Hey everyone just wanted to stop by and say hi, seems like a great forum. I have been looking for a beginner bike quite some time my search has been mainly 500ex, gs500 and the 650r. Recently I came across a 09 gs500 with about 8000 miles on it for about 1650$. I have no idea on prices for these bikes as many dont show up and it's range of prices. Do you guys think it's a reasonable price? Also do I have to look at anything in particular in this model that I got to check?
I am a noob and looking for some advice here from the veterans :).
Thanks
awesome man first good price for miles and year then don't just buy the bike cause you want one make sure it is safe and right,
2 is it clean and straight if the bike looks like it crashed and has a bend to it i would walk away a bent frame is dangerous the check forks leaking bent from the side view or when pushed down on bike they don't sink. Forks would be easy fix and cheap if can find from a junk yard for sure pretty sure all forks are interchangeable on the gs i got i think 89 on my 01.
3 has it been raced/abused try to talk to him about wheelies or going fast signs if he has story's that are way out there might be buttering you up if they seem believable i be a little concerned
4 check the brakes clutch (not a hard pull but not to soft) and gas tank bring a cow magnet on a wire or string ask if you can check tank for rust dip it is let it rest for a little and check tank for dents.
5 tires Dry rot means he didn't store it right or it sat for a long time.
6 engine/oil if the oil is milky color to it there is water in it which means not getting lubricated and could have some bad damage
7 ask to see if it has service records i keep mine in my repair book every little thing i do to it so i never forget.
8 quiz him on it make sure he knows what he is talking about
9 exhaust check so first if he warmed the bike up before you got there could be hiding something tell him you will come back another day when the bike is cold don't be mean about it just tell him you have to be there for start up tells a lot about the bike try to get there early morning that way you know if it is warm from sunlight or from saler warming the bike up, then if the bike starts fine bring a water bottle and small rag with let it warm up and after you get a test ride (don't ever buy a bike if you cant ride it bring a friend who can ride the bike if you don't know how or are new Sellers don't like newbies riding there bike so if the friend shows up on a bike bigger chance of him getting to ride it) take the rag get it wet and put it to each exhaust pipe about 5-7 inches from the engine no near the exhaust but closer to the headers should sizzle on each if the rag only sizzles on one then it is not firing from both exhaust and not worth buying.
10ask what he changed on the bike
My last piece but i think is the most important look for a motorcycle repair shop that is in the town just drive it there and ask them if the bike sounds like nothing is wrong with it those mechanics might look/sound mean but they will look at the bike and listen to it to help anyone out and i never been charged for them listening to the engine not everybike sounds the same, and they will know if there is a noise coming from the bike that could mean trouble just explain your new to the bike and want to make sure its not gonna be a waste of time/money buying something that will need a lot of repairs to have fun on.(they are really nice people and you might think you sound dumb for asking but trust me they completely understand)
i totally forgot check the chain for rust see if he just cleaned it up and has it freshly oiled then check the spokes for bends same thing check the chain for bends or dings if you put it on center stand and is in neutral you can spin the rear tire to check it all.
Sweet diggity! Awesome information man, thanks alot. I am pretty excited if I do end up getting it I will do motorcycle safety course they have going here.
Firys yourself- Do the msf before you start riding.
For the bike get it warm and watch the oil light like a hawk , make sure it never flickers even at very low revs.
Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
Quote from: bmf on July 24, 2015, 01:28:41 PM
Firys yourself- Do the msf before you start riding.
For the bike get it warm and watch the oil light like a hawk , make sure it never flickers even at very low revs.
Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
Thanks for the advice bmf. What would the flickering usually suggest? low oil pressure?
oil light flickering could mean low pressure, not enough oil, bad oil pump i would assume more but thankfully i never had an oil issue to deal with. Have fun be safe and remember cars might look like they see you but just assume they don't.
Get a 650R..its light years ahead of the GS5 in every way :thumb:
EDIT....especially in plasma blue :thumb:
650 is fun but the best part about the 500 is full coverage is dirt cheap so if in the case of a accident from a novice driver insurance will help you get back on your wheels saved me about 1000$ of damage from a low speed crash that caused more damage then I thought it would.
And if everyone shared that belief everyone would be riding GS5s and no one would buy anything else :D
If oil level is right and light flickers you probably have blown crank bearings. Could be the pump but they are very reliable.
Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
Thanks y'all for the advice! Got some interesting update went on Friday to take a look at it with my mechanic friend who is also a rider. The bike is clean the guy bought it brand new in 2009. So we figure out the logistics and he agrees to bring it in to my place on Sunday. On Sunday he calls up and says that after he put it up on the trailer it fell on the side and the mirrors broke and there were scratches on the upper fairing. He sends me the picture and it does not look that bad at all.
I asked him to give me some time to think about it, and he lowers the price 650$ more and I decided to go for it! Right now the only thing i need to replace is the right hand mirrors. I took her for a little ride first time ever it was fun though I did notice my hands got really sore cramped up after the ride :(. Overall it's all good but I noticed that the gear shifting is a little hard on it, thinking it might be the oil? Here are some pics Enjoy! :) :
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l557/adibee/Forum%20Pics/20150726_233721_zps0lrg2ylj.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/adibee/media/Forum%20Pics/20150726_233721_zps0lrg2ylj.jpg.html)
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l557/adibee/Forum%20Pics/20150726_233701_zps7kbhbaoo.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/adibee/media/Forum%20Pics/20150726_233701_zps7kbhbaoo.jpg.html)
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l557/adibee/Forum%20Pics/20150726_171507_zps3ehg1xiv.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/adibee/media/Forum%20Pics/20150726_171507_zps3ehg1xiv.jpg.html)
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l557/adibee/Forum%20Pics/20150726_171454_zpsc8xqph93.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/adibee/media/Forum%20Pics/20150726_171454_zpsc8xqph93.jpg.html)
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l557/adibee/Forum%20Pics/20150726_171445_zpstcw6xasy.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/adibee/media/Forum%20Pics/20150726_171445_zpstcw6xasy.jpg.html)
Seeing a turned handle bar and a forward facing headlight just freak me out but it looks great for the price and miles.
I paid $1000 for mine in 2012 with 8700 miles on it and it was 9 years older than yours.
i may have overpaid. :(
wow that i forgot how stunning they are and amazon sells mirrors that look great on these bikes. for him to drop that much is amazing you sir had a leprechaun helping you with that steal, and hows the tread on that back tire picture makes it look bad but then again not a close up or good lighting picture.
Sledge i agree with you there my first bike was a 89 Honda hurricane i was just throwing the insurance thing out for a new rider to think about only reason i got my gs500 is due to a gasline explosion with basic coverage cause i couldn't afford full when i started riding.
Quote from: i8ball on July 27, 2015, 07:08:23 PM
wow that i forgot how stunning they are and amazon sells mirrors that look great on these bikes. for him to drop that much is amazing you sir had a leprechaun helping you with that steal, and hows the tread on that back tire picture makes it look bad but then again not a close up or good lighting picture.
Sledge i agree with you there my first bike was a 89 Honda hurricane i was just throwing the insurance thing out for a new rider to think about only reason i got my gs500 is due to a gasline explosion with basic coverage cause i couldn't afford full when i started riding.
Yea I was shocked too I guess he felt guilty about it. I took it for a ride yesterday and man was it fun! Though I always feel way nervous when i had someone behind me. I too feel like the back tire needs replaced I wish I could put a little wider tire than what I have now.
There is a bike dealer that is 5 mins away from me who has some rebate offer for bridgestones and they charge 90$ to change them. I went there yesterday and saw another 2007 GS500F that they were selling for 3000$ and mine looked way cleaner than that.
Also here is a video I took of a cold startup of the bike I noticed that it had a weird idling on it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HReAkI-7wf8&feature=youtu.be
idle sounds like mine at cold it likes to blip though mine has a different exhaust air filter and been jetted by past owner so that is part of the reason why and yours look like the idle is just a touch to high find the idle nob on the carbs and slowly adjust it when warm to about 1300 rpm i think is what they should be at warmed
Quote from: i8ball on July 28, 2015, 08:31:46 PM
idle sounds like mine at cold it likes to blip though mine has a different exhaust air filter and been jetted by past owner so that is part of the reason why and yours look like the idle is just a touch to high find the idle nob on the carbs and slowly adjust it when warm to about 1300 rpm i think is what they should be at warmed
Nice, can you link me the mirrors that your were talking about from amazon?
dat fender! woof!
Congrats on the bike!! Yes indeed it does look very clean!! :thumb:
Yes yes take the safety course... I took the one my state offers and I would take it again if it wasn't so hard to fit in around my shift schedule at work. They also have a more advanced one that I'd like to take... you can never learn too much!
I just recently put a bigger rear tire on my bike... got a 140/80 and I love it. Here is a good read about tires from the wiki:
http://wiki.gstwins.com/index.php?n=Upgrades.Tires
Update us on all ya do and don't forget the pics :D
http://www.amazon.com/2004-2008-Suzuki-Gs500F-Mirror-56600-01Da0/dp/B0055DQKYM
there you go buddy
Quote from: ShowBizWolf on July 29, 2015, 01:04:13 PM
Congrats on the bike!! Yes indeed it does look very clean!! :thumb:
Yes yes take the safety course... I took the one my state offers and I would take it again if it wasn't so hard to fit in around my shift schedule at work. They also have a more advanced one that I'd like to take... you can never learn too much!
I just recently put a bigger rear tire on my bike... got a 140/80 and I love it. Here is a good read about tires from the wiki:
http://wiki.gstwins.com/index.php?n=Upgrades.Tires
Update us on all ya do and don't forget the pics :D
speaking of pics. do you have any of the new bigger tire? I'm intrigued by this. New rim?
No different rim, no changing anything with a 140/80. I tried to upload a pic but it keeps telling me the upload folder is full. I can't get on photobucket to do it that way until I get home from work later, but I will :)
The preferred rim width for a 140/80-17 tire is 3.5" which is the size of the GS500 rear rim. I've run 140/80, 150/60, and 150/70 rear tires on my GSs on the stock rim. 150/70 Roadattack tire:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/9Q4P.jpg)
Quote from: gsJack on July 30, 2015, 07:27:58 AM
The preferred rim width for a 140/80-17 tire is 3.5" which is the size of the GS500 rear rim. I've run 140/80, 150/60, and 150/70 rear tires on my GSs on the stock rim. 150/70 Roadattack tire:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/9Q4P.jpg)
that looks pretty good. you think increased stability as well?
Definitely something to think about when it's time to get new tires. My bike only has 11K miles on it but I always wondered if the tires were stock. Could they possibly be 15 years old and be ok? I wish i knew when the PO or PPO replaced them.
Tires are date coded. Check this out:
http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/riding/street/resources/tiredesignations.aspx
Quote from: Big Rich on July 30, 2015, 08:01:23 AM
Tires are date coded. Check this out:
http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/riding/street/resources/tiredesignations.aspx
great info! now i can go look this evening when i replace me broken clutch cable!
still hoping that lube tool shows up in time! i guess i could always lube it after install.
also going to clean up the front sprocket area and the chain while i'm at it. can't wait!
You can definitely lube it after it's installed. Just remember to have a rag at the other end of the cable. Don't want to just be pouring cable lube into the sprocket cover or all over the carbs.
As promised... (I had to put something over my plate in the first pic cuz the flash kept reflecting off it and making the rest of the pic too dark lol)
(http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i312/HeavyMetalMopars/Tire.jpg)
(http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i312/HeavyMetalMopars/tire%202.jpg)
Quote from: ShowBizWolf on July 30, 2015, 12:13:15 PM
As promised... (I had to put something over my plate in the first pic cuz the flash kept reflecting off it and making the rest of the pic too dark lol)
(http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i312/HeavyMetalMopars/Tire.jpg)
(http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i312/HeavyMetalMopars/tire%202.jpg)
that's a fat tire! looks so odd! does it help with the ride at all?
Wow those tires look really good :). I went for a ride today and man it felt good, everything went well despite a few hiccups. Got stuck uphill and man it was a pain to get it going :(. Another problem I feel like is I have issues shifting gears, the gears on this one really suck (Hard to shift and sometimes doesnt shift to 1 when its on neutral)
Thanks for the amazon link I bought one :). Really good deal there!
ShowBiz, I have to say, those rear turn signals are. . . hideous
The front of your bike looks sooooo good to have the back look all jacked up with the funky angled blinkers.
Maybe you really dig it, if so, that's cool. Just trowing my opinion out to the internet :cool:
:cheers:
Well I certainly do appreciate the honesty Slack! Thank you for telling me... I'm sure you're not the only one in the world who has thought this. I have gotten some complements on them but there's always room for improvement!
Throw me some suggestions as to what would be better :thumb:
Quote from: Slack on July 30, 2015, 06:59:42 PM
ShowBiz, I have to say, those rear turn signals are. . . hideous
The front of your bike looks sooooo good to have the back look all jacked up with the funky angled blinkers.
Maybe you really dig it, if so, that's cool. Just trowing my opinion out to the internet :cool:
:cheers:
Agreed the angle aspect
looks a bit funky, at least they are not flush mounted little pieces of compost that are there only for the "looks". With that angle putting them up higher they are probably easyer to see in traffic, the place where you want the people around you to know your intentions :thumb:
Quote from: Big Rich on July 30, 2015, 08:01:23 AM
Tires are date coded. Check this out:
http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/riding/street/resources/tiredesignations.aspx
3908! they're not ancient like i thought!
Stevo, that was indeed my reasoning! I wanted them to be easily spotted and once I eliminated my fender there really was no other option of where to mount them.
When I bought the gixxer signals for the front fairing I got a great deal on a set of 4 so I figured what the heck I will put the other ones on the back so they all match.
I dunno anoopb.... that makes them about 7 years old. I don't know what the tire manufacturer recommends, but a lot of people consider 5 year old tires too old.
I'd replace them as soon as it is possible - new tires feel awesome.
Quote from: Big Rich on July 31, 2015, 10:02:32 AM
I dunno anoopb.... that makes them about 7 years old. I don't know what the tire manufacturer recommends, but a lot of people consider 5 year old tires too old.
I'd replace them as soon as it is possible - new tires feel awesome.
yeah that's a good point. it sucks that i'm going on a 900 mile trip next week over four days. perhaps after that. i haven't really got the time to replace them between now and then. :(