I am just in the process of finishing the transaction for my first GS500(F) but it seems to me after looking online there isn't a big market for after market accessories such as racks...with GIVI for instance...or even something as minor as Tank pads or decals. Given the huge popularity of this motorcycle it seems a bit weird and quite disappointing really. Maybe i am wrong? Maybe someone knows of shops online or otherwise that cater for GS500/GS500F. I see however that at least mechanical parts seem obtainable easily.
Thanks
I think that's just a matter of hw the GS has been relegated as a "beginner's bike" for so long, so it hasn't enjoyed the rich aftermarket of some other bikes. Not all mechanical parts are going to be easy to find either. Some things are only available from a dealer at what may become kind of a surprising price.
OTOH they are quite dependable and easily serviced by the owners. Aside from what may seem like a frequent requirement for maintenance on the carburetors, which is ordinary for carbs but remains a dying art, they kind of just keep on going despite many of them having had a history of abuse and neglect by the previous (beginner) owners.
BTW you don't want a Givi rack anyway, because they are very expensive and you can DIY. Given the high cost of some of these sorts of aftermarket parts, and the relatively low price of GS500s and low commitment many GS owners have to their bikes, you can see why the market for those parts has not flourished. Plus these motorcycles have been out of production now for 10 years. But seriously, who's going to spend $300 on a rack for a bike they only paid $1200 for?
If you are willing to spend the money (I was), the German company Hepco & Becker makes really nice racks for the GS500. Crash bars too.
In general, there was a lot more aftermarket support in Europe where a 500cc bike is not automatically considered a beginner bike. YOu could even get full aftermarket fairing kits for the GS500E in the 90's.
Any generic tank pad sticker will fit. If you want complete tank protection, Top Sellerie in France makes full tank covers that interface with their tank bags.
Part of the fun of the GS is finding all the aftermarket stuff that existed over the years but usually in very limited quantities and in specific markets. If you look hard enough you can get just about anything for this bike.
I'm starting to get my head around the GIVI options. I've learnt there's Monokey and Monolock. One is for Scooters and one is for Motorbikes.
Monokey is for is for bikes so I don't need to worry about Monolock. So the Monokey is the case I need and there seems to be about 20 different kinds available.
But then I have to get the plate and the arms.
You can't just type in 2009 GS500F because GIVI have an outdated database which is totally European based and I'm in Australia.
There is an eBay deal where you get:
GIVI
SATCHEL BAGS < span class = "notranslate" > </span> + BRACKET + plate + BACKREST
CODE V47N OR V47NT + 526F + M3 + E134S
* WHEN PURCHASING SPECIFIES THE DESIRED VERSION
copied and pasted from the page...
Which comes to about $700 AUD and then there's a brake light kit I can fix to it which brings it to about $800.
I might have a look to see if there are some cheaper shops online or local cos that's pretty dear, Postage is FKEN $150 from that eBay shop which is probably fair enough.
Then I reckon a Tank Pad might be good cos the tank is pristine and I know my fat gut with a zip can scratch tanks plus they look good which is probably te real reason for all this stuff, however the GIVI pack top box SHt will probably come in handy for stowage, so I dont have to cart my FKN helmet to every FKN event in my FKn life whilst motosickling.
Then I will get LED globes for every concievable light on the bike cos i did notice the Neutral is invisible in the sun and I don;t want THAT to happen now do we?
Other thing I might get depending on how the wind is will be an upgraded windscreen. look I noticed some wind about my head when test ridig on freeway.. no where near like my little bike I'm on now but over a long road trip yes may like to be improved upon. I saw a double bubble which sounds good!!!! A bit like an A$$ thog? Which is maybe how they make them..
Anyway enough jokes. Good there is some stuff available and I'm really looking forward to picking up te Motosickle on Sunday
Hopefully I can answer these questions to get this post up... or maybe it wouldn
t be such a bad thing if I didnt >_<
Welcome to the forum Andy73 and congrats on the motorcycle purchase :cheers:
eBay is a good place to look for GS500 parts and accessories, as well as sites like bikebandit.com, revzilla.com, and (my favorite) motosport.com.
Also, have a good look through the GSTwins wiki, http://wiki.gstwins.com/ , and especially this part here:
http://wiki.gstwins.com/index.php?n=Main.Upgrades
There are links in there to sites (like Wild Hair Accessories for example) that carry aftermarket goodies for the GS500.
For used parts, browse through the For Sale section here on the forum. Also, if you have facebook, the group called "Suzuki GS500" is the largest and has the most activity (I'm an admin there). I've seen many helpful links and posts show up for parts and whatnot.
Thankyou SHowBizWolf for welcoming me.
Yeah I'm really, really happy with my bike. It is a 2009 GS500f with nearly 3500 km on the clock (just over 2000 miles) so super low mileage, and condition to match. A bit of a time capsule really. And after learning on a 250 for about 3 weeks really appreciate the high speed stability comfort and wind protection of the GS. Quite a torquey bike perfect for touring and cruising high speed- Just what I'm after.
I see you found a rack and a bag. Digging the overall look!
Any chance of getting some close ups of the rack? Particularly the attachment points?
I think I've commented on a couple of your other posts but welcome to the forum! :cheers: