If all goes , I will ride a new bike home. A 1999 Yamaha YZF-R6 (http://riftwave.net/misc/r6.jpg) which I have agreed to purchase tomorrow. I have logged 8 months and 4,500 miles on my 1989 GS500K-"F" (http://riftwave.net/misc/gs500.jpg). I'll be sad to see such a very rideable, flickable, inexpensive-to-maintain bike go. In all honesty... if I could have waved a magic wand and given *my particular* GS double the horsepower and 1.5x the torque, then I doubt I would get rid of it.
Anyways, here's to hoping I like my next bike as much
4,500 miles? Here's hoping you have enough skill for the R6.
Are you trading in? If not, would you be willing to part with the seat? I can send you mine. It has a SMALL cut in the fabric right near the left side of the grab bar. Barely noticable, but I know it's there.
yeah man not sre if your ready, i got 7 months and 10500 miles on my bike now, and this cbr 600 f3 is a beast and i hear that yzf is no tamer, but best of luck to you and ride safe.
i mean i will have to get use to no more wot acc, on the f3 the front wheel will not stay down in first, second and is really trying hard to come up in third, i magine i could clutch it up with little effort
congrats tarzanboy! ride safe as with the GS!
*wonders what will happen to your infamous gs* Up for grabs here before you think about trading in???? ;)
if he feels he is ready...then he is ready. some people may take way longer the others...i know when i got on my friends 2005 r6 i was not impressed by the power at all, and i had a gs500 for a year. some people ride for years and cant jump up...while others learn alot faster. More power to u man!
OT: i ve been looking for the write up on Cheesy's old bike i cant seem to find it. Got a link for me,TB? Just trying to see how Srinath went about mounting the fairings because im heading in the same direction. O0
Quote from: allmtrslut on March 26, 2006, 08:58:40 PM
if he feels he is ready...then he is ready. some people may take way longer the others...i know when i got on my friends 2005 r6 i was not impressed by the power at all, and i had a gs500 for a year. some people ride for years and cant jump up...while others learn alot faster. More power to u man!
Yeah. A lot of people think they are ready to move up, and they aren't. That's why you see squids selling their 600s and buying 1000s because "they can handle it" but end up hurting themselves and/or others because they AREN'T ready for it.
:laugh: Somebody kick Alpha off the soapbox :laugh: O0
Best of luck w/ the new bike man! Hope all goes well and you enjoy the bike. Don't leave the board, at least until you give a write up about the new bike!(in odds n ends I guess..)
*pushes alpha off soapbox and climbs on* :flipoff: haha
I can see how some people stay w/ the GS and how it is a very good bike and great for learning on, however, I think ppl on this board (not saying anyone person but there are a few) are too critical about others upgrading bikes. It's their choice and if they feel they are ready who's to say they aren't? I know it's looking out for your fellow rider but what about respecting their decision? I have choosen to keep my GS for a while longer but mainly due to lack of funds.
*gets off soapbox*
Quote from: average on March 26, 2006, 10:44:03 PM
:laugh: Somebody kick Alpha off the soapbox :laugh: O0
Yeah. BRING IT!
:laugh: :laugh:
Alright, here I go again...
I've ridden my GS for nearly 5000 miles in the 5 months I've been riding it (it was down and out one month for repairs from when someone backed into it, and another month after my track crash and vacationing. 7 months total) with plenty of hill country riding and twisty bits making up a lot of those miles. Now, I don't mean to be narcissistic in the least (because I hate that crap. I try to be pretty humble about my riding), but others, who have been riding for more years than I've been alive, have complimented me on my skill. Despite crashing on the track, many of the people who followed me and instructors who saw me said they were impressed by how quickly I took to it and how well I was doing (up until the lowside, of course! :laugh:). I've been doing all of this on stock suspension and only NOW am I coming to terms with how the bike reacts with the bad suspension. I'm able to push it enough to actually need some new springs. Yeah I'm a flyweight, but taking the suspension to its limits
in corners still takes some amount of skill. I am specifying "in corners" because it's easy to take the suspension to its limits under regular straight line braking, even for my measly 130lb frame.
