On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best) and at least one reason why other then price?
7/10
Gets pretty good gas mileage, cheap to insure
Things I don't like;
After ~8500kms my main beefs are; The seat is brutally uncomfortable, its kinda slow, needs to be choked ALL the time, gauge cluster is old looking, suspension is mushy (I've since changed the front springs though, which helped alot).
1-10 ... OK lets see ... subtract 2, carry the 1, make it square root ... 912. Yes 912.
Cool.
Buddha.
I give mine a score of 1.
Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. My bike is a piece of shaZam!.
Quote from: ver4 on October 18, 2010, 01:49:16 PM
I give mine a score of 1.
Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. My bike is a piece of shaZam!.
That's the kind of bike the buddha buy ...
Cool.
Buddha.
I would give it an 8. The seat is uncomfortable on long rides, takes a while to warm up, and does not accelerate fast enough. But it is cheap to insure, very good gas mileage, easy maintenance, good starter bike. I like my GS, and glad i picked it as my first bike.
Quote from: The Buddha on October 18, 2010, 12:18:50 PM
1-10 ... OK lets see ... subtract 2, carry the 1, make it square root ... 912. Yes 912.
Cool.
Buddha.
LMAO well if you were going that route 936?
I suppose it depends on what you buy it for. If you buy it for a cheap sport bike it's probably a 4 or 5/10. If you buy it for cheap fun transportation I think it's a 10/10.
Economy and reliability are this bike's strengths. Suspension isn't good enough without mods if you push it, and engine power is modest by today's standards. The seat improves greatly with the addition of memory foam. The seat and forks are the two biggest and best improvements you can make to this bike. I love it because to me motorcycling is all about having a fun to ride, cheap to own commuter bike. I didn't drive my car from late March through last Wednesday. Keep the rocket bikes. Keep the rolling juke boxes. Gimme an air-cooled 500 so I can have fun and save $ at the same time.
Memory foam ... dammit somethign will now remember my ass ... come on when is that a good idea ...
Cool.
Buddha.
^^ lol buddha
I give my bike a 8/10 uncomfortable seat and not being able to adjust the forward controls as much as I would like is annoying. Love the gas millage, the light weight, that it will haul my but around with out straining too much and I get to have some fun too ^_^
Compared to my last bike it's a 10/10. My GS's frame is straight, it starts everyday, the forks are straight, it idles properly, doesn't chug in the mid range etc etc.
It also gets the best gas mileage out of any vehicle I've ever owned and I do agree that the seat is a little uncomfortable, but for someone who has never ridden a bike that has more power than the GS I'd give it an 8/10.
I luv Flick! 8/10
Gas mileage, manuverability, fun, light, insurance, only one at bike night, and last but not least the Gstwins forum!
I'm a little pissed though that not even two months after my extended warranty expires oil starts leaking like crazy and my starter goes~
Mary
9 I loved my GS and the folks here :cheers:
Quote from: Toogoofy317 on October 23, 2010, 01:12:28 AM
I luv Flick! 8/10
Gas mileage, manuverability, fun, light, insurance, only one at bike night, and last but not least the Gstwins forum!
I'm a little pissed though that not even two months after my extended warranty expires oil starts leaking like crazy and my starter goes~
Mary
Yea ... why do you think they only warranty it for 1 year ... or 4 ...
I actually got good use of the warranty on my truck, it was rife with little problems galore. However 300 miles out of warranty the alternator died.
Anyway, buy warranty less crap for cheap, assume everythign is busted and check and fix it, that's the buddha philosophy.
Cool.
Buddha.
hmm.... since you only asked for good things....
1. Got Heather to ride on it instead of just the back of mine, so I didn't have to have her head smack into the back of mine every time I touched the brake.
2. Pulled it out of a shed after we let it sit for 4 years, and aside from a new battery, some carb cleaning, and a rusty tank(my fault), it started up and ran pretty ok.
3. Handling is super light, which is fun to play on after you've been on other bikes that like to try and ride in a straight line all the time.
3. Easy to modify, definitely looks a lot better with the tail swap and newer tank.
Love is a pretty strong word, so I'll give it a 6 or 7, but don't know that I'll really miss it when it moves on.
hmm.... since you only asked for good things....Pessimist!
1. Got Heather to ride on it instead of just the back of mine, so I didn't have to have her head smack into the back of mine every time I touched the brake. I got my GF on the back of mine once for 5 miles so you're doing better then me!
2. Pulled it out of a shed after we let it sit for 4 years, and aside from a new battery, some carb cleaning, and a rusty tank(my fault), it started up and ran pretty ok. I keep hearing..actually reading about rust in the tank? I bought mine in 1990 and has sat for years on occasions. Not one spec of rust ever?
3. Handling is super light, which is fun to play on after you've been on other bikes that like to try and ride in a straight line all the time. The "E"model I would agree..the "F" rides pretty stable. I will ride it in any weather or wind! I'd rather push my GS (which I have..my fault not the bikes) then ride any other.
4. Easy to modify, definitely looks a lot better with the tail swap and newer tank. To each his own..I bought it originally because I like the looks!
Love is a pretty strong word, so I'll give it a 6 or 7, but don't know that I'll really miss it when it moves on. Well TT_four that's a shame you feel that way. I think there are a lot of riders out there that owe there life to the GS for giving them a fighting chance to learn how to ride before they got on bigger bikes. I can't imagine a day where I would ever consider selling my 1990 GSE and now with my "F" and the minor modifications that Superman55 did to it before I got it..it's the perfect bike!
Sooo..I started this post it is time for me to put my 2 cents in. I love my 90' GSE cause it's a classic and has been Ol' Yeller for me and I have been lucky enough to be able to store it when not riding it and for the most part it looks like the day I bought it. So I give it a 10+. As far as the 2004 "F" model how do I count the ways I love that bike.The day I bought it I rode it from the Middle of Long Island across the Southern Parkway over the Verrzano bridge...down 440/Staten Island...down the NJ Turnpike in a roaring down pour and felt totally safe riding it! If you have driven those roads in a car you will have a greater appreciation of it. GSF gets a 10+++++ and then some.
And before someone makes a comment about other bikes..I have ridden them all and I will take the simplicity and reliability of the GS over any Motorcycle[/size][/size] anyday! Just my humble opinion.
[/quote]
9.5 .. as a first road bike... only issue is seat .. sometimes... when i slump..
maybe as i get more extended time on rides i'll find other issues...
and... the longest i have had to use the choke.. ever... was about 30 secs.. at half-setting... it just starts so easy every damn time! O0
Quote from: JB848 on October 26, 2010, 12:05:49 AM
Love is a pretty strong word, so I'll give it a 6 or 7, but don't know that I'll really miss it when it moves on. Well TT_four that's a shame you feel that way. I think there are a lot of riders out there that owe there life to the GS for giving them a fighting chance to learn how to ride before they got on bigger bikes. I can't imagine a day where I would ever consider selling my 1990 GSE and now with my "F" and the minor modifications that Superman55 did to it before I got it..it's the perfect bike!
[/quote]
I only started with that because other people listed a couple negative things, otherwise I wouldn't have thought about it, trying to keep it positive.
The rust was our fault. I don't think we actually meant to put it into 4 year storage, but Heather parked it in her parents shed one day, and just never pulled it back out, then I sold my other bike and she didn't really have the desire to ride it by herself. Since we weren't planning on storing it, we didn't get around to filling up the gas tank first and it was just about empty so the rust didn't have to try very hard.
I don't mean the GS isn't stable, I don't ever have any headshake or anything like that. I just know from riding 600cc+ bikes with wider tires and different geometry, they require a bit more force to turn. When I get back on the GS you can just start tossing it around turns a lot easier.
I started on a 20 year old dual sport, then put 14k on a ninja 250, and then had a 600 by the time we picked up the GS. I'm sure I would've loved it more if it was my first bike because I definitely still have a soft spot for that 250. The GS just didn't really have 'first bike' or safety training functions for me. Unfortunately it sits quite a bit now and only gets taken out maybe once a month. I think Heather wants to sell it in spring to put some money down towards a camper/RV so we can do some vacations with the dogs, so there's other good things to be had. I do still like the way the original GSs look, and sometimes wish mine still looked original, but the tail swap and new tank definitely livens up the styling a bit.
