Quote from: natural on February 23, 2006, 12:41:21 AM
i'm 5'11" 195 lbs...

It seems to me that it's easier to find a 250 then trying to find gs500( i live in san fernando valley about 30 mins north of Los Angeles)

Is there any specific year that i should focus on....my initial budget is around 2500.

Check this bike out:  http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=23962.msg245106#msg245106

Quote from: natural on February 23, 2006, 12:41:21 AM
i'm 5'11" 195 lbs...

It seems to me that it's easier to find a 250 then trying to find gs500( i live in san fernando valley about 30 mins north of Los Angeles)

Is there any specific year that i should focus on....my initial budget is around 2500.

/*/*/*/*/ BLATANT THREAD HIJACK /*/*/*/*/

^For that kind of money, you can buy one of the best GS500s in the US from a well-known former member (Davipu) who recently rejoined the board under a new username (badkarma506):

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=23962.0

Davipu / badkarma506 has done just about all of the important mods any GS owner would want; that GS has custom-made case guards (to protect the engine cases in a crash or tipover), custom-made handlebars, which many of the forum members prefer (I expect to buy two pair when the next batch are fabbed), Progressive Suspension fork springs, a GSX-R 600 rear shock (fully adjustable), a high-quality aftermarket exhaust system, a high-quality foam air filter, the carbs have been re-jetted... the list of improvements is nearly endless.

The truth is, if I had the extra cash, that GS would have been MINE the day he listed it for sale. All of the modifications are well-known and time-tested; if there is anything you don't understand (for example, why it is important to upgrade the front fork springs from the useless OEM Suzuki fork springs), you can find the answer with a simple search of the forum, or a dozen helpful moderators and members will be glad to help you learn more, if you can't find the answer on your own (the forum software has changed, so some links don't work properly).

/*/*/*/*/ END BLATANT THREAD HIJACK /*/*/*/*/

EDIT: OK, so nsp replied while I was typing...

Quote from: Cal Amari on February 23, 2006, 02:11:42 AM--snip--
EDIT: OK, so nsp replied while I was typing...

Thats O.K., you did it better than I did.

Have a GS500F and a 250 Ninja.
Did not like the layout of the 500 Ninja, knees bang on the tank ridge.  If you are a noob, the horsepower argument doesn't mean much other than being able to run open road.  If you are a total noob, accept that you will probably want a change sometime anyway, for whatever reason.  Not everyone feels the need to step up in performance and horsepower.  I had a DRZ that would have probably run with the GS up to 60mph, but it was not a good distance bike.  I got the 500F so I could clock off some miles.

If you are inseam limited, start with the 250 Ninja.
If the height/weight of the GS is no issue, start with the GS.  Much more capable and all purpose bike.

Quote from: Rema1000 on February 22, 2006, 11:15:04 PM
I've ridden a 150cc on the Crosstown Hwy62 and passed people

Seeing as hwy 62 is often moving at 5-10 mph hr, I'm not surprised 

Glad to see you're still around, hadn't seen you on here lately.

I spent a fair amount of time blasting around 55/62/35w/100 last summer. The best is the exit from westbound 62 to northbound hwy 100, with nobody in front of you. Now I live in canada, where the roads are straight and flat, and I want a dirtbike because it looks like the only way to have fun riding. 

I don't know whay kind of 250 bikes the american market is offering, here you wouldn't have any choice! The only thing that I can tell is that I suppose you are looking for a 4T bike, 2T 250 are powerful but very aggressive and for a newbie there could be some problems. 2T bikes (like Aprilia RS250 or Suzuki RGV Gamma 250 and similar) are also very expensive with then gasoline, so I suppose I don't take a mistake about your choice for 4T bikes. Since that, I had a little 50 cc with gears before my new GS and I have no trobles handling it, at all. It's very light, quite handly, compared for example with SV650 I used to take driving licence, has an adequate power to drive comfortably and, last but not least, the power is not too much in order to avoid the excess of hard-driving that comes quickly when you learn drive your bike. For me it's a right choice.
How much in USA? For a brand new one in Italy about 4,100 euros -->  4,500  U.S. dollars (on the road)

2f

Quote from: natural on February 23, 2006, 12:41:21 AM
i'm 5'11" 195 lbs...

It seems to me that it's easier to find a 250 then trying to find gs500( i live in san fernando valley about 30 mins north of Los Angeles)

Is there any specific year that i should focus on....my initial budget is around 2500.

I live in LA (downtown), and I got a '94 GS500 a month ago. My friend got a '98 Ninja 250 about a week later. We were both new and helping each other look at bikes, so I saw a lot of each type. First, I would agree with you that it is harder to find the GS than the Ninja. However, I would say that the number of worthwhile GS's is not that much different from the Ninja. Every one of the GS's I looked at was in relatively good condition at worse. On the other hand, there were a number of really bad Ninjas that we saw. Basically, I wouldn't make a decision based off which is easier to find. It's well worth waiting a couple of extra weeks to find the right bike for you.

For $2500, you should be able to find any GS500E ('89 - '02), and pretty much any Ninja 250. I got my '94 for $1850, and her Ninja was $1800. Both bikes were in excellent condition.

As for comparing the two, the GS definitely has more power, but never to a point of scaring you. Some people say the Ninja doesn't have the power for the freeway, but I disagree. I've ridden it on the freeway up to 80 mph with no problem. One thing the Ninja does have on the GS is the windscreen and fairings. I'm 6'1", and when I get above 65-70 mph, there is definitely a good chunk of wind hitting my chest. I'm going to get a windscreen soon, so hopefully this will solve that problem. As far as size goes, the Ninja definitely feels smaller to me. At the end of a half hour ride on it, I can feel the small size getting to me. On my GS, I've ridden for 2 hours comfortably. The smaller size makes the Ninja feel easier to throw around, but I've never had any problem with the handling on my GS. For brakes, I think the GS wins pretty easily.

Either bike is a good bike to learn on. I would go out ride each of them, and get a feel for what you like best. I love my GS, and I know you can't go wrong with it.