Hello All. My name is John and I have been lurking around for a little time now poking through specs and mods.I don't claim to be all knowing when it comes to bikes, but I've been commuting via 2 wheels for over 6 years now here in North County San Diego. I leave the house with the mentality that every cager is out to kill me and I've made it so far.

I just got the GS a few months ago when I let my FZ1 out of its stall without me on it and she never came back. So the GS kind of fell into my lap. I put just over 27k on the FZ in the 2.5 years I had her with no major issues whatsoever. Before that I came off a Honda Spirit750 that I racked up 36k miles. In 2001 I started on a VLX600 and quickly, and stupidly, jumped onto an F4i. I had no business on that bike. Didn't go down with it, just had no business trying to make that work at the time.

So here I am, I took the MSF back in 01 when I got the VLX. IT HAS SAVED MY LIFE! To any noobies, believe that sh!t. When I got the FZ I figured I had better really learn to ride before I killed myself so I picked up a few books by the likes of Lee Parks and a few others and began to study. Now, with what I learned by research study and hands on application, I was not to thrilled with the prospect of riding a 500. But this little guy just dumps into corners. It's actually a fun bike... until you hit the highway. But she gets around.

I will be asking to pick your folk's brains time and again as I have a few minor mods I'd like to do. Ok, a lot of mods, some major, some minor. I've already started searching for a Katana 750 rear to put on the back.

CAN you believe, this GS I have is an 06, 11.4k miles, and has ALL original equip. I swapped out the front tire for a Pirrelli and realized that the tire had a date stamp from 05! Same with the rear. Chain (knocked off the surface rust) and sprockets are original, carbs need to be cleaned bad - "jet! jet! jet!." I have some work to put in, I have no clue on oil - not good.

So, first ?. Do I go down one tooth in the front right out the gate or should I try up two teeth in the back and see where it leads. Sprockets are the first cheap mod. Well, the front anyway.

Welcome to the site man!

Somebody got some good life out of those tires......whatever you do with the sprockets, just be sure to replace both and the chain at once. Be sure to ask plenty of questions, and you'll get plenty of answers!

"I let my FZ1 out of its stall without me on it and she never came back" - story please.

Yeah you have to elaborate on that. 

also might want to consider upgraded springs for the front to go with the new rear shock. keep in mind this will really help or hurt depending on your weight. someone below 150 lbs will prob find this unnecessary.

as for the sprockets, test out the stock set-up first. changing the front or rear will affect your cruising rpm.

My bro-in-law made it 3 miles, maybe, from the house before he presumably grabbed a handful of front brake and locked up the front. He high-sided it, and just plowed straight into a curb and up an embankment.My grandfather had been admitted to the hospital so the family was headed over to say high. So him and his clan decided to tag along and I offered up my ride over to him for a short cruise. He went down in view of the ER, about a 1/4 mile. How convenient. As I pulled up on the accident with my three boys loaded into the wife's van I more or less just kind of shut down. He's in pain from a dislocated shoulder and two broken bones in his ankle. He hit shoulder first and his foot was under when that bike just slammed down on the pavement.

To say the least, the FZ was toast. I picked it up, leaned it up against a sign poll, gave it a once over inspection and realized the only thing left was my rain gear in the tail.

Lesson learned: never, F'ING EVER, take for granted anything or anyone. And of course - ALL GEAR, ALL THE TIME.

I now own his 06 GS500F.

Quote from: reload on October 08, 2010, 07:23:20 AM
also might want to consider upgraded springs for the front to go with the new rear shock. keep in mind this will really help or hurt depending on your weight. someone below 150 lbs will prob find this unnecessary.

as for the sprockets, test out the stock set-up first. changing the front or rear will affect your cruising rpm.

I was thinking of doing the rear rim off the 750 so I can throw a 150 tire on the back. BUT, if it is the rear shock you speak of I am very interested. I hadn't found that mod yet. This is now my project bike.

So new springs in the front, I was going to shim the springs with inserts as I had found in the Mod section. I do only weigh around 150 lbs. but the suspension has something to be desired. That front end just dives and needs some preload.

I don't plan on getting anything else anytime soon. Maybe a 954 or an F4i if I can find one decent in about a year. I've got two 13 year old motocross boys in the circle who could learn on this so I want to keep it. Just slightly modded, of course.