Well I never thought I'd say it, but I really feel tired of the GS. I've had it a year and have put over 8000 miles on her. I got used to the power real quick so I then started working on my cornering. I'm sure there are others far better than me but I feel like I'm really pushing the bike to its limits even in the handling department. I have gotten good enough to be able lean far enough to scrape the pegs in nearly any turn. I have even passed several guys on much faster bikes. When I'm going about the twisties, I can just feel the bike struggling to keep up. (All this is done with full gear btw). I'm not trying to brag about any of this, just trying to give a full description of whats going on.

My roommate just got an 03 SV650S. Besides the huge power advantage over the GS. It handles sooooo much smother. The bike doesn't feel jittery and nervous in the turns, it just seems locked in to wherever I point it.

My question is, is it worth it to mod the GS a little, or should I just save up for a new bike. I would like to move it performance wise in the direction of the SV. The only mods I've thought about so far, are a 15 tooth sprocket. (will the bike be noticeably quicker with this?)

I've thought about doing a VnH full exhaust with a airbox replacement filter, but I've read a lot of rejetting horror stories on here so I'm a little skeptical about it.

Also, what are some basic suspension mods that will help the bike. Does raising the rear preload do anything?

much to learn, you still have.

If you're scraping, it's time to practice hanging.  :mrgreen:

Im with Yoda  
I have been riding for 20 years and I dont feel that I have come close to learning it all. I've rode street, I've raced and I have raced dirt. You can always learn more. The GS is great in the fact that its at an almost perfect power to weight ratio. And it handles fairly well out of the box. Yes it could use more in the handling, yes it could use a shaZam! load more power but it's there. You just have to start moding it. Do the jets, do the K&N, do the Progressive front springs, Do the Kat rear shock swap,  do the exhaust, do the 15t and you will see a bike you didnt know you had. The horror stories on the jets most of the time stem from not taking your time and doing what the manual sez to do. That bike has a lot left in it, you just have to unlock it.

my .02

Mike

from reading a bit on this site, it seems like moding GS is definately has very limited benefits.  It just seems like there is only going to be so much that u can get out of it.  I would just trade up, at least that what I think I'll do in a year or two.

am I wrong?

Why don't you do a little modding, (150.00), new pipe, K&N, rejet, ride some more and see if your still tired. Then you can trade up. It's amazing the difference in power you get by doing this, like a whole new bike.

Where are you in the rpm band? Try sliding the rear. In a lower gear, in the higher rpms.

Then try sliding the front. English riding style it's called, Freddie Spencer used to use this method successfully in the '80's Grand Prix's. I wish I still had the issue of Motorcyclist that describes, in detail, how it works. What I do remember is with the rear weight bias of motorcycles (of modern m/c's back then), maintaining rear wheel traction and therefore thrust would get you around the track faster. Utilizing the larger rear tire's large contact patch, you would add throttle to "pull" the then sliding front end towards your desired direction. Sound like fun? The problem is you end up with more faceplants than tightends in an endzone. Know why we have carbon knuckled gloves nowadays?

I think you have done your time learning.  If you are a capable and considerate rider, and if you want a different bike (for whatever reason) then you should get one.  There is no rule that says you have to be an expert on one bike to move on to another... its about having fun and being safe.  If you wait until you are a GS-Jedi-Master to change bikes, you will be riding the GS for decades (as master Yoda implied).  It sounds like you probably are in the safe-zone for bumping up... which is to say that you aren't one of those people who barely gets past the break-in period before announcing that they have 'outgrown' the GS.  

The SV650 is a great bike.  Add better tires and stiffer fork springs and you will be in 7th heaven    Awesome, usable power, nice styling, and just as much in the way of mod possibilities as the GS for the wrenching-inclined among us.  There are days that I miss the GS (like the day my insurance bill comes), but not too many.  

The spindly front forks, the weak stock rear shock, skinny tires and the flimsy swing arm mean that the GS will never handle really well.  With a single front disk it will never stop really well either - so no heroic late braking please!  The frame is good and rigid, but even the (very) moderate power that the motor can produce will quickly overwhelm the suspension.  You could uprate it (bigger forks, better rear shock, twin disks), but you'd be better spending the money on a different bike when you're ready for something better.   Either that, or practice going round really tight corners on a pogo stick before you try it on a stock GS  

Quote from: vtlionI think you have done your time learning.  If you are a capable and considerate rider, and if you want a different bike (for whatever reason) then you should get one.

I'm with vt.
I am in your same shoes, or was. I put 9k miles on my gs the first year and 4 months I had it, all in the canyons. I was regularly embarassing bigger bikes. I had upgraded the fork springs, the rear shock, tried better tires, etc. When I got to the point of wanting to install a different rear wheel to get bigger (better) rear tire I realized I just needed a better bike.

Thats when I got the 600rr and I havent looked back. it would cost you more than the sv would but a full on sportbike is far superior to the sv. You could buy a slightly used sportbike for the cost of a new sv (or a use sv with added cost of modding the suspension, which it still needs). You can get a 03 600rr for $5k.

Definitely save for a new bike and save for trackdays...dont spend your money on the gs. save for the next bike.

