Well i've just put a down payment on a new GS500F which i pickup within the next week and i just a few questions!

1. Do all GS500F's have a center stand or was it just an option?

2. How many Litres per 100k can i be expecting OR Range on the 20 litre tank? I'm used to roughly 4.1l/100 on the CBR (330km on a 13l tank) and want to know what to expect.

3. In the users manual it says that run in period is 1600km's and to keep the revs below 5500rpm, is this the best way to break it in?

Thanks in advance! 

All have a center stand. If not there, someone took it off.
It is handy to have your location in your profile so we know where you are. Assume you're not in the USA.

Congrats on the purchase!

1. If you bought it new (which based on your question 3 it sounds like you did - wasnt sure if you mean brand new or new to you) I believe the F's all came with a center stand (atleast in Canada they do, My 09 F did), if you bought it used and it doesn't have one perhaps the PO removed it?
2. It gets good mileage
3. I'm no break-in expert but on my new 09F I was easy for the first few hunderd KM's and then I pretty much wound it out, I definately didn't go easy for 1600kms but I didnt ride it like I stole it all the time either.  My first 1000k was the only "shop service" I've had done since I wanted the required valve clearance check and all the other "new bike checks" etc (but my first service was nicely included for free with my purchase)

Yeah im in Australia, I've added my location to my profile.

It's a brand newwy so then it should have the center stand then. I Was reading through the ownders manual (Thanks Google   )and it says that in Australia only there is some sort of a noise restrictor? Does anyone know anything about this and how it would be removed?  Fraze i think that's sound like what i'll be doing with mine, it's how i broke in the ceebeer but then again the GS is an older bike so i'll quiz the mechanic when i pick it up, can't wait until i get it! 

Owners manual tells you how to put it on the center stand. I did a video showing my way of doing it 'cause I'm smaller and had a broken tendon so force on the ball of my boot was not there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWi7zgBYEsU&list=UUfopOgFUP9aRZNHRZ8GAXeg&index=3&feature=plcp

Check local laws about modifying the emissions and noise stuff if you have inspections. No reason to make a bike loud - it is usually very annoying to everyone else. Your call on that. Everyone to their own opinion.

True, I Just didn't notice at all when i took it for a test ride, maybe i should have looked harder!!

The guys i go riding with all have loud bikes and i plan on putting an aftermarket exhaust on it in the future, if i get a defect notice i can just put the stock exhaust straight back on.

Quote from: neodude112320 on February 02, 2012, 04:29:20 PM

The guys i go riding with all have loud bikes...

Poor you!
I went on a canyon ride, and ended up behind one o them blighters on some loud superbike.. OW! more noise than on the freeway on my own bike!
I had taken off my earplugs becuase we were going at around 40-ish, and I usually dont need plugs at that speed.
But the noise pollution from the bike in front of me, was truly horrible.
Please dont be one of "those guys"... keep the GS with a good rep! :-}

It does get annoying after a while but we'll see what happends in 6 months time, i might be happy with the stock sound.  On average what's everyone getting out of there tank? 450 - 500k?

Quote from: neodude112320 on February 02, 2012, 01:20:47 PM
Well i've just put a down payment on a new GS500F which i pickup within the next week and i just a few questions!

1. Do all GS500F's have a center stand or was it just an option?

2. How many Litres per 100k can i be expecting OR Range on the 20 litre tank? I'm used to roughly 4.1l/100 on the CBR (330km on a 13l tank) and want to know what to expect.

3. In the users manual it says that run in period is 1600km's and to keep the revs below 5500rpm, is this the best way to break it in?

Thanks in advance! 

How do you get that mileage on the CBR? Which year/version it is?
From what I've heard, the GS500 can do 3.5L/100Km if ridden conservatively, but regular consumtions is around the 4l/100. But how do you get that mileage on a 4 cylinder 600R?!

BTW, one good site with Mileage data is the spritmonitor.de.

Regards.

If it were a 600RR I wouldn't have the GS! It's a 2011 CBR250R , It's very good on petrol but that doesn't make up for the lack of oomph 

Quote from: neodude112320 on February 02, 2012, 04:45:32 PM
If it were a 600RR I wouldn't have the GS! It's a 2011 CBR250R , It's very good on petrol but that doesn't make up for the lack of oomph 

Lool...sorry for my mistake, I've never seen a CBR250, they are so new that sometimes I forgot that they exist! Here almost all CBRs are the 600, thats why I tough it was one of those! Although they do 6l/100Km at best... Good for you to get the GS, you can get that 4.1l/100 in the GS without much effort.

I have the Yosh pipe on my bike, its not annoyingly loud and it also comes with a low-volume insert which is an option for you.  With the stock pipe my bike sounded like a sewing machine, now it sounds like and angry sewing machine



If nothing else I found the Yoshi looks sportier and is far lighter and better made.  The stock exhaust is a heavy rusty log.

Neo, I scanned the Aust owners manual and put a link to it in the wiki. You'll find it here http://wiki.gstwins.com/index.php?n=Maintenance.Books

That has the Suzuki recommended break in routine.

There are basically two schools of thought on break in. One is the suggested method as outlined in the owner's manual. The other is... rev it baby yeah.

I followed the owner's manual and my 09 is about to hit 50,000kms without any oil leaks or noticeable oil consumption. It's completely stock and runs like a top 

Mileage varies from bike to bike for a few reasons - rider weight, riding still, prevailing winds, how even a fill is each time, and so on. Here is what I did...

- Fill it up and reset the trip meter to zero.
- Rode until I hit reserve and took notice of the distance (330km)
- filled up again, reset the trip meter to zero and put the petcock back to on
- rode until I hit reserve and took notice of the distance (360km)
- filled up, reset the trip meter to zero and put the petcock back to on.

I know I can get anywhere from 330-360kms before hitting res when riding around town without pushing it (keeping the revs below 5,500) and will thus usually refill between 300 and 320. I usually only end up putting in 12-14 liters, getting 23-25km per litre.

Going by these numbers I could get 400km from a tank, but I don't bother pushing it to that. I just tank up after every three hundred (making sure to reset the trip meter after every fill) and ride off.

I have a rather lengthy video about the GS500, including putting the bike on the center stand, and other useful info you can see here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzTpSMWFhbY&list=UUaUhIKyY3364x3CuDol_VJA

Michael

Mister!  Thats a GREAT video, I have never seen that before.  Had I seen it I would have know what the 1 tube I asked about last week on the forum is for...you cover that at 19:50 in your video.

Every new GS'er should watch that 

Mister, Good job on that video! So much info in the video! Thankyou very much .

Though just out of curiosity, those clocks you have, are they the stem mount clock, if so what size did you order (The size recomended for suzukis is 30mm, just double checking)? I was going to put on of these on:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/180808352468?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Though i think those clock would keep more in theme of the bike.

As far as running in is concerned, i'll just follow what the book says just to keep on the safe side.

Fraze, I know when I am looking at a new bike I am interested in, I like to know as much about it as I can. Most review videos are a waste of time. I made the type of video I would like to have seen. 

@Neo I'm not a mechanic so won't argue for the High Rev approach. Just know, if you did go that route and something went wrong, it is doubtful Suzuki would honor the warranty.

Just tanked up on the way home today. 331km, 13.9 liters, 23.8km per litre. I spend a good portion of my commute sitting at 6,000rpm in 6th. A lot of air to push through at that speed. Economy still good. And I keep an eye on it cause if it suddenly dropped then I would know right away if something was wrong.

As for the clocks, that is in the Info that is presented with the video - you need to Expand it (I guess youtube calls it the Description). Nevertheless, I bought them from Clocks 4 Bikes. They have a website and an ebay store http://www.clocks4bikes.com/ and http://myworld.ebay.com/ebaymotors/clocks4bikes/ and they are generally cheaper on their ebay store. The GS500 handlebars are 7/8th inch.

The ones on the GS are over a year old now and they have not lost any time.



So pleased was I, I also got a set (clock and thermometer in Celsius) for my 900 Hornet



When I got the set for the Hornet one was not working correctly. A quick email and another was on the way right away. They are very good people to deal with. And so responsive to requests they even provided one for addidasguy to mount in the middle of the top plate when he went to clipon bars.

Michael

Thanks mister (aswell as everyone else) for your help! Can't wait to pickup the new ride!

Quote from: neodude112320 on February 02, 2012, 01:20:47 PM
Well i've just put a down payment on a new GS500F which i pickup within the next week and i just a few questions!

1. Do all GS500F's have a center stand or was it just an option?

2. How many Litres per 100k can i be expecting OR Range on the 20 litre tank? I'm used to roughly 4.1l/100 on the CBR (330km on a 13l tank) and want to know what to expect.

3. In the users manual it says that run in period is 1600km's and to keep the revs below 5500rpm, is this the best way to break it in?

Thanks in advance! 

i averaged 55-65 mpg on my gs... convert if you like.

the best break-in method for new rings is varying the throttle usage: 35-45mph, 55-75mph, with widely varying throttle openings/closing, some WOT acceleration, and decelleration, without getting near the 'redline' on your tachometer. one of the big benefits of suggesting to new bike owners to keep the revs and speed down is.... you are less likely to wad yourself up in a crash if you're going slower.

welcome to gstwins

Ditto to speed variances. Don't just get on the bike, pick a rural road and sit on 100 for a few hours. Speed throughout the rev range and gear range.

Also, if you keep an eye on your fuel consumption, expect it to change - usually down - as you come of rev restrictions, gain more experience on the bike, etc. Reason being, you'll burn less fuel keeping it below 5,500rpm than when you come off and can take it higher to merge onto a highway for example - where you might just leave it in 4th gear for a while until you have merged successfully. More fuel as you ride off from lights faster as your confidence on the bike grows. And so on. But it should not change drastically.

Michael