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Hoping this is the right board...
I'm currently looking at various bikes to get my first motorcycle. I've been looking at Ninja 250's and 500's and recently learned about the GS500's. The GS500F is, hopefully, going to be what I get although they aren't super easy to find for decent prices.
So here's the deal. I found a bike at a dealership about an hour away that has a used GS500F for an unusually low price from what I've seen. What I'd like to know is if there is anything in particular with these bikes I should be looking out for? I already know to look for scrapes on the side of the bike or bar end caps and such to see if it's been laid down. To look as much under the bike as possible for leaks and such. Make them take the bike out and start it from cold to see how it starts.
Not sure if I'm supposed to link things, but the rules sticky sounds like it's just businesses that can't do that, so I'm gonna link the specific bike I'm gonna look at tomorrow or maybe Saturday:
http://www.roadtrackandtrail.com/new_vehicle_detail.asp?sid=06903498X10K11K2012J12I06I41JPMQ2767R0&veh=38086&pov=2852443
One concern I have is it says the bike has been lowered. I'm not sure how springy the back end is, or how much travel it has, and wasn't sure if this means the bike will bottom out a lot. It might actually help me out as I'm a pretty short guy, but we'll see when I get to sit on it.
Thanks in advance for any input and I hope to talk to ya'll more often about my new bike! This one or one just like it! Ha!
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Oh, as a side note, I found another bike with similar miles and similar year. Has LED conversion blinkers and rear with a Yoshimura exhaust already installed. They want 4600 USD for the thing though! Seems a good 1,000 higher or so than it should be to me. Only other one I've found close to me.
Looks good. $1999 is a great price.
Most of us replace front springs with better ones. That's normal - about $80 and less than an hour to do.
rear shock can be adjusted for stiffness and many of us are happy with the rear shock.
Standard seat height is 31". Lowered means rear links changed to drop the back down a little for shorter people.
Easy to put back to stock if you want to. Not much expense since many of us here have lots of spare parts so OEM rear links would probably only cost you postage.
BUY IT!
Take an MSF course and forget about 250's unless the only reason you are buying a motorcycle is to ride to work and back. Beyond that the underwhelming power of a 1/4 litre motor becomes a pain-in-the-ass.
As much as I want to like the 500/650 Ninja's, they constantly get reviews where people complain about the amount of engine vibration in the handlebars. This is a total deal-breaker for me, particularly since the older tech GS motor is smoother in every comparison I have read.
The biggest dig against the GS500 is that once you get some experience and test ride other more sophisticated machinery you start to realize the bike is less exciting than it was when you first started riding. As Patrick says, "many of us" really like the GS500 for what it is and appreciate the simple things that can be done to improve what is a genuinely good motorcycle within its limitations. I know for myself that it would be difficult to remain satisfied with only a GS500 to ride when there so many other affordable alternatives out there ~ where I live you can get a '04-'09 GS500F or a '98-'04 VFR800 in the same price range ~ once bikes like these are an alternative the GS gets harder to justify buying.
For your first bike, the GS500 is excellent. Easy to maintain and super easy to ride.
After you have it for a season, you may decide to move to something different or stay with it.
Some "really cool" bikes are harder to ride and you may not enjoy it as a first bike because of that.
Given the GS500 is so easy to ride it is rated as a great first bike. Start with the GS500 to build your riding skills. Once you have ridden for a while, you'll know which direction you want to go: fast and sporty, or cruiser for long trips, or maybe smaller because you do mostly neighborhood commuting.
The GS500 is a middle bike: not really a sport bike and not really s standard - sort of in between which makes it great for commuting and long trips.
$1999 is a really good price. That will be great to start with. You will get your money back when you decide to switch to a different bike OR you will get many years of riding out of it if you decide to keep it. Then, there is nothing wrong with having more than one type of bike depending on the style of riding you plan for that day.
After I changed the gearing and throttle tube, our GS was nicer to ride everywhere :)
Adidasguy has said it at least twice in the posts I browsed through on this thread... 1,999 is a great price. I don't know anything about the business or the condition of the bike other than the low miles on it... but I paid just under that for an '04 with that many miles from a private sale. I spent years looking for a bike (LITERALLY!) and finally landed this one I've got. It is my first real bike I have owned (other than mopeds) and it has been a dream. Easy to work on, Easy to learn, and plenty of room for errors, but still has enough power to get you in trouble (these bikes are faster off the line than most caged vehicles on the road).
Don't let our encouraging words get your panties tight to jump on this bike though... you need to still take the time to look over the bike - there are plenty of guides out there about buying used bikes and things to look for... do your research and and make sure your brain can confirm what your heart feels on it... you don't want a $2k burn to set you back further from getting out there on two wheels.
- Bboy
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SAFE-T: I took the MSF about....wanna say 3 weeks ago now. It's the primary reason that the scooter I bought after I got my motorcycle learner's permit isn't satisfying me anymore. Want a shifter! :) Gonna take a chunk of that bike's cost to my face, but I don't mind working some overtime over the winter (what else I got to do?) to whittle my loss away. Also, I've been looking up a lot of reviews on the sub-600 'sport' bikes and haven't heard anything about vibrations in the Ninja's at all. The main reason I've leaned on the GS is the pre-09 250's and the 500's all look pretty bleh. They're pretty close in reliability and performance from everything I've read up untill now.
The fact this is bike is more "sporty streetbike" than "sportbike" is a big reason I'm looking at it. As cool as the bikes like the GSX look, they just don't look practical. I'd rather have a sporty looking, but still comfortable bike like a NC700X or a Versys or something along those lines. That's where I see myself upgrading to, if I ever do. I've never liked the laid back look of cruisers (but do love the sound! ha!).
I mostly want the bike as an everyday bike. Commutes to work (outside of winter), but can still be fun on the weekends for short backroad trips, or the hour or so drive to go see some friends.
And don't worry BockinBboy, I'm not gonna buy this thing if I see things that look questionable on it. I have from now until probably April or May up here in Wisconsin to find a bike. I just wanted to know if there was anything particular to GS's to look for. Like any unusual issues that crop up specifically from these bikes.
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I would look for some owner/rider feedback on the 500/650 Ninja's instead of 'magazine' style reviews whether online or print. Some people are more sensitive to vibey bars, but it never ceases to amaze me how many 'new model' bikes are later discounted as having serious flaws once they are no longer in production or superceded by something newer.
The GS is pretty trouble-free, except it has a low tolerance for being run low on oil. If you buy one make sure you check the oil regularly or the bike will consume it's bottom end bearings.
Well it's definitely been down at least twice. Both side covers are scratched along with the backs of the mirrors. Left side dropped while riding low speed. Right side probably dropped at little to no speed. Replaced with flush mount indicators as a result of damage. Bar ends don't appear to be stock.
Stock tires and likely original... They will need to be replaced pending a check of date code on them.
Fuel lines and brake hoses are probably original too... Need replaced every four years.
Ask for any maintenance done at the dealership.. Valve clearances are due in a few hundred miles...
Last oil change?
Being a faired bike, I'd take off the side fairings to check for leaks around the engine
Probably more I'm not thinking of right now but... If you do buy it I would negotiate a deal on some of the things that need done despite the 'low miles' selling point.
- Bboy
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Good info there Bboy. I originally only looked at the photos on my phone and didn't notice the scratches on the plastics. I don't see it as a big deal if a bike gets laid down at low speed as long as I can verify nothing is bent or broken. Few scratches and a replaced mirror is no biggie.
Assuming they'll take my scooter as a trade-in, the value would be higher than the price of the bike. If everything looks good, I'll see if he'll throw in a valve gap check and running new fuel and brake lines to even it out. The tires I'll worry about next year as there isn't going to be more than a few days warm enough to be worth riding left up here anyways.
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