Hey everybody! I'm getting a GS very soon and need to know a few things from those who know. It's a 98' GS  with 1,100 miles and i'm gettin it for about $1,800. I think that's a pretty good deal, is it? :dunno:

What is the break-in period for the engine? I've heard it is 600 miles. Is that right?  :dunno:

After i get it, should i change the oil right away, or wait a week or two to shake up the stuff that's settled to the bottom of the oil and then drain it?
Can i use synthetic oil? I work on cars and know what is the best synthetic ever, but does synthetic help with a bike? How often do you change the oil on a bike?(might be a stupid question, but better safe than sorry) :dunno:

What, if any, are the weakpoints of the GS? Is there anything in particular i need to watch out for or pay attention to? And what is the deal with warm-up times on a bike? What exactly is the choke and when can i turn the choke off and ride? :dunno:

Also, for you racers out there, can i get clip-ons for a GS? Where? How? Is that possible for this bike?

I know that is a lot of information to ask and no one has to answer, but i could really use some help so i don't mess this thing up. I've heard a lot of good things about the GS, and i wanted to ask the people who know all about it how to take care of mine. I would really appreciate any help. :mrgreen:

well, i'll try and help you out.  $1800 sounds like a pretty decent deal to me.  1100 miles quite low.

i would change the oil right away.  i do that with ANY vehicle i buy.  you never know when previous owner changed the oil.

i would imagine synthetics are okay.  as far as the best synthetic, i would have said mobil 1, but due to some conflicts with castrol and the "term" synthetic, they changed their formula a year or two ago.  a lot of people really like amsoil.

weak points on the gs, as far as mechanically, watch out for rust on the frame.  some people like to complain about the suspension, but that's more a preference than a weak point.

hope that helps...
the choke is used for starting the bike when it's cold.  it adds extra fuel to the mixture to help it start.  you can turn the choke off once you can blip the throttle without the bike stalling.

The price sounds pretty good if the bike is running well.

If it were mine I would change the oil right away, you don't know how long the oil has lain in the engine and how much condensation has accumulated there. What ever kind of oil you use maks sure it is Motorcycle oil. Remember that the oil has to lube the transmission as well as the engine. I don't know what synthetic oils are out there but if they are formulated for motorcycles they should be fine.

You are going to get alot of advice on modifications that some people feel are a must. My '93' is 100% stock and runs great and rides fantastic. I would recommend that you hold off on modifications until you have some experience with the bike and are sure you like it. Unmodified bikes sell easier. Once you have ridden the bike you will know what it is about the bike that you don't like and you can make your own modification decisions.

With 1100 miles you are past the break-in period. Open it up and have some fun.

Welcome to GSTwin, you'll find many great folks here. I know you'll like this motorcycle.

$1800 sounds like a really good deal to me.

Another tip.  Look closely for evidence that it has been dropped or abused.  Checke the sides and bar ends, etc.

ASLAM.

1800 is good, like everyone else said.  I got my 98 for 1900 with a 1/4 fairing and gel seat with ~7000mi but in perfect condition.

Warm the bike up(go around the block or something) and change the oil right away.  I think what oil you use is a personal choice.  I would use synthetic(I do believe it's better), except i'm poor, so I just used regular penzoil or whatever is cheap.

Warm up time is relatively slow but not horrible.  Just let it idle with the choke on until you can rev it w/o hesitation.  Or if you don't like that you can rejet, just search the posts, there are many on this topic

You could get clip-ons from an '89, I'm not sure where else they are available.

Good luck and enjoy your bike!

I'm using Castrol 10w-40 Actevo Semi-synthetic (I think its semi-). Change the oil every 4000 miles at least.

The choke is the lever on the left handlebar switch housing, pull it towrds you to choke, and hit the start button. You may have to back off the choke a little to get the engine to start, it depends on your bike (every bike is a little different). I usually leave the choke on for a minute (maybe minute and a half), turn it off and use the throttle to keep it above 1100rpm and ride away. Leaving the choke on too long will foul the plugs, over time.

True clip on's are hard to fit on this... The pseudo clip on's like on the 89 will cross over, the 89 US bikes were the best... the second option is the CBR600 clip on's... pre F2 type... people have used those... ask them for how. The Canada and euro clip on's are high rise ones that are as high as stock and sorta narrow... makes it very painful IMHO... 89's feel great BTW... and of course I make some that are round bars and fit in the triple the same way as the current 90-2002 bars do... but are angled and located just where the 89 clip on's would be. Not true or even false clip on's... just the position of the 89 in a round bar that will fit in the later model's top triple clamp. And mine are monstrously thick tubing with a solid rod inserted and welded up inside at the welds... so the weight actually kills the vibrations quite a bit too.
Cool.
Srinath.