The GS has MORE then enough power to let me keep up with, and even set pace for, guys on liter bikes. TarzanBoy was complaining in a different thread that the GS didn't have enough power to pass people on the highway easily. I'm sorry, but the GS has plenty of power for doing that if you just downshift a gear or two. Not that difficult, and you can easily get by people going 80+. I have never had a problem passing people on the highway, even at the higher speeds.
Yeah some people "get it" faster than others, but I think 4500 miles, especially in 8 months time, isn't long enough at all. I've been told I caught on very quickly to motorcycling, but I've made mistakes and had some incidents. I can guarantee that I would have crashed a lot faster, and possibly a lot more damaging, had I been on a more powerful bike. Unless it's 4500 miles of nothing but The Dragon, I think it's probably too little.
Some people think they are ready, while in reality they couldn't be further from the truth. The feel and responsiveness of the 600cc supersport class is far superior to that of the GS. They take every little throttle input and magnify it. Throttle control must be extremely refined in order to maintain proper control of those bikes, as well as turning and body movement due to the more agressive ergonomics allowing for such quick and razor sharp handling. For example, Pablo upgraded to his 600RR after 9000 miles with his GS and he took to the 600RR fairly naturally. However, Pablo rode 9000 miles of California canyons and nothing but. No commuting, no highway cruising, just tight and twisty canyon roads. That's totally different from 9000 miles of commuting or long distance touring on interstates type riding.
So yeah.
Quote from: AlphaFire X5 on March 26, 2006, 11:31:40 PM
Quote from: average on March 26, 2006, 10:44:03 PM
:laugh: Somebody kick Alpha off the soapbox :laugh: O0
Yeah. BRING IT!
:laugh: :laugh:
Alright, here I go again...
I've ridden my GS for nearly 5000 miles in the 5 months I've been riding it (it was down and out one month for repairs from when someone backed into it, and another month after my track crash and vacationing. 7 months total) with plenty of hill country riding and twisty bits making up a lot of those miles. Now, I don't mean to be narcissistic in the least (because I hate that crap. I try to be pretty humble about my riding), but others, who have been riding for more years than I've been alive, have complimented me on my skill. Despite crashing on the track, many of the people who followed me and instructors who saw me said they were impressed by how quickly I took to it and how well I was doing (up until the lowside, of course! :laugh:). I've been doing all of this on stock suspension and only NOW am I coming to terms with how the bike reacts with the bad suspension. I'm able to push it enough to actually need some new springs. Yeah I'm a flyweight, but taking the suspension to its limits in corners still takes some amount of skill. I am specifying "in corners" because it's easy to take the suspension to its limits under regular straight line braking, even for my measly 130lb frame.
The GS has MORE then enough power to let me keep up with, and even set pace for, guys on liter bikes. TarzanBoy was complaining in a different thread that the GS didn't have enough power to pass people on the highway easily. I'm sorry, but the GS has plenty of power for doing that if you just downshift a gear or two. Not that difficult, and you can easily get by people going 80+. I have never had a problem passing people on the highway, even at the higher speeds.
Yeah some people "get it" faster than others, but I think 4500 miles, especially in 8 months time, isn't long enough at all. I've been told I caught on very quickly to motorcycling, but I've made mistakes and had some incidents. I can guarantee that I would have crashed a lot faster, and possibly a lot more damaging, had I been on a more powerful bike. Unless it's 4500 miles of nothing but The Dragon, I think it's probably too little.
Some people think they are ready, while in reality they couldn't be further from the truth. The feel and responsiveness of the 600cc supersport class is far superior to that of the GS. They take every little throttle input and magnify it. Throttle control must be extremely refined in order to maintain proper control of those bikes, as well as turning and body movement due to the more agressive ergonomics allowing for such quick and razor sharp handling. For example, Pablo upgraded to his 600RR after 9000 miles with his GS and he took to the 600RR fairly naturally. However, Pablo rode 9000 miles of California canyons and nothing but. No commuting, no highway cruising, just tight and twisty canyon roads. That's totally different from 9000 miles of commuting or long distance touring on interstates type riding.
So yeah.
I'm too lazy to respond with a long post such as Alpha's :icon_razz:, so...
+1 to everything
Alpha- :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
Quote from: AlphaFire X5 on March 26, 2006, 11:31:40 PM... The GS has MORE then enough power to let me keep up with, and even set pace for, guys on liter bikes.
