Start off, HI THERE! :icon_mrgreen:
My name is Mike and I live in Norcross, Georgia.
I'm a HUGE fan of the GS500E and hope to be riding one again soon.
Little background and a story of how a GS500E saved my life.
An Engineer I worked with in 2000 put the "riding" bug in my ear. To be honest, I was scared to death of motorcycles. I just KNEW that I wouldn't be able to shift, stop, or turn and would end up road paste in a matter or seconds. He and his wife were avid riders and they came up with a scheme. They had 3 KTM 400s and decided to take me riding up in Helen on some dirt trails. I figured that I could at least give it a shot as I try everything I can to understand and learn so we loaded up some bike on a trailer and made our way.
We reached our destination and I was given the "basic" rundown. Where everything was, how it operated, how to find neutral, how to start it, etc. (It was a kickstart.) We were in a big open field with a lot of very non-technical fire trails. To make me not nervous of having people watch, they pointed to the trail they were going to ride up and back and left me to putz around in the field at my own pace. At first, I was really frightened. It sat high and just felt weird. I played with the clutch engagement for about 5 min before I actually let out to ride. I did a few circles and practiced stopping. What do you know. It wasn't too hard and was pretty fun. Next thing I knew, I decided to head up the trail to find them. I gained confidence at an alarming rate and by the time I reached them, I passed them and flew over a 1' drop catching a little air in the process. When we reached the "stop" they could tell I was hooked. It had to be the Joker Smile I was sporting.
Fast forward about 1 month later, I had my permit and I had found a little 93 Suzuki GS500E on a ma n pa shop lot. Another Engineer I worked with that rode a Honda Shadow came with me to take a look at it and give his opinion. He said the bike would be a GREAT starter and it was in good shape. I struck the deal, paid the money and rode home on it. I was elated! It was unlike anything I thought riding could be. It was responsive and fun. Rolling on the throttle didn't scare me but gave this reassuring feeling of "Ok boss! I'll get you there!" Every turn was another smile and I was impressed by the mobility of the bike. It wasn't long before I was joing experienced riders in the mountains on twisties and reduced radius turns. Giggling at every stop. I was beyond hooked, I was in love.
My normal riding "group" consisted of my friend on a Shadow 750, another on a GSXR750, a guy on a R1, another on a Triumph TT and my "little ugly." (I named it that because their bikes were so pretty.) It was amusing because when we hit the twisties, they would always flag me through. They couldn't believe how nimble the bike was. I eventually had to relent and let each of them take turns on it while I fought their big bikes to do my bidding. They were all nice bikes but I always felt I fought them. Never felt that way with the GS. We had a "partnership." Two friends that knew each others thoughts. Two friends that loved to laugh and have a good time.
Eventually, I made a STUPID mistake. I found a REALLY good deal on a Katana 600 and bought it. I sold my GS because I didn't need two bikes. I regretted that decision within a week. Riding was never the same and I lost interest and sold the Katana and have been "bikeless" ever since. Now, I want to change that. Many friends want me to get something bigger but I always turn back to the GS and remember how much fun I had. I'll eventually own TWO bikes but I'll always keep a GS500, I'm sure of it.
Oh yeah. How the GS saved my life. True story.
I was riding to work one morning, heading up Jimmy Carter Blvd. As I was crossing over I-85, some idiot woman in an Excursion came barreling off the offramp and crossed all the lanes to get to this stop light to turn left. Unfortunately, she didn't look or obey the law and came right in front of me. :mad: I saw her coming and only had two options, nail her or slam the brakes and pray that when I dumped, the two cars behind me didn't hit me and I didn't roll underneath the behemoth vehicle. I locked the front AND rear tire up and slid sideways. I literally saw her eyes and the cellphone she was talking on. (Blond, on a motorola with green eyes.) I could have touched her and I'm not exagerating. The vehicle passed and I continued the slide through the path and then let off the brakes. The bike never dumped and it straightened it self out I SWEAR on its own. I got to the light and IMMEDIATELY pulled over as my heart was RACING and I thought I was gonna pass out form the endorphin rush. Both cars pulled over to see if I was ok. One even offered to chase the idiot down for me. All I could do was sit there shaking. I was sure I was a goner but that little bike saved my life. I could have never done that on another bike and yet like an idiot, I got rid of it. Hopefully I learned from my mistake because here I am.