Get a new bike!

I did the same, rode the GS for about 1 1/2 years, put 15,000 miles on it and then sold it.  Used the money I got plus about another $1500 and got a nice used Ninja ZX-6.  The 600 class sportbikes are SO much better (faster, more stable) than the GS it's just increadible the difference.  Face it, the GS is a beginner, ladies, old mans, commuter bike.  There is just no comparison between a 100HP and a 40HP bike.  No matter WHAT you do, you'll never get more than 50HP from the GS.  And no matter what you do, you'll never get the light GS to stick in a turn as fast as the 600 class bikes.

So tell me. was the $1500 better spent on upgrades for the GS and STILL having 1/2 the HP or getting a used 600 class bike?

You decide, I did.

I still think an SV is a better second bike than a supersport.    Yeah the suspesion is from the Suzuki parts bin but cheap to make it quite decent.  I take a nice curvy road for my daily commute and I enjoy it way more with the SV than the GS.  

Go get whatever makes you happy.  

Quote
Face it, the GS is a beginner, ladies, old mans, commuter bike.

joerocker -  you are gonna get a lot of flames for this.  :lol:


BTW - Can we make this a GS and SV board?  All John has to do is add another forum section and change the logo a little.  I would make another donation if it helps the cause.  :mrgreen:

No biggie, I'm used to it...

Nawwww, nobody's gonna flame here...beginners are beginners, the ladies on this site have mostly moved on (and one even came back)...us old men know our place (and are too gracious)...but those commuters :x  :x  :x , have a little respect for those who deal with the human condition on a daily basis.  

*looks around*  I don't see any ladies...  :lol:

Quote from: OrlandoGS

Also, what are some basic suspension mods that will help the bike. Does raising the rear preload do anything?

____
Raising the rear preload increases your ground clearance and steepens (quickens) the steering geometry up front.  Put a mark on the bodywork directly above the rear axle.  When you sit on the bike the rear sag should range from about 1-to-1-1/2" compared to the measure of the fully extended swingarm when the bike is up on the centerstand.  Of course, Progressive Springs for the forks  goes without saying.  The 15 tooth sprocket is another worthy  performance enhancer.  Yeah, don't waste your time and money on a pipe/filter/jet kit.  That's more show than go.

I feel like a hippie for this, but I'm going to agree with everyone :mrgreen: .  If you want performance/hp gains for the buck bigger bike is the way to go.  My understanding is that modding the GS's suspension makes a HUGE difference (I'm too broke to start modding) .  I've lived several different places since I got my GS.  Geography seems to make a big difference in when riders "feel" they've outgrown the GS.  If you live somewhere with crappy roads (read straight and flat roads) like me, the desire for more HP and straight line stability is greater.  I think every friggin' thread on this site includes the words "I kept up with bigger bikes and even passed some on my GS".  These people aren't riding in Coastal GA or Kansas where all the roads are flat and straight.  My advice is this...  if you feel confident in your riding and your safety as a rider, and you want a bigger bike, get one.  This is America Dammit you shouldn't have to ask permission to make your own decision.  Just my two cents.

I would say you are probably better off spending your money on a new bike. But, not for another middleweight. back when I upgraded from the GS, the wife and I chose to keep it since she wanted to learn to ride and I like using it to commute on. The GS has it's uses, but if I could only own one bike, I would want something a bit stronger than a GS. Honestly though, I would think you would outgrow an Sv650 pretty quick also. I had mine about a year, and to be honest I was starting to outgrow that also. Mainly due to the fact that I like to tour by bike, and middleweights just don't really cut it for long journeys. I really don't see the point in going from one small displacement bike to another. I would say, do some simple and inexspensive mods to buy you some more time, then when you trade up go for a nice 1000+cc. you'll be amazed how "relaxing" they are to ride. Ask yourself this, what is a 650 really going to do for me that my 500 can't? probably not much.

Quote from: joerockerGet a new bike!
Face it, the GS is a beginner, ladies, old mans, commuter bike.  
You decide, I did.

Ouch!   .... it's hard enough getting any respect riding a GS500.

OK .. I'm not that old and yes I use it for commuting (transportation) but as others have said, I have no trouble thrashing guys on 600's (in the curves).  

The progressive springs will make a huge difference in handling.  It's like a new bike after that.  Those stockers are not even safe.  I was bottoming them out on just mild braking.  

With 8000 miles under your belt you may very well be ready for a new bike if that's the kind of riding you do.  No matter how much you spend on the GS it will never be a 600RR.  I have ridden one and it is awesome.  Some of us though may actually prefer the old GS because it doesn't cost $300 for a valve adjustment, thousands for insurance etc. and also delivers plenty of fun at the same time.

If I were OrlandoGS, I wouldn't get an SV650 to replace the GS500. If you do a lot of riding and, in a way, competing, with your buddies, and you are going to spend the money anyway on a new bike, get something quicker and better than the SV or else in another 8000 miles, you will outgrow that too. How about a GSX-R 750? 1000?

By the way, I've only got around 4k under my belt but I love my little GS old man, ladies, commuter, beginner bike. Hi p Hip Hooray for the GS500!