So I responding to a guy on the ZX6R forum today about his first bike. He wanted a ZX6R. I wrote a quite lengthy response and had some great flashbacks and memories of my GS that popped into my response. Since I miss this forum, I wanted to share what I said and what the GS500 taught me. Maybe a newer rider will see this and this will help them decide! I am going to directly copy and paste it from the forum, so if something doesn't make sense, it was probably in response to others that said stuff, but I think it is pretty easy to figure out.
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Personally, I started on a 500. Good old Suzuki GS500. Great bike! Still miss it sometimes. Now I am not going to tell you what to do or what not to. Everyone has different opinions on what bike to start on so here is mine.
Could I have started on a ZX6R? Yes, and most people could. Do I recommend it? No. Unless all you do is drive on the highway or on straight roads. My GS did teach me throttle control (Even though not entirely necessary because of the lack of power). But the most important parts is that I made mistakes, and did not crash. If I was on a ZX6R, I probably would have. Every new rider makes mistakes. Heck, even experienced riders do.
What the bike really taught me was how to handle a motorcycle. It was easy to learn body position on. It taught me how important suspension is. (Went from stock .45 kg/mm springs to .85 for my weight and put an R6 shock in the back). That changed my whole outlook on most important motorcycle mods. But mostly, It is easy to handle when learning to ride aggressively and we all know that a ZX6R is going to want to make you ride aggressively. When I got my ZX6R, i nearly sh*t myself. The power for me was unbelievable and I loved it, but I also knew how to handle it and respected the bike for what it is. I don't think a newer rider can fully comprehend the seriousness of ZX6R. And newer riders tend to want to ride fast and outside of their skill level. New riders can do it. Throttle and clutch control isn't difficult. Its the irresponsibility and inability to respect the motorcycle that becomes the issue. With a smaller displacement motorcycle, it takes out some of the irresponsibility.
I kept the GS500 for 3 and a half years as my first bike. There was a million times that I wanted to move up to a 600. (636 in my case) But I told myself that I wouldn't move up until I could ride the hell out of that bike. I started scraping things and put on new parts to prevent that. Took off the fairings in order to put on clipons. Custom made brackets for rearsets and GP shift. I got to the point where I was dragging knee left and right and felt extremely comfortable doing it. I got to the point where I could hop on a 600 and feel just as comfortable on the new bike almost instantly, and that is exactly what happened and I feel like I am a much better rider because of it.
Sorry for this long post and it wasn't necessarily exactly what you were asking for, but I just wanted to share my 2 cents about the topic. (It was more like a couple dollars lol) Whatever decision you make, be safe and fall in love with the sport!
I also would like to add that I would go riding on my 500 with my buddies at the local twisties, them on their 1000's and 600's and they were getting pissed when I was keeping up and even catching them! But like the other guys said, the GS500 helped me easily work out my kinks in riding. I progressed really quickly because the bike was so easy to ride. Riding that bike fast was one of the greatest feelings ever!
I ended up going to my first track day with the ZX6R. I told myself not to ride outside of my comfort zone and I didn't the entire day. I felt really comfortable and didn't even feel especially quick. I just felt like I was taking it a bit slow and just tried to be smooth and consistent. The guys running the track day told me that next time I need to go into the intermediate class for sure. That was nice to hear especially when I thought that I wasn't going fast and I think I felt that way because I was very comfortable on the bike and I can thank my GS500 for that.
I would like to ride one of the newer 300's for sure. The 300's with fuel injection and more advanced technology are putting out the same hp numbers. I had a K&N, full exhaust, and rejet and was making 40ish hp. I think the R3 has 42hp stock?! These little bikes are pretty impressive. And the R3 is only 368 lbs compared to my 430ish lb GS500! I wish those bikes were around when I started riding. You can also get a brand spanking new one right in your price range, but I would suggest getting a slightly used one and save some money for quality leather gear.
Pretty well said, and I echo a lot of your concepts.
My first running bike was a 1982 Suzuki GS650L, sorta cafe'd, and it was underpowered compared to most modern machines with the same displacement. I quickly found discomfort with it's ergonomics, though, and replaced it the next year with a 1996 GS500. I was amazed how much more comfortable and nimble it was being a twin and both thinner AND lighter!
Ran that GS500 for about 2 years, commuted on it, mostly highway, and sadly only got rid of it because of being unemployed and hurting for money...
Next one I had was another GS500. It had to be! It was nearly perfect balance of cost, power, comfort, and maneuverability. Ran that for a whole season and found out what that little machine could do! Keeping up with an experienced track rider in the twisties, but he could pull away in the straights. Dragging pegs regularly, and running that thing WOT often. Also riding every day, rain or shine, for commuting and errands as well as for fun.
Eventually I did end up crashing on it, but it was a relatively low speed low-side in the wet and both I and the bike sustained minimal damage. Regardless, that second GS was already kind of beat up, and I ended up selling it over the winter with plans for another GS500 or some other similar displacement motorcycle come spring time. Ended up on a Honda CB500F.
It's faster for sure, more torquey for sure, and a bit larger in design, but ergonomically it's essentially the same motorcycle. And I already feel perfectly at home on it!
Would I be comfortable on a bigger bike? Sure! My skills at this point could put me in control of an R1. But I'd never want something that big. The power is unnecessary.
