What's up guys. Today I picked up my first street bike. I have been riding dirtbikes for quite a while and was ready for a street bike. I picked up a 1999 GS500e with 4100 miles for 1400 bucks.
I look forward to learning about these bikes from this forum and riding around my new bike!
List of modifications and maintenance from previous owner:
-Full Jardine RT-1 exhaust
-Uni pod filter intake
-OEM clip on handle bars from 1989 s500
-Carb rejet for exhaust and intake upgrades
-Aftermarket sport mirrors (Napoleon AJ GPX)
-New fuel lines
-2006 Petcock upgrade
(http://i.imgur.com/0Elbor9.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/6NHDGXG.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/W6INOIm.jpg)
Woah, sorry, not sure why the photos are that big. Here is the link to the album : http://imgur.com/a/Bct7r
You can control the size of your images by specifying a width in the opening img tag.
Pretend the parentheses are brackets, your img tag would look like this:
(img width=600) image url here (/img)
You got a nice looking motorcycle there. This forum is a great place to learn about your new machine. Welcome.
Thank you Lucas. I am very excited and very happy with my new bike. Appreciate the kind words.
Welcome to the forum and congrats on the bike!! lucas is right, this site has everything... hope you stick around and enjoy. :cheers:
Your GS looks very clean and I've always thought they look really sharp in yellow like that :star:
Nice bike dude. I've got a '99 too. Your bike looks very clean and well taken care of
Hm. Good color. Nice price. Excellent choice.
Welcome. We look forward to testing your ability to effectively argue completely circular points about oil, spark plugs and which way is up.
😉
Quote from: ShowBizWolf on March 14, 2016, 05:41:44 AM
Welcome to the forum and congrats on the bike!! lucas is right, this site has everything... hope you stick around and enjoy. :cheers:
Your GS looks very clean and I've always thought they look really sharp in yellow like that :star:
Thank you! Looking forward to learning! :thumb:
Quote from: the_63 on March 14, 2016, 07:42:18 AM
Nice bike dude. I've got a '99 too. Your bike looks very clean and well taken care of
Awesome, how do you like it? Did you outgrow it quick? The bike seems like it was VERY well taken care of. :woohoo:
Quote from: b00stin4days on March 14, 2016, 08:18:02 AM
Quote from: ShowBizWolf on March 14, 2016, 05:41:44 AM
Welcome to the forum and congrats on the bike!! lucas is right, this site has everything... hope you stick around and enjoy. :cheers:
Your GS looks very clean and I've always thought they look really sharp in yellow like that :star:
Thank you! Looking forward to learning! :thumb:
Thank you! Really love the color, which is surprising, I never liked yellow bikes :dunno_black:
Well don't get too hung up on appearances because you will want to get all the bike-dropping out of your system with this first bike. As a fellow new rider I'm in love with the gs500 and I feel like I'm not going to it grow it quickly. It has plenty of power and I like being able to rip around at wide open throttle without reaching ludicrous speeds.
It looks like you got a tremendous value. I spent at least twice as much on mine after I restored a basket case. Judging from the external appearance I'd guess that we won't be hearing about any terrible wiring modifications or the like.
It is surprisingly attractive. The yellow on gray looks extra fun. Might have even more character with some scuffs on the paint though ;)
Quote from: lucas on March 14, 2016, 08:58:50 AM
Well don't get too hung up on appearances because you will want to get all the bike-dropping out of your system with this first bike. As a fellow new rider I'm in love with the gs500 and I feel like I'm not going to it grow it quickly. It has plenty of power and I like being able to rip around at wide open throttle without reaching ludicrous speeds.
It looks like you got a tremendous value. I spent at least twice as much on mine after I restored a basket case. Judging from the external appearance I'd guess that we won't be hearing about any terrible wiring modifications or the like.
It is surprisingly attractive. The yellow on gray looks extra fun. Might have even more character with some scuffs on the paint though ;)
I hope I don't drop it! Im very OCD about marks on my car and possessions. You think the price was a good deal? I looked on KBB and it said 1475 for one in excellent condition from a dealer. I figured I was right around a decent price.
I thought the same thing about it being attractive surprisingly, yellow usually isn't my thing lol. 8)
I think that price was a good deal! I paid $1000 for my '98 and it was banged up pretty bad cosmetically ( all fixed now :-D ). Had around 11k miles on it then I think.
If you want to keep it scratch free you should install frame sliders and an engine cage. When you do drop it the scratches will probably be restricted to these items, the pegs, and the bar-ends.
These things are the best insurance against cosmetic damage.
Quote from: b00stin4days on March 14, 2016, 08:19:27 AM
Quote from: the_63 on March 14, 2016, 07:42:18 AM
Nice bike dude. I've got a '99 too. Your bike looks very clean and well taken care of
Awesome, how do you like it? Did you outgrow it quick? The bike seems like it was VERY well taken care of. :woohoo:
I laid it down a couple of weeks ago, but that was my mistake and to be honest it was about time I got punished, it's so forgiving. I live in a city and it's great for buzzing around, but out of the city it's very rural and it's got the grunt to get me from A to B faster than my car. I feel like I'm mourning now I can't ride, I really miss it.
I feel like it's quite a simple bike too so mechanically I'm up for getting my hands dirty. I've had people come up to me in town when I've been parked up and asking about the bike too. I love this bike, I paid £500 for it (just over $700) and so far I've spent nearly half that on tools and bits and pieces to fix and upgrade. To be fair my bike has had 14 owners so it probably does need some TLC to improve running a little as I have no doubt it's been dropped and theres nearly 15 years of grime building up that needs attention. In general the GS is quite fun. I love mine O0
Quote from: ShowBizWolf on March 14, 2016, 09:39:47 AM
I think that price was a good deal! I paid $1000 for my '98 and it was banged up pretty bad cosmetically ( all fixed now :-D ). Had around 11k miles on it then I think.
Awesome! goodluck with it :thumb:
Quote from: lucas on March 14, 2016, 10:29:41 AM
If you want to keep it scratch free you should install frame sliders and an engine cage. When you do drop it the scratches will probably be restricted to these items, the pegs, and the bar-ends.
These things are the best insurance against cosmetic damage.
Great, thank you, I will look into that! :bowdown:
Quote from: the_63 on March 14, 2016, 10:39:39 AM
Quote from: b00stin4days on March 14, 2016, 08:19:27 AM
Quote from: the_63 on March 14, 2016, 07:42:18 AM
Nice bike dude. I've got a '99 too. Your bike looks very clean and well taken care of
Awesome, how do you like it? Did you outgrow it quick? The bike seems like it was VERY well taken care of. :woohoo:
I laid it down a couple of weeks ago, but that was my mistake and to be honest it was about time I got punished, it's so forgiving. I live in a city and it's great for buzzing around, but out of the city it's very rural and it's got the grunt to get me from A to B faster than my car. I feel like I'm mourning now I can't ride, I really miss it.
I feel like it's quite a simple bike too so mechanically I'm up for getting my hands dirty. I've had people come up to me in town when I've been parked up and asking about the bike too. I love this bike, I paid £500 for it (just over $700) and so far I've spent nearly half that on tools and bits and pieces to fix and upgrade. To be fair my bike has had 14 owners so it probably does need some TLC to improve running a little as I have no doubt it's been dropped and theres nearly 15 years of grime building up that needs attention. In general the GS is quite fun. I love mine O0
Thats awesome, I can't wait to start riding. I just registered and insured it today. I need to get a helmet, does anyone know anything about the Duke DK-140 full face helmet? Or can anyone recommend a decent priced helmet I can pick up so I can start riding!
That yellow is da chit :thumb:
That helmet has good review on Amazon which is a good sign. But realize that people's perception of the product is influenced by its cost - if it cost $500 or even $200 the stars might drop off as the bang-for-the-buck decreases. As a new rider you should get some coaching on helmet sizing, people tend to choose helmets that are too big if left on their own. You can either go to a local motorcycle gear store or look online for some info on helmet sizing. A helmet that is too large can compromise your safety. A helmet that is the right size might feel far too tight until you get accustomed to it.
There is a chance that if you buy through Amazon or eBay you will end up with a counterfeit product. Best way to avoid this is to buy a reputable brand and if the product arrives and it doesn't look exactly like the photos, if the materials or construction don't look spot on, or if it has strong odors or flimsy face shield etc send it back.
As for a specific recommendation I bought an AGV K3 with the Dreamtime graphics (http://www.amazon.com/AGV-K3-Dreamtime-Helmet-X-Large/dp/B004EDHES0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457979751&sr=8-1&keywords=agv+dreamtime) and I am very pleased with it. I had purchased a cheap helmet (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HJEUG0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00) at first. It had good reviews but lots of wind would come whistling past the visor while at speed and was intolerable. It had less padding and was loose on my head which I learned later was not ideal even if it was nice and comfortable. Another criticism I had was that the chin strap was a pain to deal with, the D-rings would flip around and get all sideways and not cooperate. These are little details that become more important when you start riding with any regularity.
Note that the cheap helmet had 4.5 stars yet is basically garbage compared to my second helmet which cost twice as much. So the stars don't tell the whole story. If you buy this Duke helmet I hope it is a good product and also lives up to its safety claims.
Quote from: Suzuki Stevo on March 14, 2016, 11:23:04 AM
That yellow is da chit :thumb:
Thanks suzuki Stevo! :thumb:
Quote from: lucas on March 14, 2016, 11:39:29 AM
That helmet has good review on Amazon which is a good sign. But realize that people's perception of the product is influenced by its cost - if it cost $500 or even $200 the stars might drop off as the bang-for-the-buck decreases. As a new rider you should get some coaching on helmet sizing, people tend to choose helmets that are too big if left on their own. You can either go to a local motorcycle gear store or look online for some info on helmet sizing. A helmet that is too large can compromise your safety. A helmet that is the right size might feel far too tight until you get accustomed to it.
There is a chance that if you buy through Amazon or eBay you will end up with a counterfeit product. Best way to avoid this is to buy a reputable brand and if the product arrives and it doesn't look exactly like the photos, if the materials or construction don't look spot on, or if it has strong odors or flimsy face shield etc send it back.
As for a specific recommendation I bought an AGV K3 with the Dreamtime graphics (http://www.amazon.com/AGV-K3-Dreamtime-Helmet-X-Large/dp/B004EDHES0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457979751&sr=8-1&keywords=agv+dreamtime) and I am very pleased with it. I had purchased a cheap helmet (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HJEUG0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00) at first. It had good reviews but lots of wind would come whistling past the visor while at speed and was intolerable. It had less padding and was loose on my head which I learned later was not ideal even if it was nice and comfortable. Another criticism I had was that the chin strap was a pain to deal with, the D-rings would flip around and get all sideways and not cooperate. These are little details that become more important when you start riding with any regularity.
Note that the cheap helmet had 4.5 stars yet is basically garbage compared to my second helmet which cost twice as much. So the stars don't tell the whole story. If you buy this Duke helmet I hope it is a good product and also lives up to its safety claims.
Thank you for the detailed response! I actually went to a gear store before class today to try on some helmets. Turns out the guy there thinks that a Small is the best size for me. Even though it felt tight on the cheeks, he said a good fitting helmet should provide an even pressure throughout the whole head and the cheeks will loosen when the helmet is broken in. The medium was more comfortable because it was looser but he had me turn the helmet hard to the side and he said it moved too much. He genuinely seemed concerned for my safety and seemed very knowledgable. I believe I will go with a size small.
Also, As for the Duke helmet, it does have many good reviews but out of the bad reviews, it mentions a lot about the wind coming in through the vents. I will have to do some more research, thank you! :thumb:
Quote from: b00stin4days on March 14, 2016, 11:51:37 AM
Quote from: lucas on March 14, 2016, 11:39:29 AM
That helmet has good review on Amazon which is a good sign. But realize that people's perception of the product is influenced by its cost - if it cost $500 or even $200 the stars might drop off as the bang-for-the-buck decreases. As a new rider you should get some coaching on helmet sizing, people tend to choose helmets that are too big if left on their own. You can either go to a local motorcycle gear store or look online for some info on helmet sizing. A helmet that is too large can compromise your safety. A helmet that is the right size might feel far too tight until you get accustomed to it.
There is a chance that if you buy through Amazon or eBay you will end up with a counterfeit product. Best way to avoid this is to buy a reputable brand and if the product arrives and it doesn't look exactly like the photos, if the materials or construction don't look spot on, or if it has strong odors or flimsy face shield etc send it back.
As for a specific recommendation I bought an AGV K3 with the Dreamtime graphics (http://www.amazon.com/AGV-K3-Dreamtime-Helmet-X-Large/dp/B004EDHES0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457979751&sr=8-1&keywords=agv+dreamtime) and I am very pleased with it. I had purchased a cheap helmet (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HJEUG0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00) at first. It had good reviews but lots of wind would come whistling past the visor while at speed and was intolerable. It had less padding and was loose on my head which I learned later was not ideal even if it was nice and comfortable. Another criticism I had was that the chin strap was a pain to deal with, the D-rings would flip around and get all sideways and not cooperate. These are little details that become more important when you start riding with any regularity.
Note that the cheap helmet had 4.5 stars yet is basically garbage compared to my second helmet which cost twice as much. So the stars don't tell the whole story. If you buy this Duke helmet I hope it is a good product and also lives up to its safety claims.
Thank you for the detailed response! I actually went to a gear store before class today to try on some helmets. Turns out the guy there thinks that a Small is the best size for me. Even though it felt tight on the cheeks, he said a good fitting helmet should provide an even pressure throughout the whole head and the cheeks will loosen when the helmet is broken in. The medium was more comfortable because it was looser but he had me turn the helmet hard to the side and he said it moved too much. He genuinely seemed concerned for my safety and seemed very knowledgable. I believe I will go with a size small.
Also, As for the Duke helmet, it does have many good reviews but out of the bad reviews, it mentions a lot about the wind coming in through the vents. I will have to do some more research, thank you! :thumb:
First of all, congrats on your bike! That thing looks great!
As far as helmets are concerned, and gear in general, really...check out webbikeworld.com - they have a ton of super detailed reviews. I did some reading there, and on motorcyclegear.com (which also has some good deals on gear) before I purchased anything. I ended up buying my helmet locally, and ordered my jacket and gloves online.
Quote from: rscottlow on March 14, 2016, 06:04:06 PM
Quote from: b00stin4days on March 14, 2016, 11:51:37 AM
Quote from: lucas on March 14, 2016, 11:39:29 AM
That helmet has good review on Amazon which is a good sign. But realize that people's perception of the product is influenced by its cost - if it cost $500 or even $200 the stars might drop off as the bang-for-the-buck decreases. As a new rider you should get some coaching on helmet sizing, people tend to choose helmets that are too big if left on their own. You can either go to a local motorcycle gear store or look online for some info on helmet sizing. A helmet that is too large can compromise your safety. A helmet that is the right size might feel far too tight until you get accustomed to it.
There is a chance that if you buy through Amazon or eBay you will end up with a counterfeit product. Best way to avoid this is to buy a reputable brand and if the product arrives and it doesn't look exactly like the photos, if the materials or construction don't look spot on, or if it has strong odors or flimsy face shield etc send it back.
As for a specific recommendation I bought an AGV K3 with the Dreamtime graphics (http://www.amazon.com/AGV-K3-Dreamtime-Helmet-X-Large/dp/B004EDHES0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457979751&sr=8-1&keywords=agv+dreamtime) and I am very pleased with it. I had purchased a cheap helmet (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HJEUG0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00) at first. It had good reviews but lots of wind would come whistling past the visor while at speed and was intolerable. It had less padding and was loose on my head which I learned later was not ideal even if it was nice and comfortable. Another criticism I had was that the chin strap was a pain to deal with, the D-rings would flip around and get all sideways and not cooperate. These are little details that become more important when you start riding with any regularity.
Note that the cheap helmet had 4.5 stars yet is basically garbage compared to my second helmet which cost twice as much. So the stars don't tell the whole story. If you buy this Duke helmet I hope it is a good product and also lives up to its safety claims.
Thank you for the detailed response! I actually went to a gear store before class today to try on some helmets. Turns out the guy there thinks that a Small is the best size for me. Even though it felt tight on the cheeks, he said a good fitting helmet should provide an even pressure throughout the whole head and the cheeks will loosen when the helmet is broken in. The medium was more comfortable because it was looser but he had me turn the helmet hard to the side and he said it moved too much. He genuinely seemed concerned for my safety and seemed very knowledgable. I believe I will go with a size small.
Also, As for the Duke helmet, it does have many good reviews but out of the bad reviews, it mentions a lot about the wind coming in through the vents. I will have to do some more research, thank you! :thumb:
First of all, congrats on your bike! That thing looks great!
As far as helmets are concerned, and gear in general, really...check out webbikeworld.com - they have a ton of super detailed reviews. I did some reading there, and on motorcyclegear.com (which also has some good deals on gear) before I purchased anything. I ended up buying my helmet locally, and ordered my jacket and gloves online.
Thank you! I will check those sites out now.
If you're still looking at helmets, I'd check out an EXO-410 or EXO-500 from Scorpion - the 410 is Snell rated which is why I got it (cheapest Snell helmet I could find at $129), but the 500 is $99 at motorcycle superstore and I thiiiink it's only missing the snell rating because they don't approve of the internal sun visor. I know it sounds spammy recommending one specific brand in my first post here, but I'll be begging for carb help soon enough... :wink:
Quote from: hydraulix on March 14, 2016, 09:16:26 PM
but the 500 is $99 at motorcycle superstore and I thiiiink it's only missing the snell rating because they don't approve of the internal sun visor. :wink:
For the 500 at MS: $89.99 for the plain gloss black, white or silver & $69.99 for the "Heritage" closeout in X-small. I'd check their Amazon store, too. I found sizes there that weren't shown on the MS site.
Good helmet, good ventilation, sunshade is a nice feature. It'd be nice if the smallest shield opening was just a detent instead of a locked position (a bit difficult to find the lever on the side at speed). It seems a bit loud to me and the helmet is a bit "deep" (both, I believe are the costs of that nice sunshade). Good hat for the price. I bought two.
oops. threadjack.
Thank you for all the helmet advice! I ended up going with the BILT Fusion in matte black with a light tinted visor. I picked it up at my local Cycle Gear for 69.99 + an extra 17 for the visor. Originally the helmet is 119.99 (currently is online as well). Rode around for the first time today, a little chilly, but put 33 miles on the new bike. LOVE the bike, a little less powerful but its definitely fun. As for the helmet, very comfortable but coming on and off has seemed to irritate or like scratch my left upper cheek. I can live with that, I might be putting it on and taking it off wrong :dunno_black:
Start with the back first. Use straps to pull it on pulling out on straps as you pull down.
It shouldn't be abrading you face, though. You are completely allowed to practice putting on/off the helmet as well as wearing it around the house. It can help break the pads in and, well, is just kind of one of the joys of Motorcycylism.
Try it for a while. Consider going up a size if it remains uncomfortable.
You can open the helmet up a little by grabbing the straps and pulling the outward while you put it on. That might give you the extra room you need for your cheeks.
I have to do that otherwise my ears will catch and get folded over. Which is annoying.