As the subject line said, Thank You all for your advice and suggestions.  I'll go with the gear and maintenance as priority then.  Have helmet and have done the Norther Illinois University three day safety course. 

The bike has 2,900 miles.  She changed the oil before winter.  The chain has some surface rust from sitting all winter.  Should I have the fluids changed just because it's been sitting and it is five years old? and get the 4000K maintenance done now before summer mileage gets put on . . .

I have visited other sites for this bike and some others just for GP reasons and this is the best one out there.  The most friendliest advice freely given with everyone's benefit in mind.  I'll send pictures although I think everyone knows what a blue 2004 GS500F looks like.

Looking forward to meeting some of you on the road,

Lance

You probably want to drain the carb bowls and consider getting a new tank of gas. Also, lubricate the chain well. Check your brake fluid and oil level and you should be good to go. If the oil was just changed, I don't think there's any benefit to changing it again unless it looked bad when you checked it, but that is unlikely...

Listen to Fred.  You have a practically new bike.  Check your fluid levels and tire pressures, and ride! 

33psi front and 36psi rear, if you take a passenger, pump the rear up to 41psi.  The rear shock is probably still at its stock setting, which is 4 out of 7.  If that's too soft, try 5 or 6.  For now, that's it!

Welcome to the board!

Is that all you have is a helmet. If so it's a start but nowhere all that you need. Second a good jacket that has armor. Third a good pair of gloves. Fourth a comfortable protective pair of pants, and last but def not least good riding boots!

Don't cheap out on this stuff cause if it ain't comfy then you won't wear it. I guess it was said here once what is more expensive $200 jacket or $20,000 in skingrafts. I didn't get boots and in my accident they only thing that wasn't protected is what I tore up my ankle. So, six weeks of crutches and two months of physical therapy, cortisone injections I bet came up to a lot more than the $50 awesome pair of boots I got on this site. Check out the For Sale section to find some good gear deals too!

Mary