Let me start off by saying hello to all. 1st post (been reading alot here though)

Im a newer rider (June 07). I started out smart and got an 07 Aprilia Sportcity 250 scooter as my very 1st bike.
Already put 4500 miles on it. Fun as hell to ride.

I was quite sure my next bike was going to be an 08 GS500, but im not sure anymore.
I need your honest advice and input.

Since we know i have a scooter with almost 5k miles on it in less than 1 season, let me add more info.
My only other exp was in August of 07. I lent my scooter to a friend so he could pass his License test, and...I...
borrowed his Vulcan 1500.  Heavy ass bike. I picked up how to shift gears pretty quickly in his driveway. I drove it home 15 miles away...almost. Turning down my street (5 blocks away) I dont know what happened. Over-throttled it or i leaned it too far (like i lean my scoot) or i leaned it into his armor-all covered sidewalls, i dont know. I dropped it at 15 mph. no real dmg to me or the bike cept a snapped off front brake lever, no other scratches thanks to his saddle bags. All that aside i still havent dropped my scooter. :knock on wood:

Now to where ya'll come in.
Obviously im not ready for that caliber of bike.
Which is why i was looking at the Gs500 and ninja 500r.
I dont want this to become a Ninja bashing but I want input from the other side of the road.

I feel like im ready for the next level.

08 Ninja 500 is supposed to have more power, costs less, and my insurance will be 420 for a year (full coverage)

08 Gs500 looks great to me, but is there something im missing besides the higher price and insurance at 640 a year?

cost to maintain ninja seems to cost less too.
These 2 bikes have been around for ages, and yall have more exp with them than anyone i know.

Hope i dont offend anyone dropping Ninjas in here. i know this is gs500 forum, i posted this in a ninja forum also, i just want a view from yall.

Thanks

look at the 2008 Ninja 250. Its stylish as hell and insurance is super cheap on it. Not what you wanted to hear?

You might not believe this but my all-state agent quoted my an identical rate for the ninja 250 and 500. No clue how they get that.
But i thought about that route also, which is why i figured for same insurance rate why not get that little extra cc.

Edit: My other concern is power with a rider. Alone on the scoot it gets up pretty good, but I'm 6'4 190, and when i add my wife, another 140 lbs. The scoot still moves but not as well, and tops out at 75 going 2up.

Are the 500 cc bikes too big of a step up from a 250cc scoot?

Well this years ninja 250 is brand new and all the reviews are positive that its worlds ahead of the last generation.

But do you want a bike that needs to be beaten constantly. Your already riding a 250 but one thats geared a bit more for the road. Where the Ninja 250 wants to be screaming through its power band. The GS is a bit more even through the power band.

Now heres an odd one to look at. I believe, others can confirm this, that our GS500 actually gets better average gas mileage then the Ninja 250. When i was looking at commuting bikes I read a lot of different figures on mileage. But again someone here can confirm that.

Short version - go to the Kawi dealer and ride one. Then go to the Suzuki dealer and ride one. See which you prefer and buy the one you like better. I have a hard time betting against the Ninja when so many good things have been written about it

i have rode both bikes extensively.  my opinion is that it is like comparing apples and organes.  mostly because of the engine, one is a twin the other in line 4.  personally i prefer the f model gs, it may not have the top end power but it is much more smoother.  the ninja just looks old.  as for going for a 250 you might as well keep the scooter, it is just not a large enough engine.

I thought they were both twins. I didnt mention the 250 in my OP, someone threw that in as a suggestion.

The scooter is fine for around town, plenty of zip, but sometimes you just want that little extra. Which a scooter doesnt have but 500cc class  (ninja and gs500f) do have. Im sure yall can speak more on the reliability on the gs.

Quote from: frankieG on April 24, 2008, 08:06:01 PM
i have rode both bikes extensively.  my opinion is that it is like comparing apples and organes.  mostly because of the engine, one is a twin the other in line 4.  personally i prefer the f model gs, it may not have the top end power but it is much more smoother.  the ninja just looks old.  as for going for a 250 you might as well keep the scooter, it is just not a large enough engine.

what about those hyosungs you praised extensively?, although id say give the gs another look, the ninjas are no longer dated looking. look quite like awesome imho 

I have a friend with a ninja 500 and I love riding her bike. That said i love my GS as well. Her bike has more power and is not as cold blooded, but mine dosn't have a cooling system to worry about. Both of them are CHEEP to keep running. 

Quote from: gmark on April 24, 2008, 08:58:05 PM
I have a friend with a ninja 500 and I love riding her bike. That said i love my GS as well. Her bike has more power and is not as cold blooded, but mine dosn't have a cooling system to worry about. Both of them are CHEEP to keep running. 

well said ↑↑↑↑↑

Quote from: djplaya140 on April 24, 2008, 08:40:31 PM
I thought they were both twins. I didnt mention the 250 in my OP, someone threw that in as a suggestion.

The scooter is fine for around town, plenty of zip, but sometimes you just want that little extra. Which a scooter doesnt have but 500cc class  (ninja and gs500f) do have. Im sure yall can speak more on the reliability on the gs.

They are both inline twins.The ninja doesn't get a 4 cylinder until you hit 600+cc's The GS to me is a little more easy going than the ninjette.I've rode both and I way prefer the GS.It's more forgiving if you make mistakes.

Quote from: ben2go on April 24, 2008, 11:00:44 PM
They are both inline twins.The ninja doesn't get a 4 cylinder until you hit 600+cc's The GS to me is a little more easy going than the ninjette.I've rode both and I way prefer the GS.It's more forgiving if you make mistakes.

I'd second that. Another positive point about GS is it is much more easier to work on. This might not be very relevant if you are buying  a new one, but just a point about GS vs Ninja. 

plus this is www.gstwins.com not www.ninjette.ghey  jk, jk , jk,, both would be good starter bike, the gs would be more forgiving wiht mistakes of one sort or another

get an old use naked gs500E none of that F crap. or a naked sv650.

Quote from: djplaya140 on April 24, 2008, 04:23:56 PM
Are the 500 cc bikes too big of a step up from a 250cc scoot?

Definitely not, IMHO.
It's the right thing to do.
I did this exact step up last year, from a 250cc Aprilia Leonardo to my present '01 GS500. And never regretted it.
You'll be fine.

I think changing from a 250 scooter to a 500 cc motocycle is a notmal evolution of a rider as much as it was to go from bicycle to a scooter, many folks will skip steps some don't.

about the Ninja 250 2008 I have seen it, and I have ridden it;

1. The seat is way better than the GS500f (and I own a 2005)
2. The Ninja has 40BHP, where the GS has 48BHP.
    Rather impressive considering its 1/2 the cc's
3. top speed rated at ~ 100MPH the GS is ~111 in most books
4. Seat is `1" lower making a favorite with women.

While I tested the Ninja 250, there were 8 in front of store when I got back 3 got sold.
its a popular bike with popular aftemarket parts. its is very fun bike.

the main difference between the Ninja and the GS 500cc's models is that the GS is more "forgiving" or more "progressive" in its handling. and probably easier to handle than a much more nervous  (talking stock vs stock here) Ninja.

get a used GS500 for 1/2 price of a Ninja, get to ride on it, and sell it for 2/3 of what you paid for it use that cash to put down on a Ninja.

My 2 cents worth

PS: ladies do look good on a ninja ...
examples.

i went from a rm 125 to a cb 900 in 1980.  it depends on the rider, their skill and confidence.  i was and still am impressed with the look and feel of the UM 650 but what has that got to do with the ninja or gs?

Cool guys, thanks for the feedback. I think im leaning to a gs now. Somethings are more important than a few bhp. Looks arent everything buy they do count, and of course forgivness if a factor. If dropping the vulcan was my fault, its not a very forgiving bike lol.

Now to find a used GS around here.

Quote from: djplaya140 on April 24, 2008, 04:09:52 PM
Let me start off by saying hello to all. 1st post (been reading alot here though)

Im a newer rider (June 07). I started out smart and got an 07 Aprilia Sportcity 250 scooter as my very 1st bike.
Already put 4500 miles on it. Fun as hell to ride.

I was quite sure my next bike was going to be an 08 GS500, but im not sure anymore.
I need your honest advice and input.

Since we know i have a scooter with almost 5k miles on it in less than 1 season, let me add more info.
My only other exp was in August of 07. I lent my scooter to a friend so he could pass his License test, and...I...
borrowed his Vulcan 1500.  Heavy ass bike. I picked up how to shift gears pretty quickly in his driveway. I drove it home 15 miles away...almost. Turning down my street (5 blocks away) I dont know what happened. Over-throttled it or i leaned it too far (like i lean my scoot) or i leaned it into his armor-all covered sidewalls, i dont know. I dropped it at 15 mph. no real dmg to me or the bike cept a snapped off front brake lever, no other scratches thanks to his saddle bags. All that aside i still havent dropped my scooter. :knock on wood:

Now to where ya'll come in.
Obviously im not ready for that caliber of bike.
Which is why i was looking at the Gs500 and ninja 500r.
I dont want this to become a Ninja bashing but I want input from the other side of the road.

I feel like im ready for the next level.

08 Ninja 500 is supposed to have more power, costs less, and my insurance will be 420 for a year (full coverage)

08 Gs500 looks great to me, but is there something im missing besides the higher price and insurance at 640 a year?

cost to maintain ninja seems to cost less too.
These 2 bikes have been around for ages, and yall have more exp with them than anyone i know.

Hope i dont offend anyone dropping Ninjas in here. i know this is gs500 forum, i posted this in a ninja forum also, i just want a view from yall.

Thanks

Scooters are great and all that. Going to a vulcan 1500... ouch, glad you didn't mess yourself up. That's a different beast altogether.

Buying an 08 GS500 doesn't make any sense to me at all really. The bike has changed very little since it started. Getting an older gs500 as a 'first bike' will be much easier on your pocket, now, and when insurance time comes. You will drop it, and the non-faired older models do much better with drops.

The ninja 500 is another fine bike. A little more power, just as good a support community online, all that jazz. If you'll fit on a ninja 250, don't rule it out.  It's a fine machine too.

The things about a gs that usually suck:

frame mounted petcock
carbs (if anyone messed with them)
the first time you do a valve job yourself

good luck with your choice, remember, it's JUST A BIKE, and no one really cares what you're riding. it only looks good/bad when you park it, IF you actually look at it

try the ninjas, the gs, go slow and see which one puts a stupid grin on your face first. THAT is the bike to have.