Hi everybody!
I'm a new rider from Denver, CO. I completed the MSF course at the end of March, and purchased an '04 GS500F with 3600 mi. on her. I love the bike! It's my very first 'ride' and I couldn't be happier. So far, I've put about 400 miles on it, have changed the oil and filter, and cleaned the chain. Next up is a brake fluid flush, and carb clean since the bike sat around for about a year. If there's any other 500F owners around Denver, chime in! I'd love to hear from you.
Randy
Welcome to the site. Hey what kinda bars are those on your bike? and are they comfy? :icon_mrgreen:
Quote from: dwn4whadever on April 17, 2006, 09:03:03 PM
Welcome to the site. Hey what kinda bars are those on your bike? and are they comfy? :icon_mrgreen:
Honestly, those came with the bike from the previous owner so I have no idea what brand they are. I'm sure someone else on here knows! :) I didn't even know they were aftermarket until I saw some pictures of the stock bike. I just rode about 200 miles on them today, and even with me hugging the bike to get my weight off, I found my hands were getting fatigued. They do lean you over the bike more though. They have no rise and have a conservative bend on them. The only thing is that its difficult to lock the ignition/fork with them, and I sometimes set the horn off when making really right turns, but that might be common with aftermarket bars. I'll add some more pictures here:
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-7/288091/cockpit.jpg)
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-7/288091/cornerview.jpg)
Thanks :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
I live in South West Denver and ride a blue 01. If you ever want to ride let me know. Also, where did you have your bike worked on, good experience?
Jason
Quote from: snoopy on April 20, 2006, 10:24:16 AM
I live in South West Denver and ride a blue 01. If you ever want to ride let me know. Also, where did you have your bike worked on, good experience?
Jason
Jason:
I bought my bike used off craigslist from a girl in Lakewood who never rode the thing anymore. :) So far, I've been doing all the work on it myself. The only thing I might take it in for is to have the carburetor's cleaned/synched. I've heard good things about this place:
TK Motorsports
845 Wyandot St.
Denver, CO 80204
720.904.9040
They're just outside of downtown. I'd love to have someone to ride/wrench on our bikes with. I'll send you a PM.
Here are some pics of a recent ride:
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-7/288091/estes16.JPG)
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-7/288091/estes27.JPG)
I am not in Denver persay....up north a bit by Greeley.
I do not currently have a bike to ride (both of mine are in varying stages of restoration and neither are gs-500s) but would be more than happy to help out with wrenching problems/questions/bench racing/whatever.
As for service, avoid Fay Meyers! Attempted to buy a Honda 919 from them and was told I could either pay cash or leave. Their words, not mine. :o :flipoff: Ended up buying a TLR from another dealer with no hassles (less down, more expensive bike, go figure).
Welcome to the board! Love the riding pics with the snow backgrounds! :thumb: :cheers:
Hello from Littleton. I just bought my GS in April, actually bought it while I was in Phoenix and rode it back.
Somewhere between Phoenix and Dever:
(http://71.208.151.140/mototrip/MotorcycleTrip/images/P1010010.JPG)
Quote from: Crackavelli on May 24, 2006, 02:50:27 PM
Hello from Littleton. I just bought my GS in April, actually bought it while I was in Phoenix and rode it back.
Somewhere between Phoenix and Dever:
(http://71.208.151.140/mototrip/MotorcycleTrip/images/P1010010.JPG)
Holy crap. Whoah, whoah, whoah.
1989 in BEAUTIFUL condition with a color matched OEM windscreen???
You have no idea what type of deal you got on that. There are people on here that would probably kill for that bike. Beautiful!!
Quote from: Crackavelli on May 24, 2006, 02:50:27 PM
Hello from Littleton. I just bought my GS in April, actually bought it while I was in Phoenix and rode it back.
That thing looks sweet. :icon_mrgreen: How was the ride from Phoenix to Denver? I have yet to take my bike on anything over 200 miles.
Nice to see I'm not the only one in CO here. We should all get together and ride sometime!
Anyone have plans for a ride over the long weekend? I'm thinking about a trip up 287 to Loveland, than maybe up 34 to Estes Park...
(http://qbush.net/randomimages/estesride.jpg)
It was an awesome ride! I went through the White Mountains of Arizona which were beautiful, but after that it was pretty much desert. Got to hang out at a Pizza Hut in Las Vegas, NM for 4 hours because of a windstorm. Anyway it was a great way to get acquainted with the bike and see some friends along the way. I'd definately be up for a ride sometime, can't do it this weekend though.
Quote from: squelch on May 25, 2006, 09:10:52 PM
Anyone have plans for a ride over the long weekend? I'm thinking about a trip up 287 to Loveland, than maybe up 36 to Estes Park...
(http://qbush.net/randomimages/estesride.jpg)
Oooohh... I just got back from doing almost that exact ride. I left at 8am this morning and got back at around 11:30am. There were Co. State Troopers EVERYWHERE! On 287 from Broomfield practically to downtown Loveland there had to have been 8-10 on the side of the road with 2-3 people pulled over every couple of miles. I think this weekend would be a bad time to do that. 66 up to Estes was already getting crowded with cars. I took 7 down to Lyons and had a blast, but there were RV's and tourists crowding that already.
I'd be up for it some other time though! :)
Regards,
Randy
Quote from: veeref on May 26, 2006, 10:59:21 AM
Oooohh... I just got back from doing almost that exact ride. I left at 8am this morning and got back at around 11:30am. There were Co. State Troopers EVERYWHERE! On 287 from Broomfield practically to downtown Loveland there had to have been 8-10 on the side of the road with 2-3 people pulled over every couple of miles. I think this weekend would be a bad time to do that. 66 up to Estes was already getting crowded with cars. I took 7 down to Lyons and had a blast, but there were RV's and tourists crowding that already.
I'd be up for it some other time though! :)
Regards,
Randy
Right on. We go to Loveland a lot -- our favorite burrito joint is there. Looks like we're gong to make a go of it tomorrow, and generally have a liesurely ride with some of my wife's coworkers. Not worried about the Troopers. There's a fun back way up to Estes I've been dying to ride for a long time.
(http://www.qbush.net/randomimages/altroute.jpg)
Lake Estes is to the right. I'll post pics after we get back.
It was a perfect day. Posted some pics here if anyone's interested:
http://www.qbush.net/galleries/EstesRide
Click an image for the story.
That looks like the Glen Haven road. If so, your in for a nice ride but watch out for sand....lots and lots of sand!
There is also a state trooper that loves to hang out in Drake just at the end of a nice two lane passing zone just as you pull into town so don't go nuts getting around that RV.
Quote from: Wrencher on May 27, 2006, 11:26:57 PM
That looks like the Glen Haven road. If so, your in for a nice ride but watch out for sand....lots and lots of sand!
There is also a state trooper that loves to hang out in Drake just at the end of a nice two lane passing zone just as you pull into town so don't go nuts getting around that RV.
There was one turn near the top that had some gravel -- otherwise no sand. There was traffic from Loveland to Drake, but none of them went the Glen Haven route. Another rider in Estes warned us about a rash of speed traps on 34.
Looks like you had a good ride! I can vouch that parking in Estes on a weekend/holiday sure can be a pain.
I too, always wonder about all those cruisers/Harleys riding 2-up on the freeway with neither passenger wearing a helmet. I guess they don't understand what gravel can do to the human body, but I digress. Bugs can't feel good at 60mph either...
.. let me know when you Denver guys are up for a ride. I'm thinking either next Sunday, Monday, or both.
I want to go ride Trail Ridge Road sometime this summer, too.
Randy
Quote from: veeref on May 28, 2006, 07:23:00 PM
I too, always wonder about all those cruisers/Harleys riding 2-up on the freeway with neither passenger wearing a helmet.
Not wearing a helmet is one level of crazy -- but not wearing a shirt? During mosquito season this moves the needle from dangerous to totally gross.
You might want to look into the road up Mt Evans if you haven't ridden it already. Absolutely breathtaking and twisty as all bejezus. There is a small fee once you get to the ranger station but its only a couple of bucks for a motorcycle if I remember right.
Two bits of advice on that road:
1) When the ranger warns you about the dips and the washboard....HE MEANS IT!!!! The road is good up to the ranger station and then it gets a little bumpy, then it gets REALLY bumpy. I was following a 911 Targa and a 69 Camaro when we came up on the first "dip". The cars dissappeared completely and then came out out the other side. I was only about 15-20 feet behind them and all going very slow.
2) Do not under any circumstances wear ear plug while riding up that far. I forgot while riding my TLR (very loud) up to Mt Evans and pulled them out at the little lake observatory area (13,500 ft?). I was fine for about 2-3 minutes and then got super dizzy, couldn't understand other peoples speech and started to shake violently for about 15 minutes. Classic high altitude sickness which I have never suffered from at that altitude and haven't since but ear plugs don't let your ears adjust gradually like they need to.
That having been said, it is one of the most amazing rides I have ever been on. :thumb: