Hello,
I just bought myself a 2003 GS500E, my first motorbike. I've been out on it once so far and already enjoying it.
When changing gears, I just changed when the engine started getting noisey, I didn't really look at speed or revs. The same when down changing, change when the engine starts to stutter a tiny bit.
I was reading general advice on motorcycling and one comment was to stay in the power band, so as to have that quick response there when you need it. I saw from another thread that the powerband on the GS500e is around 6k. Is that the the type of RPMs people would drive in ?
Thanks,
Gavin
For semi-spirited riding, I shift up around 6k, no way am I cruising near that in lower gears. Of course when you need to go fast, that's a different story, for example you may see me overtaking near 10k.
Just putting around you can shift up around 4k in the lower 2-3 gears, 5k after that.
Where I generally try to shift down is around:
4k in 6th, 5th, 4th
Sometimes 3,5k in 4th
3k in 3rd
Almost stationary in 2nd.
(I hate lugging engines.)
Just my 2 cents, welcome here, ride safe and have fun! :thumb:
Cheers, thanks for that!
I put a +1t on the front and a 35T on the rear.
Good for cruising.
It's kinda hard on the engine, and it can do 85MPH in 6th gear, but I need to shift to 5th gear to get it to surpass 100MPH.
4th gear is geared like a 250 this way (1MPH per 1000RPM, so at 10k rpm, I'm going 100MPH).
It's set up never to get tickets like this, unless I want to :D
Everyone is different.
I try to ride the bike in the 4k range, and don't need much more acceleration, save for when overtaking someone (6k range).
At 8-8.5k RPM you're hitting the powerband, so that's a good rev range to do more spirited riding.
I hardly ever take it above 9k RPM, as with these old engines it doesn't benefit going beyond 9k RPM (HP drops, and it's better to shift up to a higher gear).
Quote from: Gavbot on June 07, 2015, 05:19:45 AM...................I was reading general advice on motorcycling and one comment was to stay in the power band, so as to have that quick response there when you need it. I saw from another thread that the powerband on the GS500e is around 6k. Is that the the type of RPMs people would drive in....................
The power band of a stock GS500 is at about 7-9k rpm and while I might run for hours at those engine speeds in the mountain twisties I would be running more like 3-6k rpm running about locally day in and day out. It only takes an instant to downshift a gear or two if you need more power.
Depends on your riding objectives and a little bit on your weight. The GS500 doesn't make really good pull until over 6k, maybe 7-8k, but that being said it'll still accelerate fine at 3-4k if you give it a handful and aren't the same weight as an African elephant...
If I am riding around like an A-hole, I'll let it approach the 11k redline before shifting. The bike is a lot quicker than a lot of people give it credit for, it'll zoom around like a rocket if you push it.
If I am minding my manners or just wanting to be more fuel efficient I'll usually shift around 5k or so.
Average I'll let it get to about 6-7k before shifting. More spirited without going crazy on it.
My biggest issue is my commute involves interstate and at the traffic speeds on I-294 my bike is in 6th gear cruising at about 6-7k, which is a little high for my liking. I'll probably go up a tooth on my sprocket like I did with my last GS500 to keep highway RPMs down a bit.
Quote from: Watcher on June 07, 2015, 05:30:48 PM
Depends on your riding objectives and a little bit on your weight. The GS500 doesn't make really good pull until over 6k, maybe 7-8k, but that being said it'll still accelerate fine at 3-4k if you give it a handful and aren't the same weight as an African elephant...
If I am riding around like an A-hole, I'll let it approach the 11k redline before shifting. The bike is a lot quicker than a lot of people give it credit for, it'll zoom around like a rocket if you push it.
If I am minding my manners or just wanting to be more fuel efficient I'll usually shift around 5k or so.
Average I'll let it get to about 6-7k before shifting. More spirited without going crazy on it.
My biggest issue is my commute involves interstate and at the traffic speeds on I-294 my bike is in 6th gear cruising at about 6-7k, which is a little high for my liking. I'll probably go up a tooth on my sprocket like I did with my last GS500 to keep highway RPMs down a bit.
Ever since I plugged in a +1t front, and a 35t rear, I don't get no tickets anymore, because it doesn't get to much past 80MPH.
If I duck, with a little wind in the back, it still reaches 98MPH in 6th.
Highway revs are around 5k RPM at 80MPH.
Shift to 5th, and it continues to 112MPH (and more if I don't run out of road first) on the internal speedo.
I'm just saying that I like how the bike stays within 'legal speed limits' (meaning, on the I95 and I75 the speed limit is 60MPH, but most cars do 80MPH, meaning I won't go much faster than them...).
My bike stays within legal speed limits (or not) by using my throttle, brain and eyeball the Speedometer. ..
... saying sprocket size stops speeding is like saying glass size prevents drunkenness!
LOL.....
There's logic...then there's meeleelogic :cookoo:
Cookie
Quote from: Janx101 on June 08, 2015, 04:44:35 AM
My bike stays within legal speed limits (or not) by using my throttle, brain and eyeball the Speedometer. ..
... saying sprocket size stops speeding is like saying glass size prevents drunkenness!
Quote from: Janx101 on June 08, 2015, 04:44:35 AM
My bike stays within legal speed limits (or not) by using my throttle, brain and eyeball the Speedometer. ..
... saying sprocket size stops speeding is like saying glass size prevents drunkenness!
Well said Janx, I concur! :cheers:
This gal loves her 1998 GS500E :-D
Superbike bars, 180/40 back tire, 20w fork oil, fenderectomy, '04 gixxer nose fairing and signals, custom front fender, Chuck81 fork brace, full stainless exhaust, GSF style tail lens
Pics, we need pics of your 180/40 rear tire!
