On this, the 39th year of my riding motorcycles, I'd thought I share some small insights as to how much many of us, including myself, take for granted with our ownership of the GS.

My previous bikes (4) have all been vertical twins. Two have been Triumphs, two were Hondas. If you feel beset by electrical problems, spend a season with a '60s limey bike. The same folks who try to keep Brit beer cold with their refrigerator electrics provide the means to start your Triumph and keep the lights burning (or try, anyway).

You think your GS vibrates? Your hands get "tingly"? Try riding a Honda 450 "cafe racer" w/flat bars for 200 miles. With a Yamaha TZ seat. It'll give you a massage that you won't soon forget.

Grab a handful of brake on a Triumph 650 at speed and wait for it to stop...1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi, 3 Mississippi...all the way to the count of 10.

Only "true love' could make me ride a Honda 305 Scrambler from Cincinnati to Cleveland and back in less than a day. That bike was bulletproof, but you had to be a hardbody to ride it. Good thing I was a teenager then.

Yeah, I know todays hi-po bikes are smoother, faster, stop better and have more eye appeal (to some) than the GS, but the GS is easier to wrench, maneuver in city traffic, garages and parking spots, and throw around tight corners than some fat-tired, plastic-clad, high-rpm rocket.
I've ridden a few of these 600, 750 and 900 bikes and they are indeed impressive. But their forte as performance bikes is limited by the real world constraints of traffic congestion, law enforcement and safety.

Final thoughts on a bike that appears to have a very loyal following. The GS was introduced in 1989. With the exception of the addition of the fairing, the bike has changed barely at all these past 18 years. Very few auto or motorcycle designs have had such a long production run. A tribute to good design I'd say.

That was extremely well said.      


This especially grabbed me:

Quote from: pnaberhausI've ridden a few of these 600, 750 and 900 bikes and they are indeed impressive. But their forte as performance bikes is limited by the real world constraints of traffic congestion, law enforcement and safety.

I feel ya on the old Honda's, I rode a CB350 with clip-ons for a summer, the GS is silky smooth compared to that old thing.

YAY for cb350's. Actually..no..not at all...I have a '70 the thing is a beast. You cannot kill it. I've dumped it, beat on it, off-roaded it, taught people how to ride on it, all this after it sat in a barn for 18 years without being started. Cleaned the carbs and rinsed the tank quick, added plugs and she started right up. And that thing vibrates like you wouldn't believe. You can feel it in the pegs. I had to take the padding out of the seat so I'm sitting on the metal plate. The GS is like a lazyboy on wheels compared to that thing. I rode it from Albany to NH this summer. Never again. It was my first bike though, my first ride was at 10months with my dad.

pnaberhaus,

Rode my C50 from Cincinnati to Chicago and back in a day earlier this year to take care of a client...I couldn't imagine doing your run on that small a bike.

We should hook up for a ride sometime.  We've (http://www.freeridersclub.com) got a ride scheduled down to Perryville Battlefield in KY tomorrow for a Civil War reenactment.  (http://www.freeridersclub.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=2027)

You're welcome to join us if you're free...heck, for that matter, anybody in the greater Cincinnati area is welcome to join us!

Well put.  I have ridden several bikes on demo rides as well as some of my friends bikes.  Some of them were better than the GS in one way or another. None of them were better in all ways.

I have recently got my 89 Katana 750 on the road after a lot of work.  It has gobs of power more than the GS but it is also heavier and seemingly less maneuverable.  

Bikes like the CBR600RR have helped to push the envelope of motorcycle engineering and that's a good thing.  However I have to agree that they are not practical for anything but the track (I'm sure CBR600RR owners will disagree).

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i dunno if this fits w/ the thread, maybe it's just me being a younger newb rider but yes, i do sometimes wish for fairings...probably because i'm still a little stuck to that "image thing" here in the US.  i've debated trading my 94 e for a new f, and even a duc monster, but keeping it suzuki, an sv650.

am i the only one here suffering from fairing envy?  i guess being the only "cafe racer" styled bike in my town would have its perks but i dunno...what's this headlight thingy here??



sorta cool, even though i'm thinking of opting for a dual headlight setup w/ a buell xb12s  screen and some sort of belly pan...either that or just stick w/ the 7" hl w/ a blast screen.  dunno...opinions??

sorry for the long hijack...

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the fairing looks cool...it goes very well with gs

fairing envy?...sometimes...especially seeing those 06 gsxr,r6,and the new daytona....if i become a track regular i'd get one...but  i know before i even started riding, i know i sorta like the german-esque streetfighter bikes...those things are bad a$$...i also like how the naked bikes look sick while parked or while waiting in a light...its different...i know the GS doesnt really fit into the sick part but...these would




its not streetfighter-like but its naked

I never thought of having a fairing as an image thing.  I always thought of it from a practical standpoint.  Do you need the wind protection and does it really offer wind protection?  

I guess it can also be an esthetics thing too but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.   some people really like the streamlined look that a fairing gives a bike.  Being an engineer, I really like to see the workings of the bikes.  I like to be able to look at it and go  .... Oooo ... carbs or Oooo ... fuel injection.

well said dude,for me the gs still caotures the true essence of a motorcycle.   it's fun it's buzzy and it's windy what more could a dude want.   oh yea you made me rember how old i am.  see ya.

I've had a lot of friggin' bikes, and the GS500F is my favorite of all I've had.

I want to have another one some day.

Quote from: RoadstergalI've had a lot of friggin' bikes, and the GS500F is my favorite of all I've had.I want to have another one some day.

Christmas is coming up.    


:kiss:

I haven't been nice.  

You don't have to be nice to buy yourself a present!  :lol:

No, but I do need money!  I can't afford the GSX-R and another weekend bike.

^^so does anyone know what headlight thingy that is up there??

Quote from: what?!^^so does anyone know what headlight thingy that is up there??

Looks a bit like these guys but not quite

http://bits-a-bikes.co.uk/en-gb/dept_312.html

I have a friend here at school who just got an older Ninja 600 about 3 weeks ago.  It's in kind of rough shape, and he mentioned this morning that he thinks the spark plugs are fouled.

I said "well, that's an easy enough fix."

To which he replied, "Yeah, once I get the gas tank off."

Just once more reason I'm glad my first bike (which I bought about 2 months ago now) is a GS.  

Quote from: KoozControlI have a friend here at school who just got an older Ninja 600 about 3 weeks ago.  It's in kind of rough shape, and he mentioned this morning that he thinks the spark plugs are fouled.

I said "well, that's an easy enough fix."

To which he replied, "Yeah, once I get the gas tank off."

Just once more reason I'm glad my first bike (which I bought about 2 months ago now) is a GS.  

yep I-4's are a pain that way.  I am trying to tune my Kat 750 right now and just to look at the plugs you have to remove the tank (first disconnect the fuel and vacuum hoses).  With a little engineering effort the tank could have been made to hinge from one end making access a snap.