I'll add: the GS has more than enough power to get you in trouble.. so yeah too. ;)
First off, I am not trading in the GS500. The LAST thing I would do with this bike is sell it to a Stealership. Since I don't have a garage... and i'm not independantly wealthy, I plan to sell it to offset the cost of my new bike.
Fortunately (or unfortunately), I have had a buyer lined up, just waiting for me to upgrade so that I could sell him the bike. If he doesn't want it then I am goign to give the first right of refusal to cheesy (who is looking to sell his '05 636 cuz the insurance is so high).
Average: Srinath didn't do a huge write-up on the mod that I've seen.... before I sell the bike I will take a LOT of photos with my 5MPixel digital cam to try to capture most of the work that was done so that you can use it as a reference. I do remember Srinath saying that welding the brackets for the fairing was "not fun".
The mods to cheesy's gs500 (http://riftwave.net/misc/gs500.jpg) that I can remember are:
1. Tubes/clip-ons with a slight outward bend to them that keep them from contacting the tank, even when the wheel is at full turn.
2. Srinath flange with WileyCo carbon fiber slip-on exhaust
3. Brackets welded to frame (by Srinath) in order to accomodate '04 fairings and headlight
4. '04 plastics on tail
5. '04 tank
6. Cigarette lighter adapter added to hole for seat lock (partially done, I still have to solder one lead to ground)
In 4500 miles I have changed the oil thee times, put 2 new rear tires on, lubed the chain 4 times (it is due again), changed the front and rear brake pads, replaced rivets on the exhaust (guy tipped the bike over in the parking lot and knocked the slip-on loose), and put plastic plugs on the open ends of the clip-ons
As for things that have to be done on the GS..., the valves are a bit off (I can tell by the sound of the engine) and I am debating whether to do them myself or let the new owner have the bike serviced (the clock is on 17k, so it is about due for service anyway)... the screws to the brake fluid box need to be drilled out and replaced (stripped and rusted), and the front tire is probably going to have to be replaced soon due to the # of miles on it (at least 4500)... also the bearings should probably be lubricated.
Mechanically, she runs fine even with the valves a bit off.. The only issue I have noticed is having to use the choke more than I used to...but that is probably related to the valve clearances.
Also, to those of you wondering whether I am really ready or not to upgrade:
I am unsure of what exactly you mean? If you are asking if I have 'mastered' the gs500, then I would have to say no. Unless you're doing track days fairly often or pushing your bike on the streets like a maniac then you'll never really master your bike. I've been up to the twisties in North GA once (the gs500 is really in its element there), and I have ridden the streets and highways around metro Atlanta a good bit. The GS has been valuable to me for a few good reasons:
1. I have learned basic motorcycle control skills
-Shifting, rev matching, compression braking, cornering, minding the temperature of your tires and very basic bike maintenance. Stuff every rookie rider should learn first.
2. The inevitable "Oh sh*t!" moments
-I never dropped the bike, but I almost hit a curb and came close to nicking a minivan going in the opposite direction within my first month of riding. Then, I almost lowsided it on 2 seperate occasions on the same corner... once practicing hanging off (hung WAY to far off) and once taking too aggressive a lean angle for my speed and the temperature of the tires. I have also had to switch to reserve while on the highway 3 times, and gotten a flat tire while at highway speed once (noticed bad tail wiggle and immediately took an exit of the highway)
3. Humility
-The gs is a small, weak bike. It has ok starting power, but little torque at higher speeds. It makes one learn/realize that being on a bike doesn't mean that you have to burn everyone or leave them in your dust. Ride defensively and select your spots carefully to mitigate risks. Also, don't try to keep up with squidly crotch-rocketeers you've only known for 10 minutes that lane split and speed like they are on their own personal track.
I haven't outgrown the GS, but I can safely start the learning process anew on a more powerful bike. I knew it was close to time when I realized how often I had the throttle full open on the highway / streets to maintain safe, visible positions in traffic, etc. Its just that I can draw box around the characteristics/capabilities of the GS500. I haven't mastered every little thing it can do inside the box, but I definitely have a good felling what it can/can't do and how it (and I) will react in different situations. I then decided to make the upgrade after doing some 2-up riding for the 3rd/4th time. I don't know if that makes any sense to any of you. I guess its a hard notion to articulate. Its not the hp that I'm after, but the torque. I got hooked on V's after riding a VFR-750.... but it will have to wait till my next bike I guess.
Besidesthe gs500 being a 100% awesome bike to learn on... I have also been 'helped' in the way of getting to ride other bikes. I've ridden a '96 FZR-600, my roommate's '95 VFR-750 and his '98 Superhawk, as well as a '97 GSXR-600 and an '02 SV-650. By the way, none of those bikes handle as well at normal traffic speeds as the GS-500, especially in low-speed turning/cornering. Every rider I have ever put on my bike has raved about how fun and flickable the GS500 is.
The R6 is quite a jump. I'm going from the 2nd SLOWEST sportbike out there to the fastest production 600cc bike for its year ('99). Truthfully, I am more worried about getting used to the 'feel' of the bike than me being stupid with all that power. I dont' ride stupidly or too fast because I don't want to go to the hospital or die. I'm taking enough of a risk by just riding in traffic.
Thanks for your concern, though.
Anyone know what happened to the east coast valve kit?
Quote from: TarzanBoy on March 26, 2006, 11:46:50 PM
3. Humility
-The gs is a small, weak bike. It has ok starting power, but little torque at higher speeds. It makes one learn/realize that being on a bike doesn't mean that you have to burn everyone or leave them in your dust. Ride defensively and select your spots carefully to mitigate risks. Also, don't try to keep up with squidly crotch-rocketeers you've only known for 10 minutes that lane split and speed like they are on their own personal track.
One: the GS produces the same amount of torque no matter what speed you're going, it just depends on where in the rev range you're at. It produces most of its power between 7k and 9.5 to 10k. And this reason is what worries me. If you say that the GS doesn't have enough power to keep up with traffic then I don't think you're riding it correctly. Yeah it's a bit down on torque compared to other bikes, but if you downshift it's perfectly happy accelerating, even going 90 (accelerating out of sweepers to top speed is scary fun). If you're just cranking the throttle in top gear and expecting it to haul ass then you're mistaking how to ride the GS. Downshifting is the key, which means knowing which gear to be in at what point, something every rookie should know, IMO.
Tarzanboy, congratulations! I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Remember that of all the R6 years, the early/first production models were considered real beasts. Ride it the same way you rode your gs in those first few weeks and months to re-learn riding again, on a different bike. Dont treat it as a familiar thing. Good luck and keep us posted on your experiences with it. And for chrissake get yourself to a trackday. You'll never look back at street riding the same again...Way too much fun.
Quote from: AlphaFire X5 on March 26, 2006, 11:31:40 PM
...Yeah some people "get it" faster than others, but I think 4500 miles, especially in 8 months time, isn't long enough at all. I've been told I caught on very quickly to motorcycling, but I've made mistakes and had some incidents. ...
Who are you, or we to judge? Everyone is different and chooses to move up when they are ready, not necessarily when they are riding the gs to its limits. Every new bike will take some time to acclimate to. I was in similar circumstance to you; I had been riding the gs for 9,000 miles and 16 months when I sold it. I too had taken to riding quickly and was outriding people on better, faster bikes in the canyons. When I first took the 600rr home (through the long way home so I could hit up 60 miles of canyons) I was intimidated with the power, the physical size and the "newness" of it. Still, it only took me 3 or 4 weeks before I was riding the RR like it had always been my bike. Even now, almost 2 years after I bought it (cant' believe that!) I am finding new aspects to riding it, and more power as it breaks in (one vote of confidence for a hard break-in procedure!).