Hmmm. Sorry was so longwinded. Anyhoo. I'm looking for a GS500 to call my own. I'll get something soon. If not a GS500, probably a SV650 but I think we all know what I'd prefer.
Peace!
Mike
Heyas and welcome to the forums . What you call "long-winded" , i call a good read :thumb:
In addition to what you laready know of the GS , there's these forums for when you have questions , rants , if you're bored , etc etc ...
The main reason i own my computer is gaming ... all of EA's Battlefield series , a couple of other FPS's . If i was on my computer , i was either playing BF or on the forums of the group i played with . That was a while ago . NOW , if i'm on my computer chances are i'm here :thumb:
-Eric
Hi Mike welcome to the nuthouse :icon_mrgreen:
Jimmy Carter and 85 thats one very dangerous intersection and it's always busy, except at 3 or 4 in the morning.
GL on your search for a GS.
I had a 98 GSXR750 I bought new late in 97.I sold it a month later and went back to riding my friends Harley's and LTD's.Finally,after 11 years I bought another bike,a 1989 GS500.I wouldn't trade it for another bike,even if I didn't have to make payments.I bought my GS 2 months ago and I am currently building a custom 90GS.
Thanks for the welcomes all.
I see at least one local here. (blue05twin)
Yeah, I own a condo close to that intersection.
I've lived there 6+ years. I avoid Jimmy Carter like the PLAGUE. (AWFUL street)
Usually if I'm on my computer, I'm poking around a forum, searching for a bike(hint hint), typing to my LJ or playing City of Heroes. (I'm a busybody)
Hey blue, if you get bored in early July, I'll be in a Mazda show/meet at D&B off 85. =)
Cheers!
P.S. While I'm here, might as well get the stupid question out of the way. :icon_mrgreen:
Can you still buy the "chin spoilers" for this bike? *ducks incoming rotten vegetables* :dunno_white:
Quote from: genEricStL on June 24, 2007, 05:56:13 PM
Heyas and welcome to the forums . What you call "long-winded" , i call a good read :thumb:
+1! And welcome!! :cheers: :thumb:
Now....where are my rotten tomatoes..... :icon_twisted: :laugh:
anoder newb! ya'll hold 'em down, I'll get the lawn darts...
Quote from: makenzie71 on June 24, 2007, 09:46:42 PM
anoder newb! ya'll hold 'em down, I'll get the lawn darts...
Man , i'd love to still have a set of those things . It seems you aren't supposed to throw them at each other ... who knew :dunno_white: I impaled my buddy's thigh with one of them after he hit me in the back with one about 14-15yrs ago .. his mom pitched them , even though we told her they were accidents :icon_twisted:
Tsk, tsk...such violence... :nono:
Wonder if I still have those handcuffs..... :icon_mrgreen:
Eh , she deserved the irritation if nothing else . When she'd get mad she'd throw lightbulbs at him , and once at me for riding my GT (bicycle) down the stairs from their 2nd level . We didn't know she was home :thumb:
Umm , yeah , anyway , welcome to the forums , everyone here has your best interests at heart . Like when they tell SpcTerry to clip that pesky brake line hanging off his right handlebar ... touching , heartfelt kindness :kiss3:
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Yeah everything was going great without that stupid line too........until I hit that wall :o :laugh: :laugh:
watch out for pandy she likes to molest newbs :o :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
and btw OP i still miss my original gs, i had to sell it, to help with my mothers med bills, ive had otehr bikes since then, but the gs hols a special place in my heart :oops: :cry: :laugh:
Quote from: yamahonkawazuki on June 24, 2007, 11:34:07 PM
watch out for pandy she likes to molest newbs :o :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Or make them pandy their bike
I miss my GS too Yama......... Hell I miss riding :cry: :cry:
Well make sure you let your thumb heal up before you get back on :thumb:
Step 1: report to surgery tuesday for removal of last pin ( I'll be semi back to normal then....no pins or braces or casts I just have to baby it)
Step 2: Pick up this fuckin bike I want
Step 3: Strip bike down completely
Step 4: Repaint frame and swingarm black
Step 5: re-assemble
Step 6: clean carbs
Doc said 1 month from surgery i can more than likely ride so I'm gonna take my time with the bike....get it looking mean as hell :icon_twisted:
i couldn't do that. i do more damage to my body working on my bike/car than i do abusing my bike/car.
For the most part I can do everything one handed.....Just have to be real careful yanking the engine out....probably get 2 buddy's to do it for me just to be safe :thumb: :thumb:
Quote from: spcterry on June 25, 2007, 12:25:04 AM
For the most part I can do everything one handed.
