So its still winter and snow in MN. But I go to school about 20 miles away now and driving the car is getting spendy. So in the spring I plan to ride bike to school instead since it gets double the gas mileage and much cooler  When I bought the bike it came with a windscreen but a piece broke off from overtighten  I might try and glue it or possibly melt the plastic back on. Since the highway is 70mph i need some wind protection. But my main question is there anything else that will be good for this purpose.

I was considering hand guards the attach to the bars/mirrors to block wind and rock since i had a few times. -$10-25

Also possibly i better gear ratio for lower rpms? I notice at 65 70 the rpms in 6th gear are around 5k 5.5k. But i also want to keep a good accelerations to get ahead of those annoying wannabe racers  .

Let me know what you would recommond. I would like to keep cheap but will consider something if it will make it that much better.

Thanks
Zach

What you describe for RPMs is normal.  If you are truly worried about it, go +1 tooth on the front sprocket to a 17.  BUT you will notice that lower RPM power may suffer.

20 miles is not far.  A windshield helps, but is no necessary.  Just wear protective gear and you'll be fine.  Had guards work best for super cold weather.  If not super cold, just get some quality gloves.

Bone stock, you should get between 50-60mpg.  Any alterations will affect this so YMMV.

if its only 20 miles im sure you could find some pretty sick back roads that would make your commute more interesting. then you wont have to worry about the highway at all.

I'm also in MN - if you're looking for a better windscreen I've got a spare zero gravity clear touring windscreen that works much better than stock, especially on the highway. 

I suggest you add a teaspoon of cement powder to your coffee in the morning so you can harden the fack up. 

My commute is 50+ miles and a good 98% of it is spent on the highway sitting at a 75mph minimum. I ride a naked bike with zero wind protection. No screen, no hand guards, nothing. I have no issue riding like this. None of the other Aussies on here complain about wind blast either. It just seems to be an American thing. What's up with that? You guys have air like peasoup or something? 

If windblast is so bothersome, ditch the bike and drive a car.

Well we don't have drop bears or cane toads to complain about... so that leaves the wind and bad roads.  How can you blame us? 

But really, Minnesota is friggin cold this time of year, combine that with the dry air... its not a pleasant ride without the right gear I'll say that.

- Bboy

Same here man. When I rode my naked cafe racer xs750se I had absolutely zero protection, what I did to get out of the damn cold winds in Washington was cuddle up with the gas tank as if it were my women and tried to hide behind the speedo and tach. I did the same thing with the GS500. As for power, I never find it difficult to pass someone up on the freeway while riding a motorcycle.

I will be start riding once snows goes out and can get my motorcycle back at home(by the way im in high school) so riding experience isnt mastered so i would like to be more focused on riding then holding onto my bike at 70 75 during pre rush hour. And i leave for school at 7 sometimes earlier and the sun isn't up or still dark so it nearly 20 degrees colder. So I would like to know the best ways to keep a comfortable ride. There are defiently backroads but i usually end up going back to the highway because im distracted on taking a longer route otherwise i will be late.

Don't forget about those nasty road hazards AKA Koalas:

http://youtu.be/1Odr9Jm6G0Y

Quote from: BockinBboy on January 09, 2013, 12:35:25 PM
Well we don't have drop bears or cane toads to complain about... so that leaves the wind and bad roads.  How can you blame us? 

But really, Minnesota is friggin cold this time of year, combine that with the dry air... its not a pleasant ride without the right gear I'll say that.

- Bboy

Quote from: mister on January 09, 2013, 12:25:04 PM
I suggest you add a teaspoon of cement powder to your coffee in the morning so you can harden the fack up. 

My commute is 50+ miles and a good 98% of it is spent on the highway sitting at a 75mph minimum. I ride a naked bike with zero wind protection. No screen, no hand guards, nothing. I have no issue riding like this. None of the other Aussies on here complain about wind blast either. It just seems to be an American thing. What's up with that? You guys have air like peasoup or something? 

If windblast is so bothersome, ditch the bike and drive a car.

What Mister omits to mention, Zach, is that its been, like, 42C here in Oz this past week. Its been so hot most of us have been riding in the nude. And let me tell you, the wind blast factor around the wedding tackle has been someting to wonder at. And there's been so much bushfire smoke that we've had to rejet the carbies.But we're tough down here in the Land Where Nothing Ever Happens...we just don't complain

okay but this post isnt to see who complains about wind protections and that Americans complain its annoying. I just need to know what is a good addons or will i say appearance upgrades  wind pushing against your chest at the stock upright postion is like running with a parachute on your back thats what i notice when i ride with no screen so it would be nice to ride comfortable.

MNgs500 - at first, wind hitting you in the chest feels like a semi solid wall. After a while your core strength grows and then you do not notice it. It is then a nothing thing and you wonder why people complain about it.

Solution: Lean forward more. Your body weight will counteract the air and you'll be right 

Or - get a large screen which will reduce gas mileage, negating the use of the bike in the first place. See GSJack for solutions along this line as he pops such screens onto his bikes. Search GSJack + screen and see what you find.

As for koalas... yeah, we get them alright. Dumb buggers. Good thing we now how to avoid them... as we did on this ride a while back...



Michael

Damn koalas. Austria sounds like a crazy place to live

Quote from: gsatterw on January 09, 2013, 07:17:20 PM
Damn koalas. Austria sounds like a crazy place to live

Didnt know there were koala's in Austria?

yea, dingos and kangaroos, koalas, crocs. In Austria. duhhh 

HTFU as the strayans would say.

Back before it burned, I did almost 80 miles one way, 6 days a week on a naked bike, rain or shine, during hurricane season.

I'd never willingly put a windscreen on it.

sorry i guess i will just take backroads

MNgs500, the only thing that will offer wind protection is a windscreen or fairing.  Windscreens that will fit the GS can cost anywhere from $70-200, and many types will work.  The link below shows a few options that will work, they just need to fit a 7" round bucket headlight and brackets - If you find one and you aren't sure, you could always post it up on the board to check with the community.

http://wiki.gstwins.com/index.php?n=Upgrades.Windshields

Another member also made one from lexan plastic you find at lowes, home depot, menards, etc.. for about $20.  He was flamed a little bit in his early posts of it, but I think it turned out pretty well and it certainly serves its purpose.

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=61724.msg718506#msg718506

... Don't let a threadjack discourage you... that being said, there is also disclaimer for the Aussies - they have a different sense of humor (seriously, they do) and they tend to be more direct with it. (and I'm sure our humor is different to them) 

- Bboy

Throw a windsreen on. The Zero gravity is nice and can be had for somewhat cheap. I commute 45 miles and on the commute in , when I'm running habitually late, it's mostly 75+mph highway. The "wind annoyance" gets much better the more you ride but I even get a little annoyed at 4:30 a.m. (when REAL men go to work  ) with cold fog and bugs and other random crap hitting me in the face and neck. Sometimes I'll put the screen on but it just ruins the twisty backroad return commute home. As posted earlier, just deal with it for a bit a see how much better it gets before buying a bunch of stuff you might take off later.

Quote from: MNgs500 on January 09, 2013, 10:09:01 AM
Also possibly i better gear ratio for lower rpms? I notice at 65 70 the rpms in 6th gear are around 5k 5.5k. But i also want to keep a good accelerations to get ahead of those annoying wannabe racers.

For maximum acceleration, even at highway speeds you'll want to shift down a gear anyway, changing the gearing for lower RPMs will only make it worse.

The proper way to deal with "wannabe racers" is to ignore them and let them go by rather than be baited into potentially doing something stupid.  As they say, "A superior pilot is one who uses his superior judgement so that he does not have to demonstrate his superior skill."

A windscreen will enable you to ride in cooler temperatures which is clearly useful to someone commuting during the spring and fall in Minnesota.