Hello everyone,

I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Matt - I've been registered as FlyingTndrbx on a few other forums, but usually MadScientistMatt - and I bought a 2005 GS500F a couple weeks ago. It's my second bike; my first was a beat up 1979 Honda CX500 that I'd ridden for about six months before deciding it wasn't holding up that well to a 40 mile commute.

Of course, now that I get the bike, it gets cold, or what passes for cold in the Atlanta area. But I'd like to keep riding when possible, even in the winter.

So, I've been thinking about what I might do to make the bike more comfortable for cold weather, and more comfortable, period (the seat starts to get slightly uncomfortable if I'm stuck in traffic for 2 hours, which can happen a few times in the worst of rush hours). Note that I'm about 6'2" and 230 lbs.

Here are some of the things I've contemplated:

• An Alaska Leather Buttpadd (seems there aren't many aftermarket seats available for an F anyway)
• Taller windshield
• Hand guards from a V-Strom
• Cigarette lighter plug for an electric suit (maybe next year - will the charging system support one of these?)
• Bar risers or a taller bar

Any thoughts on the mods I've listed? If you've added these to your GS500, how did they turn out?

Taller windshield will help.
Handguards will help.
Taller bar/bar risers will help and you won't need to swap cables (most likely).
The seat is the same from '01 to present.  If a seat fits any of those years, it'll fit your F.


I'm 6'6 and can ride my '00 just fine for ~4 hrs in one stretch if I'm moving around.  Staying in one position is your death.

Quote from: MadScientistMatt on December 05, 2006, 07:44:00 PM
Here are some of the things I've contemplated:

• An Alaska Leather Buttpadd (seems there aren't many aftermarket seats available for an F anyway)
• Taller windshield
• Hand guards from a V-Strom
• Cigarette lighter plug for an electric suit (maybe next year - will the charging system support one of these?)
• Bar risers or a taller bar

Any thoughts on the mods I've listed? If you've added these to your GS500, how did they turn out?

I put the GenMar risers on my 97 GS back in 99 and transferred them to the 02 I bought in 03.  They make the bars just right for me and I've got about 120k miles on those risers now.  I was about 6' 2" and 240# back in 97 and am about 6' even and about 250# now.  There's some other risers from SW-Motec now for the GS's also.

http://www.zianet.com/GenMar/

http://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/2016/210/

I've done 4-500 mile days and never felt the need for a seat change on either the older narrow seat on the 97 or the newer 02 seat which is like yours.

I ride year round here in NE Ohio and also have never felt the need for electrics in the winter.  Got lots of warm clothes and heavy gloves and I put a Plexi 2 type windshield on for the winter which is taller and wider than your F model shield.  I did put an accesory socket under the seat though and hooked it directly to the battery.  Use it for an air pump or to charge the cell phone when travelling.

Winter shield:

Welcome, MadScientistMatt!   

scratch puts handguards on his purple beauty during the winter, but I can't remember what type he uses (I think he modded them a bit). I'll try to find where he posted about this previously....

Is there really a winter in Atlanta? 

Haven't found scratch's previous post (hopefully he'll check in and see this tomorrow), but here's another thread on warmth:

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=30654.0

Forget those bulky handguards--heated grips are where it's at! Although there are quite a few different products out there, I've been using Oxford HotGrips up until I winterized the bike on Monday (the first flakes of winter snow started just as I left the garage). The control box is a bit bulky and only fits well on the bars in front of the ignition lock, but it delivers otherwise. Solder the red wire into an ignition regulated wire (brown tailight wire in my case), directly bolt the black wire to the battery's negative terminal and you're good to go. It will then switch off when you turn off the GS; that way, forgetting to turn the grips off will not lead to a dead battery. At their highest setting, the palms of your hands are almost uncomfortably warm, but it effectively promotes circulation, preventing numbness. Cleanly routing the cables and cutting down the throttle tube flange is a nuisance to be sure, however, the effort is worth it. Considering the nature of motorcycles, I can't believe they aren't mandatory equipment.

over here in scotland i ride the winter through and have a 80mile a day commute. i use both handguards (modded yamaha xt660) and heated grips. which is just about perfect. although i get cold knees as i dont have a fairing.

i used to have an old cx 400 it was a legendry bike that did many a mile. weird v2 set up
have fun on your gs 

Heated grips, winter gloves, poly pro long underwear, a good jacket with a wind/water proof liner, poly pro balaclava, and layers are all you need to comfortably ride in temps ranging from high 20's to 40's.  Heated grips work, but only if you have good winter gloves.  Vented gloves will leave you with hot palms and numb finger tips.  Find an all leather glove with a wool liner.  The key thing to remember is that you want to block all wind from your body.  A tall wind shield will be difficult to mount on a F model.  Your best bet is to get a good jacket with a wind/rain proof liner, and layers.  I comfortably commute every morning in 30 degree temps.

sounds to me like it's all a matter of comfort...

I see on zero gravity's web site that they make a double bubble windscreen as well as a sport touring windscreen for 04+. Does anyone have any experience with either of these two? Do they help block more wind than the stock wind screen?

Thanks everyone for the replies. Looks like you've given me a lot of things I can try out here. I have an adventure-touring sort of suit (Tour Master Transition jacked and Caliber pants) that keeps the wind out, but my hands, neck, and feet don't seem to be faring quite as well. Sounds like there's a lot I can do for them.

Handguards are the most bang for your buck.  Besides the cold they help with nuisance rain.
I have the hanguards on my V-Strom and they do make a big difference.
I have removable heated grips and a pair of Olympia Ultima II gloves.
It has to be below 40 degrees before I even think about putting on the heated grips.
I can go for hours in 35 or above without the heated grips.
With the grips I can go into the mid 20's for hours also.
Went to Florida on the V-Strom last winter and did not see any winter
in Atlanta.   
We started in 22 degree weather and got to 82 degrees in Florida.

Here is the link for the grips.
http://www.bikebone.com/page/BBSC/PROD/OXFORD/76-694