GStwin.com GS500 Message Forum

I did a search to see if this topic had been posted and couldn't find it, so I'll start what will hopefully be the next five page thread.

WHY DID YOU START RIDING / WHAT GOT YOU INTO MOTORCYCLES / MOTORCYCLING?

I'll start.  (Clears throat, takes deep breath)

I found myself in Ft. Huachuca, AZ in school for the army.  I was planning on getting a cheap vehicle soon so I could run around after classes, go out on the weekends, whatever.  One day I saw a bike parked in the lot in front of the building I lived in.  Just had a passing thought, something along the lines of, "hmm, that's kinda cool looking..."  The next thing I know I'm buying cycle traders, going to dealers, searching on the internet, etc.  Found out from my roommate about MSF.  Checked it out, reserved a spot, took it.  Had tons of fun.  Got my license two days later.  Got my bike the next weekend.  The same bike I have now.  my '95 metallic purple GS.  Had 7760 miles at the time, bought it April 7, 2002.  Cost me almost $3000 with helmet, gloves, and AGV textile jacket.  I did not know that this site existed.  All I knew was that a new one cost $5K.  I was very happy with my choice, though.  And still am.  I am going to be buying a 600 class when i get home from Iraq, but the GS will still be mine.  It will still be ridden on the track, and on some nice, twisty Sunday rides.

(exhale)

Your turn!

Highschool freinds wanted to tour the U.S. after we all graduated, but I was the only one who purchased a bike for that reason.

Good Post!

Well, lets see now.... I started riding because my dad thought it would be cool. He wasnt allowed a bike (my mom said), so he started to get me more and more intrested in a street bike. I really had never considered getting a motorcycle before. I was too enthralled with cars. I had done dirt biking and stuff before, and am an avid cyclist (downhill, road, x-country), so this was the logical next step. I decided to take my riding course, and got my license after a couple weeks of training. I didnt have any $$$, so I couldnt buy a bike. Than, I graduated high school, broke up with my girl friend of many years, and next thing I know, I am at a motorcycle dealership with my dad near our cabin and he hands me the keys to my '02 GS. That was that. I have been hooked for a year and a half now. Its time, as I have stated many times, for a larger bike, so I think I am getting a ZX9R. I love motorcycles!!!  :cheers:

Let's see... I missed for three days in a row the last bus going to my home. I had to walk 45 mins each time, in the dark. The last time I said: that's it, I am buying a scooter. Then I thought: why a scooter when I can buy a real bike? So the next week-end I checked the classified and bought my 93 GS.
That was two years ago. I was back riding after 11 years. I had sold my last bike in 1990, just before leaving for college.

Since I was little I always liked fast things on wheels. Got into working on cars at a young age. College roomate had a couple of dirt bikes and lived in rural Vermont - put me on a bike, showed me how to shift and stop and told me if I couldn't keep up he was leaving me in the woods. We ran the wooded trails and then tore up an old abandoned mining quarry. I learned the hard way that going too slow up a steep hill hurts and that leaning back when you come off the crest of a jump is a bad thing to do. We did that every couple of weekends. After college I moved back to L.I., saved some money and went to buy a brand new leftover EX500 at a local dealership. It was sweet - dark metallic blue with the half fairing - 0 miles, and the price was killer.  When I called to insure the bike to close the deal and found out that my annual insurance bill was going to cost more than the bike I walked out of the dealership. 3 months later I took the bike money and moved to Virginia with my old college roomie. 3 months after that he bought a '91 Bandit 400. 2 weeks later I picked up my GS. Been riding it for almost 8 years.

My Dad has ridden motorcycles since he was a teenager.  We usually had more than one, and sometimes SEVERAL, bikes around when I was growing up.

When I was about 12 my Dad forced/tricked me into learning to ride one of my older brothers' Kawasaki 100 on/off road bikes.  Yeah, it was actually somewhat against my will.  (I've always been more of the "bookish" type.)  I put maybe a few dozen miles on before we moved, and those Kawi 100s eventually disappeared.