Good to hear that you can still be self reliant :thumb:
Yeah
I can't stand it when people have something minor happen and expect to be waited on hand and foot.....once I'm out of the hospital I go about life as normal as possible :thumb: :thumb:
Lawndarts, handcuffs and molestation.............yeah, I think I'll be just fine here. LOL! :cookoo:
Quote from: Mayoke on June 25, 2007, 03:19:45 AM
Lawndarts, handcuffs and molestation.............yeah, I think I'll be just fine here. LOL! :cookoo:
Obviously we took right to ya'! :kiss3: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Quote from: pandy on June 25, 2007, 08:18:28 AM
Quote from: Mayoke on June 25, 2007, 03:19:45 AM
Lawndarts, handcuffs and molestation.............yeah, I think I'll be just fine here. LOL! :cookoo:
Obviously we took right to ya'! :kiss3: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Yep. Everyone will learn pretty quick that I'm VERY hard to offend and generally just a nice laidback person. (I spent time in the military, was a bouncer for 9years, studied martial arts on and off for 13 years, was a competition shooter, etc.) Despite my past and everything, I'm a pretty big goofball. Gotta be a bit crazy to live in this world. :cookoo:
Welcome!
Quote from: Mayoke on June 25, 2007, 08:29:10 AM
Gotta be a bit crazy to live in this world. :cookoo:
Are you calling me crazy!! ME!!!?? MOI!!?? :bs: Anyone here can tell ya' that I'm completely normal...Heck, I'll vouch for THEM, too! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Well...except for Mak..he really *is* crazy...and mach...oh, and special terry...he's definitely crazy...
Ok.....you're right...they're all crazy....but I'm still normal! :icon_lol:
:icon_mrgreen:
Hey...*twitch*....stop trying to distract us *tic*tic*twitch*...where's the pic of your bike!?
(http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/images/threads/000/121/937/1833649-worthless.gif)
Yeah, I know you're still looking, but I just wanted to see if you were payin' attention. ;)
HEY!!!!!!!!!!!! i should be at the top of the list. I am the craziest :icon_twisted: :cookoo:
Hey Mayo: You sound like an older more sane version of me. What branch/MOS?????
Quote from: pandy on June 25, 2007, 01:00:49 PM
Quote from: Mayoke on June 25, 2007, 08:29:10 AM
Gotta be a bit crazy to live in this world. :cookoo:
Are you calling me crazy!! ME!!!?? MOI!!?? :bs: Anyone here can tell ya' that I'm completely normal...Heck, I'll vouch for THEM, too! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Well...except for Mak..he really *is* crazy...and mach...oh, and special terry...he's definitely crazy...
Ok.....you're right...they're all crazy....but I'm still normal! :icon_lol:
:icon_mrgreen:
Hey...*twitch*....stop trying to distract us *tic*tic*twitch*...where's the pic of your bike!?
(http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/images/threads/000/121/937/1833649-worthless.gif)
Yeah, I know you're still looking, but I just wanted to see if you were payin' attention. ;)
*squints REALLY hard at last line*
Oh, I see how THIS is gonna be. LOL!
Yeah, yeah. No bike yet. I'm workin on it. I'm WORKIN on it! Sheesh! ;)
In the meantime, here's a pic of mah doggeh!
(http://images6.fotki.com/v102/photos/8/86903/1252838/mayokebed-vi.jpg)
Oh yeah, this is MY ugly mug.
(http://images14.fotki.com/v336/photos/8/86903/1150352/menew-vi.jpg)
I have a "Myspace" as well. http://www.myspace.com/Mika_il
Hey spcterry.
I served 6.5 years in the Navy before I was medically retired under Honorable conditions.
I'm a combat vet that saw two tours in Desert Storm/Desert Shield.
I was a Fire Controllman and they operate/repair the weapons systems on ship.
However, I had abnormally HIGH ASVAB and ASFQT scores so I did a lot of...ummmm...."extra" training and saw time as a Combat Medic as well as other duties.
As for a "sane" version, well, I guess that's debateable and in the eyes of the beer holder. ;)
At any rate, CHEERS to a fellow serviceman! :cheers:
Quote from: Mayoke on June 25, 2007, 02:04:19 PM
*squints REALLY hard at last line*
Oh, I see how THIS is gonna be. LOL!
Whaaaaat? :icon_mrgreen: :laugh:
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Quote from: Mayoke on June 25, 2007, 02:04:19 PM
In the meantime, here's a pic of mah doggeh!
(http://images6.fotki.com/v102/photos/8/86903/1252838/mayokebed-vi.jpg)
Your mug is cute, too, Mike, but Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww....those EYES!!! What a darling dawgie!!!!!!!!!!!! :kiss3:
I'm a grunt ( Army infantry and intelligence :o ) I aced the ASVAB and almost aced the DLAB,......I know what ya mean about 'extra' training..... :icon_rolleyes: I get to re-enlist when my thumb/wrist is healed :thumb: :thumb:
Ummm....I can guaruntee you are more sane than I. I bould homemade grenades and use them. I think the ER is gonna give me a frequent flyer card or something :icon_rolleyes: In combat I spent 6k rounds returning fire from a lone sniper. And I was accurate.....we found chunks of flesh and a destroyed rifle :icon_twisted:
Hope ya find a bike soon :thumb: :cheers: :cheers:
Quote from: spcterry on June 25, 2007, 02:14:32 PM
I'm a grunt ( Army infantry and intelligence :o ) I aced the ASVAB and almost aced the DLAB,......I know what ya mean about 'extra' training..... :icon_rolleyes: I get to re-enlist when my thumb/wrist is healed :thumb: :thumb:
Ummm....I can guaruntee you are more sane than I. I bould homemade grenades and use them. I think the ER is gonna give me a frequent flyer card or something :icon_rolleyes: In combat I spent 6k rounds returning fire from a lone sniper. And I was accurate.....we found chunks of flesh and a destroyed rifle :icon_twisted:
Hope ya find a bike soon :thumb: :cheers: :cheers:
Awesome man. I did some "counter-sniper" duty myself. Had my own rifle from Quantico.
I know how to use shape charges and have cleared small fields before.....in South Carolina. *whistles innocently* :thumb:
Everyone who serves RAWKS!! Thank you both for serving!!! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :bowdown: :kiss3:
Now....please don't make terry prove how crazy he is anymore.....he will...he really will...he won't stop 'til you believe him..... Just say you believe him....please....?! :cookoo: ???
:laugh: :icon_mrgreen:
Quote from: Mayoke on June 25, 2007, 02:18:41 PM
I know how to use shape charges and have cleared small fields before.....in South Carolina. *whistles innocently* :thumb:
Is this, like, a male-bonding moment? Awwwwwww.... :laugh:
Quote from: pandy on June 25, 2007, 02:18:46 PM
Everyone who serves RAWKS!! Thank you both for serving!!! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :bowdown: :kiss3:
Now....please don't make terry prove how crazy he is anymore.....he will...he really will...he won't stop 'til you believe him..... Just say you believe him....please....?! :cookoo: ???
:laugh: :icon_mrgreen:
Hell with saying I believe him....I wanna have a beer with that man!
Sounds like my kinda dude! :cheers:
Thanks for the add pandy on myspace.
Welcome to my madness.
As for the dog? Mayoke is his name. ;)
It means "Guardian against evil spirits."
Did I mention I was part angel? The tattoo on my back is my name in Angelic Script.
I got a good pm about a possible bike from a member here already.
Who knows, I could be riding soon. WOOT WOOT! :icon_twisted:
:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
God don't make me prove my insanity :cookoo: I've already got this wild idea to try some ghostrider type shaZam! :icon_rolleyes: I really shouldn't have watched all those videos on youtube. :icon_rolleyes: :icon_rolleyes:
This one time, before IG inspection. I was picking up some extra cash from RMO's helping the supply sgt. clean up and it turned out we had something like 2k extra M2 rounds :icon_twisted: :icon_twisted: Lets just say it's not a good deer-hunting round :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Awesome!!! glad someones getting a bike around here :cry: I'm gonna try to get that gix I was looking at.......just gotta suck it up and rent a truck to make the trip :icon_confused: :icon_confused:
I know all about the "renting a truck" thing.
I used to own a great little Nissan p/u that hauled 2 bikes for me.
It went away though like 2 years ago. *sigh* (It gave me 7.5 GOOD years though.)
Yeah........friggin $70 for 1 day :icon_confused: Plus gas to go 700 miles roundtrip :icon_confused: At least the bikes only 800 :thumb:
I sold my old dodge ram with 200k miles and used the money to pay for my GS, gear and insurance :thumb: :laugh: :laugh: