Quote from: Unnamed on March 27, 2007, 09:51:14 PM
If you're looking to do lots of highway riding, why not just go for an F? The fairings will keep you more shielded when you get up to speed.

That's one of the reasons why I always preferred the naked bikes, much easier to change the amount of fairing.  I put a Plexi 2 type fairing on my first bike years ago and have always had one of those for my bikes since.

Used to just take the Plexi 2 off for a while for local riding in July and/or August for the hottest weather.  For the GS500s though I've been putting a smaller Spitfire type fairing on for the summer months and just using the bigger Plexi 2 for winter thru spring rains riding.

Hit the freeway with my first bike a week after I bought it and with a loose fitting open face helmet with a visor and no windshield and I thought it was gonna tear my head off; haven't hit the road without some kind of shield since.     Wear better helmets now too, full face only.

My summer shield on bike sitting in front of motel 600 miles from home in Maggie Valley, NC:



My winter Plexi 2 at home:



I know it's a bit of an exagerration both ways, but I always say it costs $100 to drop a naked bike and $1000 to drop a fully faired one and I've never had a bike that hasn't met the ground, with or without me on it. 

Quote from: Unnamed on March 27, 2007, 09:51:14 PM
If you're looking to do lots of highway riding, why not just go for an F? The fairings will keep you more shielded when you get up to speed.

Eh, I've thought about that... But I like the way the naked bike looks more Really I could deal with either one, but if I have a choice I will take the E model anyday. actually, I think it was your bike (gsjack) that I spotted the windshield on (ran across it in the photo gallery I think) How much does one of those windshileds cost? It looks like it would be the perfect size for casual highway riding/city riding.

Quote from: linuxman2003 on March 28, 2007, 04:46:02 PM

Quote from: Unnamed on March 27, 2007, 09:51:14 PM
If you're looking to do lots of highway riding, why not just go for an F? The fairings will keep you more shielded when you get up to speed.

Eh, I've thought about that... But I like the way the naked bike looks more Really I could deal with either one, but if I have a choice I will take the E model anyday. actually, I think it was your bike (gsjack) that I spotted the windshield on (ran across it in the photo gallery I think) How much does one of those windshileds cost? It looks like it would be the perfect size for casual highway riding/city riding.

Think you probably mean the smaller Spitfire size shield that I buy locally for $50-60.  I altered it since the pic above to make it a four point mount, not very good pics:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/SpitfirePicsGS3.jpg

The big Plexi 2 was about $80 or so last time I bought one and they're up to about $130 now from Chaparral or MAW.  There are a lot of shields available from National Cycle to fit the GS500, prices shown here are list so check with Chaparral or MAW:

http://shop.nationalcycle.com/perl/cycle/nresults2.html?search_model=su-022

The smaller Spitfire size or the similar sized National Cycle Deflector Screens are all you really need for comfortable highway travel.  The bigger Plexi 2 is nicer for winter cold and spring rain use here in NE Ohio.

I use my GS every time it doesn't snow outside for commuting, which is about 50 miles roundtrip with 40 miles of it being a highway.
I have to work hard to keep it under 85mph. The bike wants to run at 85-90mph or so, when crusing at about 7200 RPM on the flat. And I am not judjing that based on the stock speedometer. I have a bicyle computer that I just recently recalibrated for my new Pirellis. My GS may be a tad speedier than the stock though, as it has full Yoshi, K&N and rejetted.

Today, just to calm my riding style a little bit I rode home together with some cruiser at about 70mph and just enjoyed the sunny day, but as soon as he took an off ramp, I ended up going my usual 85mph the rest of the way until just before taking my exit, I passed a truck at 98mph and still had plenty to climb if I needed to.

What I am saying is that GS is perfectly highway capable and a ton of fun to boot. Especially considering that 10 miles of my commute is a nice twistie, which is where GS's traits really shine.

Jenya