Anything rusting especially if it wasn't parked by the ocean for years and years, is the manufacturers fault. They save 20c a bike by putting shitty steel in the thing. Put in a wee bit more nickel in the steep and it will never rust except in the harshest conditions. OK welds, that part has been screwed up by the piss poor paint they did. That needs to be improved and it wont rust @ welds either.
Cool.
Buddha.
Humm, I know my bike is a little different because it is a California smog equipped model and the tank is a little smaller. I wonder if that makes a difference?
I think the GS is a 7.5 of 10.
Changed over to a 1st-gen SV650 throttle tube and 18tooth front sprocket, added a DB Sport-Touring windscreen, SW-Motech rack and Givi top case. As good as my VFR800 if power is less of an issue for you, and you ride at a normal street pace.
Mushy Suspension - GOOD if you like a smooth ride. BAD if you want to ride faster than you should on the street.
44hp - GOOD if you like getting 70+ mpg. BAD if you like passing other vehicles at will.
Handlebars - GOOD if you can't put any weight on your shoulders/arms/wrists on a longer ride. BAD if you are used to clip-ons.
Fairing - GOOD if you ride outside of the city in varying weather. BAD in the city as it amplifies the top-end noise of the motor which just bugs me.
If you can accept the 1970's engineering and live with it's slightly agricultural feel, the GS doesn't really have any faults that should prevent anyone from buying one. If you need/want more than the GS has to offer, there are plenty of other bikes to choose from. Having owned and ridden a lot of different bikes since 1989 I can say that for me I could live with a GS500 as my only bike if I had to. I choose not to because I can, yet I wouldn't feel I was missing out on some great experience if the GS was the only bike I ever owned from this day forward, either.
I would give mine an 8 out of 10...excellent first bike. Why did I buy it as a first bike...I liked the looks of the bike...simple as that...2003 GS500E...they had a 2008 GS500E in the show room, but it sold before I could talk the boss into letting me get a bike...
The lower power was very helpful in not scaring the crap out of me...after taking the BRC on the dual sport 200cc bikes the GS500 felt like a muscle bike for the first few rides...wow, what a powerhouse...but shortly after, I was looking for more...like mentioned above, the power is good for just riding along but not so good if you want effortless passing ability...but if you drop it a couple of gears and rev the nuts off it, you have adequate power...you just have to go get it...fuel mileage, how do you beat less than 5L/100kms...my last fill was 14.8L and I had travelled 318kms...quick math...4.65L/100kms (60.6mpg imperial)...what else is this much fun to ride that gets that kind of consumption??
I have had to perform a couple of repairs...gasket leaked and broke the clutch cable...but both were easy and cheap to do...$10 for the gasket and $24 for the clutch cable, and I think it was two hours to do both repairs...and that included time to read the Clymer manual, since I had never done either before...shifter cable broke in my truck and it set me back $650 by the time it was all said and done...as for the choke issue, well it's carburated and old school...get over it...used to be that all bikes were like this, we are now spoiled with FI...
Do I love my GS...well, I think I do...I am trying to find a way to keep it and get a second bike...my daughter would love to have it (12 tomorrow... :embarrassed: ...she'll eventually be 16...ish...)
The seat...well, if you would have asked me that about three months ago I would have agreed that the seat is crap and kills my butt...but now I just stop every hour or so and take a break...I don't find it a problem anymore...I've done 5hrs in the saddle and could have gone longer, but had to get home. I'm 5'11, 40 and ...ummm...Husky...so it's not like I'm a 18yo kid that is flexible and 180lbs...I'm a grumpy old fart that doesn't exercise... :dunno_black:
Later.
Just admit it, it is a great little bike. It does what it was designed to do at the price it was supposed to be. There are very few things that can say that..maybe like the Volkswagen Beetle. I think the GS500 will be that for motorcycles that the beetle was for cars.
Keep those knees in the breeze!
