Does anyone else share this feeling. Coz I know most of you are excited about it.

But I am a naked bike lover. I felt bad that I I can't get a new unfaired GS500 anymore.

In a way, probably things happened for the better. Coz now I have decided to save up for a bit longer and go for the SV650 as my 1st (above 250cc) bike.

I am sure it'll be fun. Is there any, I MEAN ANY thing in the GS500 which is better than SV650, like maybe comfort or fuel consumption or anything at all.

Thanx.

Never been on an SV650, but just from reading things I'll tell you it has a smaller tank than the GS by about a gallon, and poorer fuel efficiency. I suppose that is true of most bikes bigger than 500cc's though.

You can still buy an unfaired 2004 GS. Just so yah know!

Quote from: miloNever been on an SV650, but just from reading things I'll tell you it has a smaller tank than the GS by about a gallon, and poorer fuel efficiency. That is true of most bike bigger than 500cc's though.

Wrong.  The tank size is about the same and range about the same.  2001 and 2 models are a 1/2 gal larger thus maybe 25 miles more range.  AND the SV got 52 MPG before rejetting and 49 after.  The GSXR got 55 MPG before remapping and 51 after.  The z1000 gets about 44 and thats a 1000.  Most bikes, even the big ones get pretty good mileage if you aren't beating on them.

Quote from: dirtz

But I am a naked bike lover. I felt bad that I I can't get a new unfaired GS500 anymore.


Thanx.

If you were in the US, you would have felt that way last year.  A faired GS is better than none at all.

And Rich500, you may be able to get them in Europe, but not in the US.  Apparently not anywhere else, either.  I assume they are going to be available in Canada since you are so happy about the subject.  Are they listed on the Canadian Suzuki site yet?

The bump in price (to 5 large) seems a lot for what amounts to a fairing and an oil cooler.
Like so many others have said before, what happened to the wish-list of EFI, better  tires, beefier suspension, updated electronics (LED's?)...so if I'm in the market for a new bike, mid size, then the GS is no longer competetive with others very near it's class.  For a few dollars more, you can buy a lot more bike by looking elsewhere.  
However, a used, well maintained, late model GS with low mileage probably still IS a great buy, and the bike is basically solid, and a joy to ride.

If you crash a faired '04, and bust up all the fairings, at least you know there will be parts available to make it into an unfaired GS.

On the plus side, with the faired version coming out, the price of recent naked models (    ) will inevitably drop.

Quote from: john

Quote from: milo...it has a smaller tank than the GS by about a gallon, and poorer fuel efficiency.

Wrong.  The tank size is about the same and range about the same.  2001 and 2 models are a 1/2 gal larger thus maybe 25 miles more range.  AND the SV got 52 MPG before rejetting and 49 after.  The GSXR got 55 MPG before remapping and 51 after.  The z1000 gets about 44 and thats a 1000.  Most bikes, even the big ones get pretty good mileage if you aren't beating on them.

Interesting. I stand corrected. I was just reading a mag last night that featured some big naked bikes and the mileage was down in the 30s (!) in some cases. But maybe that's cuz they had 4 cylinders? I don't know, I'm a noob with this stuff. I defer to your wisdom.

But I thought the SV had about a 4 gallon tank? Which would be the same as the pre-01 GS, but a gallon smaller than the newer ones. It might only be a 25-50 mile difference, but it's one of the few things in the list of features that militates in favor of the GS over the SV, which is what he asked.

'03 SV650S=4.3 gallon tank
'03 SV1000S=4.7gallon tank

This is according to the Suzuki site.  No word on the '04's as they are not on the site yet.

I'm not a particular fan of nakeds. Not the reason why I bought the GS. I bought it because it was a good first bike. I have always loved the faired sport bikes. I like that there's a faired version of the GS now.

I prefer nakeds. The list of available bikes is shrinking every year. All the Japanese are interested in selling and MARKETING are H-D clones (too yuppie) and plastic crotch rockets (@ 50, too mid-life crisis). Guess I'll be buying used.

I agree. Granted, the good ol' days of the standards and UJM's are almost gone, but we can still get them used.

So pull the fairing off and sell it. With crappy aftermarket fairings going for $800 or more you could probably get close to that for a cherry factory piece! Hell, half the guys on this board would probably love to have a sweet new fairing with no fitment issues and fresh paint ready to bolt on.

I'll even give you my stock headlight and bucket for 25 bucks. Add a set of $10 short stalk signals and you're $765 ahead.

or you could just find, older skins, headlight bucket and stuff, repaint them, and store your factory stuff, should you go to sell it, put the factory stuff back on,

I feel you on that. The main reason that I choose the GS500 over any other bike was because of it's sport/not so sport look. The new GS just looks too racy.
But if you like that sort of thing, well the new GS has it going on then.

It is a little hard to find one with low miles, but a Honda Hawk NT650GT is one of my favorite bikes, and I believe a great transition from the GS500E to the SV.
//www.hawkgt.com is the home site

I choose the GS500 for its naked looks too. I started riding in the 80's, era of the standard muscle bikes. Very little harkens back to that time anymore. I agree, its all cuisers and racing styling.  

I really enjoy my GS500 (except the seat, gets too uncomfortable on any ride over about 150 miles) and will probably keep it even if I get a larger bike. One naked, standard bike that really goes back to the 80's and still gets rave performance reviews in this age of racing rockets is the Kawasaki ZRX-1200 and older 1100. I really want one of these bikes.