Here's my story. In a nutshell, my first bike was a 750 Katana. I wrecked it at 90 mph on the freeway and lived to tell the tale with very little injury, all things considered. I'm very grateful for that. I stayed away from motorcycling for the last 8 years, but when I was in San Francisco last summer, I thought the best way to see the city would be on a Scooter. So I rented a 50cc 4-stroke "Falcon 50" and after 11 hours of riding around with my girlfriend on the back, it was hard to wipe that grin off. I had a taste again, and wanted more. So now I rock a 1995 GS500E 

When I was 19, everyone I talked to had that mentality that 600cc was a good, small, starting point for a new motorcyclist. I heard that used "jap bikes" (my semi-racist uncle is a Harley riding Viet Nam vet) were good, reliable first bikes. Other people were telling me to start with a 600cc because I needed enough power for the freeway. I literally knew nothing about engines. So I figured, hell, a 750 is only 150cc above a 600, right? My Uncle's Harley is something ridiculous like 1800cc, which to me was like a small car motor. It seems insane now, but at the time I didn't know what the performance difference between an air-cooled parallel twin and a liquid-cooled in-line 4 were. I wish I had started on a GS500 or something like it, and in my humble opinion, there should be a law against making bikes with much more power-to-weight ratio than the GS500. It's a controversial position to take in a free country, but I can't conceive of a good argument for crotch rockets. They just shouldn't exist. They're dangerous, plain and simple.

Anway, back to why I might make such a statement. So I'm 19 and I buy a Katana 750 as a first bike. I handled my first 18 days of ownership like a champ! I got curious once and found a long strip of unoccupied freeway. So I went down it, scanning for cops and road hazards. When I found neither, I proceeded to rip through each gear to redline, which was something ungodly like 13k-14k. I clearly remember looking down at the speedo and reading 160+ mph. I'm not sure if that's supposed to be possible, but that's what I saw, I swear it. The previous owner had put a filter, pipe and re-jetted, so maybe I was pushing more than the advertised 92 hp. This was in 6th gear, about 8k rpm. The amount of wind pushing on me was so incredibly harsh that I feared being torn from the handlebars. When I'd poke my head out from behind the fairing (I was lying down on the tank) I'd get yanked back by what felt like 40 lbs of force.

But that's not how I wrecked! A week or so later, I was passing a line of slow-moving cars. On that bike, it was so easy to just blip the throttle and find yourself at 90mph from 60 mph in what felt like a second or two. So before I know it, I'm doing 90mph and there's a pretty well known "S curve" in the freeway. I go to lean hard left, but the bike still wants to go straight. So I lean far past my comfort zone, and I can tell that I'm still not going to clear the corner. I panic. I straighten up the bike and grab the front brake, HARD. I'm still not shedding enough speed. So I lay into the rear brake. I had hoped to come to a complete stop on the shoulder, but it just wasn't happening for me. So I hit the cement Jersey barrier at an undetermined speed. All of what I just described happened as a panic reaction, so probably 2-4 seconds.

Next thing I know, I woke up on the other side of the freeway in very dense vegetation.

In the ambulance ride home, my heart started to race as the reality of what just happened began to process. I asked the paramedics if I was paralyzed. He said he couldn't be sure, but he took his pen and ran it across my exposed, naked leg. I felt it. That was a good sign.

The other strange thing is I felt like I had bits of sand in my mouth. As it turned out, on impact, my helmet strap broke and the helmet flew off my head. I would later be cited for 'not wearing a helmet', which I was in fact wearing, but it flew off and was never found. I went back and looked for it weeks later, to no avail. My bottom four teeth cracked a bit and I was feeling tooth chunks. My teeth are still there and you can't tell anything happened to them, but they're just a little shorter and thinner now.

In total, I was incredibly lucky. I landed in a patch of sticker bushes which acted like a giant net. Probably the best place to land. I was about 20 feet away from the point of impact and I imagine I arrived there like a land missile. I was told my bike skidded for hundreds of feet, but I can't confirm that, since the next time I saw it was in the bed of my uncle's truck. The front wheel was broken. A year later I would put on a new front rim, inspect the frame welds for signs of rust, and when I couldn't find any, I took her for a test drive. She still ran! All she needed was a new tank of gas, that's it. No carb work. Just a foot peg, right hand clip-on handlebar and brake lever, mirror and tail light. The fenders looked like hell, but it ran without any sign of wobble.

I gave it to my buddy for free, with the promise that some day on down the road he would give me something cool in return. I was done with motorcycling.

My total injuries were:

-a deep gash where my knee hit the jersey barrier. It required 'surgery' in the sense that it had to be cleaned and sewn up, with something like 25 stitches. I have a visible bump where the scar tissue never quite softened, but it doesn't impair mobility. I've ridden 80 miles on a bicycle for quite a few weekends and I can squat 180 lbs, so the knee is good.

-My right side got a bit of a gash, maybe 1 inch wide by 5 inches long, right where the waist on a pair of pants sits. I wondered if I should have had a skin graft there, but the doctors didn't give me one, so new skin grew in it's place. It's not bad, it's mostly faded now, but you can see a slight "waffle" texture where the skin grew around the band-aid.

-My right arm was dislocated at the elbow. In the hospital, before knee surgery, the doctors gave me the option of having surgery on my elbow or attempting to have a doctor pop it back into place. I asked "by surgery, you mean scars and cutting, right? I'll try the pop-it-in-place option first." They said "okay" and hauled in a HUGE doctor who resembled Arnold Schwarzenneger. He grabbed my arm and yanked on it, like some sort of advanced Judo hold. I screamed louder and deeper than I ever had in my life, and immediately passed out.
    It worked, and for weeks I couldn't move my arm more than an inch, while the tendon re-attached itself to a different spot on my arm. It's strange going through physical therapy and having a hell of a time lifting a 5 lb weight. It was comical to see one bicep so much thinner than the other. It looked like I had one Ally McBeal arm. I have full range of movement in my arm now and I work out, but my right arm is always a bit weaker than the left and takes a slightly different path of travel when I'm pressing dumbells. Let's say I'm doing flys and pressing two 80 lbs dumbellls... the right arm will tire out at 6 reps but the left can go to 10 without getting shaky. It's strange, but I imagine in time it will even out.

The sticker bushes brushed across my face and for a time, I looked like a strawberry! My friends thought I might need plastic surgery, but apparently facial tissue heals better than other tissue on your body. Everything healed and you can't even tell I had cuts on my face except for two purple lines. One looks like a pen mark and you really have to squint to see it. The other is a singe, verticle scar that is about an inch long and very thin, and is hidden right behind my sideburn. I like having sideburns that go 3/4th the length of my ear anyway, so it's no problem.

All in all, I'm incredibly lucky. The ER doctors on call that day said I was a miracle case. Very few people they see come through the ER who wipe a crotch rocket on the freeway walk away. In physical therapy, I met a guy who was riding a dirt bike around a construction zone and went down at 15 mph. His ankle broke in numerous spots and he had one of those metal cylinders around his leg, below the knee, with rods going into his bone to keep things in check. I had zero broken bones and crashed somewhere in the neighborhood of 50-90 mph. I felt sorry for him and lucky for myself.

As far as gear goes, I was a total squid. I had bluejeans, some Sketcher steel toe shoes I got at the shopping mall, a pair of lightweight gloves from Wilson's leather, a leather dress jacket, and the helmet that was given to me by the previous owner. I thought it fit me because it was comfortable. It was comfortable because it was far too big.

Fast forward 8 years:

I've done motor swaps on my own car using the Internet and shop manuals, so I taught myself some engine mechanics. I have respect for horsepower and torque. I have a nearly-painfully snug Scorpion helmet, Olympia gloves, FirstGear full leather pants, a AlpineStars SP-1 $400 jacket with armor upgrades, and I'm in the process of getting boots. For now, I'm using ankle-covering leather work boots. I took the Motorcycle Safety Course and my instructor had me test first, in the pouring rain, after a solid 8 hours of riding. I passed the written and skill tests, 100%. They suggested that I teach on the weekends. I still might, but I want to get 3k under my belt and take the follow-up course first.

I got the GS500E literally because after reading many reviews, people talked about it as a perfect "beginner bike". I see myself as a beginner. I'm no longer the reckless youth I once was. My buddies all have faster bikes, but they never tease me about having a slower one. Probably because it doesn't seem slow -- we just cruise to enjoy the ride and my bike can do everything theirs can, mountain passes on the freeway included.

I just got the Suzuki Get seat, some SW Motech handlebar risers, and a Givi 770 windscreen. Motorcycling is about comfort, safety and enjoying the ride. But I don't have to tell any of you that... this is a GS500 forum, not a Gixxer forum.

The one word of advice I have to younger guys: I was crazy. I was. It was the weirdest thing to think I was immortal. I never thought of my "immortality" that literally. I would express it in the form of "not going to happen to me." I felt so in-control, so smart, so aware. My craziness wasn't limited to motorcycles. I'd climb high-tension power line towers, rock climb with rented shoes and no safety gear, I totally did the 'Grindhouse' thing where I rode on the top of my friend's Ford Tarus just by holding onto the roof with my hands (this was nearly a decade before that movie came out, mind you. Even before Jackass...) and I flew off at about 20 mph. Got knocked out, but no real permanent injuries to speak of. I once outran a cop in my car, successfully, because I blew by him in a speed trap and didn't want to pay the ticket. I just lost him on a windy back road because I was willing to take the corners harder and faster (this was in an AWD car, not my bike). The list could go on and on.

If that at all sounds like you, DO NOT GET A MOTORCYCLE until you're more mature. Somehow I made it here, I don't know exactly how, but I just have more respect for everything. When I get on the bike, it's about respect, not thrills. I read "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintence" and really took away the observations of the earlier chapters; on a motorcycle, you're not just watching the scenery pass you by through a car's windshield, much like watching television. You're part of the scene. You feel temperature changes, you smell someone's wood burning fireplace and fresh pines as you roll through the countryside. I routinely talk to guys both younger and older than myself, who claim to "get bored" of riding and feel the need to do stunts to keep themselves occupied. I tell them, "man, if that's the case, you don't really like riding, do you? You enjoy the ride for what it is, don't squeeze more out of it than what is already there."

I've talked about myself a lot here, and if it wasn't interesting, I apologize for taking up your time. I just wanted to tell a bit about myself and show my appreciation for the bike I'm choosing to ride now that I'm less stupid

you sound like me, i had so much fun doing stupid things as a teenager, but now regret them and never stopped to think about the magnitude of consequences.

however i'm 24, and this is my first motorcycle. I'm sure i will have a lot of bumps in the road so to speak, but i am fearful about the drivers in this state (RI) but also need to keep my adrenaline down. I loved working on my swapped impreza but had to give it up to pay for tuition. I just need this bike to last 2 years; and me to last longer...

Well my first bike was a Kawasaki 454LTD and I loved it. Later I went with a ZL900 Eliminator then a few more Elims. Then to a HD Sportster and back to an Elim. but as I get older I found myself going back down to the smaller bikes. I found that I like to ride the bike not have the bike ride me. 

Quote from: cafeboy on October 10, 2008, 05:24:53 AM
Well my first bike was a Kawasaki 454LTD and I loved it. Later I went with a ZL900 Eliminator then a few more Elims. Then to a HD Sportster and back to an Elim. but as I get older I found myself going back down to the smaller bikes. I found that I like to ride the bike not have the bike ride me. 

mmm, big, comfy seat, easy to ride, not too heavy. ya, that's a cool bike.

A_Steel_Horse - as far as being alive, older/wiser and wanting to ride again, congrats !

i'll have to disagree with your current opinion about some types of motorcycles being outlawed. i've grown tired of the mothers that cry for corporations to make the world safe for teenagers. there is absolutely no possible way to prevent teenagers breaking their bodies with nothing more than a large yard to run in and a 2x4. when a person decides to out run their guardian angel (or whatver you choose to believe in) its their choice. i'd like to keep it that way.

on every single occasion the gov't gets involved with a new law about xyz, they muck it up. abortion ? taxes ? wether or not you can walk into the White House (YOU OWN IT!) as a free, US citizen, or heckle the president from the stands is no longer your right. think i'm kidding ? try it ! you CANT HECKLE THE PRESIDENT, walk  on the white house lawn, or even stand in front of it for long.

back on the subject of motorcycles, if you limit the super sports to 150 cc's, people will turn them into 2 strokes, add 11 gears, and THEN run 150 mph with that 150cc machine. it's been done. no amount of government control will stop it.

i would like to try to shape your view now. think what it might have been, if you were educated as to the dangers of speed, how to corner properly, and were restricted (ok, THIS is where I approve of some gov't mandates) for a time like the EU riders ? they start on much smaller bikes, have SERIOUS bans and fines for doing things that can kill them, and only after displaying the want to continue their motorcycling fun by -not- getting tickets are they allowed a larger cc machine.

i'd love to see the highway patrol stations take pro-active interest in making motorcycling safer. we all know the current system for licensing is a joke (both cars and bikes) and that there is absolutely no cross-training between the two. the amount of information and physics that -could- be taught from the motorcycle test (along with a dash of common sense!) to regular cagers would be fantastic.

imagine the driver's test if there were lane position, road condition, and other questions we have to answer correctly for normal cagers.

hell most people can't handle a simple yield, merge, or stop sign ! throw them on a road with non-functioning redlighted intersection, and they're LOST literally !

how many times are you behind someone on their cell phone that didn't think to look that they have THE ENTIRE RIGHT HAND LANE TO MERGE IN ? yep, they are the ones that will kill you.

this turned into a bit of rant, sorry. enjoy your gs and leathers, enjoy the ride. you have a 95 model, so search the forum for 'fuel starvation', 'string method wheel alignment' and 'valve clearance' and your gs will last a long long time.

Thanks for sharing your story. We all, regardless of our riding experience, can learn something from it.
BTW, Welcome to the GSTwins family!

Quote from: A_Steel_Horse on October 10, 2008, 03:52:11 AM
in my humble opinion, there should be a law against making bikes with much more power-to-weight ratio than the GS500. It's a controversial position to take in a free country, but I can't conceive of a good argument for crotch rockets. They just shouldn't exist. They're dangerous, plain and simple.

It's not the bike that does something stupid and dangerous, it's the rider. People should have as many choices and as big a variety of motorcycles to choose as the market will bear. If you believe sportbikes to be dangerous there is a simple solution- don't buy one. If enough people think the same and don't buy them either  manufacturers will stop making them. Most people believe less government regulation in our lives is better, I mean as horrible a job as the government does running the country do you want these same dork bags to determine what you can ride? I say no. I don't see the point in an 850lb 1800cc, loud as hell Harley, but people should have the freedom to own one if they want. Glad you didn't kill yourself gettin' your squid on back in the day and good luck. Your example is exactly why I didn't get a motorcycle until this year (I'm 33) I just didn't have the maturity to own one without killing myself.

Quote from: ohgood on October 10, 2008, 06:13:14 AM

this turned into a bit of rant, sorry. enjoy your gs and leathers, enjoy the ride. you have a 95 model, so search the forum for 'fuel starvation', 'string method wheel alignment' and 'valve clearance' and your gs will last a long long time.

First off, we could have quite the long and heated debate about the gov't stepping in and making certain bikes illegal. I mostly side with Hunter S. Thompson's famous review of the Ducati 996, but I just don't think he should be allowed to buy that bike in the first place. I also thing cigarettes should have been made illegal a long time ago, and possibly hard liquor and certain types of firearms, but not all firearms. People will always find ways to harm themselves, regardless of the law, but such things ought not to be government sponsored and further, the law does indeed limit availability. There are certain psychoactive I'm sure I would partake in more than once, but I don't, because they're very hard to obtain due to their illegal status. And I'm probably better off for it. So I grumble, but in this sense, the government is actually looking out for me whereas I would choose destructively.

If that Katana 750 were illegal, chances are I would've landed something with power similar to the GS500 or lower, and would not have crashed the way I did. I could conjecture that actually, having a scare like that early on makes me a stronger rider today, but without a crystal ball, who knows. I firmly believe it was the power of that bike that got me in trouble, combined with my testosterone fueled daredevil streak.

Back to the GS500:

1. Fuel starvation. Here's what I know: the stock petcock diaphragm has a design flaw where it does not allow enough fuel to flow at high rpm, thus some riders choose to run on PRI. Can be fixed by upgrading to the 2001+ petcock, or getting an on/off petcock.

2. String method wheel alignment. I'll get on that immediately. I did a semi-alignment using the notches when I adjusted chain slack, but I know those notches are near worthless. I didn't use the bracket as a guide, but rather a ruler going from the center of the axel nut, but the string will work better.

3. Valve clearance. I have no clue. I'll look that up, too. Any hints? Sometimes, when I've been stuck in traffic for an extended period, I hear a knocking coming from what sounds like the head, and it's not isolated to the left side, so I don't think it's Goats. It comes and goes, and so far the only link I've found is extended riding + idling. basically, temperature. Hope it's not valve knock.

I disagree on the whole "no big bikes" issue. Right now I'm fine and dandy on my GS500, but will have a bear of a time sharing this with my spouse because both of us are at the maximum weight of the GS500 (about 440lbs). So something bigger would be great to travel with her, Granted it won't be the ZX14 or anything like that, but that 1200 Bandit fitted with the GiVi luggage at my local dealer looks mighty appealing...

Back to the GS500. Yep, I'm a beginner again, after a 11 year hiatus, and after being cut of by a 1997 Lincoln Contintential. Perhaps like in parts of Europe we could restrict the displacement depending on years of experience to avoid the 150cc 11 gear 150mph lightweight. For the forseeable future, I will be on my GS500. Comfortable, respectable power, great mileage, fantastic handling, what more can I ask for?

Unlike Steel Horse, I wound up with my GS500 pretty much by (pardon the expression) accident. Was actually looking for a 250 Ninja and the dealer gave me a fantastic price on the GS500. They had gotten 8 in (which was too much for a smaller dealership) and I happen to swoop in at the right time. I got a much bigger engine for not that much more than the littlest Ninja...

Even when I do get a larger bike, the GS500 will be my "me" bike...

Quote from: A_Steel_Horse on October 10, 2008, 06:44:28 AM

Quote from: ohgood on October 10, 2008, 06:13:14 AM

this turned into a bit of rant, sorry. enjoy your gs and leathers, enjoy the ride. you have a 95 model, so search the forum for 'fuel starvation', 'string method wheel alignment' and 'valve clearance' and your gs will last a long long time.

First off, we could have quite the long and heated debate about the gov't stepping in and making certain bikes illegal. I mostly side with Hunter S. Thompson's famous review of the Ducati 996, but I just don't think he should be allowed to buy that bike in the first place. I also thing cigarettes should have been made illegal a long time ago, and possibly hard liquor and certain types of firearms, but not all firearms. People will always find ways to harm themselves, regardless of the law, but such things ought not to be government sponsored and further, the law does indeed limit availability. There are certain psychoactive I'm sure I would partake in more than once, but I don't, because they're very hard to obtain due to their illegal status. And I'm probably better off for it. So I grumble, but in this sense, the government is actually looking out for me whereas I would choose destructively.

If that Katana 750 were illegal, chances are I would've landed something with power similar to the GS500 or lower, and would not have crashed the way I did. I could conjecture that actually, having a scare like that early on makes me a stronger rider today, but without a crystal ball, who knows. I firmly believe it was the power of that bike that got me in trouble, combined with my testosterone fueled daredevil streak.

Back to the GS500:

1. Fuel starvation. Here's what I know: the stock petcock diaphragm has a design flaw where it does not allow enough fuel to flow at high rpm, thus some riders choose to run on PRI. Can be fixed by upgrading to the 2001+ petcock, or getting an on/off petcock.

2. String method wheel alignment. I'll get on that immediately. I did a semi-alignment using the notches when I adjusted chain slack, but I know those notches are near worthless. I didn't use the bracket as a guide, but rather a ruler going from the center of the axel nut, but the string will work better.

3. Valve clearance. I have no clue. I'll look that up, too. Any hints? Sometimes, when I've been stuck in traffic for an extended period, I hear a knocking coming from what sounds like the head, and it's not isolated to the left side, so I don't think it's Goats. It comes and goes, and so far the only link I've found is extended riding + idling. basically, temperature. Hope it's not valve knock.

The other stuff, cool, we all have opinions, and I'm glad you found the answers to #'s 1 and 2.

As far as the knocking/ticking, I'll chalk that up to cam float. Most all the bikes do it, although someone will chime in with which year they changed things to make it less noticable. Yours is likely fine, and don't worry about the valves. They're likely ok also, just wanted to give you a couple pointers as to what is needed to keep the gs happy for a looong looong time.

There is a east/west coast kit for adjusting the valves that contains  all the shims, tools, a dvd that Kerry was nice enough to make, edit, and share, and a money bag you can contribute to should you find it helpful enough.

Hey SteelHorse,

Where are you located, man?
I'm in central PA.

Yours,

Trwhouse

Quote from: A_Steel_Horse on October 10, 2008, 03:52:11 AMIt's a controversial position to take in a free country, but I can't conceive of a good argument for crotch rockets. They just shouldn't exist. They're dangerous, plain and simple.

heh, I completely understand where you're coming from now. Fortunately I started out slow, with this GS500. The power/weight of a modern 600 IMHO is ridiculous. Their owners (most of my friends) are insane people. I don't even know what to call those who consider a 600 as a "starter" bike and insist on moving up from there. I didn't really realize it until I rode an '08 R6S (with 123HP) around track and had trouble keeping the front wheel on the ground. I (sort of) joked with my friends that the engineers who put this kind of technology in to street bikes should stop. Like those working on atomic bombs, death rays, and biological weapons, they HAVE to be ignoring some little voice in their heads that tells them their work can only be used for evil and many people are going to die. 

I'm a libertarian and usually default to keeping the government out of our business. But even I thought the same thing.... these bikes shouldn't exist! I too think the solution lies in better driver training and education, but to be honest, I wouldn't complain if tomorrow a cap was put on power or engine size.   

Anyway, good choice. And fight any urges to upgrade!

Welcome! to A Steel Horse and Thanks to cafeboy for the memories re: the Kawi LTD! A friend I rode with waaaay back when had one and I had a honda hawk, and I rode her Kawi a few times. I liked the hawk better but the LTD was fun. My ex found a pic of me sitting on a new one at a moto show, and it was I think early-mid 1980s. I wish I was that young again, but this smart.

I agree with ohgood and others. Limits need to be on the rider's ability before the bigger cc bikes are legal for each individual to ride, like in the UK, rather than limiting the bikes. Same with autos, kids should not be driving, and certainly not with the distractions of other kids, cell phones, etc.. It's all a privilege that needs to be earned, not a right.

I have ridden bigger bikes than the GS, but I sure don't feel the need for one, and my partner is thinking of going back to a 400 from his 650. He's had his share of liter bikes, he just thinks he doesn't need the weight, he prefers polo ponies over draft horses.

Quote from: Teek on October 10, 2008, 09:10:16 PM
Welcome! to A Steel Horse and Thanks to cafeboy for the memories re: the Kawi LTD! A friend I rode with waaaay back when had one and I had a honda hawk, and I rode her Kawi a few times. I liked the hawk better but the LTD was fun. My ex found a pic of me sitting on a new one at a moto show, and it was I think early-mid 1980s. I wish I was that young again, but this smart.

I agree with ohgood and others. Limits need to be on the rider's ability before the bigger cc bikes are legal for each individual to ride, like in the UK, rather than limiting the bikes. Same with autos, kids should not be driving, and certainly not with the distractions of other kids, cell phones, etc.. It's all a privilege that needs to be earned, not a right.

I have ridden bigger bikes than the GS, but I sure don't feel the need for one, and my partner is thinking of going back to a 400 from his 650. He's had his share of liter bikes, he just thinks he doesn't need the weight, he prefers polo ponies over draft horses.

that is prolly the coolest way to describe a flickable bike i've ever read. hope it's his own words, cause that makes it even cooler.

Being in the UK, I am currently riding a GS500F (08 model) with a whopping great 33bhp for the next 18 months til my restricted period is up.  I have 13 years "road" experience haven driven my car for that time (2 litre being the biggest) and indeed, have experience of bikes for years though admitedtly, only 1 year almost legit experience from a 125 to the GS.

Had it been up to me and no restrictions in place, I'd have gone from my 125 to a GSXR 600.  Thanks to the UK government, I cant do this due to the fact I took my test on my 125.  Thats fine tho, at times, I get real pissed off I dont own the Gixxer and to be honest, I will eventually.  But, the restriction to 33bhp is pointless...its not even a full powered 500 and thats a stupid restriction when someone like me can go to a 600 with 120bhp (4 times what Ive been restricted to) after 2 years.

A far more sensible approach would be to restrict to say 50bhp on 500cc or less and leave it at that.  So, it works both ways IMHO.  The US has no restrictions and from what I read- no gear restrictions (Some states dont need a helmet I believe!!).  Here the UK all riders MUST wear a helmet, most wear protective gear, no shorts etc and all riders must go on a training course (similar to your MSF course) ... all must renew this regularly if they dont take a test and there's no easy/quick way to anything more than 33bhp unless you test on a bigger bike.

Possibly cuts fatalities but as I say, these restrictions are too far.  And in the end, I will end up on a Gixxer.  That said, I'll have had at least 2 years on a GS which will have done me no harm.  Doesnt mean bigger bikes should be outlawed tho - does mean plenty tests and curtailments can be in place to stop anyone going from 1 day trainnig to a 600 or a bigger bike again........

Anyhow...for now, I'll love my GS, as I did my 125.....and it beats the shaZam! out of 4 wheels, every time 

horse...good move on starting over with a GS500.  It's a great beginner's bike.  But, mark my words, you'll understand the larger bikes before too long, and after having experience with a good beginner's bike and knowing how to ride the larger bikes won't be near as dangerous.

          "A far more sensible approach would be to restrict to say 50bhp on 500cc or less and leave it at that.  So, it works both ways IMHO.  The US    has no restrictions and from what I read- no gear restrictions (Some states dont need a helmet I believe!!)."


So, you're limited to a 33 hp 500 and it'll make you a bit pissed off for a year and a half. But you don't have metal pins in any of your bones.

Here in the US, you can buy a Gixxer without having to take the MSF (just pass the test on a scooter at the DMV) and ride it with a skull cap and some khaki shorts & flip flops. I wish I knew the statistics on exactly what your chance of survival is at that point, but I don't, so I'll point to my friend's sister who is a surgeon. She can confirm the enormous volume of young squids with big bikes that come through the ER every night.

I wish I were never allowed to buy that Katana, and instead were limited to a 250cc or lower for those first few years. I wish I were merely pissed off at the government about it, rather than having wrecked the way I did. You see, I didn't buy the Katana because I wanted it; I bought it because I was misinformed and didn't see the harm in using it as a first bike. I'll amend my original idea of outlawing uber-fast bikes and admit that there should be a way to "earn" a sports bike, but it would resemble the UK restriction system. Plus, you'd have to report mileage regularly to the department of motor vehicles to prove you were riding and perhaps provide gear receipts.

Yeah, that's what we need-more government buracracy! Last I checked this was the land of the free (as long as the government or religous groups don't find it offensive) Like the line at the DMV isn't long enough already, then you want to have a bunch of dork bags down there trying to prove thier experience/mileage so they can get a liscense to be a squid? Only 1 person caused your situation- and that my friend is you. Fortunately you didn't get killed finding out you made a bad decision. Sure, the sales guy and anybody that told you that would be a good first bike did you a massive disservice, but nobody made you buy it- you chose to. I really dislike it when people want to find anybody to blame for thier own misfortune or mistakes. The government's job is not to be your mommy and tell you every thing in life you can or cannot do. You should be able to do that for yourself- welcome to being an adult.

Quite frankly, wanting to have the government save you from your own poor decisions is utterly absurd.  Being the land of the free means we must be accountable for ourselves.

^^^agreed