Hello everyone, I just wanted to make a little introduction thread for myself, so here it goes.
I am a new rider and proud owner of a 2009 GS500F. I've had the bike for about a week, but I've only ridden her in parking lots so far since I had no endorsement. I found this forum because my speedometer light is burned out and after some googling I found an excellent thread showing every step in replacing the indicator lights with LEDs. I browsed the rest of the forums and the site and figured I'd be a fool not to join in on the fun.
I came to my purchase as a result of helping my friend/roommate pick up a beautiful used GSX650F. You could say that was the straw that broke the camel's back and made me finally decide to get a bike. I've always dreamed of riding, but I let the risks and costs keep me from pursuing that dream. You could say I listened to old Marcus (see sig.) and now happily choose living over safely continuing to exist. I just passed my MSF course, and I'll probably be on my first ride sometime tonight.
I also regret that I wasn't around sooner after reading all of the lovely dedication threads to Patrick. It looks like he left quite an impact on this forum and on his community, and I am sad that I will never know him. My heart goes out to those he has left behind.
I look forward to meeting everyone and hopefully learning a lot about motorcycles and life in the process.
-Tom
Hey Tom,
Welcome to the forum! New to the forums and riding myself so wanted to be the first to congratulate you on the new bike... you'll get hooked very quickly (Although I assume you already are)
MSF is a great course. Took it myself also, but just remember to take it slow at first and know your limits.
Where are you from?
-Dave
whats up buddy. Glad you can join the forums.
NOW PICS!
Quote from: Yankeeguy42 on May 27, 2014, 10:21:35 AM
Hey Tom,
Welcome to the forum! New to the forums and riding myself so wanted to be the first to congratulate you on the new bike... you'll get hooked very quickly (Although I assume you already are)
MSF is a great course. Took it myself also, but just remember to take it slow at first and know your limits.
Where are you from?
-Dave
Thanks for the welcome. I thoroughly enjoyed the MSF course I took, and I may even be taking the next level class to further my skills. I'll definitely be taking it slow and I'll be wearing ATGATT. I'm from Fort Wayne in the top-right corner of Indiana. I've attempted to view the members map, but I have so far been unsuccessful. Is it still an active page?
Quote from: Gorilla on May 27, 2014, 10:33:51 AM
whats up buddy. Glad you can join the forums.
NOW PICS!
I'll put a pic on ASAP; I just need to force my lazy a** to put some on a hosting site. For now a written description of a picture I have of her (a word is worth a thousand pictures, right...? :dunno_black:) [warning: may generate explicit mental imagery :wink:]
She's sitting in the driveway under the shade of a large tree on a cool and sunny day. We just had our first intimate encounter (I had just given her the first wash, wax, and rim shining). Her deep blue paint shines in the sun along with the white fairing accents that give her some character. Her big sister (the GSX) shines in the background, having received a similar pampering from her significant-other (my roommate).
Hey Tom,
Not sure how "active" that thread is anymore, but I just added myself to it. I'd assume most people on here added themselves awhile back.
-Dave
yay another new member.. welcome :)
I'm just over the border in Illinois but it's still just over a 3hr ride from my town to yours. If you weren't a new rider I'd suggest us meeting up, but that's kind of a haul for a newbie and expressway riding isn't the friendliest place to start.
I remember my first interstate trip, it was a total white knuckle experience. Now it's no big deal, but at the time I had literally just bought my bike (a 1982 GS650), was riding it home, and had only a handful of hours of local riding on a friend's Honda Magna.
Have fun riding, be safe, wear your gear (gear saves lives among other things), take it at your pace. Don't feel like you have to keep up with more advanced riders, until your GS500 feels like a part of you when you sit on it you aren't ready for a group ride, and if you are riding with (a) partner(s) I feel that the newbie should always lead the pack. That way YOU control the pace, and the experienced rider behind you can watch you and point out errors and tips at stops.
Stay out of blind spots, don't be afraid to use your horn on oblivious drivers, and if you are having doubts about anything traffic related DON'T GO FOR IT! Better to miss the turn and be late for work than potentially go down and get seriously hurt or killed.
Quote from: Yankeeguy42 on May 27, 2014, 11:26:37 AM
Not sure how "active" that thread is anymore, but I just added myself to it. I'd assume most people on here added themselves awhile back.
It looks like the map website is down. It doesn't load up for me, and when I google Frappr it comes up as a bunch of forum topics about it. Apparently it hasn't existed for some time now...
Edit:
Oh, nevermind. I see it has been replaced with something else. Buddha should edit his first post in that thread.
Quote from: Watcher on May 27, 2014, 11:52:43 AM
I'm just over the border in Illinois but it's still just over a 3hr ride from my town to yours. If you weren't a new rider I'd suggest us meeting up, but that's kind of a haul for a newbie and expressway riding isn't the friendliest place to start.
I remember my first interstate trip, it was a total white knuckle experience. Now it's no big deal, but at the time I had literally just bought my bike (a 1982 GS650), was riding it home, and had only a handful of hours of local riding on a friend's Honda Magna.
Yeah, 3 hours would be a bit over the top, but maybe a scenic-route halfway meetup would be possible in the not-too-distant future. The thought of riding on the interstate is definitely on the list of things that keep me up at night.
EDIT:
Just added myself on the map after finding the updated link. Looks like there's a marker in Huntington which is maybe 30 minutes away from me, but the user has been inactive for two years :cry:
Do you shoot?
There is a free to use range at the Jasper Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area in Madaryville.
It's basically a straight shot down Route 14 from Ft. Wayne for about 2.5 hours. It's about 1.75 hours from me. I'd still not recommend making the haul until you get your "sea legs", so to speak, but it could be an excuse to meet up in the near future.
IL/IN "shoot 'n' scoot" anyone? :2guns: :thumb:
What are the IN state laws on firearms transportation on a motorcycle? Obviously long-guns might be a stretch, but I could see handsguns in a backpack maybe?
Quote from: Watcher on May 27, 2014, 02:35:55 PM
Do you shoot?
There is a free to use range at the Jasper Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area in Madaryville.
It's basically a straight shot down Route 14 from Ft. Wayne for about 2.5 hours. It's about 1.75 hours from me. I'd still not recommend making the haul until you get your "sea legs", so to speak, but it could be an excuse to meet up in the near future.
IL/IN "shoot 'n' scoot" anyone? :2guns: :thumb:
What are the IN state laws on firearms transportation on a motorcycle? Obviously long-guns might be a stretch, but I could see handsguns in a backpack maybe?
Yep, I do shoot. (Man, bikes AND guns!? This is my type of forum! :2guns: :thumb: )
I'm not sure on long guns, but if you have a license in IN you can carry your handgun pretty much however you want to (open, concealed, strapped to the gas-tank :cool: ). I've actually contemplated getting an open carry holster as a means to deter tailgating (biker + carries gun = stay the frak away from this guy :icon_eek: ).
I believe we are one of the least-strict states if you have a license to carry, but one of the most strict if you don't. Until very recently without a license you couldn't take a handgun anywhere in any condition (loaded/unloaded/in pieces) except for to/from the shop after buying it or getting it repaired. I think it was last year that they added the ability to take it to a range unloaded separate from ammunition.
I'd have to double check, but I'm fairly sure we accept most other states' permits/licenses (most don't accept ours, though).
A shoot 'n' scoot would be a great occasion to get together. I could use the practice, too, as I haven't taken the ol' PPS through the paces for quite some time. I also have a set of reloading tools that could reasonably fit on a bike...
Just went on my first ride(s) on the road last night, and what an experience! I thought I would be more white-knuckled, especially at higher speeds, but after a few minutes I felt comfortable. I did a quick 30-minute run up to Grabill with my roommate with the SV650 (I said earlier it was a GSX, but I was wrong :embarassed: ) and that wasn't too bad. Then we stopped for some dinner and my other roommate joined us with his '85 Nighthawk for a night run through downtown Fort Wayne. On the way back we could see some lightning in a thunderstorm southeast of the city, which was pretty cool. I was ready to keep on riding when we got back, but we had been out for about an hour and a half already and it was getting late. The GS performed quite well (I did have some problems with it dying on me when I dropped the revs from 5k to idle when coming to a stop; I'll have to make a separate thread about that).
I'd guess that I'll have my sea legs by mid June, so the shoot'n'scoot might not be so far away. :woohoo:
I also know a few riders who might like to join in on the fun. :2guns:
Also, I still owe everyone pics, and I'll get on that today hopefully...
Welcome! Still waiting on something,....hmmm,...what could it be,.....
where pics?? :dunno_black:
Quote from: cbrfxr67 on May 28, 2014, 06:52:47 AM
Welcome! Still waiting on something,....hmmm,...what could it be,.....
where pics?? :dunno_black:
Aha, I've just figured out how to use Google Drive to host images, so here you go (sorry in advance for the large size I don't have time to downsize it right now):
EDIT: resized picture
(https://googledrive.com/host/0B7srhhHWeBuHYklYNllYdWx4ZkE/GS500.jpg)
That's a great looking bike Dok! :thumb:
At first all I could see was the SV650 and was thinking "Does he know he bought an SV650 and not a GS500?"... sorry, only on my first cup of coffee this morning so it took me a couple minutes to realize there is another bike in that photo haha
Quote from: Yankeeguy42 on May 28, 2014, 08:58:04 AM
That's a great looking bike Dok! :thumb:
At first all I could see was the SV650 and was thinking "Does he know he bought an SV650 and not a GS500?"... sorry, only on my first cup of coffee this morning so it took me a couple minutes to realize there is another bike in that photo haha
Thanks, lol. I should have mentioned that there was another bike in the background. I'm kind of ignorant of the coding that this forum uses, and my best attempts to resize the image (in under a minute) turned up nothing. I think I shall try again... :technical:
EDIT:
I give up; looks like resizing options are disabled for this forum?
:2guns: :technical:
Here you go, just have a look at what I did if you click quote on this post... you can make it any size using a number after 'width=XXX'
Quote from: DoktoroKiu on May 28, 2014, 08:14:20 AM
(https://googledrive.com/host/0B7srhhHWeBuHYklYNllYdWx4ZkE/GS500.jpg)
- Bboy
Geekmod ftw :bowdown: welcome to ze nuthaus
I'm not sure how GoogleDrive works, but I know how to use ImageShack and PhotoBucket and in both of those cases when you click on the option to get links to share the picture there is a resizer built right in. Makes using forums just that much easier.
Looks like she's in great shape but her exhaust is starting to look a little rusty. If you are up for the work, I'd suggest taking the exhaust off, giving it a light sand, and hitting it with some header paint like this stuff:
http://www.pepboys.com/product/details/9381728/00817/car_care/paint/high_heat_engine_paint
I've used it on mine, it dries surprisingly fast and coats very easily. Even if you don't have experience with spray-painting it'll be hard to screw up. I suggest giving the whole thing a light sand to get any loose rust/dirt off, wipe it down with some acetone/denatured alcohol, hang the whole exhaust from a tree in the back yard or the rafters of your garage with a wire/rope (go through the hanger hole on the muffler), mask the shiny muffler off with tape and a bag, and paint the whole exhaust from headers to muffler.
I have a naked GS so for me taking the exhaust off is literally just 5 bolts, comes off in about a minute. You have the fairing so it'll be more involved, but still shouldn't be all that bad. Shouldn't take more than an evening in the garage with a good 6-pack and some tunes.
Quote from: BockinBboy on May 28, 2014, 10:02:58 AM
Here you go, just have a look at what I did if you click quote on this post... you can make it any size using a number after 'width=XXX'
- Bboy
Huh, I swear to Bob I did exactly this before and the image didn't show up in the preview, so I figured it didn't work. Maybe I used quotes like html and didn't notice or something...
Thanks for the tip, though.
Quote from: Watcher on May 28, 2014, 11:45:49 AM
I'm not sure how GoogleDrive works, but I know how to use ImageShack and PhotoBucket and in both of those cases when you click on the option to get links to share the picture there is a resizer built right in. Makes using forums just that much easier.
Looks like she's in great shape but her exhaust is starting to look a little rusty. If you are up for the work, I'd suggest taking the exhaust off, giving it a light sand, and hitting it with some header paint like this stuff:
http://www.pepboys.com/product/details/9381728/00817/car_care/paint/high_heat_engine_paint
I've used it on mine, it dries surprisingly fast and coats very easily. Even if you don't have experience with spray-painting it'll be hard to screw up. I suggest giving the whole thing a light sand to get any loose rust/dirt off, wipe it down with some acetone/denatured alcohol, hang the whole exhaust from a tree in the back yard or the rafters of your garage with a wire/rope (go through the hanger hole on the muffler), mask the shiny muffler off with tape and a bag, and paint the whole exhaust from headers to muffler.
I have a naked GS so for me taking the exhaust off is literally just 5 bolts, comes off in about a minute. You have the fairing so it'll be more involved, but still shouldn't be all that bad. Shouldn't take more than an evening in the garage with a good 6-pack and some tunes.
Google drive isn't exactly meant for hosting images, but if you go to the details tab and work your way to the URL for the actual image (ends in file extension) it works OK (and you don't have to sign up for yet another web service).
I was a little concerned about the rusty exhaust when initially looking at it, so I'll definitely give this a go. It doesn't sound too involved and looks hard to screw up. I might double it up with fluid changes and do some under-fairing cleaning to make a night of it.
:thumb: looks great!
Quote from: DoktoroKiu on May 28, 2014, 12:22:40 PM
I was a little concerned about the rusty exhaust when initially looking at it, so I'll definitely give this a go. It doesn't sound too involved and looks hard to screw up. I might double it up with fluid changes and do some under-fairing cleaning to make a night of it.
For definitely! Step one in my book when purchasing a vehicle is change the fluids. Get it home, crack it open, change the oil, coolant flush (if necessary), trans fluid (if necessary), etc.
Just a word of caution, be careful with any screws that go into the block as they can strip with a lot less force than you think. The block is aluminum, after all, so the exhaust clamps on the manifold, the oil filter cap screws, and the oil-pan drain plug should all be tightened with caution. You can get them tight, just don't go cranking on them.
My rule with aluminum is if it takes more than one hand to tighten it you are going too tight. No two hands on the tool, no bracing yourself on something with the other hand, and absolutely no leaning into it with your body weight.
Also, if you do paint the exhaust be aware that it will smoke up a lot before the paint 100% cures and even then it will still "burn off" a bit. So when you toss it all back together you'll want to set it outside somewhere well ventilated and just let it idle for a few minutes.