4500 miles of street city riding is plenty for most to move up in my opinion, and apparently to Tarzanboy. And thats the only person it really matters to. Alpha, you're more than ready to move up too.
really though the gs handles well and all...but you have not ridden a real sport bike. Cause the gs has nothing on a real sport bike...nothing at all. And if u take ur gs againts a guy who knows how to ride a liter bike...he will put u to shame. The gs is a great bike...but i dont know about you...i can get the pegs to hit the ground on every corner and to me thats annoying and dangerous...so i for one is going to sell my gs and upgrade. You might not feel ready, but when i got on a friends r6...i really never felt the same on the gs. Forget the fact the r6 is way faster....but the fact that it stopped when i hit the brakes and the way it wants to just dive into a corner with such little input from me. if you feel after 5 k miles and track days that you arnt ready to move up....then thats you, other people are more then ready. (i still think ur crazy or just havnt ridden any real sport bike... the gs is a fun bike to own...but thats about all)
and seriously i really dont think 600s are all that fast, i think its the lack of lowend power that bugs me. See for a track bike that would be good, but on the street i would rather have more lowend power to get me around traffic. my friends r6 was fast but i was not blown away like he was about it...prob casue he only spent like 2 months on a smaller bike before geting the r6. but as u can see everyone is different and to him it was fast and to me it was lacking something. just my 2 cents
Quote from: pantablo on March 27, 2006, 12:13:26 AM
Who are you, or we to judge? Everyone is different and chooses to move up when they are ready, not necessarily when they are riding the gs to its limits.
And right you are, only sharing my concern at possibly seeing someone move up too quickly without possibly thinking through it all the way. Simply my opinion, that's all.
Quote from: AlphaFire X5 on March 26, 2006, 11:31:40 PM
4500 miles of street city riding is plenty for most to move up in my opinion, and apparently to Tarzanboy. And thats the only person it really matters to. Alpha, you're more than ready to move up too.
You're right in that he is the one who makes the final decision to upgrading. I was just wanting him to make sure that he was upgrading for the right reasons and that he was going to make the right decision for him. It is ultimitely his choice and I'd rather not see yet another motorcyclist hurt because he couldn't handle his new bike. And personally, I don't think I'm ready to upgrade just yet. I've still got a lot to learn, IMO. I have yet to even drag pegs on the GS which means I'm not maximizing my cornering potential that I could. I want to be able to take this bike to its limits and be able to hold it there safely.
TarzanBoy, ride safe and treat the new bike with care. Be careful and don't push yourself too hard while you're still learning the new bike's feel!
hey alpha your right about one thing the tq is flater than a table then drops at 9.5 the hp comes in right at 2.5k and then tops out at 8.3 on my bike,
if i canget a scaner i will post the dyno run, oo and i need a new chain, who woul dhave thought that you could see that on a dyno
I like how people talk about how dangerous sports bikes are and at the same time talk about how far they lean there bike over and how they redline it up to 90.
I think you will be fine with the r6 if you respect the extra power and ride safely. I have a cbr600 and for me it is no more dangerous than a gs500, I decide how fast I ride not the bike.
The R6 wasn't on my list of bikes that I had been looking at. I would probably have preferred an F4, F4i, (standard seating position), or a Zx6R/636. Suffice it to say that the few I looked at were just too expensive. Especially the F4's. I looked at a couple '99 models... none of their owners wanted less than $4k for their bikes (one guy even justified the price by adding in a parts list that he said was worth $70 :-)... guess he doesn't use the internet much!).
This R6 is the first bike in good shape I have come across for (what i consider) a fair price that was in my budget. I actually also looked at an '01 R1. The owner was willing to let it go for $5300.... but I would have gone super-broke buying it and my insurance would have quadrupled. (Two signs that the bike is not right for you).
In any case... moving away from the GS is bittersweet.... I guess i'm goign to have to consider carrying theft insurance. How much more does that cost than minimum coverage (which is what i carried on the '89 GS since its blue book value was so low).
Quote from: ukchickenlover on March 27, 2006, 04:45:44 AM
I like how people talk about how dangerous sports bikes are and at the same time talk about how far they lean there bike over and how they redline it up to 90.
I think you will be fine with the r6 if you respect the extra power and ride safely. I have a cbr600 and for me it is no more dangerous than a gs500, I decide how fast I ride not the bike.
It's all about managing the power, that's why. A lot of people think they can handle all that extra power, but they can't. The GS is far more forgiving. And yes, you do need to compare what you do with a GS to what you do with a sport bike. And, btw, you're in 5th gear when you're at 90, so you're not redlining it to there. And plus, those sport bikes can hit 90 in 2nd gear. That's far more power than the GS, which can be more than a lot of people can handle.
I agree with Tazran Boy and Pantablo on this one.
Few people start out riding sport bikes on a 500. Many learn on 600's. Very few sport bike riders ever even own 500's.
Throwing a leg over an R6 doesn't mean you're going to crash. You don't have to lean it over and give it WOT all the time.
Quote from: AlphaFire X5 on March 27, 2006, 07:31:20 AM
It's all about managing the power, that's why. A lot of people think they can handle all that extra power, but they can't. The GS is far more forgiving. And yes, you do need to compare what you do with a GS to what you do with a sport bike. And, btw, you're in 5th gear when you're at 90, so you're not redlining it to there. And plus, those sport bikes can hit 90 in 2nd gear. That's far more power than the GS, which can be more than a lot of people can handle.
when people first got a gs they were in over their experience and skill level. they used the friendliness (for lack of better word) of the gs to learn. one doesnt need to be a master to move up to a sportbike, just that they're ready to learn again but this time not from ground zero.
Who knew? Alphafire was really just a Nancy Boy all along!
Congrats, TB! That R6 looks sweet .. love the red & black. I guess we won't be needing to meet up for the valve check (as if the kit would ever resurface, anyways) but we should still ride sometime. Feel free to PM me (here or GSB) anytime.
Dave
PS Figures that the day you get an R6, a F4 shows up for sub-4k (barely, but still). :icon_mrgreen:
Quote from: pantablo on March 27, 2006, 10:12:15 AM
when people first got a gs they were in over their experience and skill level. they used the friendliness (for lack of better word) of the gs to learn. one doesnt need to be a master to move up to a sportbike, just that they're ready to learn again but this time not from ground zero.
Very true, I just prefer to master something before moving on. From what he's said he sounds like he'd be okay moving up, so long as he respects the new bike and gets used to all the extra power.
Quote from: Jake D on March 27, 2006, 10:46:30 AM
Who knew? Alphafire was really just a Nancy Boy all along!
Well, you should know by now at least that I'm a safety nazi, and with good reason!
Congrats, Tarzanboy! Sounds like you have good thoughts in your head and are planning on riding the new toy right. I'm in the same boat as you, I have similar riding experience and am eagerly anticipating the arrival of my Daytona 675. Yes, lots more power (and the low end power in my case), and a lot of acknowledgement of the need to be patient and slow in observation of the new power. My reasoning for getting the 675 was that my GS was having issues and needed to be replaced. I ride an SV quite a bit and love it, but, like the GS, it has its limitations in being a bike targeted towards an entry-audience. The modifications I would need to get it to get it to where I would want it would cost a significant amount of money (suspension upgrades, farings for wind and weather protection). It is just finding what is going to suit your wants. Yes, the GS is a wonderful bike but it is not suited for everyone. Many people buy it as a great introduction to motorcycles, but as they learn more, they find their interests and tastes change. Enjoy every second of your new bike and I wish you the best of luck.
It's not what you ride it's how safe you ride. I've seen in many other forums where the same people who brag about their high speed riding are educating other members on the dangers of high power bikes. But our little GS500 can kill a rider just like anything else if ridden in an unsafe manner. It's strange noone really advocates safe riding.
Quote from: DerekNC on March 27, 2006, 07:35:28 PM
It's not what you ride it's how safe you ride. I've seen in many other forums where the same people who brag about their high speed riding are educating other members on the dangers of high power bikes. But our little GS500 can kill a rider just like anything else if ridden in an unsafe manner. It's strange noone really advocates safe riding.
Managing the power is part of safe riding, as is wearing all the right gear and being able to know your limits. That's what I've been trying to say, and pablo has been hitting on "respecting the power of the new bike" a lot, too. That's all part of safe riding.
Safe riding = mythical
If you think there is such a thing, you have not yet come to grips with reality. The vast number of variables in riding make it impossible to have any real control. Some of you may have heard of Rich Thorwaldson. He was one of the original factory motocross racers back in the early 1970's. Before that, he was a champion dirt tracker, and desert racer. He took up club road racing later in life, and was known for meticulously prepared bikes (since his reputation as a respected Honda dealer was on the line as well).
