Ok so im a big rider, i weigh about 320 and my fiance weighs in around 140-150 i want to be able to ride with her on the back and not have the bike sit down like crazy (stock shock goes far too low for comfort). Whats the best shock for that much load? should i go with a SV650s or the Katanas? I really don't have the tools to cut down the shock to make it fit so a direct fitment is probably the best option.
I think I'm going to get a 15T front so that first pulls us easier and maybe do some performance upgrades so that I have enough power, What are the best things to do for low end torque on this bike? I don't want it to scream a million miles per hour just pickup and move easy without working the wear parts too hard. The bike is bone stock right now.
I think the Katana shock is the stiffest bolt-on shock your going to find for the GS500. The good news is that it's probably going to work fairly well for your weight, even if you put a passenger on the back. I'd also advise you to do the front end, otherwise it's going to dive like a mob victim when you apply the brakes. A smaller front sprocket will make it a little easier to get going from a stop. You might even consider going 1 up in the back as well. That combo shouldn't severely affect your top speed, but it will rev the bike out on the freeway a bit more.
FYI: A bigger heavier bike tends to work better for 2-up riding. Same story as towing a trailer... Small and light is good for sporty solo driving, big and heavy is good when carrying a lot of cargo. A heavier bike won't be affected as much by having a passenger, since the passenger will make a smaller percentage difference on the weight of the bike.
definitely, The GS is my first bike but I would still like to throw her on the back once in a blue moon, bike shows, rallies, stuff like that, I do a lot of highway so I don't wanna push the bike too far on the highway since austin if your not going 80 in a 55 your going to have everyone flying past you and riding you all the way. I want a 15t because I think since i do a lot of stop and go it might actually help my mileage and wont be too bad on the highway. wish i could just throw a 7th gear into the box lol. I know my next bike will be one that suits my size better, probably 750+ maybe even a busa, makes me sad I can't find a large sized bike with a 600-1000CC engine outside of the cruiser world...
Are there aftermarket Kat 600 shocks that might be even a little stronger than stock or is stock basically hard and adjustable enough that more is not needed? What year Kat is the best?
You're unlikely to find an aftermarket Katana shock - it was kind of a budget bike, and not a lot of people put major money into the suspension. The stock Katana shock is pretty good though - The 600 is a bolt on install, with pre-load and rebound adjustment. The Katana 750 shock had compression damping and a remote res, however it can be more difficult to install (very tight fit past the swingarm.)
I believe the 1998-03 models worked best.
Edit: You don't really want to make the shock longer than stock. If you're very tall, I'd suggest you look into raising links, just be aware that raising links will make a Kat 750 shock almost impossible to install.
Pre-load is your friend here - it will cause the shock to sit higher in it's range of motion, so less likely to bottom out. The Spring on the Kat shock is way stiffer than stock (like, 60-70%) and won't compress nearly as much when you sit on it, as well.
There are some good 600cc-1000cc touring bikes on the market... Not sure exactly what you mean by big, but if I were you, I'd look at the Ninja 1000, the BMW R series bikes (GS is very tall as well,) the FZ8, the FZ1, the SV1000, the Honda Interceptor. All have ergonomics similar to the GS500, and are in your displatement.
If you don't mind going a little bigger, the Bandit 1200 is a good choice, and not super expensive. You might also look at a sport tourer, such as the Yamaha FJR, the BMW K1200GT (the older brick versions are good bikes, at a decent price) the ST1100, and the previous gen Concourse. Most of these bikes make less power than a modern 1000cc I4 sport bike, but have a much stronger bottom end, and better passenger accommodations.
My street bike is a BMW K1300GT - it has hard bags, a passenger operated seat heater, and a bunch of other luxury items. I've tracked it, ridden most of the local back roads, and done 1000 mile tours on it. I love that class of bike. :)
Definintly looking for a full sports bike, had my eye on a F4i but have been swayed away, apparently inline 4s have bad low end, Im definately not a fan of any cruiser or tourer. a TL1000R seems to be a huge bike but has a bad rep, maybe the vtr1000f, but those are currently dreams, I have my bike and will make it work for me! If it doesn't i will be joining the thread about eating GS500s
Just be aware that ergonomically, the sports bikes tend to be very small, and terrible for 2-up riding. When I owned one, I didn't like carrying passengers heavier than 100lbs.
isnt that what the VTR1000f is good at though? more upright like a GS or a F4i with the power and torque of a cruiser and style of a cbr/GSXR
The superhawk is a very good bike. I haven't ridden one so I can't really comment on the ergos. My impression is that it's somewhere between a standard like the GS, and a sport bike like the CBR F4.
When I got my bike,I did the Katana 600 shock and Progressive fork springs.It wasn't stiff enough for me.So I rebuilt a Katana 750 front end and installed a Katana 750 rear shock.My rear shock is an older unit without the remote resvoir.I was 200lbs when I rebuilt my bike.I am down to 190lbs and it's a little stiff at times.
You can get pre made super high rate springs if you get a GSXR shock. It will bolt on with lowering links. At the risk of being blunt ... the kinda load you are planning to pull.... is sort of on the outer limits of the GS500... both for the engine and suspension.... atleast to ride it like it is meant to.