Total Motorcycle Community Forums

My first bike was an older GS500E - was a good choice for me. Rode it for 6 months/3000 mi and sold it for $100 less than I paid for it. Never laid it down, but it wouldn't have been a financial disaster if I had.

Just take it easy.

I just upgraded to a GSF1200S from an old 86 Fj1200. Well the GSF is a hundred pounds lighter, plus it has some mods that give it more power, apparently 120hp at the rear wheel, but who knows without putting it on a dyno and i dont really care that much.

Anyway, yesterday I was leaving work, sitting at a light. I was goosing the throttle because i had just started the bike up and it was running a little rough. Well I decided to get on it a bit when the light changed. ..

I didnt even realize I was doing a wheelie until I got off the throttle to shift into 2nd gear and the front end came down. I was like "WTH? ..OHH that was the forks landing from a wheelie!".

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

Ok it wasnt that funny.

No, but really. Doing a wheelie when you didnt mean to is something that can really mess you up , and definatly cause a crash. Now I know not to get on it quite that hard. Lesson learned. Luckily it wasnt worse.

bigbadbrad wrote:I got a little question. I want to keep this bike for a year or so and then get a gsxr or something. I'm not going to think about it too much now but, Will this bike teach me what I need to know about handling it like as in taking turns. I know its different from riding a bike. You can't just turn the handle bars, you need to lean and shift your weight a bit and all. so will this bike be able to teach me this? I don't want to get a gixxer or something an then just like fall over.

If sportbikes is where you're headed, you will become a much better rider much sooner on a GS500 or Ninja 500 than you would starting on a gixxer. When you can keep up with or ahead of your friends on gixxers, then you will be ready for one.

My 5th and 6th bikes were/are GS500s and I've put over 115k miles on them after wearing out 4 Hondas. You can learn everything you need on a GS500 to run the pace. It is not just a starter bike, it's a good all around bike; but it is a good bike to start on.

And regarding your title for this thread, I've been riding with a friend who just bought a Hyabusa. Not a first bike, he has had many and is one of the better riders around here.