I initially bought the GS, after careful consideration between a $2100 2004 GS with 11k miles on, or a fairly new Ninja 300 for double that.

Doing the math, I needed a 400cc, and the only thing close was a Yamaha SR400; but I wasn't willing to pay the $8k + dealerfees and taxes new price. The Ninja goes just as fast as this GS does, however at a screaming 11-13k RPM.
So I went with a larger sized engine, the GS has a <500cc one.

The performance is good enough to do 100MPH comfy. I'm just trying to maximize MPG and MPH, and in the process save the engine from wear (all ye lugger believers, I'm not of the same opinion).

I bought the GS because my Rebel250 was no longer keeping up on the interstates (often riding WOT for hours on end, which depends on the wind, and seating position is 75MPH-85MPH, and it tops out at 93MPH in ducked position with legs on passenger pegs.
The little Rebel does 85MPG after modification, and 66MPG on the highway at WOT.

The GS does about the same top speed (I still need to rejet), and does ~45MPG on average over 3 tanks, on constant speeds over 80MPH.
I haven't yet tested 35-45MPH roads.

My Chevrolet Cruze eco gets 60MPG avg. at 50MPH. And 50MPG avg at 60MPH.
The total average is closer to 36.5MPG, 36.8 with BP Premium fuel.  This is light highway riding at 60MPH, a few miles at 35-40MPH, and few stop lights.
It's not bad at all, considering the Chevy only got port fuel injection, not direct injection; and it got 148HP, which is about 10-40HP more than most eco cars out there!
Combined with it's 3200 curb weight, it does accelerate nicely (although I wished I could have the Sonic with the 1,4L Ecotec engine, instead of the 1.8L NA.

Increasing your gas mileage by 10% over 100k miles (the avg life of the car), results in saving $3-4k!
For a motorcycle, it results in ~$1000 on 50-75k miles, well worth the investment of sprockets, and decrease of oil changes (oil stays well longer at lower RPM and temperatures).

There are lots of people who can afford the gas, but take pleasure in saving a buck or two per tank; resulting in quite the savings in the end.

One of the reasons I have motorcycles, is not only the fun factor, but also I don't use my car, see places, and thus have less wear, repairs, gas usage, and maintenance on my vehicle.
The $3k investment is well worth it. Not if I get in an accident, but I'd gladly trade the fun factor with the increased risk of an accident, than sit in a boring car safely...

Not to mention, women get horny sitting on that vibrating seat!

Nahh twocool. .. ain't no tree huggers in my house! ... I acknowledge the existence of 'carbon footprint' as a measuring tool only. .. carbon is great stuff! ... makes tyres black, good on the hibachi cooking!, scientists run some sort of dating service with it! .. 'geeks <3 carbon' possibly?, good for emergency notes on trees if you lost in the.forest without a pencil!, add an A and great pasta sauce! ... life on the planet would be really weird without carbon!

Instant double post! ...

Umm MeeLee. .. you change your oil at 6000km/4500 miles in the gs500 or suffer the consequences! Lol

... and 'women get horny on the vibrating seat' ?!? ... possibly. ... but not necessarily! ... so are you saying every woman rider is constantly horny?! Hmmmm? .... lol

Mr. Lee says,

"Increasing your gas mileage by 10% over 100k miles (the avg life of the car), results in saving $3-4k!
For a motorcycle, it results in ~$1000 on 50-75k miles, well worth the investment of sprockets, and decrease of oil changes (oil stays well longer at lower RPM and temperatures)."

Math check!   

say 60,000 miles @ 60 MPG = 1000 gallons of gas...

at $2 a gallon that's $2000

Now if you increase your mileage by 10%...(which is VERY unlikely on a gs500, but let's use your 10% for sake of argument.....)

So...60,000 miles @ 66 MPG =909 gallons....

You saved 91 gallons.....@$2 a gallon that is $182 in savings over the life of the bike...(it takes most people 10 years or so to put on 60,000 miles)...


You did not save $1000....you saved $182...but wait!   New chain $100...new sprockets...$60....your  time and effort is worth a few bucks...so at best you break even...

But wait, there's more....realistically, mods to the GS 500 are going to give less that 5% fuel economy increase...so now you saved $90...minus the cost of the mods you you're a hundered or so in the hole...

But wait there's more....Mr. Lee...you are managing to get 20% LESS fuel economy than a stock GS500 with an average rider!!!...

60,000 miles @ 48 MPG = 1250 gallons of fuel...

At $2 a gallon that's $2500....

So you're behind $500 plus the couple hundred for the mods...


Hmmmmm....?


Just sayin'...


Cookie

Mr. Lee says, "Doing the math, I needed a 400cc, and the only thing close was a Yamaha SR400; but I wasn't willing to pay the $8k + dealerfees and taxes new price. "


Well the SR400 has a MSRP of $6000...not $8000.....my local Yamaha dealer has them on sale for $5200.....interesting motorcycle...most experts consider them overpriced... for what you get....

It is not even in the same league with the GS500 IMHO....and for the price... the GS 500 is superior in every way.  I use the GS500 as a daily and long distance commuter...the SR400 is more of a Sunday afternoon, mess-around-town or ride-in-the-country bike...  It is really a nostalgia throw back kind of deal..

BUT...I am seriously considering getting an SR400....not to replace my gs500 ...but to use as a project to build a cafe racer....not to save money...not to save gas...rather, just for the fun of it...lots of aftermarket modification parts for the SR400...


Cookie

Mr Lee says, "
I bought the GS because my Rebel250 was no longer keeping up on the interstates (often riding WOT for hours on end, which depends on the wind, and seating position is 75MPH-85MPH, and it tops out at 93MPH in ducked position with legs on passenger pegs.
The little Rebel does 85MPG after modification, and 66MPG on the highway at WOT.

The GS does about the same top speed (I still need to rejet), and does ~45MPG on average over 3 tanks, on constant speeds over 80MPH.
I haven't yet tested 35-45MPH roads."


No way that a Rebel goes as fast as a GS500!


Cookie

Mr. Lee....

Your logic, which brought you to the GS500, makes perfect sense to me.  I too went from a Honda Rebel to the GS500....and basically with the same reasoning you had....

What I don't understand is why you seem so dissatisfied with the bike?   

I absolutely love it!

I've put on 48,000 miles since new....no complaints...there is nothing I would do differently!

OK..so I did put on some Suburban Machinery clubmans bars...just more comfortable for me...

Yeah and red LED's in the instruments....that's the extent of my mods!

LOL!

Cookie

I'm not dissatisfied with the bike.
It had a few kinks that could have been ironed out, like a tad more power in the low revs, to allow it to run more eco friendly.
The 500cc is really a 480 something cc, so it's not getting a real 110MPH peak, but 100MPH peak (the Honda CB500 bikes do 110+MPH).
Gas mileage so far has been 35-40MPG at 80-100MPH, it's a stretch getting 55+ MPG on this bike doing 45-50MPH (I'll have to do a valve adjustment, not done at 13k miles yet).

I had hoped to get at least 60MPG, and 65-70MPG with the mod, but I guess after the valve adjustment I can tell more.

So my disappointment is in it not going as fast as I had hoped, not getting as good gas mileage (most 650-750cc bikes get the same gas mileage), and the handlebars being way too low for a touring bike.

All valid claims.

Just because this is a 2004 bike, doesn't mean that these things can't be updated over time, and better parts are available.

Honda Rebel 250 with modded sprockets goes 92MPH top speed, ducked forward with a light wind in the back, 83MPH wind still top speed, and 80MPH sitting upright.

My GS does 112MPH indicated top speed wind in the back (-10% = 101mph real speed)
100MPH sitting upright (-10% = 91mph),

So the GS does 10MPH faster than the Rebel (or only 10% faster, for 33-50% worse MPG, and double the cc).

Quote from: Janx101 on January 23, 2015, 03:52:09 AM

... so are you saying every woman rider is constantly horny?! Hmmmm? .... lol

I'd like to believe that!
At least mine is!

Mr. Lee,


YOU desire:

a GS500 which goes 130 MPH

AND gets 85 MPG...


I desire:

World peace,

a tall blonde with big hooters,

and $1,000,000



Who is being more realistic?


Cookie

$1m.......is that all?

Quote from: MeeLee on January 23, 2015, 10:35:12 PMHonda Rebel 250 with modded sprockets goes 92MPH top speed

The real question here is, are you seeking professional help for your Crack Addiction? No 16.1 HP bike is going to get to 80 Mph let alone 92 Mph, regardless of the gearing, it doesn't have enough beans to pull it off 

HA HA HA



LMFAO!!!


I'm tryinng to be "realistic"...


Cookie

Quote from: sledge on January 24, 2015, 07:44:55 AM


$1m.......is that all?

Quote from: Suzuki Stevo on January 24, 2015, 07:54:31 AM

Quote from: MeeLee on January 23, 2015, 10:35:12 PMHonda Rebel 250 with modded sprockets goes 92MPH top speed

The real question here is, are you seeking professional help for your Crack Addiction? No 16.1 HP bike is going to get to 80 Mph let alone 92 Mph, regardless of the gearing, it doesn't have enough beans to pull it off 

Isn't the speedo driven off the front sprocket (unlike the speedo of the GS, driven off the front wheel) on the Rebel? So at least he could see an indicated 92? I'm starting to think he's delusional, too

Really now....since we read this forum on the Internet...and you can search just about anything you want on the Internet...and You tube  shows anything you might ask for......

Why do people think they can Bullshit  on the Internet??

Here's the Honda Rebel 250...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxOmLc8M2P4


Cookie

Quote from: Atesz792 on January 24, 2015, 11:29:52 AMIsn't the speedo driven off the front sprocket (unlike the speedo of the GS, driven off the front wheel) on the Rebel? So at least he could see an indicated 92? I'm starting to think he's delusional, too

I don't see a Rebel 250 holding even 80 Mph indicated unless downhilll, 70 indicated is probably closer the 65 Mph actual anyway, regardless of where it's driven from. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_CMX250C

Top speed    70 mph (110 km/h)
Power    16.1 hp (12.0 kW)
Torque    12.4 lb·ft (16.8 N·m)

Induction Single 26mm diaphragm-type constant-velocity (CV) carburetor
Valve Train SOHC: two valves per cylinder

One carb and one cam, 92 Mph...yeah right 

Yep...you just can't beat the laws of physics....

I had my Rebel to an indicated 75 once on a long gradual down hill straight...

With speedometer error...lucky to be 70...

Cookie

Quote from: Suzuki Stevo on January 24, 2015, 12:21:19 PM

Quote from: Atesz792 on January 24, 2015, 11:29:52 AMIsn't the speedo driven off the front sprocket (unlike the speedo of the GS, driven off the front wheel) on the Rebel? So at least he could see an indicated 92? I'm starting to think he's delusional, too

I don't see a Rebel 250 holding even 80 Mph indicated unless downhilll, 70 indicated is probably closer the 65 Mph actual anyway, regardless of where it's driven from. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_CMX250C

Top speed    70 mph (110 km/h)
Power    16.1 hp (12.0 kW)
Torque    12.4 lb·ft (16.8 N·m)

Induction Single 26mm diaphragm-type constant-velocity (CV) carburetor
Valve Train SOHC: two valves per cylinder

One carb and one cam, 92 Mph...yeah right 

Over on the Honda Rebel forum....the consensus is that the Rebel speedo is 10% OVER...typical of most motorcycles...

So an indicated 75 is only 68 MPH....

The Rebel is a great bike....it does what it was designed to do...but it's not "fast"..

The GS 500 is also not what I would call "fast", but it will easily run circles around a Rebel....

Cookie

Quote from: Suzuki Stevo on January 24, 2015, 07:54:31 AM

Quote from: MeeLee on January 23, 2015, 10:35:12 PMHonda Rebel 250 with modded sprockets goes 92MPH top speed

The real question here is, are you seeking professional help for your Crack Addiction? No 16.1 HP bike is going to get to 80 Mph let alone 92 Mph, regardless of the gearing, it doesn't have enough beans to pull it off 

I've reached 92 on the interstate with my Rebel, ducked forward, feet on passenger pegs, small tail wind.
But like I said, it tops out at 85mph normally.

The Rebel, unlike the Suzuki, has a 1-2MPH difference with GPS at top speed, not 10MPH. You can pretty much say the Speedo is dead on.

And so sorry to disappoint you guys, but stock the Rebel does 83MPH. It takes a small sprocket adjustment to get it up to 85MPH. I do 85-87MPH on a regular base with it on the interstate.
I have a good 3-6k miles with it in city, and double that on the highways and interstate.

I told you it's engine was a lot better than the Suzuki, didn't I? (save for the cc difference, resulting in lower power).