Hi,

So I'm thinking about upgrading from my GS500F to something a little bit nicer and fuel injected. Thinking about maybe the Ninja 300.

Anyone have any thoughts about it? Thinking it might be a little to weak for me though. I'm already craving a bit more power on the GS. I'm 6'2", ~190lbs.



Also considering getting a CBR600rr. Although I love my handling capability, fuel economy, and comfort of the GS. :\


EDIT: CBR500r info/pics released today! Looks amazing!

if you want nicer and fuel injected, then sure, the ninja is going to be newer, thus nicer. I doubt it will be too weak for general purposes. The GS will still have more power, especially if you modify the intake/exhaust and rejet. Nothing beats the convenience and worry free non-maintenance of FI though.

As for the cbr600rr, that thing will definitely out handle the GS, and the power difference is not even worth noting, its ridiculous..  the fuel economy will suffer, for sure, but its not like you're moving from a honda civic to a f350. CBRs get in the high 30s to 40s i think, when ridden like a normal person.

here's a discussion about economy:
http://cbrforum.com/forum/cbr-600rr-12/2005-cbr600rr-fuel-mileage-116403/

upgrading to the RR is probably something you'll never come back from, they are fun as hell, though i've only ridden them a couple times. Be prepared to change the way you ride, they handle better, but are less "flickable" and like to stick to their lines through a turn. That's what i've found, at least. with more experience i'm sure one would learn better control. (especially when you're not worried to hell about laying down your friend's bike.)

my opinion: Unless i got the deal of the century on an RR, i would stick with the GS. My (upgraded) bike has more power than I need, handles like a dream (also upgraded), and has great fuel economy. I would like fuel injection (cold starts are annoying) but its not worth getting rid of a perfectly good machine just for that single issue.

I looked over the Ninja 300 at the motorcycle show in Atlanta a couple weeks ago.  I'm somewhat impressed by what I could learn by just looking at it and sitting on it.  Stock, it will probably be a livable machine.  I imagine the suspension would need some upgrades.  But it is better than the Honda CBR250R available here in the states. 

both the ninja300 and just announced cb500 are good upgrades. i believe the 600rr is overkill, underutilized, and expensive both to purchase and insure. maintenance is little to any, on all the bikes mentioned.

forget the power argument, anything from 250 up will propel you at interstate speeds. focus on comfort, ergos, and handling... it goes a looong way.

600rr is fast.  No doubt about that.  But...

Is it comfortable to ride all day?
Is it practical for everyday use?
Is the cost worth it?

Some things to consider.  The CB500 is worth checking out as well, especially if you are looking at new vs. used.

Another option to consider: Yamaha FZ6. This is my next bike. Nicer than the GS, FI, much more power. Also good for taller riders, more upright position than the CBRs, similar ergos to GS500 but twice the horsepower. If you can afford a new Ninja 300, you can afford a used FZ6.

There's quite a bit of discussion on the Ninja 300 on the Ninja 250 forum in the "bike talk" and "ninja 300" sub-forums, including impressions from a few people who have one:
http://forums.ninja250.org/index.php?sid=b0a46a7e1f1be8a881b2954537b9cc54

Quote from: Funderb on November 12, 2012, 10:58:43 AM
if you want nicer and fuel injected, then sure, the ninja is going to be newer, thus nicer. I doubt it will be too weak for general purposes. The GS will still have more power, especially if you modify the intake/exhaust and rejet. Nothing beats the convenience and worry free non-maintenance of FI though.

As for the cbr600rr, that thing will definitely out handle the GS, and the power difference is not even worth noting, its ridiculous..  the fuel economy will suffer, for sure, but its not like you're moving from a honda civic to a f350. CBRs get in the high 30s to 40s i think, when ridden like a normal person.

here's a discussion about economy:
http://cbrforum.com/forum/cbr-600rr-12/2005-cbr600rr-fuel-mileage-116403/

upgrading to the RR is probably something you'll never come back from, they are fun as hell, though i've only ridden them a couple times. Be prepared to change the way you ride, they handle better, but are less "flickable" and like to stick to their lines through a turn. That's what i've found, at least. with more experience i'm sure one would learn better control. (especially when you're not worried to hell about laying down your friend's bike.)

my opinion: Unless i got the deal of the century on an RR, i would stick with the GS. My (upgraded) bike has more power than I need, handles like a dream (also upgraded), and has great fuel economy. I would like fuel injection (cold starts are annoying) but its not worth getting rid of a perfectly good machine just for that single issue.

Great info! I really like the way the GS handles in the twisties. I definitely keep up with all my buddies that ride supersports. Maybe I will consider modifying my intake/exhaust and rejetting for more power.

Thanks!

Quote from: ohgood on November 12, 2012, 11:38:41 AM
both the ninja300 and just announced cb500 are good upgrades. i believe the 600rr is overkill, underutilized, and expensive both to purchase and insure. maintenance is little to any, on all the bikes mentioned.

forget the power argument, anything from 250 up will propel you at interstate speeds. focus on comfort, ergos, and handling... it goes a looong way.

I agree that the 600rr is overkill, but I still crave the power, looks and FI. I know it might be the death of me, which is why I'm considering other options. I'm also scared I might not like it as much as my GS500 just because I know it probably won't handle as well. And then the power band of a supersport I know is going to be destructive. Especially in the twisties.

Quote from: jestercinti on November 12, 2012, 12:09:43 PM
600rr is fast.  No doubt about that.  But...

Is it comfortable to ride all day?
Is it practical for everyday use?
Is the cost worth it?

Some things to consider.  The CB500 is worth checking out as well, especially if you are looking at new vs. used.

Exactly why I'm considering other options. x)

Quote from: remn on November 12, 2012, 12:59:27 PM
Another option to consider: Yamaha FZ6. This is my next bike. Nicer than the GS, FI, much more power. Also good for taller riders, more upright position than the CBRs, similar ergos to GS500 but twice the horsepower. If you can afford a new Ninja 300, you can afford a used FZ6.

See, the FZ6 is nice, but it's basically the same engine as an R6 but tuned down a bit? I feel like it'll be too much power, especially for riding in the twisties and i'll be tempted to get on the throttle too hard.

Thinking about getting a Ninja 650 now, those are 2-cylinders, FI, aren't ridiculously quick, and is more of an upright position as well.

Quote from: MarkB on November 12, 2012, 01:38:03 PM
There's quite a bit of discussion on the Ninja 300 on the Ninja 250 forum in the "bike talk" and "ninja 300" sub-forums, including impressions from a few people who have one:
http://forums.ninja250.org/index.php?sid=b0a46a7e1f1be8a881b2954537b9cc54

Awesome! Thanks!

Wow, just stumbled upon the CBR500R. Maybe I should just hold out for that, if it releases in the US!

http://powersports.honda.com/2013/cbr500r.aspx

Quote from: AznVamp on November 12, 2012, 01:51:43 PM

Quote from: remn on November 12, 2012, 12:59:27 PM
Another option to consider: Yamaha FZ6. This is my next bike. Nicer than the GS, FI, much more power. Also good for taller riders, more upright position than the CBRs, similar ergos to GS500 but twice the horsepower. If you can afford a new Ninja 300, you can afford a used FZ6.

See, the FZ6 is nice, but it's basically the same engine as an R6 but tuned down a bit? I feel like it'll be too much power, especially for riding in the twisties and i'll be tempted to get on the throttle too hard.

Thinking about getting a Ninja 650 now, those are 2-cylinders, FI, aren't ridiculously quick, and is more of an upright position as well.

I own a 2004 FZ6 and though it was somewhat intimidating at first the power is easy to control.  Up to 8k RPMs the bike is just like a GS because the low amount of torque, but anything higher is when the FZ6 can get you in trouble.  I think the FZ6 or SV650 would be perfect upgrades from a GS500.  If you like naked bikes you could always convert the FZ6 into a naked fairly easy.  The GS is much easier to handle in the twisties.  That is probably the only attribute that I miss about the GS.  The new Honda 500's look nice too.

Don't ask me how I came across this thread (this means you Janx, asker of cheeky questions  ) -- but I'll weigh in with my 2c for what it's worth.

Being in Australia, most of us newer riders are restricted for the first year or so in terms of power-to-weight. So the Ninja 300 and the CBR500R are both popular options amongst newer riders, and there's LOTS of them. I have ridden with (casual racing) against Ninja 300's and CBR500R's in the twisties on a few occasions and I have noticed that the GS500 easily pulls away from the 300 and corners as well as both the N300 and 500R. I have only been riding a year, so I'm no hotshot, and neither are these newer riders. So all this talk of tech ability on the bikes is pretty redundant for new riders.

I'm sure the experienced riders on this forum will probably be able to take that extra modern edge on the N300 and 500R and be able to lean it more than the GS500F? Perhaps carry more corner speed? I don't know.

Taking off at the lights, I managed to pull away from N300's very easily. The GS500 also has a higher top speed in 1st gear (slightly above 70km/h I think). Against the 500R, I'm not sure, I didn't race it at the lights. On paper, all three have 0 - 100km/h acceleration figures of roughly 5.5 seconds.

I rode the CBR500R briefly and I didn't like it, it's too slim for my taste. I just can't get a comfortable grip on the tank with my legs. It also has obnoxiously large and unnecessary tyre widths for such a small bike with power similar to the GS, I reckon the extra 3HP it has over the GS is lost by the extra tyre width in friction since it doesn't develop enough power anyway to warrant such a huge tyre width.

Some people may point out to "ABS" as a winning factor, and I say if you're extremely uncomfortable riding a learner bike without ABS then perhaps you shouldn't be riding because half the fun and skill is developed without having a computer around to help you with the basics. I know of at least 3 N300 and 1 CBR500R riders who have stacked it by following too close to cars and jamming on their brakes, or grabbing the brakes after skidding on oil/diesel. So I will question the effectiveness of ABS on these beginner bikes and perhaps the bad techniques they may help form for newer riders. I am well aware that the GS500 doesn't have the greatest brakes, hence I keep healthy distances away from cars and other riders.

Last but not least, the N300 and CBR500R doesn't have the support a bike like the GS does on GStwins 

How come no one mentioned a 2nd Gen SV650 or a SFV650?

The SV has FI, good ergos, lighter than a GS, and more power.  The SFV has FI, good ergos, more power, but is a little heavier than a GS.

For once its a shame to live in the US, because the rest of the world is still getting brand new SV650S's.

If you're "craving more power" from the gs, perhaps you haven't fully reached its potential.

Coming from my gsxr 750 to the gs, I have found that it has PLENTY of power. I intend to take it to the track just so I can utilize all of it.

I have found that some people (not all) who say they "need more power" on the street, usually aren't clued in to how much that bike is actually capable of.

Not directing any of this towards OP, but just making a general statement.

I do understand the desire for an FI bike, and as many have already said, the 300, cb500 or the sv. I'm not sure what is out there in terms of aftermarket support for the 300 as of yet, but i bet there will be some decent power mods for it. The CBR250 was well received, so I'm sure kawi's small FI bike will be as well.


LOL epic fail; I just looked at OP date.

I'll be 63 in a couple of weeks. 40 years ago my first bike was a Kawasaki 900 Z1. I weighed less than 150 pounds then, now a little over 200 (6 feet tall). Never got in trouble on that 900, learned to respect it but sold it quickly when I realized I could be places where no one expected me to be and got tired of dodging cars.

I've owned a lot of bikes, a Harley, Suzuki Savage, a few Rebels, CBR 250R, a Suzuki TU250X, 1971 Honda CB350, Vulcan 500 and others I have forgot. I finally tried a GS500E just this year, this June.

This is what I like about the GS500E.
Bought my 89 for $850 with 9808 miles.

My only bike today.
I like the tubeless rims.
The 6 speed tranny.
The disc brakes front and rear.
The engine that purrs as low as 2800 RPM in 6th.
The CDI ignition.
Light weight, only a few pounds more than the Ninja 300.

I cleaned the carbs, didn't even drill out the plugs. The bike runs great. Fuel injection is nice but the Ninja 300 will barely beat the GS in fuel mileage and the Ninja revs too high in top gear for my taste.

I sold my Ninja 300 this spring and bought a 94 GS500E, then I found my current 89 model. It had a rough life, but now it sits in my garage with the tank dents gone and I am working on the rest of the ravages of time.

regards
Mech

Almost a year ago now ~ did you ever get something else  ?