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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: dracflamloc on May 14, 2006, 10:56:33 AM

Title: Got my bike! (And a question for you know-it-alls)
Post by: dracflamloc on May 14, 2006, 10:56:33 AM
'01 gs500 (obviously), 8000 miles or so.

(http://www.dracsoft.com/screens/moto1.jpg)
(http://www.dracsoft.com/screens/moto2.jpg)

Just got it this morning. I love it.

I called in a half day at work tommorow so I could take it out and enjoy it for a while once I've got the license plate for it.

I accidentally almost-redlined it in neutral once or twice  :oops:  I think its fine though. I'm signed up for the msf course for June 17th. Until then I'm just going about a mile down the road to an empty parking lot and practicing.
Title: Re: Got my bike!
Post by: skoebl on May 14, 2006, 11:07:16 AM
Happy bike day!
Hope you have many accident free miles  :thumb:
Title: Re: Got my bike!
Post by: Alphamazing on May 14, 2006, 11:08:26 AM
Drag bars, a napoleon mirror, Woodcraft rearsets, mounting brackets for a fairing of some sort, Pilot Powers pinched onto the stock rims, SS front line, EBC Pro-Lite front rotor... maybe more?

Not bad. Very clean! Welcome to the board!
Title: Re: Got my bike!
Post by: dracflamloc on May 14, 2006, 11:10:33 AM
'00 Katana rear shock, and progressive front.

Only 1 drop with very minor scratch you can see in the first photo on the tail of the bike.
Title: Re: Got my bike!
Post by: l3uddha on May 14, 2006, 11:11:10 AM
I want those rearsets..... great bike!
Title: Re: Got my bike!
Post by: ajgs500 on May 14, 2006, 11:11:27 AM
Mounting brackets for a windscreen....
Title: Re: Got my bike!
Post by: KYGS500E on May 14, 2006, 11:14:24 AM
that is a very nice bike..... i want it
Title: Re: Got my bike!
Post by: dracflamloc on May 14, 2006, 11:14:30 AM
I actually have a windscreen too but its not mounted on. Once I'm more experienced and start using it to commute I'll put it on there. I have all the stock parts in my shed too which is nice.

I'm very pleased and excited. My girlfriend laughs every time she sees me now because I've got this big grin on my face!
Title: Re: Got my bike!
Post by: Alphamazing on May 14, 2006, 11:15:37 AM
Quote from: ajgs500 on May 14, 2006, 11:11:27 AM
Mounting brackets for a windscreen....

windscreen, headlight fairing; to-may-toe, to-mah-toe. Same thing  :icon_rolleyes: :icon_lol:

Looking at the first picture, I still can't tell where the scratch is. Even so, very very pretty! Blue IS the best color after all, even if it is really dark blue.
Title: Re: Got my bike!
Post by: ajgs500 on May 14, 2006, 11:19:59 AM
LOL Alpha the brackets are the same as mine....  what kind of windscreen do you have, Drac???
Title: Re: Got my bike!
Post by: dracflamloc on May 14, 2006, 11:22:59 AM
I'm not exactly sure its pretty darn big, I'd say about 1.5ft tall. I might sell it and see if I can get one a bit more streamlined. I don't think my bike cover will fit over the bike with that thing on.

Btw heres the scratch. Very very minor. 0 mph drop:
(http://www.dracsoft.com/screens/moto3.jpg)
Title: Re: Got my bike!
Post by: ajgs500 on May 14, 2006, 11:28:07 AM
I think I had the same screen as you did Drac.  I have a huge ass cover so it fit over it.  It was the national cycle F-15 and was great for commuting on the highway.  I have elected to get the F-16 as a replacement, though, cause I wrecked and the thing shattered.  Plus I commute mostly in the city now.......  But I love your bike.... I have an '01 also!!! :thumb: :thumb:
Title: Re: Got my bike!
Post by: dracflamloc on May 14, 2006, 11:36:17 AM
Sweet. Now I'll need to find some riders in Savannah to cruise with =)

Edit: Awww man, looks like it's gonna rain in the next hour :mad: I wanted to ride again!
Title: Re: Got my bike!
Post by: Alphamazing on May 14, 2006, 11:53:21 AM
Dang drac, I thought that was just a reflection glare. Some touchup paint would probably make that dissapear, and for $5 or $10, why not?
Title: Re: Got my bike!
Post by: dracflamloc on May 14, 2006, 02:05:07 PM
Yea I was thinking of it. Doesnt bother me much though.

I noticed while I was riding, after I was cruising in 3rd gear for a while, then I downshift to 1st gear to pull into my driveway, the sound the bike makes going in 1st sounds a bit different. I can't place my finger on it, its sort of like a very light tapping noise rhymically repeating. I'll keep an ear out for it again so maybe I can give a better description. It was a pretty quiet sound so it could just be my imagination.

It runs great though. Faster than I expected, which is a good thing. I doubt I'll get bored of this one for a long while.
Title: Re: Got my bike! (And a question for you know-it-alls)
Post by: TarzanBoy on May 14, 2006, 04:11:00 PM
You won't get bored with iit until you spend a lot of time on someone else's bike.   I ride my motorcycle on Atlanta highways where the slow lane is usually at about 70 mph... so I started looking for something with more torque.

Truth be told, I would have probably kept the GS if I could have waved a magic wand and given it the power of an SV-650 (at least)... but it wasn't in the cards.

I upgraded to an R6 and sort-of disliked it for about half a week until I started to get used to it.  (Different geometry, shorter rake, different engine, different sound).  Now that i'm accustomed to it... I don't think I would want to go back.   

I wonder what I will get A year or two from now when I look to get a new bike
Title: Re: Got my bike! (And a question for you know-it-alls)
Post by: Dwn4whadever on May 14, 2006, 04:29:18 PM
That is a pretty bike man. I dont know if you cruised it around the block yet but how do you like the drag bars?  :thumb:
Title: Re: Got my bike! (And a question for you know-it-alls)
Post by: Simba on May 14, 2006, 05:43:13 PM
Nice bike reminds me of mine

Btw where are your signals?
Title: Re: Got my bike! (And a question for you know-it-alls)
Post by: dracflamloc on May 14, 2006, 05:58:21 PM
The drag bars are pretty nice. I rode it around the block a few times today and practiced in a parking lot. But then again I haven't tried the stock bars so I don't have a baseline for comparison. They were comfy though and I liked the riding position.

The previous owner removed the signals. He gave them to me and I was thinking of putting them back on or finding other signals that don't stick out as much and look goofy.
Title: Re: Got my bike! (And a question for you know-it-alls)
Post by: Simba on May 14, 2006, 06:01:23 PM
Quote from: dracflamloc on May 14, 2006, 05:58:21 PM
The previous owner removed the signals. He gave them to me and I was thinking of putting them back on or finding other signals that don't stick out as much and look goofy.

Definatly reccomending putting them back on or finding some other signals. They may not seem like much but they are very important.
Title: Re: Got my bike! (And a question for you know-it-alls)
Post by: dracflamloc on May 14, 2006, 06:08:35 PM
Yea I know they are important especially in a more populated area. The previous owner lived out in the middle of nowhere I think.

But yea thats my project for tommorow after work =)
Title: Re: Got my bike! (And a question for you know-it-alls)
Post by: TonyKZ1 on May 17, 2006, 09:32:08 AM
Nice Looking Bike  :thumb:
I would definitely put the signals back on though. What did you have to pay for it, that is if you don't mind me asking?
Tony
Title: Re: Got my bike! (And a question for you know-it-alls)
Post by: dracflamloc on May 17, 2006, 09:36:11 AM
Around 2100 is what I paid. I did put the signals back on though.
Title: Re: Got my bike! (And a question for you know-it-alls)
Post by: Turd Ferguson on May 17, 2006, 04:26:44 PM
That just looks like the hole in the body work that all 01+ have...or am I crazy?  That little fake vent thing?  Isn't that just light shining through?   :dunno_white:

-Turd.
Title: Re: Got my bike! (And a question for you know-it-alls)
Post by: dracflamloc on May 17, 2006, 06:18:42 PM
Maybe it is the light. There IS some slight paint scratched off on there though. Good news is I swapped the speedometer light with the tachometer light successfully. I dont seem to really hear that sound I reported earlier either so alls good!

I ordered some blue led lights to put in the 'ometers.
Title: Re: Got my bike! (And a question for you know-it-alls)
Post by: l3uddha on May 17, 2006, 06:46:15 PM
hey i got a quick question-
I like those woodcraft rearsets. I read on this site that if you have them installed, you have to lengthen the stock shifter. On your bike it doesent look like the previous owner did that. How does the shifter feel? for comparison- with my stock rearsets I can have the peg at abot the middle of my foot and flick the shifter up or down with my toes without really moving my foot. is your bike much different?
Title: Re: Got my bike! (And a question for you know-it-alls)
Post by: dracflamloc on May 17, 2006, 07:16:36 PM
Its about the same I'd think. But I think these aren't what you think they are (maybe?). The person I bought the bike from said he got them from someone who makes them custom. I can take a closeup tommorow so we can verify it.
Title: Re: Got my bike! (And a question for you know-it-alls)
Post by: corndog67 on May 17, 2006, 09:53:32 PM
Tarzanboy, wait until you ride a big bore like a GSXR 1000, or a 954 or a ZX9.  The 120mph roll on rush is incredible, and very addictive.