Fast forward 26 years to 2000.  At this point, I've been living in Utah since I came out to go to school at BYU in 1980.  My Dad's been living in Arkansas since he retired from the Air Force around 1983.  We're separated by 1300 miles and completely different personalities.  When I call home I usually talk to Mom.  It's not that I'm antagonistic about my Dad - I just don't have much in common with him.  I even feel kinda bad about it, see?

OK, now a coworker tells me his neighbor just took some course called "MSF" and got a motorcycle, and wants HIM to do the same so they can ride together.  BING!  A light goes off in my head - this could be a way to establish some common ground with my Dad!

According to plan, I take the MSF course, get my UT license, fly to Arkansas for a 1-week visit, and put 600 miles on one of my Dad's 6 or 7 bikes as we ride around together.  I fly back home - plan complete.

But my Dad has other ideas.  Soon he's calling me (which is good, right?) and asking what kind of bike I'm looking for.  Huh?  Own a bike?  Never occurred to me!

Before you know it, he finds a 1999 GS500E back in AR with 1700 miles on it for a killer price ($2750 in early 2000) and hauls it out to UT for me!

And that's all it took.  I turned from homebody into Explorer Extraordinaire and 26,000+ miles (and one 45 mph collision with a cow) later I still haven't looked back.

My dad was the culprit for me too.  He gave me my 1st helmet at age 7.  Taught me to ride when I could flatfoot the Suzuki 185 trail bike.  Got to ride some and was hooked.  My mother on the other hand forbid me to ride... well not totally, but I grew up in "suberbia" so there was no where for me to ride.
I moved to VA and became independent.  Thought about getting a bike a lot but never did it.  Moved back to MA and decided it was time.  Started with fixing the old 185 then when I couldn't register it I did some research and bought my GS.

And now here I am...totally addicted!
:mrgreen:

Great stories.

Hey Kerry I think it's awesome that this was a way for you to connect with your dad.  I remember you mentioning your father/son road trip too.  Very cool.

Both of my brothers ride and one of them even races.  Then my husband Ken finally got a bike.  He had always wanted one but never seriously looked into getting one.  Shortly after his 37th birthday he became the proud owner of his very own moto.  After he got some experience and mileage under his belt I went on some rides with him (2-up) and it was fun but I thought it would be more fun if I had my own bike.   My first bike was a Suzuki Savage and it was good to learn on but I was having some problems with it and didn't want to spend the time and money to fix anything so I sold it.  A few months later my brother called me and asked if I wanted another bike.  I said sure but I didn't want to spend a lot of money.  His co-worker's girlfriend had bought a '96 GS that she rode once in a parking lot, dropped and then never touched it again.  It was in great shape (sans minor rash on the grabrail) and just needed some minor work and new tires (since it was sitting in a garage for over a year).  I got it for $900 and spent a few hundred on a new exhaust, air filter, windscreen, and tires.  I didn't realize what a deal I had gotten until I saw how much other used GS's were going for.  

I love my bike!

P.S. After I bought the bike it was in my brother's garage while he worked on it.  I had found this board and was planning on doing a fenderectomy once I got the bike.  Apparently, my brother beat me to it and had already done the fenderectomy!

Blame it on my dad too.  I was 3 years old & I asked him for a mini bike.  He said that I could have one when I was 6.  Unbelieveably enough, when I turned 6 the old man came through.  I'm 37 now & can tell you about that day like it just happened.  Rode mini bikes for a few years, got my first motorcycle at 16.  My son is almost 3 now.  I take him for short rides, but he'll be a lot older than 6 before he gets one of his own.

John.

My uncle raced Suzukis in the '70s and one of my earliest memories is watching those guys fly around the track in West Virginia.  Fast forward to my teenage years and I'm spending my summers visiting relatives in France, riding the hell out of their mopeds.  Always wanted a bike, but the parents wouldn't help with the cash and when I got my first car at 16, dreams of motorcycle glory faded quick.  Fast forward to this summer... My brother-in-law buys a Suzuki Intruder Volusia seemingly out of the blue.  I take one look at that sweet machine and 10 years of dormant motorcycle lust come roaring back to life.  I've been devouring all the m/c info I can get my hands on since and have started a bike fund.  I'm planning on taking the MSF next spring and hopefully buying a GS next summer/fall if all goes according to plan...