Rich died in a roadracing accident on a track surrounded by other skilled riders, wearing every stitch of protective gear available, on a stellar bike. Even in this controlled enviornment, a professional caliber rider still lost his life. Now throw in the extra insanity of the street, and there are many times when all the gear in the world ain't gonna help. You can think you are riding safe, but tell that to the drunk around the corner, I don't think he is on the same page.
it really does matter what you ride, and i wouldnt recommend and R bike for a new rider. See ya u can die just as fast on a gs500, but on an R bike you can lock brakes very easy, to much throttle and you might loop it, or to much out of a corner and you might highside. With teh gs you can turn the throttle and not much happens!! but after 5k miles...you can step up to a bigger bike...unless you are not sure of your skill level. A bigger bike gets you in trouble way faster, one mistake and it wont let you recover. The gs on the other hand is very forgiving and that what a newbie needs...
As long as you are ready man(10 hail marys, one....) I mean just respect the bike,man :bowdown:. Most newer bikes nowadays will stand up from 1st -3rd. O0
Quote from: aplitz on March 27, 2006, 08:19:23 PM
Safe riding = mythical
If you think ...
<snippage>
You can think you are riding safe, but tell that to the drunk around the corner, I don't think he is on the same page.
You're not talking to a new rider buying a sportbike as a first bike. tarzanboy has been riding almost a year and has racked up 4500 miles. That would suggest he's familiar with the dangers. He's probably taken MSF course too, as many here have.
Quote from: allmtrslut on March 27, 2006, 08:21:11 PM
it really does matter what you ride, and i wouldnt recommend and R bike for a new rider. See ya u can die just as fast on a gs500, but on an R bike you can lock brakes very easy, to much throttle and you might loop it, or to much out of a corner and you might highside. With teh gs you can turn the throttle and not much happens!! but after 5k miles...you can step up to a bigger bike...unless you are not sure of your skill level. A bigger bike gets you in trouble way faster, one mistake and it wont let you recover. The gs on the other hand is very forgiving and that what a newbie needs...
again, this isnt a first bike for someone with no experience. The jump up to a sportbike is not as huge as you guys seem to make it out to be, particularly for someone as intelligent as Tarzanboy was in starting out on a gs500. 8 months and 4500 miles would indicate more commitment to learning proper riding technique than someone who sells their gs a month or two after buying it because they're "bored" with it. Cut the guy some slack. Many people here are using the gs as a stepping stone to bigger bikes.
heck I remember I learned to ride on a honda 250cc during the MSF over 9 months ago... then I got the GS (double the power) and I felt i was not prepared for that 'beast'...
this morning, many months later, I met my cousin and he said "hey, so when are you buying a bigger bike? this one is like a toy no? Oh I see, you are keeping it because you save on gas uh? ...' :flipoff:
In any case, there are days when I feel the GS is shrinking under me (and i'm not gaining weight!).
Enjoy the R6. I made the same move after about a year and 3,500 miles on the GS. It was like learning to ride all over again... a little intimidating in the power department. Just remember that those 600cc I-4's come to life VERY suddenly. Give yourself a few hundred miles of cautious time to familiarize yourself with the capabilities of your new bike, then take her out and enjoy :thumb:
SecondGen - We are still going to meet up and do the valves. I'm not going to pass up the only real opportunity I will have to do some real wrenching on a bike.... and GS is probably a better bike to start on than an R6 (it still feels wierd for me to refer to an R6 as 'my' bike).... and I am selling my GS to a new rider... so it is only fitting that I present the bike to him in almost as good shape as it was when cheesy sold it to me.
Ok, so I'm pretty sure I'm not thread jacking, as we have all told him what a great/horrible decision he's making. Personally, I wish you luck with your R6; someday I'll be on one too.
But here's my question. I was looking into R6s as my next bike down the road (like DOWN the road...I am not getting rid of the GS in the near future), and got thinking about how maybe a tamer version would be better, which is the YZF600. And then I of course thought of Gixxers and all that, but also CBRs. And just while thinking and looking, I noticed there are a few different varieties of the CBR600: the 600 F4, the 600 F4i, and the 600RR (I think that's all).
What's the difference between the 3? I'd guess the RR would be the most race-specific, with a more aggressive seating position and more powerful motor. And the F4i is injected, right? But I think I also heard the seating position is more akin to that of the GS, is this true? So the F4 is more leaned forward, and the F4i is more upright?
I have no idea...
Quote from: 2005-GS500-PDX on March 28, 2006, 09:48:09 AM
Ok, so I'm pretty sure I'm not thread jacking, as we have all told him what a great/horrible decision he's making. Personally, I wish you luck with your R6; someday I'll be on one too.
But here's my question. I was looking into R6s as my next bike down the road (like DOWN the road...I am not getting rid of the GS in the near future), and got thinking about how maybe a tamer version would be better, which is the YZF600. And then I of course thought of Gixxers and all that, but also CBRs. And just while thinking and looking, I noticed there are a few different varieties of the CBR600: the 600 F4, the 600 F4i, and the 600RR (I think that's all).
What's the difference between the 3? I'd guess the RR would be the most race-specific, with a more aggressive seating position and more powerful motor. And the F4i is injected, right? But I think I also heard the seating position is more akin to that of the GS, is this true? So the F4 is more leaned forward, and the F4i is more upright?
I have no idea...
The F4 replaced the F3 and was built in 99 and 00. In '01 Honda came out with the F4i (i signifying fuel injection). I'm not entirely sure when the RR debuted (2003 maybe? Pantablo probably knows), but you're correct that it's the racier version. The F4/F4i have pretty relaxed ergos (for a sportbike) and are supposedly pretty comfy.
(beat me to it)
the F4 is an older carbureted model and was their top shelf sportbike, with separate fron/rear seats. then it went fuel injected and got the F4i moniker. same bike essentially-same top shelf bike that was a good (still is) compromise between all out performance and comfort.
The RR stepped it up a notch or two and was introduced in 2003. It is now their top shelf race replica and the F4i got a little softer, including a single 2-up seat. That is about as close to the GS as the F4i gets though (the seat). Its still a very capable sportbike, make no mistake. The ergos are similar to the YZF600 in that its more comfortable than the racier R6 ergos but still a forward, low clip on seating position. yes they are pretty comfy though. Significantly more comfy than my RR.
Yeah, I knew pantablo had an RR. Cool, thanks.
I'm going back to school soon, so I figure that I should pay off the GS and just keep it. I could sell it and get an older 600 for the same amount, but then things like maintenance and insurance go up. So I'm keeping her, at least until the end of the year, and likely for another year and a half.
Anyways, I just like looking at what's for sale in my area and thinking about what's next. I'm all over, from an SVS to an R6. Luckily I have pleeeeeeeeeenty of time to look and decide.
Thanks again,
Dave
Quote from: pantablo on March 28, 2006, 01:25:05 AM
You're not talking to a new rider buying a sportbike as a first bike. tarzanboy has been riding almost a year and has racked up 4500 miles. That would suggest he's familiar with the dangers. He's probably taken MSF course too.
Yeah, Pablo, I agree. I should have made it clear, I was talking more directly to Alpha and those like him that keep talking about safe riding. Personally, I ride knowing that I just can't be safe, it just blows my mind when people think it a normal hobby, when in reality its a treacherous obsession.
Quote from: aplitz on March 28, 2006, 04:46:09 PM
Quote from: pantablo on March 28, 2006, 01:25:05 AM
You're not talking to a new rider buying a sportbike as a first bike. tarzanboy has been riding almost a year and has racked up 4500 miles. That would suggest he's familiar with the dangers. He's probably taken MSF course too.
Yeah, Pablo, I agree. I should have made it clear, I was talking more directly to Alpha and those like him that keep talking about safe riding. Personally, I ride knowing that I just can't be safe, it just blows my mind when people think it a normal hobby, when in reality its a treacherous obsession.
I'll reitterate. Safe riding is also about knowing your limits, both in handling and in power. If you only think you know how to deal with the extra power put out by one of those bikes but you really don't, then you're riding unsafely. If you can't handle leaning on a bike and knowing what it's going to do then you shouldn't be upgrading.
QuoteManaging the power is part of safe riding, as is wearing all the right gear and being able to know your limits. That's what I've been trying to say, and pablo has been hitting on "respecting the power of the new bike" a lot, too. That's all part of safe riding.