I have been riding my 93 GS for a year now, and have gotten the larger bike bug; objects of lust include a SV650, Honda 599, my  old 96 Triumph Thunderbird, even a Ducati 696, but every time I take my GS out for a romp I wonder what I am thinking; it does everything I could ask of it and more. I purposefully have't ridden anything else in the last year so I don't have grounds for comparison... what would be the advantages of moving up the food chain?

more power, bigger bike.......

Less gas mileage, more expensive maintenance, much more expensive tires.

Come hell or high water, a Monster 696 is going to be my next bike. Oh so sexy.

696 is overrated.  You're better off buying an older M900 that's already been tweaked.  This BS with 1/2 the maintenance cost on new Duc's is just that BS.  I talked to a Duc tech the other day that said nothing has changed and the 1/2 thing doesn't apply to Testy engines anyway.  So, yeah, find yourself a mid 90's M900 for 4-5k and get a OEM Duc shop manual and sit back, relax and enter a whole new world of desmodromic valves and belt driven cams.

The 599 makes the GS look like a mangy mustang next to a racehorse. Rides like it looks too. Very slick, very cush, very quick in comparison and almost twice the HP. But mangy mustangs are hardier than racehorses. 
My GS is sweet on a 599 called 'Niner, metallic black and very smoooth.

f%$k the duc, get a zuk

Quote from: dogjaw on May 27, 2008, 07:57:22 PM
I have been riding my 93 GS for a year now, and have gotten the larger bike bug; objects of lust include a SV650, Honda 599, my  old 96 Triumph Thunderbird, even a Ducati 696, but every time I take my GS out for a romp I wonder what I am thinking; it does everything I could ask of it and more. I purposefully have't ridden anything else in the last year so I don't have grounds for comparison... what would be the advantages of moving up the food chain?

Not neccesarily a bigger bike, but a fuel injected bike. That EFI bike may likely have better suspension, brakes, etc.

If you don't go crazy you can still keep the light weight feel and ease of maintenance that your gs has. Tires will cost a little more for an sv, but your riding style will dictate how quickly your burn through them.





I'll lust after other bikes just like you, then take the gs out for a fun romp and think the exact same thing: It does what I want, it's cheap, it's FUN, and doesn't break the bank to operate.

take a old 80 or 81 gs1100 e for a ride and you will  wonder why you ever bought a 500

Quote from: qwertydude on May 27, 2008, 10:15:17 PM
Less gas mileage...

According to Suzuki the SV650ABS gets between 10-15 more miles per gallon than my GS500F!

Quote from: 06GSF on May 28, 2008, 06:24:30 AM

Quote from: qwertydude on May 27, 2008, 10:15:17 PM
Less gas mileage...

According to Suzuki the SV650ABS gets between 10-15 more miles per gallon than my GS500F!

According to my previous '05 SVS...

I would say I get at least 5 MPG better on my '04 F.

Its because the 05 svs is fuel injected , as all svs from 2003 , means they use a very controlled amount of fuel , and id imagine u would have to ride like a grandma to get a very high milage 

Yeah, I know.  But he was comparing it to a FI SV.  I think they just started the ABS models in the last couple of years.   

Quote from: dogjaw on May 27, 2008, 07:57:22 PM
I have been riding my 93 GS for a year now, and have gotten the larger bike bug; objects of lust include a SV650, Honda 599, my  old 96 Triumph Thunderbird, even a Ducati 696, but every time I take my GS out for a romp I wonder what I am thinking; it does everything I could ask of it and more. I purposefully have't ridden anything else in the last year so I don't have grounds for comparison... what would be the advantages of moving up the food chain?

It all really depends on what you do with your bike and what you want out of it.

Gas mileage, tire cost, maintenance does not mean squat to me. I consider bikes a pleasure vehicle, so I have them for fun. 3000 miles on a set of tires or 30mpg are fine with me, as long as I have fun I do not care. Those numbers are from my old TLR.

there area a couple of 599's at a shop about an hour north of me that I'm going to check out this weekend, I like the looks, but the prcing seems a bit steep. i'm 5'6", 28" inseam, the honda and the SV650 are mighty appealing...

The SV650 is a fantastic ride.  I took one out as a loan while the GS was in having 1000km service.  You need to look at WHY you want to upgrade.  Are you upgrading for better performance, new look of bike, touring style.

If you want a more grunty engine, look, feel, style then upgrade. 
If you are happy with the performance, look of the GS then keep it.

Bigger bikes =
greater service costs
Tires are a bloody fortune
insurance costs are much higher

GS500 =
shaZam! Loads of Cheap Reliable FUN

You "Could" buy a brand new 2008 GS500F