Quote from: jgaryMy son is almost 3 now.  I take him for short rides, but he'll be a lot older than 6 before he gets one of his own.

Yeah, that's what you say now....   :thumb:

I have noticed at an age of 12 that my head was involuntarly moving to watch everytime a motorcycle rode by. i didn't have any motorised vehicle before i bought my bike, so for almost 8 years i was going crazy about bikes (still do) and my head still turns. to have a family that's against motorcycles is really annoying  :x  if i'm gonna have a kid in the far future he/she going to learn how to ride a bike for sure

Oh yah, I wanted to pick up more girls too. That definatley helped.
Nothing gets the ladies like a 400lb vibrator :cheers:

I basically picked up because I was overworking and sorely needed a hobby to get me some balance in my life.  Nobody in my family and none of my friends rode at the time (I have since converted a few pals)... also...

1. Gas mileage
2. Chicks dig it
3. Parking sucks in college towns and motorcycles are easier to find spaces for
4. Chicks dig it
5. Other motorcyclists are usually cool people and fun to hang out with
6. Chicks dig it
7. I wanted to start learning bout engines, and bikes seemed the best place to start
8. Chicks dig it

did I forget anything?

hmm, the chicks dig it part hasn't worked for me yet.

always wanted a bike, always talked about getting a bike, and always thought of owning a bike.  between myself and my circle of friends, everyone thought for sure that i would be the first to get it, plus i had taken the course already.  turns out, two of my buddies got it before i did and they started giving me sheat... all talks. so i started looking for a gs or seca ii, and found an amazing deal with my gs, and the rest is history.

The chicks dig it thing never really got me going either. Maybe I just never found the right passenger, but I never had as much fun with a lady on the back. My current (and probably last!) gf won't get on the bike (single mama), which is fine with me. Got the solo seat on there and hacked the rear pegs off anyhow.

But I can relate to Jundie. My lady's dad is a medical examiner and every time he sees me on the bike I have to hear..."Let me tell you what a motorcycle accident victim looks like on the autopsy table..." It gets old quick. :roll:

I am probably the newest member, just getting my permit like 3 weeks ago, but it all startted a while back

Always wanted a dirtbike as a kid, and rode my friends every now and then.

then last year I came across a old Honda Express that was not running, being the car freek/mechanic that I am I took her all apart, and fixed the kickstart and carburator to make her run like a champ.
rode the hell out of that w/o lisence, registration, insurance, or plates, not gonna spend $$ on a bike that had a please take sign on it.

Then she was stolen, I am still mad about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next a friend of a frien heard I fix old bikes and gave me his CT90 to fix and  I just got it tio run athis summer, needed carb cleaned and points adjusted. It still has horrible compression and needs a new top end, and maybe some tranny adjustments(gets stuck in gear and its an Auto)

Then this year, living off campus and too far to bike w/ parking soooooooooo bad, I had no other choice  

Now I love it, and want a dirtbike too,.
And I have turned from a car freak into a cycle freak too.  Already modding the bike every chance I get

and thats the story

Fathers :? My old man took me on like 5 rides when I was eight. That was when we lived Georgia. Then he sold the bike after only a month. :(

Bike 01
When I was 15 a few of my buddies got bikes but would never let me drive. So I got a job as a fry cook at Captain D's.
$200 later, I owned a 10 year old 77 KZ400 ex race bike. Everything on that bike broke but the engine. No MSF, no M liscence. I high sided it in three months. Dad helped me buy a car if I would lose the bike.

Bike 02
In college I had an 82 Yamaha 440 that I paid $400 for. It stopped running after about a year and a half . I abandoned it in a school parking lot because I couldn't afford to pay a mechanic and I had bought a 69 Ford Van. This was in Denver and I was cold :oops:

Bike 03
In Orlando in the summer of 93, I signed my name on the dotted line for a 600cc 87 Yamaha Radian for $3000. I wrecked it two days later on one of the three curvy roads in Central Florida. A little duct tape and I was good for about 2 and a half years of abuse before a mechanic messed up my carbs and I ended up sending a piston through the engine block at 80mph.

Bike 04
Bought a mint looking 1991 Honda Knighthawk 250 with 7000 miles for $800 in 1995 from a co-worker.
Broke the whole speedo the first time a I changed the front brake pads. Something to do with the cable that attached to the drum brake housing. It had 12K miles on it in 95 when cable broke. So I don't know its final milage.
I brought that bike with me to LA in the back of a U-haul.
I ended up giving it to a Suzuki parts kid in Feb 2002, when I bought my first new bike my GS. The knighthawk was on its last leg. It was knocking and close to seizing. It looked like hell but it did run. I also had no parking for a second bike. So I was glad to not to have to abandon it.
In 1998 I finally got a ticket for no M liscence. I took the test and luckily passed the first time.
Bike 05
Today my Saturn Black 2002  GS saw 10k on its odometer :cheers:

Cool stories!

My parents were totally against me getting a bike. In college, I had a couple of friends who rode, and took a few spins on the back of their bikes. I hated not seeing where I was going or being in control, so I picked up a 1979 Honda CB400 (this was 1993). I liked it, and taught myself to ride it, but not having the MSF course under my belt (or a license or insurance), I was hesitant to ride it much. Plus, my parents found out and freaked. I had it for a summer and sold it in the fall.

Nine years later (2002), I started meeting bikers again. After hearing me go on and on about how great bikes are, my SV-riding friend said, "why don't you get a bike?" Ding - lightbulb went off! I did things right this time. took the course, bought full gear (and insurance), and bought a 1979 Yamaha XS650. But it was a big, heavy bike, and I'm not a tinkerer - it seemed to always need fixing. After three months on that, I found a 2000 GS500 and have been riding constantly ever since (with the exception of the horrible mechanic story some of you have heard about - but from end of July till last week, I've been riding every day...it's a bit cold this week, but I plan to ride through the winter).

As a bonus, my husband followed my lead and bought himself a bike (a Ninja 500). Plus, I've met so many great people...fellow riders. Great hobby/form of transportation/lifestyle - I'm in it for the long-haul.

Okay, this is going to be slightly embarrassing...

What first got me looking at motorcycles:  Reading Oh My Goddess manga  :oops:
The artist is obviously a cycle freak, between drawing the bikes, stories about racing and riding, and all the little knowledge bits he puts in.  I do eventually want to get myself a R90S (that's what I think it is) just like Keiichi, but without the sidecar.

Other than that, I have a trike for tooling around the mountains, but my dad never did any motorcycling, cause he had a bad enough time with bike riding (unlicensed drivers hitting him from behind... not good)

I got to grad school and a friend i met had his CBR, and after a year of chatting about it, i sprung for the bike :)  I really like having a much better feel for the road, instead of being in an insulated car, but it can be scary too.

Cause it's fun...

 D.

I basically bought a bike because I couldn't afford a car and I wanted transportation while I living in Argentina.  Also, a crazy Argentine had given me a ride on his Honda Africa 750 while I was at the beach.  We met in a hostel, split an order of empanadas and a couple Quilmes, and headed out to pick up girls, helmetless, of course.  We didn't really pick up any girls, but I came away from the experience set on purchasing a bike.

A short time later, I was in Santiago, Chile talking to some guys at a downtown motorcycle parking lot.  One thing led to another, and soon I found myself on the back of a CBR250 zooming through traffic on a helterskelter ride through the center of Santiago.  I stepped off the bike shaking with adrenline, and offered the guy about two-thirds his asking price in cash.  We negotiated a little and I soon had a bike.  I still had no idea how to ride it though.

Luckily, a guy named Jaime, who watched over the bikes in that parking lot offered to teach me, and we went on a Saturday to the outskirts of the city so that I could practice in a big office complex parking lot.  I spent all day practicing.  When I crashed into a curb, Jaime took me halfway around the city to get repairs, ridding with hardly any clutch lever and no left foot peg.  Got the bike fixed for less than $10US and went back for more practicing.  A few hours later, I pretty much had decent control over the bike, and Jaime was getting ready to go home.  I offered him money and cab fare, but he wouldn't take it.  He took the bus.  Unbelievable.  

The next day I practiced a little highway ridding, then said to myself what the hell, packed my backpack and rode over the Andes (pass is at about 10,000ft) back to Mendoza, Argentina, where I was living at the time.  Somehow I made it in one piece.  I've pretty much owned a motorcycle ever since.

BTW - My avatar is a CBR250R; I would ride that bike at 17K rpm (no joke!) in sixth gear with no leathers or gloves.  I broke the speedometer at an indicated 180Km/hr, which was good because I stopped adding miles on to it, which helped when I sold it.  I figure I probably put at least 10,000KM on that little bike in the few months that I owned it.

Glimpse of Chilean side of Andes crossing:

(http://es.geocities.com/viajesnx650/Caracoles.jpg)

Quote from: octaneThe chicks dig it thing never really got me going either. Maybe I just never found the right passenger, but I never had as much fun with a lady on the back.

I said "Chicks Dig It"... I never said riding two up was fun... I was referring to when you pull into a parking lot it draws much more attention, and the instant conversations start... its a great ice-breaker for meeting people (not just girls, all kinds of people strike up conversations)... the curiosity factor is much higher for a guy on a bike than a guy gettin' out of his pickup truck.  :o  :mrgreen:

peace

Misunderstood you. You're right, nobody gives a crap when I pull up in my Dakota. Unless I'm towing the race car...

yup, dad was born and raised in poplarville mississippi, travel round there was tractor, pickup, OLD Merc or dirtbike/converted standard-dirtbike.    tractors and old merc's are still there BTW.   His bike was main transpo, first bike i remember him having was an old honda 350 twin. but it never moved, i did get too ride alot with him on his 75 honda XL250 dualsport bike, then it was 77 honda GL1000 bought from my uncle, after while he lost intrest and it sat, then it was an RZ350 neat bike, 87 GSXR 750 and i think my all time favorite bike had to have been 85 yamaha FJ 600.  currently the GS is in that slot, but i would love to find another honda XL250 cheap.

Quote from: Rich500Oh yah, I wanted to pick up more girls too. That definatley helped.
Nothing gets the ladies like a 400lb vibrator :cheers:

On wheels!

Quote from: jgaryMy son is almost 3 now. I take him for short rides, but he'll be a lot older than 6 before he gets one of his own.

Yeah right.  We'll see about that one.

well for me, it was my dad (flashback to when he was 9-10 years old) he had his first bike that he shared with 3 other poeple. he had an old Honda 50 his first bike. he said he was hooked ever since. (fast forward to his late teens) he was riding one of his bikes and hit his uncles German Shepard in the side doin i think 30-40mph. his uncle wanted to sue him for killing his dog. ih and he broke his ankle in three places. i guess he gave it up the. (fast forward 17 years) he found out he had diebetes with an oustanding blood sugar level.( ok for all you who wants to now how high it was it was 750 or somthing) he finally told my mom "i got diebetes and i want to start riding again." she thought it over and said yes. so he got a honda shadow spirit 1100. the he said he wanted me and him to do stuff together and brought up the idea of getting me one. so he got me a Kawasaki Eliminator 125. great little bike. boght it for 1600 bucks, logged 2000 miles on it, and sold it for 1500 bucks. now heres the cool part. we found my 1996 gs for 1500 bucks up north of my place. bought an hour drive. drove up there, test road it, bought it :mrgreen: . a few months later, me and him set out for a ride. we noticed we both needed gas. so we head out and passed the Amoco (this is usually were we get gas for the bikes) we pass it and im thinking, "ok were getting gas at Petro." (the place our gorup meet for staurday morning rides)so were heading along and the stupid ass train company decides they are going to move 4-5 cars across a main street at 9 in the morning when they should have done it at 5 or 6. so the crossgate comes down. yep what you are thinking actually happens. he ran into 3 inches thick of fiberglass at 70 mph. it probably wouldnt have been so bad if i didnt see it, which i did. scared the hell out of me. luckily no broken bones. just road rash and a couple stiches. i think 9 total.so ive noticed that we have slowed way down after that.this happened about 3 months ago and now every time i hop onto my bike im scared of red lights cause im afraid he aint gonna see it and a car is going to plow right over him (scary thought) end of story.

Damn! all this talk about why we ride just makes me want to
go out for a ride. Stupid snow and -8 weather!
When I decided I wanted I bike I had never even been on one
My dad didn't want me to get one.
My mom encouraged me (thinking I'd take her for rides
all the time).

Why we ride?  

I bought my GS at a time when motorcycles were fun, economical and efficient and when cars were none of the above.  Those were the bad old days when imports were tin cans and Detroit was having its cake and eating it, too, with a take it or leave it attitude and dealer lots stocked with "your fathers' Oldsmobiles."  Cars provided no competition for bikes until years later when affordable pocket rockets like the CRX, Civic Si, Colt Turbo, Escort GT and Toyota FX came to market.

I further trace the "why" question back to one "dark and stormy night" when some guy in m/c gear took shelter inside the 24 hr convenience store I was loitering in.  At the time, I had no concept of "freezing my ass off" but, looking back, I recognize the expression on his face.  Leaving the store, I paused to glance at the motorcycle parked next to my 4-door POS.  Yeah, I did my time on mini-bikes, but, apart from being a real motorcycle, this guy"s bike looked different.  The body pieces were integrated, with the tank blending into the side panel which blended into a tailpiece.  It looked modern and sporty.  It even had a name on the sides of the tank:  "Hawk."

I was working full time and the loot was burning a hole in my pocket so I paid a visit to the local Honda shop.  No "Hawk" in sight, but there were chrome laden "Nighthawks," and a giant "Hawk" (CB900F), and a rocket bike (Katana 1000), and a weird-looking bike (Kat 550), and a bike something like a "Hawk" called a GS450E.  I took several brochures home from the dealership and, shortly afterward, came down with the WORST case of new bike fever.  

And, it was good timing as the sickness came at the beginning of the Great Motorcycle Glut and the factories were offering some AMAZING steals on carry-over models.  I picked up the "Hawk-like" Suzuki new for $1195 and soon was spending my weekends exploring local backroads I never knew existed.  Bike fever hit twice more in that decade (1850cc's worth of Honda and Suzukis purchased for less than the cost of one SV650) reaching a high point when I snared this torquey devil new for $2100:    

http://members.bellatlantic.net/~conn395/pictures/hondacx650.jpg

<Sigh> Last bike I ever loved.  Foolishly traded it away for faster company a few years later.

Still love riding the backroads, but don't lust after brochure centerfolds anymore.  I smile at those TV commercials where the family is expecting excercise equipment (or a Christmas decor makeover) then are surprised to find a showroom line of Yamahas instead and the middle-aged man goes nuts.  That's good acting at that age.

I started riding in 196?, uh, when I was 12 on an Allstate 125. Bought it used, 1 year old, with 622 miles on it for half of new price. Then moved up to a Honda 90 C200, just before the S90 was introduced. I quit riding in 1975 due to wives that didn't like bikes and other interests. Decided in 2000 that it was time to start my second childhood so I bought a cruiser. Then decided I wanted to take longer trips so I bought a Gold Wing. Recently decided I wanted a sportier bike for fun riding so I bought a couple more.  I now have 2 Gold Wings, 5 cruisers, 2 GS500e's,  1 Ninja 600, and a couple of vintage Hondas sitting here. Anyone want to buy a bike?

At first, I wanted a bike to get chicks.

Then, in 1998, I actually rode my first bike, an 1988 Honda Hawk GT NT650, and fell in love. She was fast, naked and sweet.  :thumb:

Quote from: JBix

WHY DID YOU START RIDING / WHAT GOT YOU INTO MOTORCYCLES / MOTORCYCLING?

Your turn!

My fate is sealed due to genetic inheritance.  My grandfather is into fast vehicles, most of my uncles ride/rode bikes and my dad rides bikes.  I have pictures of me in nappies sitting on the petrol tank of bikes (dad's I think) looking for the starter switch  :?

So at the age of 12 I saved up and bought my first - a littel red Honda CR80R two stroke dirt bike with a wicked powerband.  A few years later we moved countries and I sold this much loved bike.  For the next 15 years I managed to stay off bikes tinkering with cars instead but always looking at bikes with a sense of yearning and taking the occasional spurt on a loaner.  Then the impulse got too strong, set-off by my dad starting to ride again and a good mate starting to ride (who I taught to ride on one of my uncle's little beatup bikes) --- well I am now back on bikes, the garage has both a '96 blue GS and '96 blue VFR750 and my wife started riding the GS this year --- I think my kids fate is sealed, this is before they can even say "bike"  :)

Cheers,
Conrad
Now wearing Draggin Jeans due to his genes

I rode dirt bikes as a kid.  Parents were totally against it.  I even kept one in my friend Jerry's garage.  He was the only one who knew.
Loooong hiatus...lots of living, lots of changes.  
Got back into biking a few years ago.  Always wanted to, but there was always a reason not to.  No more reasons, and am I glad I did.
I did everything the right way.  MSF.  Practice.  Safety gear.  Lots and lots of riding with good (and bad) riders, so I know the difference.  Bought the GS 500.  Added a Yamaha V-Star.  Next: who knows, maybe V-Strom or FZ-6, but I don't think I'll part with the GS.  It's just too sweet a ride.
More reasons:
1. Great fun
2. Total freedom
3. Inexpensive, amazingly quick and efficient commuting
4.  As Vtlion may have mentioned, chicks dig it (yes, my cage is a pickup truck, and I definitely agree, getting off a bike is the much better ice breaker)
5.  You can go anywhere in the world and ride
6. You never see a motorcycle parked in front of the shrink's office

My list of events that got my bike.
1.  Little brother wanted a dirtbike.
2.  Dad wanted a bigger bike to ride with brother.
3.  Dad got 90cc for brother and Dual purpose for him.
4.  I rode little brothers and loved it.
5.  Dad got me a Kawasaki dual purpose for b-day #16 :) .
6.  Rode Kawasaki for a year and dad talked about a street bike when mom moved out.
7.  I saw GS at a dealer, told dad about it, Dad liked it, told mom, mom said a reluctant OK.  Went to dealer and bought GS.
8.  Dad got Honda Shadow ACE.
*9.  I want 2002 SV650.  Prefer yellow.

It all starts small and gradually grew from an idea to a reality.

Divorce  :x  coupled with the desire to try something new and exciting... :mrgreen:

Quote from: CrisDivorce  :x  coupled with the desire to try something new and exciting... :mrgreen:

Oh, yeah, I knew I forgot something!!  Fun, huh?   :cheers:

Okay, I will give in.  I was givin my first Motorcycle when I was 14 years old (Actually my mom bought it for her and I aquired it).  A 1972 Honda CB175, m'fer felt like it was as heavy as the GS almost.  I had been riding for a year before I wrecked it on a dirt road, wish I still had it (little thing had alot of power for a 175)
Here is a small write up

QuoteThe little CB/CL175 was a high performance twin cyclinder that could rev all the way to 12,000rpm. The 2.4 gallon tank will take the machine about 160 miles before running dry. The frame is made of steel. The engine is an overhead cam twin cylinder, with a compression ratio of 9 to 1. An electric starter is standard equipment.Dry weight is 280lb's

And before that I had 3-wheelers and go-carts.  So needless to say I knew I would end up owning another motorcycle before long.

Quote from: dmp221

Quote from: CrisDivorce  :x  coupled with the desire to try something new and exciting... :mrgreen:

Oh, yeah, I knew I forgot something!!  Fun, huh?   :cheers:

:cheers: Yup! :cheers:

Thought it would be cool to do for several years, but never thought I actually would ever ride.  Then I got a new job, and my manager and several co-workers were riders.  All cruiser guys.  I wanted a sportbike, but not a crazy one.  Boss recommended I look into the GS500...bought mine about three months later.

Simple... Dad had one... well he was the first in his/my family to do so... and was the only one to have one... comming to think of it.
I had places to be and people to see... so I rigged it and stole it... that was a few times... and he figured out from mileage... so, He lets me ride it a few times... After that... well it just made sense to me... cars.. too big, heavy, inefficient, expensive and wasteful, bicycle - too slow, painful and not flexible in terms of time - distance... Moped... well OK would have worked... but M'cycle just fit perfect. Came to the US in 92 Feb, bought a bike in 92 March a 87 ninja 600, and never looked back. it went, a 650 nitehawk came and went, a Katana 600, a virago 535 and then the first GS ... the 89 was bike #5. Still around... with 41K miles... Just fits and works right.
Cool.
Srinath.

I always wanted a motorbike since I was 8, a teen fat neighbour had a minimoto which he covered with his huge body. A couple of years later a "best friend" was expecting one of those minimotos as we were making plans to have fun with it but the day he got it simply all my expectations vanished and had to stick with bicycles for a long time. Years later, at 17, got my first job, and after 3 months of commuting on public and crowded and unpredictable transport I said ENOUGH!, and got mom to lend me money for a Carabela Minienduro 125 which owned for 2 years and moved me around to highschool, work and later college, but it was too small so sold it and bought a car, time passed as big bikes passed my cars flowing gracious and effortlessly by, making me wonder about having a big bike until 2001. Then my boss deprived me of my parking place, so it gave me a good reason to finally buy my Y2K golden GS. I only commuted once on the bike, not long later I was fired so had a lot of free time to learn to ride the heavier bike. I've been improving slowly my riding and having fun so much so now my Y2K Honda Civic Si is parked the whole week as I commute, go shopping and everything on the GS. I'm planning to keep the GS for a long time.

Yay!  Three pages!

Isn't it funny how so many people don't ever think they'll ever ride, then, next thing they know, they already have 20000 miles on their first bike?

I was working at a Marathon station when I was 16.  The mechanic there had a motorcycle that I thought was the coolest thing.  

Fast forward 2 years:
I had a 69 VW Baja bug that I was offroading one day.  Coming around a sharp turn I caught a tree with my rear wheel (I was running 31x12's), and bent the rear suspension up.   I didnt really know how to fix it.
I asked that mechanic I used to work with about it, because he always used to tell me stories about his VW he used to have.  
He said, "Well, how bout you trade me that VW + $400 for my motorcycle?"  :?

Hmm.  An intersting thought.  
So I had him drive his bike to my house a few days later.  
It was a Red 93 GS500e with 7000 miles.  I said ok, we traded titles, and he sent a tow-truck to get the VW.   It cost me in total about $1400.   :)  
I then racked my balls about 5 times in the driveway trying to learn how to work the clutch.   :oops:  :?
I practiced for a while in the park across the street, and learned how to go, stop and turn.  Dropped it once or twice.  
I went and got my permit (so I could do it legally), drove and practiced for the next month, breezed through the driving test and got my endorsement.

Fast forward 1 year:
I had a 71 VW Super Beetle I had for sale for $2000.  This kid wanted to buy it, and the dad says to me, "Hey, by any chance would you be interested in a trade?"   "What for?" I ask.    "Well, I have a 95 Suzuki GS500 with about 4500 miles that I dont need anymore since I got my Harley".  
Needless to say, I went over, checked out the bike.  We traded titles, so then I had 2 GS's at once.   :mrgreen:
One Red 93, and one Purple 95.

One for me to ride, and one for my friends.  

I eventually sold them both.  I made $400 on the 93, and $400 on the 95.

And now here I am, driving a SV650, and looking for a GS500 for my Wife to learn on.  :cheers: