion) FZR 400 or first generation SV if I were in the market for a track day bike and hadn't already gone the two stroke route.
She had a 1st gen SVS already and sold it :lol:
RG, you should import a CBR/GSX-R 400 and run that.
catching this alte...you may have already bought the bike...but I have a big suggestion:
Do not buy a race bike for your girl to learn on.
Why would I say this? I've tried it. I picked up a fully worked EX500R race bike for her to learn on. It's rough, it's best ran when ran hard. It's just not a great bike to learn on. I love riding it but I have experience and knowledge.
Find your girl a stock, small bike, and carry on NO ambitions of racing it. That's something else I've learned. If you're going to buy her a bike, then buy HER a bike. Don't buy yourself another toy under the guise that it's "her's". It's offensive and it'll make you look like a duck. Plus buying it for just her will make her happiest and more eager to jump in the Game.
Also, if you want to spend that much money on just one bike, then you need to decide which one you'd rather have:
A girl who can ride with you.
~or~
A girl who can sit on the sidelines and watch you ride on a track.
Quote from: davipui got a 89 gs 500 bucks
where are you located? what condition is the bike in?
Quote from: makenzie71Also, if you want to spend that much money on just one bike, then you need to decide which one you'd rather have:
A girl who can ride with you.
~or~
A girl who can sit on the sidelines and watch you ride on a track.
Any tips on getting my girlfriend to ride with me? She wanted to for a while, but then I crashed while hauling ass at the track and now she's freaked out. She won't listen to my argument that street and track are very different!
Quote from: AlphaFire X5She won't listen to my argument that street and track are very different!
That's a good sign...street riding is far more dangerous.
Ride with you as a pillion or as a rider?
Pillion. I don't think I could ever get her as a rider. I keep telling her my mindset on the street is totally different than that on the track. I don't push the bike or myself hard on the street hard at all compared to the track; and ESPECIALLY not with a passenger.
I think she might have finally realized there's a risk of falling down. She was raised as a crazy safety nut, so I'm not sure she can deal with the danger. :P
Fatal accidents on the street are rarely the riders fault.
Basically, if she wants to, encourage her. If she doesn't want to, forget about it. Kalee likes riding as a pillion and that's the only reason I let her ride with me. I already have a fear of unparalleled levels of her getting hurt, I can't imagine what it'd be like if she didn't want to ride. You have to think about that: Could you handle it if she got hurt when she didn't want to be there to begin with? Could you handle calling her parents to tell them what happened?
However, as encouragement, I would suggest you not wreck anymore. That's the best encouragement. Next, if you can talk her into riding, take very short rides with her. Back roads, scenic stuff and (if you got a backpack or something you can strap over your tank) a picnic or two when it warms up. Don't do anything big...stay off the freeways and away from stop and go traffic and areas. Kalee is most comfortable when we're just moving along, but she becomes unsteady in stop and go situations (actually she doesn't anymore...she's pillions like someone who's ridden their entire life now). Just easy stuff, and be sure to let her know how important riding is to you. Mostly, she has to want it. If she doesn't then it's a battle you'll never win.
I'd also suggest either a TL1000S or an SV1000, either with a full exhaust, later on. Most pillion friendly liter-twins and you'll learn something about putting a chick on a seat that vibrates.
A reluctant pillion is a dangerous pillion. If she's terrified, she's going to throw you off (figuratively and perhaps literally). Perhaps you should wait 'til you're further away from your crashes before suggesting it again. Show her some extremely safe miles under your belt, and she might be more likely to feel safe. :thumb: