Hi forum members.  I am new here and will be getting back into riding this year after a 5 year hiatus.  I am 52 years old, 200lbs and 5'9".  I am looking to spend around $3000.  I have owned several dirt bikes and the following street bikes over the years:

1981 Kawasaki 550LTD.  Wouldn't mind getting another, but I don't want to drive an older bike due to parts availability.

1998 Kawasaki Concours.  Big, heavy and totalled it in a low side crash.  Don't need a bike that big again. 

2005 Suzuki C50T.  Nice looking and plenty of power.  Killed my back in about 1 hour due to the "cruiser" seating position.  Constantly scraped the floor boards.

2008 Kawasaki KLR 650.  Nice urban assault vehicle, but not very stable on the highway.

I would be mostly commuting 25 miles of highway @ 60mph daily.  No two up ridding.  I don't need the speed/torque  of a sport bike or the high insurance.  I know the technology of the gs500 is old, but it seemed to have worked for a long time.  The Connie and KLR I had both have carbs and I prefer that.  I am strong mechanically and have no trouble tearing into anything on a bike.

The gs500 seems like a decent "standard" motorcycle and a good fit for what I will be using it for.  I totally like the looks of the F models.  I would definately put better wind protection on it and some sort of luggage system.

What do ya think? 

I think the GS500F fits the bill pretty well. Cruise around the forum and check out the different wind screens and luggage setups people have done and factor that into your budget. I paid $1860 for a 2005 F-model with just under 5000 miles a few years ago. Just needed a battery, fuse and new tires! Check the For Sale section on here and Craigslist for good deals. Welcome to the forum!

Thanks for your reviews/opinions on your previous bikes as I'm also looking for my next bike and I've thought about a couple on your list. I kinda like reliable and simplicity of the GS500 twin (at least when it's compared to 4 cylinder a/c or w/c bikes) along with how easy it appears to be worked on if needed. The wind protection of the GS500F model would be appreciated too especially in this current cold weather. I also have a similar commute as yours, 30 miles of mostly rural hilly and curvy 55mph highways.
Tony

I was faced with the same decision 4 and a half years ago. I wanted a bike for commuting (35 miles each way on freeways) that was reliable (GS500 is a well-proven machine in that regard), cheap on gas and insurance, and was comfortable (I'm 5'11 and 215 lbs) for the normal distance I was going to ride.

So, I got a new '07, and it was a very good choice for me. I love the way it rides - and if you liked to scrape the boards on a cruiser, you're my kind of rider and I know the GS will keep you well-entertained when the going gets interesting! I seldom if ever get bored with it and hardly ever "feel the need for more power". And it's been reliable as hell.... 63,000 plus miles and I have yet had any serious repair issues. Aside from normal expendable items, I've replaced the bulbs on the dash and I do need to replace the "push" throttle cable which is starting to fray. I also recently rejetted because I do a lot of cold weather riding (temps < 35 degrees F), but no other issues at all.

It's been one of the better chioces I've made, and even on rainy days I do not regret it.

I use my GS500F as a daily commuter 12 miles into the city for work.  It gets 50-60MPG, and I park for free (free downtown parking for motorcycles in Cincinnati, OH).  Cheap to maintain, and a cinch to work on.  It has the complexity of a lawn mower engine.

Totally love my bike. Its good weather all this week and Im taking advantage of it

The GS is a good basic machine that will take you wherever you want to go as long as you accept it for what it is and is not.

The only thing you really need to be aware of is that it will consume oil if used at highway/freeway speeds for longer periods, so if you commute long distances on the interstate or major freeway, or 'tour' on it you need to check the oil more often or it will run low on oil and destroy its bottom-end bearings.

Very good point ^^ I just recently learned that tid bit. Explains why my oil dissappears!

Anyways, GS should fit the bill nicely. I would recommend changing the sprockets though. I'm unsure if my sprockets are stock or not, but I know my bike starts buzzing at exactly 70mph. If you were to change sprockets you could probably delay the buzz till 75 or 80 which would make for a much more comfortable ride