- This topic has 12 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 11 months ago by gregj.
Riding Impressions from a Newbie…
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May 19, 2010 at 4:05 am #3974madjak30Participant
I think it’s time for my riding impressions for my GS500E.
First, the only real street experience to compare it to is the Super Sherpa that I used during my BRC. That bike was really easy to learn to ride. It was manouverable, had an easy clutch engagement and was quite light. Top speed with me on it was around 90kmh (approx 55mph), so pretty good around town, but down the hiway…well it was a little lacking in the power dept.
Just so you know, here is a little about me. I live in Canada. In the Red Deer, Alberta area. I turn 40 this year…I’m somewhere between 5’10” and 5’11” and the poor scale spins around a few times and stops at 275lbs…some tell me that I’m heavier than I look, but I have mirrors in my house…anyway, enough whining…
My riding impressions of my 2003 Suzuki GS500E…
Things I noticed right away:
1. The weight of the bike…wow, way heavier…possibly double the Sherpa
2. The turning radius…the Sherpa turned on a dime, but the GS…well sometimes tight manouvers are a three or five point turn. I think all street bikes are similar in this way.
3. The riding position…the dual sport bike had a taller seat and a more upright position, the GS is a little more sporting so the pegs are closer to your butt and there is a slight lean forward…compared to a GSX-R, it is completely upright, but compared to the Sherpa…well you get the idea.
The riding experience:
Well, it was almost like starting over again. The extra weight and the not so tight turning circle, made me a little nervous to start out. Once I started going…maybe 15-20kph…the bike was more stable. Now this next bit is for all the “I’m a bigger guy, so do I need a…” comments you see on the forum. Holy crap, way more power…0-100kph (0-60mph for most of you) is in the 6 second range…top speed, well I took it up to 145kph (85-90mph ish) and it still had more to give, but that was quick enough to pass cars around here. Anyone going faster than that will be passing me anyway. And cornering, compared to the Sherpa this think is on rails. The Sherpa felt a little unsure in higher speed corners, maybe even twitchy…the GS is awsome, it seems to want you to go faster…if you accellerate in the corner, it just diggs in and goes. Now, before someone comments that I should try a real bike, or I will want a new bike in three months…all I can say is yah, but I want to get better at cornering. Same with cars, it’s much more fun to drive a slow vehicle fast than it is to drive a fast vehicle slow…or something like that. Anyone can jump on a bike and take off like a rocket in a straight line, but it takes skill to carry the speed through corners and not have to correct mid corner. I have already had the thoughts of…I would like more power, more accelleration. But I want to get good at this before I get something that can quickly push me past my abilities, which right now are less than I think.
So, in conclusion…a GS500 is plenty bike for a novice rider, regardless of their weight…height will make a difference, but that is a different issue…if you fit on the bike, it will move you along at the speed that the traffic is moving and give you that little extra when you need it. Are you going to win races with it…well you shouldn’t be racing on the street…but yeah, I think you will…against most cars and trucks…other bikes, well I don’t know if I would have too high of hopes. Oh, and fuel economy…my first tank of fuel I used 89 octane and I got 311kms out of 14.6 liters of fuel…here in Canada, that’s less than 5L/100km (60mpg imperial). That was mixed driving, with quite a few jack rabit starts. Pretty fun little commuter…this is what makes me wonder why we see so many hybrid cars…lol
Well, I hope some found this informative…some more experienced riders may find it humorous. I just wanted other “big guys” to see that the smaller bikes will still move you along at a decent pace.
One other thing…everyone made me think the GS would be hard to start, but on Monday I rode into work. When I went out to my bike it was 5 C outside (about 40 F), I gave it full choke, pumped the throttle twice and it fired right up. Same thing after work, and Tuesday morning as well…and by the time I put my helmet and gloves on the bike was warm enough to turn off the choke and ride away…maybe I just was lucky and got a ringer…???
I’ll add updates if I remember anything else, or I notice anything else over the course of the summer.
Later.
May 19, 2010 at 5:21 am #26540WeaponZeroParticipantWhen I took the BRC and toyed around with their little 250cc bikes, within a few minutes I learned that the “I’m a bigger guy so I need a bigger engine” belief was basically just bullshit. I weighed around 330 lbs at the time and those 250cc bikes moved my fat ass quite well. The only area where I felt unsure of pertaining to my weight was in the suspension.
But we need to be real with ourselves here. When you’re that big like I was, your weight is negatively impacting the way the bike handles in way a that, well, to be honest, makes being on a sportbike counterproductive. You can’t ride them like they’re meant to be ridden and you end up treating them like a big cruiser. I’ve lost over 70 lbs since then and I’ve noticed a HUGE difference in how my bike handles as a result of my weight loss. I’m actually able to ride it like a sportbike now.
May 19, 2010 at 6:07 am #26542gitchy42ParticipantThanks for the review, sounds like a fun bike. I think that most of the people that have trouble starting the GS are inpatient. Most of the reviews I read said that you have to warm it up on full choke for 2-3 minutes. Really, not that bad, if you know what to expect.
The truck I had back in high school took longer to warm up on cold days than the few mins I let it warm up plus the 5 min drive to school. I don’t know about you, but it takes me a couple mins to getting earplugs in and the helmet and gloves on anyway, so are you really loosing time letting it warm up? Probably not…..like I said, impatient people writing reviews
Anyways, a little tangent never hurt anybody, lol. Enjoy, ride safe…
NateMay 19, 2010 at 2:34 pm #26545gregjParticipantthanks a bunch for your reveiw. i just got my class M permit yesturday and will be taking the MSF course in about 3 weeks. The GS 500 is the main bike i am looking at buying after my MSF course. quick question for you….. In weigh about 200 lbs. and would like to know if i toss my gf (135 lbs) on the back would i still be able to keep up in traffic? Also, was this enough power to start on? i am also looking at the SV650 as another starter bike. What do you suggest?
May 19, 2010 at 3:25 pm #26546eonParticipant47hp more than enough power to start on and it will easily keep up with traffic with both you and your girlfriend on that back. You will notice it is always riders to be who have concerns over weight and being able to keep up. It is rare for experienced riders to mention this and when they do, it is always the 250 class.
For comparison, madjak and his bike combined weigh 655lbs with 47hp.
Me and my scooter weigh 713lbs with 40hp.In 16,000 miles of riding I have rarely wished for more power as I leave cars in my dust without even trying. The only time more power would be nice is on long straights at higher speeds. That would be nice to have but is not essential to have. In all honestly I have started eying the little Ninja 250 as a second bike. I think something that light would be hoot to ride on country roads. Riding in straight lines is boring and I have no interest in 100+mph. You don’t have to look far for find very experienced riders having a blast on that thing and shaming the larger bikes in the corners.
Oh and in case it’s not obvious to you, you want to wait a long time before putting your girlfriend on the back. Having a passenger completely alters the dynamics of a bike and you should be experienced riding alone before even attempting to do that.
May 19, 2010 at 4:00 pm #26547gregjParticipantyes. i planned on waiting about 6 months to a year of continuous riding before she gets anywhere near the bike. I live in SoCal where we have riding season all year round. Anyways my main concern is that i’m a quick learner, responsible, and on a budget. i can’t afford to buy something i would get bored of in less than a year. Maybe, it would be worth the tougher learning process on the SV650 so that i have a bike that would develop me for the years to come.
May 19, 2010 at 5:04 pm #26552Joseph HannaParticipantI don’t want to beat a dead horse here Greg and I know you want an SV650 badly:) The issue is not HOW responsible you are as a beginner….and for the record I believe you’re a responsible guy!
The issue regarding beginner riders is about mitigating and minimizing mistakes. Responsible as you might be and as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow, you’re still gonna make mistakes. Your safety and your GF’s safety will depend on your ability to keep those mistakes within a manageable margin. If you can’t there gonna be consequences. When speed goes up the margin of maintaining a low risk of mistakes goes down exponentially.
I rode a friends Gladius this weekend and I’ll agree with you those bikes are a ton of fun to ride. Suzuki even touts those things as “entry level” sport bikes. Still if I had a friend who was just starting to ride that bike would not be on my suggested beginners bike list.
As always just my two cents worth
PS: Where are you in SoCal??
May 19, 2010 at 5:05 pm #26553madjak30ParticipantThat is the only time you will be looking for more power…but I would imagine you will want more after you ride the SV for a while as well. In the corners and in the city, you just don’t need it. If you are really stuck on the SV and it is comfortable for you, then get it. Just be careful, the accelleration is quite a bit more on that bike. Just means you can get in trouble as a new rider quicker. Like I said in my review, I have already had the thoughts of more power, but I have more than enough power to stay ahead of traffic and to travel on the hiway…so I would save the money on insurance and fuel, and get the smaller bike. The choice is yours to make, and no one will fault you for getting the SV, it’s a nice bike that has smooth power delivery…it just has more power to deliver.
As for the two up, I would wait a year of continuous riding to be sure of my abilities before taking on the extra challenge and responsibility of a passenger. Again it’s your call, if you are confident after six months…who am I to tell you, but I won’t be taking my kids on mine for atleast two seasons…and they are already driving me…”I wanna go for a ride Dad…”…Nope, too much at stake…
Good Luck!
May 19, 2010 at 5:10 pm #26554megaspazParticipantmost people can’t even ride an sv to its limits… on the track. forget about outgrowing an sv on the street.
May 19, 2010 at 5:29 pm #26557gregjParticipantI live in Anaheim right next to Disneyland. I also have NO friends that ride so i will be needing some LOL.
May 19, 2010 at 6:08 pm #26559CBBaronParticipantIf you are on a budget you will be hard pressed to beat a 2007 or earlier Ninja 250R. An older GS500 or Ninja 500r may come close. These “entry-level” bikes are easy to find for under $2k and are very capable street bikes. An SV in comparable shape will usually be well over twice the price.
If you get a good deal then it won’t be hard to sell for what you paid if you feel you have to upgrade.
Budget reasons for getting a bigger bike just don’t really make sense. Even if you do get bored with the smaller bike in less than a year you will still likely come out ahead because you can put off the bigger expense and you won’t lose much on your first bike.
And if you are getting bored on a Ninja or GS in less than a year you probably are not riding the bike hard enough.Craig
May 19, 2010 at 7:25 pm #26565Joseph HannaParticipantHey Greg,
I’m in Los Feliz. I’ve got a bunch of out of town traveling to do but I’ll keep you in mind for my OC rides later this summer.
Mean time stay safe.
May 19, 2010 at 7:43 pm #26569gregjParticipantThat would be cool dude. Yes definetly will stay safe. By the way i LOVE this website. it has been the most informitive thing i have been able to find. especially like i said i literally don’t know a single person who rides so i am relying on my fellow bestbeginnerbike buds on here for all advice…. you guys r the best.
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