Hello all, my name is Skeets (Yes my real name). I am 17 years old and attend Eleanor Roosevelt High school in Greenbelt MD. I have been riding since I was 16 and 4 months. I took my MSF course and passed with flying colors. I always wear full gear and do not ride like a squid. I got my bike in April of 2008 (brand new 2007 Gs500f for $4000). I've been riding ever since and racked up about 6500 miles.
Having said that if anyone on here is a noobie like I was/still am, don't make the same mistake I did. Get a used bike for your first bike. I dropped my bike 3 times now. 4th day I had it I went to my foot down and I slipped on a stick and the bike fell. It cracked the fairing and the turn signal. Then a couple months later I forgot about the kick stand and the bike went over. Luckily it landed on my leg instead of breaking something else. Then about 4 months later I was riding in the rain and I went to slow down and the bike just went out from under me. Caused a little damage and broke the turn signal and scratched the fairings. But remember what I said previously ATGAT, never got a scratch one me. That all happened when I was a super noobie and now nothing of the sort has happened. I'm a lot more comfortable with the bike, at first I wasn't strong enough for it (5'10 120lbs) but now I am. So after a year+ riding my gs500f i'm going to see what I can get for it on craigs list once I clean her up a bit. I ordered her some new brakes, changed the oil, bled the brakes, cleaned and lubed the chain, washed the bike entirely, getting some flushmounts for a clean look, and I got some cool LED caps for the tire thingys.

Mods to bike:
Fenderectomy (My style)
Integrated Turn Signals
K&N Drop in (with restrictor)
Puig Racing windscreen
Reflector removal/stickers
SOON TO COME:
Flushmount turn signals
HH Brakes
new caps
Possibly new plastics

Another thing you might ask in the pics: Why is your body fairing cracked and why do the sides have scratches on them?
My body fairing is cracked because some idiot decided they wanted my passenger helmet that wasn't worth a nickel because it was on the side of my bike when I crashed in the rain. The helmet took the whole fall. So the helmet was useless. The helmet was taken while I was inside just going to get my cover from inside the condo. Thieves are very quick. They used some type of sharp object...Maybe a screw driver not sure what they used..But they broke my plastics to get a worthless helmet. And the scratches on the side are from carrying a passenger helmet. They seem to scratch up the side really bad ;(

Here are the pics: from when I got it to now:
First day!

Rolling Thunder 2009



My brothers Ninja 250


and how my bike looks today:

Soooo, why you getting rid of the bike    and please please don't say I outgrew it and want something bigger 

Mary

Quote from: Toogoofy317 on July 20, 2009, 07:02:51 PM
Soooo, why you getting rid of the bike    and please please don't say I outgrew it and want something bigger 

Mary

Didn't get rid of it yet. I still have it. And yes, I want a Kawasaki 650 or a Kawasaki ZZR-600. My gs was for learning and that's all it was for. I learned on it and now it's time for an upgrade.

Quote from: Toogoofy317 on July 20, 2009, 07:02:51 PM
Soooo, why you getting rid of the bike    and please please don't say I outgrew it and want something bigger 

Mary

...i would imagine that would be sensible with an entry level bike...haha, but ya, i really liked my bike a whole lot when i had it, but when the cadillacs give you a run for your money...well, you then realize your friends grandma has a hotter street machine than you...

So, you are 17 had the bike what a year have dropped it three times. TBH you have just enough skill to get your young Arse KILLED! You should be able to ride a slow bike fast and if your skills are properly tuned you can beat those "cadillacs" in the corners any day of the week. Trust me the feeling you get from doing that is awesome. Just last week I took a ride with some squids that my bike was the smallest by at least 200CCs was ridiculed all day at the meet. Then we went on the ride "we hope you can keep up with that little thing"  So, when they were taking the straight road because they couldn't carve up the nicer alternative I jumped on it and ended up at the light in FRONT of them. They stopped ridiculing me very quickly.

I just want you to be safe! It's not about what you ride. It's that you ride!

Mary

Quote from: Toogoofy317 on July 20, 2009, 07:19:31 PM
So, you are 17 had the bike what a year have dropped it three times. TBH you have just enough skill to get your young Arse KILLED! You should be able to ride a slow bike fast and if your skills are properly tuned you can beat those "cadillacs" in the corners any day of the week. Trust me the feeling you get from doing that is awesome. Just last week I took a ride with some squids that my bike was the smallest by at least 200CCs was ridiculed all day at the meet. Then we went on the ride "we hope you can keep up with that little thing"  So, when they were taking the straight road because they couldn't carve up the nicer alternative I jumped on it and ended up at the light in FRONT of them. They stopped ridiculing me very quickly.

I just want you to be safe! It's not about what you ride. It's that you ride!

Mary

Yes I dropped my bike 3 times in 3 months. Yes I'm 17 years old. I've learned a lot, and I feel comfortable upgrading. I rode my friends Honda CBR 1000 and it was amazing. I just feel as though the Gs has served her purpose and it's time for something new to take it's place.

I'm very mature btw, I'm not one of those crazy 17 year olds doing wheelies and weeving in and out. (not that the gs could do wheelies cough)

gs cant do wheelies...i'll wheelie a harley bagger if you want...i think you should stick with the gs till you learn to ride and know what the bike is capable of, not that you should wheelie, but when you think that it cant shows that you are alittle squidly still...haha, really learn that its the rider not the machine.  respect the power you already got before moving up. and please, dont wheelie, your mother wants you wants you around for a good while longer i am sure! 

Quote from: 94suzuki500 on July 20, 2009, 07:29:33 PM
i totally agree, i have a zx6r and it is fun but the gs is way easier to ride faster, haha, i never dropped my bike but once when i had mine, and it was mainly from taking a turn at a light too fast...haha.  but ya, i agree with you mary, keep the bike if you are dropping it from rider error...really, master the bike and then move on.  the gs is not too fast straight line, but the turns are when the skill comes in.  i remember my gs, i loved that thing, glad my dad made me keep it till i could actually ride before i got a bigger bike.

Haven't dropped her in 10 months . And have driven her everyday.

Since when did not droping it become a sign that you have outgrown it.
Cool.
Buddha.

Quote from: Skeets on July 20, 2009, 07:28:38 PM

Yes I dropped my bike 3 times in 3 months. Yes I'm 17 years old. I've learned a lot, and I feel comfortable upgrading. I rode my friends Honda CBR 1000 and it was amazing. I just feel as though the Gs has served her purpose and it's time for something new to take it's place.

I'm very mature btw, I'm not one of those crazy 17 year olds doing wheelies and weeving in and out. (not that the gs could do wheelies cough)

I'm 33 and every time I get on my busa I tell myself I'm going to ride responsibly.  

BUT...I almost always end up lane splitting, passing entire groups of cars at a time, standing the wheel up on the freeway because I can, little WFO trips to 186 mph, or something else just as stupid.  It's hard to say no to power.  

Having said that my GS is a piece of crap compared to my busa, and newer bikes are simply amazing.  I can't blame you for thinking of upgrading.  Figured I'd add my $.02

Quote from: ineedanap on July 20, 2009, 07:41:23 PM

Quote from: Skeets on July 20, 2009, 07:28:38 PM

Yes I dropped my bike 3 times in 3 months. Yes I'm 17 years old. I've learned a lot, and I feel comfortable upgrading. I rode my friends Honda CBR 1000 and it was amazing. I just feel as though the Gs has served her purpose and it's time for something new to take it's place.

I'm very mature btw, I'm not one of those crazy 17 year olds doing wheelies and weeving in and out. (not that the gs could do wheelies cough)

I'm 33 and every time I get on my busa I tell myself I'm going to ride responsibly.  

BUT...I almost always end up lane splitting, passing entire groups of cars at a time, standing the wheel up on the freeway because I can, little WFO trips to 186 mph, or something else just as stupid.  It's hard to say no to power.  

Having said that my GS is a piece of crap compared to my busa, and newer bikes are simply amazing.  I can't blame you for thinking of upgrading.  I'm sure you'll make whatever decision is right for you.  Figured I'd add my $.02

That Honda CBR 1000 made me realize what I'm missing. I wish I could keep both but I'm 17 and sell stuff on ebay to pay for my insurance and gas, so yeah.

I got a new GS and I've never dropped it (first bike 2k miles so far....).  Also, a nice GS500 will do a wheelie.  My '09 will do wheelies ez, 'specially after a gear down.  Just becuz a 94 wont get the tire off the ground don't mean a nice GS can't.  4 god's sake, ninja 250's can do a wheelie if you know what ur doin'.  Biggest diff. between a GS and a bigger bike is aesthetics.  I don't blame ya 4 wantin' a bigger bike, if anything, just cuz they look amazing.  Manufacturers put sooooo much more pride into the designs of the 600 cc + bikes

Quote from: Skeets on July 20, 2009, 07:28:38 PM

s and weeving in and out. (not that the gs could do wheelies cough)

What was that? Did somebody say something? I was a little too busy doing wheelies on the '91 GS to hear....


Yeah, I'm not gonna give you a hard time about wanting something bigger, because I talk about wanting something bigger all the time, but still at 17 I was riding an 83 yamaha dual sport, then spent a year and a half on a ninja250 and only gave that up because some wildlife jumped in front of me and totaled it. Even at that point I went with something semi-sensible with my Triumph speed four. I guaruntee you'll kill yourself if you get a cbr1000. At most I wouldn't look at anything over one of the 600s, and even still you'd have a ton more fun on something like an SV. Even that Speed four would stand up in 3rd gear going 90mph and set the front wheel down well over 100, and that bike was down 20hp from the 600 supersports from the same year, so be careful, and have fun finding insurance too, I'd love to see your insurance guy's face when you tell him you're mature as you're asking for sportbike coverage(hahaha, oh it's so nice to finally be 26 and married).

None of that was meant to pick on you, I just enjoy seeing a teenagers hormones completely taking over their logic.

Oh I've done a wheelie on my Gs. It's more of a tire up tire down maybe 4 seconds. Not that wheelies matter.

I don't plan on getting any liter bike, those are killing machines. I want either a 650 or a old 600. (Also in my area a liter bike would be stolen in minutes)

I dunno...I'm 18 and ride a 2006 GS500F, so hopefully my opinion will mean something to you.
I don't see the point in a bigger bike at our age. The extra costs associated with a more expensive bike (less gas milage, more expensive to insure, more expensive parts) doesn't seem like a good move to me, especially when college is right around the corner (2 months away for me).
The power is plenty to keep up with anything but a supersport until about 90mph and with simple suspension mods you can be just as good as a 600r in the corners. I know if I jumped on a 600r bike or even something like an SV650 I would be tempted to see how fast I could go (I do it on the GS and I know you do too). Even if you don't hurt yourself you don't want to know the kind of financial trouble a big speeding ticket will get you.
For me its enough to go to the big motorcycle dealer and sit on all the fancy bikes and dream. Just have fun on the GS, it has a lot more to give you. The only problem I ever has with my GS was its cold bloodedness and I pretty much fixed that by changing the jets.
From one teen to another, keep the GS.

That's me and my bike about 4 months after I purchased her. This is what is looks like now after some modifications forced my a crash. I usually ride sans seat cowl.

May as well put in my 2c worth as well. I'm a new rider, almost 40, have had my GS for 9 months and put 10,000 kms on her, never dropped. We have restrictions on bikes you can have here (Aus) whilst learing, and the GS is one of the bigger/better bikes you can have. Initially it was only meant to be a 12 month stop-gap until I could get a Suzuki GSX1400. Now I've changed my mind and will be keeping the GS.

Whilst I would *like* a more powerful bike there is a difference between want and *need*. The GS is more than capable enough upto the speed limit in the traffic light grand prix against most cars, is very economical, easy to work on and is fine in the twisty stuff.

I only ride my GS upto the speed limit. I know if I had a more powerful bike I would ride a lot faster, do more stupid things just because you can. I don't want to do that. I have a wife and kids I want to come home to. You have a bro and mum/dad who want to see you come home safe as well. There's no rush to upgrade, ride her for another 12-24 months and see how you feel then.

Quote from: Skeets on July 20, 2009, 08:32:05 PM
Oh I've done a wheelie on my Gs. It's more of a tire up tire down maybe 4 seconds. Not that wheelies matter.

I don't plan on getting any liter bike, those are killing machines. I want either a 650 or a old 600. (Also in my area a liter bike would be stolen in minutes)

haha, 4 seconds...lame...sorry had to add it.

It's not only that I want a bigger bike for the engine, it's that I don't like how my Gs looks cosmetically because it's my first bike if that makes sense? It's about $1000 to fix all the cracks and what not. Or a new to me bike. How do I say....I just like the looks of the bigger bikes 

Power and a bigger bike equal a different ride.  I will not deter you from upgrading as we all want what we want.  You seem "mature" as you put it.  So if you are, then you know what to do.  I wouldn't suggest jumping on a Busa anytime soon, but moving to a 600 or the like is not a bad move.  Just cause you dropped the GS doesn't mean you won't drop another bike.  Hell, at 120 pounds you are lucky to hold it up, lol.

Do what you want, that is the beauty of free will.  Make sure you take the Advanced level course through MSF though.  I think you may need that so you DON'T drop another bike.

Quote from: O.C.D. on July 21, 2009, 08:00:11 AM
Power and a bigger bike equal a different ride.  I will not deter you from upgrading as we all want what we want.  You seem "mature" as you put it.  So if you are, then you know what to do.  I wouldn't suggest jumping on a Busa anytime soon, but moving to a 600 or the like is not a bad move.  Just cause you dropped the GS doesn't mean you won't drop another bike.  Hell, at 120 pounds you are lucky to hold it up, lol.

Do what you want, that is the beauty of free will.  Make sure you take the Advanced level course through MSF though.  I think you may need that so you DON'T drop another bike.

Of course thats why I'm getting a used bike so if I drop it...it's no biggie! I'm planning on taking the advanced MSF course. I will never own a liter bike as they are way too fast for me lol.