I just rode a Kawasaki ER6 their replacement to the ER5 for my open licence and I have to say chalk and cheese in comparison to the GS. It vibed and rattle like a tram. Only 12000klms on it by the way but you couldnt see who was following behind you cause the mirrors shook so much. Mind you it had a lot more poke than the GS but it still didn't do anything for me. I was glad at the end to get back on my GS. It is a great bike and I am seeing it more now that I have ridden a few of the competition. My friends Honda CB400 while a great bike isn't worth the extra $6000 that I payed for my GS. My brakes are just as good if not better. The Honda had a clunky little gearbox that you had to kick hard from 1st to 2nd so as not to grab neutral and the suspension was real stiff. Makes me appreciate my old girl which has 43000klms on it and rides better than these newer bikes.
I'm not keen to rate the GS as it is my first road bike and comparing it to dirt bikes, well thats just silly.
Being on my P's I was restricted for choice but got it down to the Honda CB400 and the GS and (like twisted) I just can't see the extra money in the Honda.
I thoroughly enjoy riding the bike and am finding it a great bike to learn on. Will I keep the bike for a long time? Probably, it's a great comuter. But I would like to also put a Triumph Street Triple in the shed as well for those days when I want that little bit more.
More importantly would I recommend the GS to others? Hell yes.
Quote from: Twisted on November 07, 2010, 07:40:13 AM
I just rode a Kawasaki ER6 ... I was glad at the end to get back on my GS. It is a great bike and I am seeing it more now that I have ridden a few of the competition. Makes me appreciate my old girl which has 43000klms on it and rides better than these newer bikes.
There ya go. Once you experience the GS you come to appreciate it after riding other bikes. yet most people wouldn't give the GS a second look - even if the GS pulls away from them or passes them or whatever. To cruiser riders you're an OMG Sport Bike. To the litre guys you're nothing - but they are surprised by it when they encounter it, but still wouldn't get one. And to the guy on the Busa... well, he thinks everything else is navel lint (and he'd be right) but also feels he has something to prove everywhere he goes.
The GS is the preverbial underestimated bike. No-one thinks anything of it. So it remains a well kept secret.. only for those who know ;)
There's a few bikes I wouldn't mind taking for a spin just to see how they are - SV650, VStrom, GSR600, ER5, CB900, CB400, CB1000F, GSX650, Bandit 1250, ZR7. With the exception of the CB1000F which I do like the look of in person, the rest are all nakeds. And I'd like to take them for a spin for different reasons.
Michael
Quote from: mister on November 08, 2010, 02:51:37 AM
Quote from: Twisted on November 07, 2010, 07:40:13 AM
I just rode a Kawasaki ER6 ... I was glad at the end to get back on my GS. It is a great bike and I am seeing it more now that I have ridden a few of the competition. Makes me appreciate my old girl which has 43000klms on it and rides better than these newer bikes.
There ya go. Once you experience the GS you come to appreciate it after riding other bikes. yet most people wouldn't give the GS a second look - even if the GS pulls away from them or passes them or whatever. To cruiser riders you're an OMG Sport Bike. To the litre guys you're nothing - but they are surprised by it when they encounter it, but still wouldn't get one. And to the guy on the Busa... well, he thinks everything else is navel lint (and he'd be right) but also feels he has something to prove everywhere he goes.
The GS is the preverbial underestimated bike. No-one thinks anything of it. So it remains a well kept secret.. only for those who know ;)
There's a few bikes I wouldn't mind taking for a spin just to see how they are - SV650, VStrom, GSR600, ER5, CB900, CB400, CB1000F, GSX650, Bandit 1250, ZR7. With the exception of the CB1000F which I do like the look of in person, the rest are all nakeds. And I'd like to take them for a spin for different reasons.
Michael
The instructor drooled over my GS. He was talking them up to me all day saying " Gosh I wish they didn't make the GS500 LAMS approved. Now I cant use them for instructing on" Told me a story of how he embarassed one of his mates on an R1 through the twisties on an old riding instructor model. He even took photos of mine before I left. " Man, I got to show this to my mates. This is one of the toughest and nicest GS's I have seen." Told him to come here if he wanted to see more like it.
How nice was yesterday? (Sunday) Purrfect riding weather.