Edit: I am a SPED haha :laugh:
I'll stand corrected if need be, but numbers in wrong order? .. photo 'looks' more 140/80 ?
Thanks for catching that for me guys! That's what I get for editing my signature late at night while enjoying some beverages :icon_rolleyes:
Nothing new to see here :embarrassed:
:D ... teehee! ... all good young lady!
... I was going crosseyed trying to picture a 40 profile bike tyre!
Matter of interest. .. anyone know if such a thing exists? 40 profile? ... be a specialist hoop for sure!
https://reifen66.com/2104018-c-419_425_678.html
Though it might not fit on the GS so easily...
On my phone and tapatalk. .. that link set off a function in my phone I didn't know about.... gave me a alert saying reifen might be trying to steal my info?!
Anyone else?
Seems like their site certificate is no longer valid, might be an innocent mistake, might not!
Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
Oops, sorry, no warning on my laptop.
Here is the pic from that link... 210/40/18 Metzeler :icon_eek: What a hoop!!!
Since I was the one with the typo I should be given the challenge to make it work on a GS :icon_rolleyes: Haha okay right after I'm done with my car!! :icon_lol:
Wouldn't it be a SIGHT :D I'm sure there's something done like that out there in the GS world....
[attachment deleted by admin]
Ooooh purty!!
That tyre ... Single side swing arm mod/engineering challenge ... :bowdown: :thumb:
Quote from: Janx101 on June 11, 2015, 02:04:23 AM
Ooooh purty!!
That tyre ... Single side swing arm mod/engineering challenge ... :bowdown: :thumb:
It's been done...
(http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/Custom%20Bikes/Suzuki%20GS%20500%20E%20%202.jpg)
Jim's Bikes are so sweet
:bowdown:
Doh! ... that explains why I had a foggy image of that in my head!
My memory chips are mere salty crumbs at the bottom of the bag recently! Lol
I've got the Delkevic aftermarket pipes and exhausts, so my bike is a bit more noisy than stock.
Generally, I cruise around at 3.5K~3.7K in 5th, and shift around 4K. If I'm feeling naughty, I'll rev it right out to 5K before shifting.
The only time I really get over 4K is if I'm going over 80Km/h. 6th gear is strictly for 70Km/h plus for me.
:icon_eek: you must get fantastic gas mileage!!!!!
500Km per tank. Not bad for about $25.
Beware of engine lugging at those low revs in gears, revving is healthy for a GS engine but lugging can be deadly.
What's the damage?
Ok, after reading this thread, I feel like I am guilty of repeatedly kicking the family pet. What follows is personal experience/opinion, not science or fact. Mileage may vary... all puns intended.
Apparently I am a maniac. I ride my two GSs like I stole them. My daily driver (26K mi) I redline in 1st, 2nd and 3rd when entering the interstate and my "touring" bike (16k mi) routinely sees 9k+ RPMs. When a buddy (KTM 450) of mine and I ride to lunch, I hit redline a half a dozen times just for a more fun ride there and back. Oh and I VERY occasionally miss a shift and "zing" the motor... oops. A normal shift for me is 7-8k RPM and I try to keep "cruising" RPMs between 5-6k with 70 MPH being 6k RPM. I have also ridden it from fillup-to-fillup at 70-75 mph non stop.
So, besides going through chains at around 15k miles and tires around 11k miles (including wearing off some of the nipples), I don't leak and haven't shot any parts out the exhaust. I just wanted to add my 2 cents worth in that these bikes aren't dainty little teacups. Who knows, maybe I will be dropping a couple of grand on a motor rebuild in a few years but no problems so far. I just figured that's the way these bikes were meant to be ridden! :D
It wouldn't be so bad for the engine as much as the mounting bolts, but that just fits in with the whole maintenance schedule.
After evaluating my riding style, it seems that I might have been lugging a bit riding up certain hilly sections, so I'll just shift down a gear for the hills. But generally the bike seems to be smooth most of the time I ride. You just need to learn to get the bike to sing using so little power. I did try revving it out today and the power really does pick up around the 5K mark.
Lugging is heavy on the engine, from what I understand both conrod bearings and the crank bearings take a beating. Obviously once will not break anything but once a day will.
Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
(A bit late but...) I totally forgot about that bike of Jim's!!! Indeed it has been done :thumb:
I geared my bike with a +1t front, and a 35t rear.
The bike does do 3k RPM at about 40MPH, but not lower (that would be lugging it), and goes all the way to 6k rpm at about 80MPH.
I would probably been better off with a 36t rear, same as the other guy on ecomodding, who says the 35t is a tad too heavy.
I'm riding it carefully, and mainly on the interstates.
If I want to go 85+MPH, I downshift to fifth, which takes me to 100MPH easily (on the dash speedo), and then creeps up to 120MPH when ducked forward).
A 36t should give better top speed in 5th.
In 4th gear, my bike is geared like a 250cc, 1k rpm per every 10mph, meaning at about 100MPH in 4th (10k RPM), I'd really want to shift to 5th.
So far taking it well, but I'm selling the baby.
The gas mileage isn't too good (around 55MPG, but I usually do highway with it), and I find myself taking it less and less on the road (just to keep the battery active).
I went to a 17T CSS, on a ride from Seatac Wa to Packwood Wa I managed to get 69.8 Mpg, even with one step larger pilots and mains on an otherwise bone stock bike. For what I do that was perfect.