Would I ever get an R6? Well, I don't particularly like sportbikes but I wouldn't say no to that engine size and power. I'd go as big as a 750, sure. But I don't need it. I can keep up with people on motorcycles that are bigger than mine, and it's all because of my skill level.
People who outgrow 500s or such in a year or less are just bored with them and are bored with them because their riding style isn't diverse or properly experienced.
I've been on two wheels for about 6 years now, and 4+ of those years have been spent on 500s. I don't see any need to go bigger yet, and I probably won't any time soon.
Actually, I'm looking into SMALLER bikes! I think having a CBR250R might be a lot of fun, running it red line all the time and really dipping in to corners and such, while the 500 will stay as my commuter and highway trip bike.
Either way, if I end up with something bigger it's not going to replace my CB500, it's just going to be a different bike with a different purpose.
Very well said as well! When I got my ZX6R, I kept thinking, "How is this even street legal?!" Even a 600 is way more power than is necessary for the street. My plan is to make my ZX6R and eventual track bike and get a supermoto for the street. A supermoto just makes sense to me. Very comfortable, light, sits high up to see over traffic, fun, and a supermoto is enough for the city, not necessarily the highway, but a third bike might be needed for that! I would like to get another smaller bike. I really like the KTM RC390. That would be loads of fun in the twisties!
I'm now considering a GSXR1300 because it can be used as an automatic (select 5th or 6th, drive on motorway until the tank is empty, refill, repeat).
It is not as comfortable as the GS500 but it is less sensitive to crosswinds due to the fairing size and shape plus the additional weight.
It's got over 3X the power of the GS but that's OK.
Go figure.
I kinda disagree with you, no offense though. My first bike was a Suzuki sv650 and then a zx636 and then a gixxer1000 and now a gs500f and I must say it's my favorite. It all depends on the rider. Some say 100s are too much power but I found it perfect for open roads but did find it scary if I was tired or sleepy and not alert. As far as the gs goes I guess cause I'm don't with that crazy riding and just occasionally like to use it for recreational or commuting. At 32, I must admit I do get the urge to get a new gixxer 1000 when my finances get better but I'm still gonna keep my gs for a backup.
It is worrisome that sneezing or a minor lapse of concentration could mean hospital time and the GS is very comfortable. What I'd miss the most frankly is the 50 mpg fuel economy, but I want something more stable, fuel injected, less buzzy at speed and less likely to need lots of shifts etc. Does that mean I need 170HP? No but YOLO.
Quote from: Rallyfan on May 22, 2016, 07:15:29 PM
It is worrisome that sneezing or a minor lapse of concentration could mean hospital time and the GS is very comfortable. What I'd miss the most frankly is the 50 mpg fuel economy<<Ha!, but I want something more stable, fuel injected, less buzzy at speed and less likely to need lots of shifts etc. Does that mean I need 170HP? No but YOLO.
Official Answer:
No... Suzuki Boulevard, comfortable, affordable, 50 C.I.D/805cc, EFI, 32-bit-processor Engine Control Module (ECM), SOHCs, 4 Valve Heads, Water Cooled, Shaft Drive, 55 Mpg Solo, 52 Mpg Dual (open road), more Torque than HP, No valve shims, No carb sync's. But you gotta ask yourself.....Am I an Old Fart? :dunno_black:
(http://i67.tinypic.com/3590jut.jpg)
No valve no carb should be on every bike ad as a slogan.
EDIT: Just got an insurance quote for the 1300. It'll be 4X as expensive as the GS500 to insure. No thanks. I like money.
I am an OLD FART and I moved down to a GS from an R1150R (BMW). The weight when you have to move the bike in a parking lot or heaven forbid push it up a hill was just to much. The 500 has enough power to keep up with traffic and does handle well (for what it is). I am probably not going to take the GS on a cross country trip....but then I'm probably not going to do that anyway.
Quote from: gk on May 22, 2016, 04:37:55 PM
I kinda disagree with you, no offense though. My first bike was a Suzuki sv650 and then a zx636 and then a gixxer1000 and now a gs500f and I must say it's my favorite. It all depends on the rider. Some say 100s are too much power but I found it perfect for open roads but did find it scary if I was tired or sleepy and not alert. As far as the gs goes I guess cause I'm don't with that crazy riding and just occasionally like to use it for recreational or commuting. At 32, I must admit I do get the urge to get a new gixxer 1000 when my finances get better but I'm still gonna keep my gs for a backup.
I have a GSXR600, but 99 times out of 100 I choose to fire up the GS to ride.
I started on a '73 HondaCB350, but I didn't really get the hang of it until I got the GS500. There's something about the body position on this bike that just gave me that aha moment and the twisties became much more fun on the GS. I could also keep up on the expressways no problem. I've made many newbie (and not so newbie) mistakes and haven't ended up injured. It's just a fun nimble bike that is friendly to the newbie learning body position and clutch control. You don't need a rocket to have a blast. Besides, who wants to be terrified on their first bike?
Really enjoying these posts...! akapellen17, awesome of you to start this thread :D
I've been riding for a little over 4 years now and I love my GS. It was the first motorcycle I ever attempted to ride... loaned to me from a family friend who was going to sell it anyway (she was looking for a bigger bike) and I taught myself how to ride. Very comfortable, totally forgiving, easy to work on and I just love it. Sure I've imagined what it would be like to own something bigger/sportier some day... but certainly not because I'm bored with my GS.