Hi everyone. Im new so Ill introduce myself and show-off my new baby. I just bought a 1995 GS500E this summer and have been slowly fixing her up. She was in ok cosmetic and mechanical shape when I got her. My plans this winter is to clean her up and update her mechanically into the 21rst century. Next spring I'd like to try adding performance mods.

Here is what I've done so far:
- Stripped and painted white wheels to flat black
- New Buell style turn signals
- fenderectomy
- Replaced rusted hardware
- Repainted exhaust
- Slowly blacking out things on the bike

Hope you enjoy my pics. The first pic is when I got her, I'll be posting some shots of her fixed up soon!

Hi, I'm Ken and I appear to be addicted to motorcycles. I say that because I just returned to riding after more than 16 years away from it. Apparently I just can't stop. 

I sold my last bikes in 1994, a 1982 GPz550 and a 1987 XL250. After much thought and research over the past year and a half, I bought myself a new 2009 DRZ400SM in June. I've sort of dual-sported it. It now has a windshield, luggage rack, top case and trials tires. Great for gravel and dirt roads and some mild dual and single track offroading. It's surprisingly good on the highway, but it's still a dirt bike .. tall, wide bars and skinny seat.

I surprised myself at how much pavement mileage I've put on this year ... surprised because when I sold my last bike I really wasn't interested in anything but backroad/offroad riding. I guess the time off did me some good. 

Anyway, with all the highway riding I've been doing this year, and looking forward to more next year, I decided I needed something a little more suitable. But I'm not interested in something that locks me onto the pavement. I simply can't resist a tempting looking backroad or trail if I'm in no hurry to get somewhere (I'm retired so I'm rarely in a hurray). I looked at the "real" dual sport bikes, like the 650 Vstrom and similar but they're way too big for my 29" inseam. I don't need all that extra power and especially not the weight that goes with it. So I decided to try to find a good used naked 500 twin and dual-sport it myself. That's not a difficult thing considering all that really means is dual-sport tires, like Avon Distanzias, and wider, taller bars. Maybe a skid plate to keep gravel from chewing up the pipes and frame downtubes.

I know that most in here seem to like to turn their GS500's into sportbikes, if they mod them at all. But if anyone has dual-sported theirs or knows someone who has, I'm sure open to any suggestions, hints and tips.

I pick up my new, to me, 1994 GS500E from it's current owner this week so no pics yet. But to see what it looks like, just scroll up one post to MrTeek's because that's exactly what mine looks like right now ... purple with white rims.

...ken...

Welcome all newcomers!


Ahhh...the BEST GS colour.... 

Quote from: MrTeek on November 29, 2010, 02:09:52 PM

Hello,

I'm from Southen California and I've been ridding for a little under a year now. I enjoy canyon ridding (Julian, Palomar, Ortega Hwy etc.) and meeting new people. Looking forward to reading your post and sharing thoughts of my own.

Hope everyone has a Happy Holidays


-Ride Safe-

23yr old rider in alamogordo nm, spent 10yr in hawaii.

Hello, I'm 20 years old IT-student from Finland. I started riding bikes at 16 years old with 125cc Aprilia AF1 Sport pro, although after first breakdown I got the 154cc Polini kit. That was a fun, but unreliable bike. I traded it to a car when I turned 18.

I had motorcycle fever since, but seemed that I couldn't afford any bike. Late 2009 I found '95 GS500E with only 15tkm (9500 miles) on it. I went for it, even I could not have test drive because of the snow. So I've been riding year now with my Suzuki and it's been good and reliable bike, but sometimes I miss Aprilia's character. I believe I will ride GS for many years to go. I'm also very interested in electric motorcycles, but due the high cost and limitations of batteries they are too expensive for me now, maybe some day I will get one...

For the end, sorry for my English skills and here's some photos of my bike (click for more).

Hi guys! I'm a GSE enthusiast from France, we have a great french forum about the GS. I come here so we can share our knowleges! Please, excuse my english 

Here is my bike, a 91' GSE. I paid 900 euros for it, repaired a few things (front brake, fork seals, valve adjustement...) and now i LOVE it!



I gave it a present for Christmas, a Titan exhaust. Sounds nice!



Next modifications will be, if I can get enough money, new fork, carbs, camshaft, ect...to be better on the road, and next year, on the track!!!

I hope we'll have a good time here 

Hey, I'm an Australian rider, pretty new to the whole thing.  I've had a '95 GS500E for about a week and a half now, put about 500km in that time, just taking it for a bit of a ride every day.  I live in Sydney, so good weather year round and I'm close to some great riding roads.  I'm having a great time of it.

Welcome to the forum, and obviously a great choice in bikes to learn on.  They are a lot of fun and quite forgiving to the new rider...

Good to see that you got all the gear for riding as well...did you take a beginner riding course?  or did someone help you with the gearing up?

Since you are in Australia, I would poke your nose into the Australian thread in this forum and say hi there...you may find a couple of guys in your area...

Later.

Bit of research and shopping around, I was planning on getting a bike for quite a while, so lots of time to get good gear together.  My boots and back protector were birthday and christmas presents from my girlfriend.  I think growing up watching MotoGP and seeing the crazy shaZam! you can walk away from in a good set of leathers helped a lot.

I actually found a pair of leather pants in the Salvation Army store today, much more comfortable than my kevlar jeans, but pretty hot in our Summer. 

The course to get a learner's permit in NSW is pretty good, a couple of days of theory and riding around witches hats, and they do hammer some safety messages into your head.  There's more training and testing before you get your full license.

I wish they were that safety concious here in Canada...you can have your full license in one day...write the written, and line up a road test...then go get a ZX10 and become the longest smear on the road...they are acutally talking about going to a graduated motorcycle license, but talk is a long way from reality...

I went and took the course (which you have to pay for out of pocket...$475) before taking my road test...it was well worth the cost...excellent training and the instructors were obviously there because they love riding, it showed...

But if I had gotten my bike when I was 20, I probably would have just gone down and done the test...

Later.

Hey All,

New Member here in Sydney Australia

Been riding about 4 months, ride to work and back everyday and pretty much everywhere else I go

Have a 2003 Gs500 naked.

Love it, great in the CBD traffic and on the highway

No too have a look round the forum

Cheers

Tom

Welcome Tom...

You picked the perfect bike...(same year as mine)...kinda rare in North America, since it was only available in Canada that year. 

Gotta luv being Canadian...



Check out the Australian area as well...

Later.

Cheers Mate

Mines very similar, except with a black tank

got a similar screen too

Hi folks!

My name's Adrian and I'm from a little place you like to call Australia. Morphett Vale, South Australia to be more precise.
I've been riding off and on since I was a kid on my Uncle's farm.

My current ride is a 2009 GS500F ...


See ya around the forum! 

Hi all from Brisbane Aussie land just bought a 91 gs500e -- needs a bit of work to her to get it on the road ( fork seals ,paint , pass button not working and tacho issues ) Hopefully you guys will be able to give me some helpfull advise to get my bike on the road.... But have to get my liscence first though -- iam totally new to the whole motorbike scene -- most likely a mid life crisses

Quote from: aussie-gs on January 29, 2011, 10:23:24 PM
Hi all from Brisbane Aussie land just bought a 91 gs500e -- needs a bit of work to her to get it on the road ( fork seals ,paint , pass button not working and tacho issues ) Hopefully you guys will be able to give me some helpfull advise to get my bike on the road.... But have to get my liscence first though -- iam totally new to the whole motorbike scene -- most likely a mid life crisses

Awesome! Another Brisvegan. Rock on. Drop by the Aussie subforum on the Meet & Greet forum!

Michael

I'm a clinical psychologist from Central Illinois who is living the mid-life dream/crisis of buying a 1996 GS500E for his first bike.  Got to ride for a month before it got too cold.  Can't wait for spring!  My wife has reluctantly agreed to ride with me.

Welcome to our little group...you'll have a hayday in here with your psych back ground...we're all a little off!!

Later.

Hey all,
Been creeping around the forums for a few weeks, just picked up my first bike a 2004 GS500F, unfortunatley its been too cold, snowy, and icy to start riding! I also bought my gf an 09 650r ninja.

Im 24 white male and work in retail, have my bachelors in Buisness Admin and am currently pursuing to get into pharmacy or medical school. Im located in Kansas.

Ill get some pics of her up soon