Quote from: johnny ro on March 18, 2020, 04:55:38 PM
The CB500X looks good on paper and people seem to like it but seemed too small for me. Not much bigger than the Versys X-300 which I admire.  Big...I refer to having something in front of you to break the wind.

That's very interesting. I never really understood why people would say a bike was "too small" but this makes sense, I guess. For me, "too small" would be my body can't fit on it, which my GS really was until I changed the footpeg and handlebar position. But the chassis was not "too small".

Seems an add-on fairing would fix this.

Quote
A 40 hp water cooled 400 twin, could be set up in different styles. Versos X-400 may be first to arrive in that spot.

The Kawa 400 engine makes 49hp in a Ninja 400. But I won't be interested at all in a Versys 400 if it's just the V300 with the 400 engine in it. Plus I think there's no reason for Kawasaki to do that, it would put the little Versys too close in competition to their KLR650. If they would make a Versys 400 that was 375 lb and like a Versys 650, that is road-focused ergos, 17" alloy wheels, slightly more suspension travel and ground clearance than the Ninja 400, and the N400 engine with lower final drive ratio, then I'd be all in. Use a Ninja 400 chassis, taller seat, add an inch and a half of travel front and rear and get the ground clearance with that, taller handlebar and mid-set controls and you will have a perfect bike to replace my GS. In fact, if they do that, I'll go buy one and give my GS to my dad, because it would be basically like a new version of what my GS is now.

However, I see no reason Kawasaki would do that. The CB500X is real close but it's 50lb too heavy. I am going to have to get over my aversion to liquid cooled motorcycles if I am ever going to get a new one. Versys 650 is pretty much right on the money but it's WAY too heavy.

Yeah, seeing that post over on ADV reminded me about the GS500. So I had to browse cycle trader and see if any popped up for sale. It's getting about time to replace my current bike, a '97 Yamaha Seca II. Well, I say it's about time but even @ 99k miles it's still running fine, and I still enjoy riding it, so I guess I'm really not in a hurry to replace the bike.

Quote from: mr72 on March 19, 2020, 07:16:16 AM
The CB500X is real close but it's 50lb too heavy.

According to my google-fu, the CB500x only weighs 5 lbs more than the GS500F (430 vs 425 lbs) but makes a few more horsepower. The power is probably more usable power with the modern fueling. The CB500F weighs 415 lbs. Wet weight of a GS500F is closer to 450 lbs. These numbers are all so close you will likely never tell the difference. My Wife's CTX700N weighs almost 500 lbs but feels just as nimble as the GS500 because the weight is carried much lower.
The Honda CB family really is the modern GS500.

CB500X 430 lb wet, my GS500E more like <375lb wet. Removing those fairings has a meaningful impact. I bet mine weighs even less than that... alloy handlebar, plastics removed, mini turn signals, all LED lighting, no center stand, etc. etc. I'd have to weigh my box of unnecessary parts.

Still think a CB500X could be 50 lb lighter. And my Triumph could be 80lb lighter. I'm sure I'm wrong, but somehow Ducati makes a 900 Scrambler that is only 401 lb wet and that makes >70hp. Come on Honda, you can make a 500 twin that weighs less than Ducati's 900.

If weight is you main concern, the Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 has a wet weight of 339 and makes about the same HP as a GS500 (40ish). MSRP is around that of the CB500x. To me the aesthetics are a modern version of the original '89 GS500.

...all good thoughts but the Suzuki 650 V-twin is one of the all time great motors. I believe they were making a Japanese Monster with the SV, but it was not their first V.   

I want a GS250 with 8 valve head and UJM styling. Probably never find one. I see a semi cruiser one out there now in New England.

I read the GS 400 had 8 valves, in one iteration. Nice if the 500 had a 4 valve head for a few more hp and rpms

Quote from: Bluesmudge on March 19, 2020, 03:51:46 PM
If weight is you main concern, the Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 has a wet weight of 339 and makes about the same HP as a GS500 (40ish). MSRP is around that of the CB500x. To me the aesthetics are a modern version of the original '89 GS500.

Well, I really want to like Husqvarna but 1) who wants a single? and 2) IMHO that's just about the ugliest stock motorcycle you can buy. The KTM 390 Adventure would be much more appealing, but again, single. But both of them do prove that you can build a marketable road/light-adv bike with enough power for big highways that's under 400 lb. It's just that Honda doesn't seem interested. However, I think part of this is that the ADV bike market seems to embrace 600 lb 1200cc motorcycles. It's like the large SUV market... much like moms like to drive around in 6,000 lb full-size SUVs with 4WD that will never even go over a curb, middle aged men like to ride 600 lb motorcycles with knobby-looking tires and lots of storage bolt ons that might one day roll into a gravel parking lot. And if I'm trying to make motorcycles to sell, sure seems to make sense to build a heavy ADV bike for that market that sells for $20K ... and the cheaper ones (CB500X, Versys 300) are really addressing the same market, who don't really value light weight.

I think I'll keep my lightly adventurized GS500. Works for me. Might even take it apart this weekend and put the 122.5 jets back in. I'm actually temped to go ride it in the rain this weekend, just because it seems like it might be fun to ride in the rain. And if it slips and falls down, it's only 360 lb so I can pick it up by myself, unlike a 475 lb Versys 650 or V-Strom or a 600lb BMW. Or even my 440 lb Triumph. And I won't break expensive parts on my GS, because it doesn't have expensive parts. But a shift lever for my Triumph is over $100.

So many temptations out there...  how about a Kawasaki Z650?  Why can't our parallel twin have these numbers?
https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/kawasaki/kawasaki_z650%2017.htm

Claimed 412lbs wet.  67hp and 48ftlb torque - those are numbers that would be in my Goldilocks zone.

Else the Vitpilen 701  https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/husqvana/Husqvarna_Vitpilen_701_18.htm
Well below 400lbs wet.  75hp and 52ftlb torque.  I kinda dig the styling.  Though I agree with mr72, who wants a single cylinder?

Have you ridden a bike with a big single cylinder? Its unique and fantastic. You feel every rev but in a good way. The DR650 and NX650 (same engine as XR650L) are some of my favorite engines. The power delivery is very intuitive.
Vitpilen 701 looks like a great motorcycle. Although its a KTM engine, right? I've heard a lot of horror stories about KTM maintenance.

Quote from: Bluesmudge on March 20, 2020, 03:31:00 PM
Have you ridden a bike with a big single cylinder? Its unique and fantastic. You feel every rev but in a good way. The DR650 and NX650 (same engine as XR650L) are some of my favorite engines. The power delivery is very intuitive.
Vitpilen 701 looks like a great motorcycle. Although its a KTM engine, right? I've heard a lot of horror stories about KTM maintenance.

The only single cylinder I've ever tried with a Suzuki S40, and even that little engine rattled my fillings/

No kidding about maintenance.  The Vitpilen requires a valve adjustment at its first service interval at 1000km?  Hell no.
The KTM SMT looked like a great sport tourer, but $150 just to do an oil change???

Z650 looks great except aesthetics. Way too much stuck on bodywork. How can they call that a naked bike? Anyway, I still keep talking myself into nursing my GS along indefinitely. I figure if I really want to get a sporty quasi standard I'll go back to my search for a monster 695.

Back in point though, maybe due to EPA and safety regulations we just can't have a modern GS 500.

Quote from: mr72 on March 16, 2020, 12:26:29 PM
The fact that GS500s are not at all collectible and yet there are still a non-trivial number of seasoned riders who still choose to own and ride them regularly is the testament to some intrinsic value they have that most riders don't bother to even learn about....I think there's coming a day when a clean/complete GS500 will not be a $1500 bike but it'll be a $3500 bike, and a well sorted stock bike will be over $5K. Us old timers will then wax poetic about the elegant simplicity and light weight of the bulletproof GS500, just like we will about Miatas of the same era.

That little half-litre twin was the best bike I'd ever owned. Round headlight, lightweight, nimble, factory clip-ons, Ducati/Norton/Ferrari yellow, comfortable at 80mph, really, the only bike I would ever need. But I had been saving up for a Sportster for a few years, and when the one I wanted appeared in my price range I snapped it up. Not trying to compare apples to oranges (and the Sportster is orange) but all motorcycles are fun. I just can't owning two of them.

Bottom line: I love the naked GS500, and if that darned Sportster hadn't come on the scene, I'd still be having a great time with Little Suzi.