Hi All,
haven't posted in a while, but I have had my 89 500e for about 3 years now. This season I have been wondering about the weight of my wife and I on the GS. Collectively, we weigh 440 lbs, which is quite a lot I know. Last year, we rode with it quite a bit 2 up, and it seemed to be fine. But then over the winter I started seeing "weight limits" on other bikes I was looking at and started wondering if we were exceeding the limit on the GS. So I guess I'm wondering, how bad is it to ride with that much weight, and if I replace the shocks with progressive up front and a kat600 rear, will we be ok? Like I said, I have never really had a problem with 2 up before, it has enough power, but I just want to make sure we're being safe.
Kat shock yea, but I'd just go to a kat suspension up front too.
Several people here have done it, I am doing one for someone in a few days, so a pictoria will be up soon ... and all my secrets will be out ... oh no ...
Cool.
Buddha.
GS500 gross vehicle weight rating is about 840# and the wet weight is around 420# so you have over 400# rated load capacity for the GS which is greater than many large cruisers. The stock GS will carry you and your wife safely unless the frame is rusted thru or something like that.
Put the extra 5 psi in the rear tire recommended by Suzuki for 2 up riding and crank up the rear suspension preload as suggested and you should be good to go. I'm 240-250# alone and like to go a size over in tires to get greater load capacity for greater tire life, not a safety issue though.
Thanks for that info, I hadn't found it anywhere yet. What determines the load capacity? Like you said, I have seen some larger bikes that don't have that kind of capacity. I assumed it had to do with suspension, but maybe it has to do with frame strength?
Oh the frame is strong enough ... suspension is the bigger concern. If you want more load capacity you have to go in the touring direction - like more katana and concours than GSXR and CBR. The aluminum frames are stiff, but not strong.
Cool.
Buddha.
GVWR must be marked on a vehicle somewhere, could have been removed from your 89 by a previous owner. I have a 97 Owner's Manual that says:
GVWR: 845 lbs (384 kg) at the tire pressure (cold)
Front: 33 psi (2.25 kg/cm2)
Rear: 41 psi (2.8 kg/cm2)
Tires are an important part of vehicle load ratings.
I'll check my 02 when I go to the garage.
The GVWR for my 02 GS500 is 840# and this info is on the nameplate on the front left side of the frame near the steering head. The tire size and load ratings are there also since the GVWR is determined by the load carrying capacity of the tires.
Got a bigger load, get bigger tires. :thumb: A 69H (716#) load rated 140/80-17 tire can safely carry 132# more than a 62H (584#) load rated 130/70-17 oem size tire.
I think I've only bottomed the rear suspension a couple times in 140k GS miles by hitting a raised railroad track much too fast except for a brief period of time when the fluid leaked out of my 02 GS shock and it bottomed too easily until the shock was replaced. If you crank up your preload and find yourself bottoming out with your max load you might be in need of a new rear shock.
yup jack here is the gs god. and tire god as well
i have a stock 90' GS...
im 240 and my girl is 140...
we ride 2 up almost every day.....
i run normal PSI and preload at 7.....
though it does bottom easy but it's seems fine outside of that
it should do 440, it carries buddha around jk man, jk :oops: :cheers: :cheers: :bowdown: