I've been riding for 7 months now, and have clocked ~5k. I'm far from being at home in the saddle, but am starting to really enjoy it and feel comfortable in most situations. The GS and all it has to offer is a perfect fit for where i am now.

On the other hand though I'm beginning to have a hard time controlling the kid(squid??) inside of me. whenever I'm searching around the internet looking at bikes/parts, i find myself craving a high revving I4. then every single time i'm on my gs i have NO craving for more power.

So my question to my fellow Twinners - how do y'all deal with your inner squid wanting more power, when your brain is clearly saying, "this is more than enough"?

Track days

  My inner squid must be a nerd, because the logical list of reasons for me to stay with my GS are so overwhelming that my inner squid never rebels;
Firstly, I love my GS, and while I might 'upgrade' years from now, I'll still keep it. I don't want to pay for another bike right now.  I don't want to pay ungodly insurance for another bike.  I don't have the skill to ride a massively powered bike.  GS parts are pretty cheap (buy a whole parts bike for $300).  I still have a lot to learn and I'll only learn it well on a forgiving bike.  I like riding twisties more than anything else and if I get a more powerful bike, I'd still go the same speed on those twisties- so what's the point.  Meh, for me, the interest simply isn't there yet- I'm more than content with what I have now.  If all else fails, I'll just watch more youtube squid-fail until I become sedate.

High revving I4s? My 919 sits around 4k at 100kph, the GS would be around 5k - the GS revs higher.

Like Adfalchius, I ride my 919 the same as my GS. Of course, overtaking is quicker and the like, but I'm not any more aggressive in the twists because I have a bike with more HP. Oh, I got my 919 cause I was putting so many clicks on the GS I'd have been up at 100k before four years were up, yet I wanted to keep the bike longer. Only solution was to buy another different bike to share the load.

My prerequisites were that is had to be comfortable and naked. I tested a lot of bikes from SV650 and up. Honda 919 ticked more boxes.

Michael

My inner kid takes a look in my outer wallet, and then I am ok with the performance I have on the GS.

I have heard a lot of people say and this is me included but also that no matter what bike you own you get the wondering eye. I am always looking at other bikes and thinking "ooooh, that's nice."

I watch True TV - Worlds Dumbest Drivers or Daredevils.
When I see squids smash up their GSXR1000 or I4 or whatever - popping wheelies, standing on them, etc. then the bike flipping all over the place down the highway for 1000 yards ending up in a pile of random parts:

I remember how I like life and how much I LOVE my GS500 that I would never do anything like that.

Youtube has a video of a proud, new squid with his GSXR1000 driving out of the dealer door and flipping it in the parking lot. At least he didn't need a tow to the dealer to get it repaired.

Another one was showing off to his girlfriend, doing wheelies. He was wearing his helmet and boots. He was ONLY wearing his helmet and boots. After flipping, he was only wearing 85% of his skin.

Seeing all that pain makes me cringe. Thinking what it would be like if it was me: that keeps me safe.

Quote from: tialloydragon on November 18, 2011, 12:35:53 PM
My inner kid takes a look in my outer wallet, and then I am ok with the performance I have on the GS.

This. 

Quote from: hawaiianGS on November 18, 2011, 04:03:40 PM

Quote from: tialloydragon on November 18, 2011, 12:35:53 PM
My inner kid takes a look in my outer wallet, and then I am ok with the performance I have on the GS.

This. 

And when I think about what would replace the GS for the money that I have in this one, I realize this is the perfect bike for me.

Quote from: adidasguy on November 18, 2011, 02:01:00 PM
I watch True TV - Worlds Dumbest Drivers or Daredevils.
When I see squids smash up their GSXR1000 or I4 or whatever - popping wheelies, standing on them, etc. then the bike flipping all over the place down the highway for 1000 yards ending up in a pile of random parts:

I remember how I like life and how much I LOVE my GS500 that I would never do anything like that.

Youtube has a video of a proud, new squid with his GSXR1000 driving out of the dealer door and flipping it in the parking lot. At least he didn't need a tow to the dealer to get it repaired.

Another one was showing off to his girlfriend, doing wheelies. He was wearing his helmet and boots. He was ONLY wearing his helmet and boots. After flipping, he was only wearing 85% of his skin.

Seeing all that pain makes me cringe. Thinking what it would be like if it was me: that keeps me safe.

the dealership drop can happen to anyone, i really dont call that one squidly. that was a tire ( new) with that damned coating still on it. a mistake many people will make. every time ive ever bought tires, id take a piece of sandpaper with me. and scuff em so THIS didnt happen. this video really was the main reason for me doing that

If you saw the video I saw - it WAS a SQUID. If it yells like a squid, drives like a squid, brags like a squid, hits the gas like a squid and crashes like a squid - it is a squid.

Wasn't just an accident due to tires.

Quote from: adidasguy on November 19, 2011, 12:09:42 AM
If you saw the video I saw - it WAS a SQUID. If it yells like a squid, drives like a squid, brags like a squid, hits the gas like a squid and crashes like a squid - it is a squid.

Wasn't just an accident due to tires.

guess i saw a deifferent one then hte rider said nothign. sorry, just took off, turned slightly and did a slow lowside lol.

Yea, there's lots of them squidly crashes on TruTV or Spike.
Must be nice to have enough money to totally shred your bike falling off of wheelies and stopies. I think their medical bills out weight the cost of a new bike, though.

Quote from: adidasguy on November 19, 2011, 01:05:37 AM
Yea, there's lots of them squidly crashes on TruTV or Spike.
Must be nice to have enough money to totally shred your bike falling off of wheelies and stopies. I think their medical bills out weight the cost of a new bike, though.

im trying to find the one i thought you were referring to. ( errm that i guessed? lol. Ahhhh here it is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9zNUPDmnz4

Quote from: Twisted on November 18, 2011, 01:42:32 PM
I have heard a lot of people say and this is me included but also that no matter what bike you own you get the wondering eye. I am always looking at other bikes and thinking "ooooh, that's nice."

Yes, we are always in the market for another bike cause, at some time, we will need to buy another. So it make sense to have a wonder eye. Plus, it's just enjoyable.

Michael

i guess "squid" was the wrong term to use. i dont' think i'd throw out all the knowledge i've learned from gs500's and the twinners that ride them, go buy a liter bike and romp the throttle everywhere i go haha. just getting the itch for something different. snowboard seasons finally here, maybe that's the itch i was having troubling scratching?

Quote from: SAFE-T on November 18, 2011, 09:44:25 AM
Track days

great answer! i've already signed up for 2 days of "CLASS" a moto school they are teaching at the closest track to me. unfortunately its not until next July

Quote from: mister on November 18, 2011, 11:42:45 AMHigh revving I4s? My 919 sits around 4k at 100kph, the GS would be around 5k - the GS revs higher.

haha good one.. guess i should have "put that in quotes"

Quote from: Twisted on November 18, 2011, 01:42:32 PM
I have heard a lot of people say and this is me included but also that no matter what bike you own you get the wondering eye. I am always looking at other bikes and thinking "ooooh, that's nice."

wondering eye, that's exactly what i'd call it! i guess the thing that spurred me into wanting another bike is trying to find a track bike. wanting to get a gs for the track, but was having trouble finding a good close candidate. found a track ready sv650 w/ title for $1300. once i found out it was sold i buried myself in craigslist again haha.

after reading all the replies my mind is clear, and i've found a 2006 gsF with no title i'm going to pick up.

After all that all I've got to add is ride the GS as hard as you can. It will take it and you will have fun too.

But stay safe and legal... err yes legal...

Quote from: mister on November 19, 2011, 04:16:05 AM

Quote from: Twisted on November 18, 2011, 01:42:32 PM
I have heard a lot of people say and this is me included but also that no matter what bike you own you get the wondering eye. I am always looking at other bikes and thinking "ooooh, that's nice."

Yes, we are always in the market for another bike cause, at some time, we will need to buy another. So it make sense to have a wonder eye. Plus, it's just enjoyable.

Michael

True and there is nothing wrong with buying a bike that is not a GS. It doesn't make you a squid. As long as you do your time learning the trade on the GS and do plenty of research, test rides (if you can) and ask LOTS of questions about the bikes that are suitable (<--- being the key word) for the riding you do and your skill level when you want to upgrade.

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I deal with my inner squid by:

1. Being a group leader for a monthly ride teaching riders how to ride better, smoother and safer using proper techniques.

2. Realizing that it only takes 5hp to go through a turn really, really fast.

3. Remembering that insurance would cost $500 more per year, and tires would cost 50% more and last only 3000 miles (1/5 of the mileage I get out of tires on the GS) on a I4.