I'm looking at buying a new bike this Spring.  My '89 GS has been just fine for booting around the city... but I have very little experience on the highway with the bike aside from not liking the blast of wind into my chest.  I'm planning on doing more highway riding this Summer, so it will be more of an issue in choosing the next bike.  e.g. I'm 6'1" & 170lbs... 2-3 hours @ 70mph

1) Does the '04 have sufficient power for the highway?

2) Does the new fairing work?

3) Is there a more suitable bike in the price range of a new GS?

Thx

Awww. there goes my even 1K posts..  

Quote
1) Does the '04 have sufficient power for the highway?

Sure. I've done 80+mph trips to and from Atlanta (95 miles). The bike does have to work harder for those speeds than bigger bikes, but it can hack it. If you plan mostly highway droning, you can change your gearing. You lose some low end power and top speed, but  the engine revs less for better fuel economy.

Quote
2) Does the new fairing work?

Its based on the GSXR family so yeah I would imagine it will.  On the highway at speed a fairing makes all the difference.

Quote
3) Is there a more suitable bike in the price range of a new GS?

New for sub $5K? Not really.  There is the EX500 which is very similar to the GS. You *might* be able to get a few years old showroom queen Bandit or Katana 600 for around $5K, but one is heavy (and discontinued) and the other is butt ugly.
If you are willing to buy used or go up another Grand, then things open up. There is the new FZ6 or you can get a few years old F4, YZF600R, ZZR or other medium faired bikes for around $5K if you find a deal.

or you could go up 0$ and get the honda VLX awsome lookin bike. good ergos to (for me anyways). but it is a cruiser. but the way it feels to me you could get a windscreen and be pretty good. its bigger to. 600cc -twin. i plan on gettin one when i get on my own. as well as an SV1000S if they both are still around in 4-6 years.

Man go all out and for $8000 grand brand new, and about $6000 used you cad get an FZ1. Torque tuned R1 motor.
I thought About an Sv1000.
I sat on both and liked the more up right ridding position. The Sv1k was a little to racey for highway ridding.
I also researched both bikes quite a bit and havent heard a single bad thing about the live a bility on the FZ1, and the motor is supposed to be absolutly beautiful.
The great thing about it is if you ever really need to get up and move to avoid an accident the power is always there.




Micah

Have you considered a new V-Strom 650?  At $6500 US, it's pretty reasonably priced.  It's more upright than your GS, and has a fuller fairing that will keep those subarctic winds off your body and possibly extend your riding season.  It has a retuned SV650 engine so it should handle the highway with no sweat.

I've ridden a VLX600, and it's a great bike, but in comparison to the GS it handles like a car, or rather it steers like a car (to turn left, turn the handle bars left. weird.).

It would be even less expensive to purchase a handlebar-mounted windshield for your '89, not to mention insurance-wise.

The EX or the new GS would be my suggestions for new.

Thanks for the suggestions...

My arguments for the '04 GS500 are:

1) Cheap insurance - 500cc's is the magic number here for jacking up insurance.

2) Price limit... I don't want to spend any more unless the GS is severly deficient on the highway.

3) New vs. used... I hesitate buying a used supersport 600 (I like the F4's) that probably has been ridden very hard.

4) Looks - I love the look of the '04 and haven't seen any fairing for my '89 that I like.

Any flaws to my logic?

Nope. You have your standards, and stick to them.

meh...the gs can handle highway speeds all day long, albeit it's a wee bit anemic, powerwise when you approach the high double digits.  I'm sure a fairing won't change that, significantly.  It will change whether YOU can handle highway speeds all day long.  As far as that goes, you'll have to wait until someone rides it or you can ride it and say how much wind protection and buffeting there is.  You'll probably still have to buy a taller windscreen for it, and i'm not sure you're going to find one in the aftermarket that fits without modification.  

Heck it isn't really any different from your '89.  Unless the '89 is flaking out on you, I'd just put a windscreen/fairing on it.  If you just want to LOOK cooler and you have $5k laying around, then do whatever you think is cool.

If you were really worried about sport touring, i'd look at used sport tourers like the honda VFR or something like that.

I have used my 91 GS on the higway a lot- to and from work in the Boston area.  I have a 1/4 fairing and it helps a lot with the wind though I would love at least a 1/2 fairing.  I do wish I have a bit more highend power for the "get out of the way" issue.  You do get used to the fact that the you can tell the bike is working pretty hard.  

I installed a TCP full fairing a month ago on my Y2K and i was amazed for the difference at highway speeds, now I can go up very fast to 80+ and fairly easily to 100 MPH with no problem, also noticed better mileage but can't tell for sure.

So I guess any full faired GS would do fine in highways. The EX fairing looks shorter than mine but that bike has more power. However due to the long trips I'd feel tempted to buy a bigger bike for the money.

Good luck.