Switching restricted bikes. Suggestions?

[MotorbikerTom]

Hey guys, i currently run a Suzuki GS500E restricted and i am seriously thinking about changing it in and getting something in the regions of an SV, Hornet, Bandit, FZS etc (a 600-700cc naked/sports).
I want to change because i am getting a tad, dare i say, bored? of riding it, maybe it's the parallel twin and it being restricted so it's not a very exciting ride, but either way i want something new and i'm looking at paying around £2000.

Anybody have any suggestions on similarly good bikes for new riders or have any experiences with the bikes mentioned above? (restricted or not)

Cheers,
Tom.
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CBT: 19/02/11 - Mod 1: 27/03/11 - Mod 2: 01/04/11
'97 GS500E > '03 Hornet 600 > '16 Street Triple 675

[N cee thirty]

fazer is still fun restricted,abit of hard work if you want to overtake at 60 +
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'00 Aprilia RS50 > '92 Honda CG > '99 Yamaha Fazer > '91 Yamaha RXS > '79 Suzuki X5 > 01' Honda Cg > 07' Honda Cg > 82' Kawasaki Z200 > suzuki gsxr 400 gk73a > honda vfr 400 NC30 Mod 2 Passed 09/06/2011

Jewlio Iglesias wrote: I actually did vote BNP once

[DrDonnyBrago]

How much longer have you got at 33bhp?


Unless it is going to end soon or unless you are going to ride unrestricted you might as well keep your current bike.

[dangerousdave]

Why not save the money you'd spend by buying another bike and put it aside for when the restriction is up. Then you can sell on the GS, and buy yourself something much more exciting.
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1988 Kawasaki KMX 200

Previous: Yamaha YZF1000, ZZR600, KMX200, DT50, KX80, CG125, PF50

[Rogerborg]

Can't really see why you'd chop in one 33bhp bike for another. The 2 year wait is a rite of passage, you're not supposed to enjoy it.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[dangerousdave]

Wait a few months and buy yourself an R1, rather than swapping for something marginally more interesting now
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1988 Kawasaki KMX 200

Previous: Yamaha YZF1000, ZZR600, KMX200, DT50, KX80, CG125, PF50

[whitedevil]

The gs500 is boring even at full power. It must be fookin dire at 33bhp.
How long you got left on your restriction?
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GPZ500 sold ~ CBR600FS-2 sold ~ ZX6R sold ~ Street Triple R

[BigGeeking]

^ i sound like a little kid giggling at that one
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Bendy "Flip front. I can filter down the M4 while shoving a Twix in my face."
honda CG 125 2001 SOLD-- current Bandit 400--SOLD. current SV650s 2000
MOD 1 ON 20/7/2011**passed** MOD 2 ON 17/10/2011***passed***,,

[Nick__C]

poor show Tom.. I've become accustomed/used to/whatever the word is for my 33bhp gs.. But by no means am I bored just yet
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'02 GS 500.

[johnsmith222]

If I were you then I'd unrestrict the GS, although to be fair I wouldn't have restricted it in the first place.

The chances of getting caught unrestricted on a commuter 500 like a GS are very slim. Just go for it.

[MotorbikerTom]

I have 19 months left so i've only really ben on it for 5 months, just gonna have eough money to change but it does sound a bit better waiting the extra year and getting a better bike. Love Street triple's so maybe i'll get one of them

And Nick i know, i'm not totally bored of it, just want something new i guess as i commute everyday and it would be nice to have a bike that could do something on the weekends too
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CBT: 19/02/11 - Mod 1: 27/03/11 - Mod 2: 01/04/11
'97 GS500E > '03 Hornet 600 > '16 Street Triple 675

[G]

Problem here is that most big 4 strokes restricted won't feel too much different. You'll actually lose a bit of speed in some cases because they are geared for a higher top speed, so the gears are more spread out.

A few mods to your current bike could liven up the handling a bit.

The SV and other 'commuter' bikes tend to a bit lacking in the handling department too. Perhaps a bit better than your bike, but not a massive amount, so I wouldn't be going for an upgrade on that basis.

Derstricting the GS won't make a massive difference where it would on other bikes.

[MotorbikerTom]

Yeah i'm not sure i will derestrict it, 15 odd mph won't make the risk worth it. I'm just going to save up for 19 months and invest in a bike that i will LOVE
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CBT: 19/02/11 - Mod 1: 27/03/11 - Mod 2: 01/04/11
'97 GS500E > '03 Hornet 600 > '16 Street Triple 675

[G]

Or, you never know, in that time you might learn to love biking instead .

[Nick__C]

I'd stick with the GS Tom, it's a decent 'learner' big bike I reckon.. Just suck it up and save that £££ for when 33bhp is up

Use this time to just improve your skills become a better rider, because I'm betting your next bike will be a hell of a lot more powerful eh
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'02 GS 500.

[P.]

First "big" bike was a GS500, one of the older 50hp, not the 45 or so newer ones..massive difference lol

They are basic reliable transport... I never restricted mine, when I did end up chopping it in... I went to a Daytona 600

It wasnt that I was bored, it got written off and I really couldn't be bothered to get the same bike again (I did anyway, got it cheap and sold it on) so I got a sports bike. Didnt restrict that as I only had around a month to go.

The SV, gonna get slated, haters gonna hate n all that... but its an ok bike, i'd choose it over the GS500, but i'd choose a fazer over the SV. Its an ok bike...got a little thump to it and does pull in all gears from low revs, its comfy too... but it feels quite cheap. By all means get what you want, but try a few first...

[G]

On the power thing, as with everything, it's not just the size, but how you use it .

One of my best races was at Brands Indy where I managed I think it was 11th place. I was having to try DAMN hard and getting left a little in the straights. Turns out one carb was closed and the bike was making 35hp on the dyno.

My lap times for that race would have put my ahead of a load of litre sports bikes on a trackday the previous week. (And I should point out even then, there were plenty that would have gone a fair bit faster on my bike.)

While I do have a bad habit of buying fast bikes and cars, often more fun does come from using a slow vehicle quickly, thus the quip about biking rather than bikes .

Oh and I'd disagree with Paddy on the SV pulling in all gears from low revs - stick it in a high gear and it really starts to struggle at low speed, I'd say.

[P.]

[chris-red]

Speed Four, the best naked 600 you can buy for £2k, better spec'd than all the competitors. I saw an Indicated 110mph while restricted on mine on it too. Also you won't have to be a silly amount of money to restrict one, it cost me £60 parts and labour to get mine restricted at a Triumph dealership.
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

[G]

35th in 4th isn't THAT low revs though, as the SV is still fairly low geared!

A few weeks ago I pulled away in 4th on the 1000 and didn't notice.
But then I did drive through London in 4th gear in my passat for a bit - and it was stupidly high geared (4th was geared for a theoretical 120mph!) Was late at night and when I realised I changed down to third - which involved getting out at some lights, getting the bonnet up and manually changing the selectors on the gear box.
Had to slip the clutch up to 30mph in the passat for 4th, which made for a lovely smelling car when I eventually arrived.

[P.]