I cant afford it brand new, and I'm not a fan of financing.
GS 500 vs Ninja 500
- Thread starter deejizzle
- Start date
I cant afford it brand new, and I'm not a fan of financing.
sykobish
Well-known member
Aww, that sucks. Have you maybe thought about checking if there's a demo available? The price would be lower on that. But yeah, I hear ya on the financing. I always buy new and in total.
It does look amazing. I wish there was an older fuel injected 500 on the market because that was really what was at the top of my list. That's why an SV would be perfect from me apart from the insurance. Ill wait on it for a year and see how it goes.
sykobish
Well-known member
For insurance, have you tried Riders Plus? They gave me a pretty good quote on a cbr500.
No full m, under 25, as far as I know they don't insure me.
00ninja
Well-known member
Ninja 500R.
I have gone 300km without hitting reserve but don't usually stretch it that far. At ~280km I start looking for a gas station. My set up for touring is a beadrider seat cover, Cortech saddles bags and the matching tail bag. When riding 2up I just use the saddle bags and my wife still has plenty of room to put her feet on the pegs.
A tail rack (Givi) is a great idea to put a top box on or the tail bag. Just haven't gotten around to getting that.
sykobish
Well-known member
I don't have a full M either. I'm over 25 but I don't see why they would say no to insuring you.. You should give them a call. They gave me a cheaper quote for the 500 than what I was paying for my 250 through Jevco.
You have to be over 25 for Riders Plus
sykobish
Well-known member
defect_9
Active member
I have been on my GS500F for 7 years now. ridden mostly as an occasional recreation and commute on the sunny days. i have been 2-up on many rides with many different passengers and all was easy and smooth.
they do sit lower than the supersports, which is good and comfy for them, but you will butt helmets if you are not careful. cant speak for the ninja about this.
maintenance and ownership experience is amazing. i am pretty good with regular maintenance on my bike and car, so everything just works. been through a couple of batteries and finally switched to a Ballistic battery and it has started every time since. the suspension is very soft, annoyingly so, but i have not cared enough to change it yet. you have enough power to keep up with a 350Z off the line and have a good amount of fun and still get over 300km per tank.
i think you will be happy with either one of these 500s. get a good deal and ride!
i will say that 2-up with the stock suspension, going over speedbumps and some curbs, you can scrape the centerstand. i am talking about an asian couple about 300lbs total on the stiffest setting.
they do sit lower than the supersports, which is good and comfy for them, but you will butt helmets if you are not careful. cant speak for the ninja about this.
maintenance and ownership experience is amazing. i am pretty good with regular maintenance on my bike and car, so everything just works. been through a couple of batteries and finally switched to a Ballistic battery and it has started every time since. the suspension is very soft, annoyingly so, but i have not cared enough to change it yet. you have enough power to keep up with a 350Z off the line and have a good amount of fun and still get over 300km per tank.
i think you will be happy with either one of these 500s. get a good deal and ride!
i will say that 2-up with the stock suspension, going over speedbumps and some curbs, you can scrape the centerstand. i am talking about an asian couple about 300lbs total on the stiffest setting.
Sabex
Well-known member
As someone who has owned both bikes...
The GS500F sits a little taller (the difference is about 1inch if i remember right; but its noticeable.)
The Ninja has a slightly more aggressive seating position.
I am 5'10 and the GS felt a bit more comfortable; my knees go up a little too high on Ninja's tank.
After '01 the GS500/F seat was changed and the tank size was increased to 20L from 17L so you'll be getting more km/tank. I was able to do close to 450 on my longest tank on my '04 GS500F (20L tank) but you'll most likely be doing around 400 driving conservatively. Haven't tried on the EX but it looks like it'd be around 350 if I drive really conservatively. The EX500 has an 18L tank, so 1L more than pre '01 and 2L less than '01+. However, I'd suggest gassing up at around 250km just as a safety precaution.
If you get a pre '94 Ninja you'll need to swap the cct, flywheel and tranny because all 3 are notorious for blowing until they changed it up in 94. The pre '94 also has 16 inch wheels vs the 17 inch on '94+, and a few other relatively unnoticeable differences.
Both the GS and Ninja 500 do very well with better spring in the forks. I would say both are even suspension-wise at stock.
Sitting at 498cc vs the 487 of a GS the Ninja 500 makes a bit more HP stock (about 10). The GS500 has more possible engine mods to increase HP (the ninja wouldn't benefit from an exhaust+rejet whereas the GS would for example.)
The GS500/F is notorious for eating through oil. However, the EX500 is liquid cooled which is just another line to watch out for.
Maintenance is basically the same. However, I would say the GS comes out just slightly ahead due to not having to worry about coolant lines and less fairing(s) so easier access.
All in all: both bikes have a great cult following and active forums dedicated to them. Both are very close performance wise. Both are rock solid machines that will only break if you really **** up (excluding the pre '94 Ninjas of course.)
Not taking looks into account: If you want a bit more comfort and a bigger gas tank get an '01+ gs500/F. If you want a slightly more aggressive position that sits a little lower go for a Ninja 500.
Personally the Ninja 500 fits my needs/wants better. For what you want I would suggest a GS500/F from after '01. Even though the GS just barley pulls ahead it adds up with each km you put on the bike.
As a side note: insurance would of been cheaper for a GS500 than a Ninja 500 for me (i was/still am with TD insurance.)
One more minor thing to note: the clutch push rod on the GS is located in the same housing as the chain. If your chain is too loose it will slap against the push rod and after awhile break it (ask me how i know...) whereas on the Ninja it's located somewhere else. But if you take good care of your chain (as you should be) it won't be a problem.
The GS500F sits a little taller (the difference is about 1inch if i remember right; but its noticeable.)
The Ninja has a slightly more aggressive seating position.
I am 5'10 and the GS felt a bit more comfortable; my knees go up a little too high on Ninja's tank.
After '01 the GS500/F seat was changed and the tank size was increased to 20L from 17L so you'll be getting more km/tank. I was able to do close to 450 on my longest tank on my '04 GS500F (20L tank) but you'll most likely be doing around 400 driving conservatively. Haven't tried on the EX but it looks like it'd be around 350 if I drive really conservatively. The EX500 has an 18L tank, so 1L more than pre '01 and 2L less than '01+. However, I'd suggest gassing up at around 250km just as a safety precaution.
If you get a pre '94 Ninja you'll need to swap the cct, flywheel and tranny because all 3 are notorious for blowing until they changed it up in 94. The pre '94 also has 16 inch wheels vs the 17 inch on '94+, and a few other relatively unnoticeable differences.
Both the GS and Ninja 500 do very well with better spring in the forks. I would say both are even suspension-wise at stock.
Sitting at 498cc vs the 487 of a GS the Ninja 500 makes a bit more HP stock (about 10). The GS500 has more possible engine mods to increase HP (the ninja wouldn't benefit from an exhaust+rejet whereas the GS would for example.)
The GS500/F is notorious for eating through oil. However, the EX500 is liquid cooled which is just another line to watch out for.
Maintenance is basically the same. However, I would say the GS comes out just slightly ahead due to not having to worry about coolant lines and less fairing(s) so easier access.
All in all: both bikes have a great cult following and active forums dedicated to them. Both are very close performance wise. Both are rock solid machines that will only break if you really **** up (excluding the pre '94 Ninjas of course.)
Not taking looks into account: If you want a bit more comfort and a bigger gas tank get an '01+ gs500/F. If you want a slightly more aggressive position that sits a little lower go for a Ninja 500.
Personally the Ninja 500 fits my needs/wants better. For what you want I would suggest a GS500/F from after '01. Even though the GS just barley pulls ahead it adds up with each km you put on the bike.
As a side note: insurance would of been cheaper for a GS500 than a Ninja 500 for me (i was/still am with TD insurance.)
One more minor thing to note: the clutch push rod on the GS is located in the same housing as the chain. If your chain is too loose it will slap against the push rod and after awhile break it (ask me how i know...) whereas on the Ninja it's located somewhere else. But if you take good care of your chain (as you should be) it won't be a problem.
This is exactly what I wanted to read. I thought the GS has a 18L (+/- 1) tank, but you clearly have taught me better. I am looking towards the GS, however the fairing model. I figure that if it ever goes down I'd try my hand at converting it to a cafe racer. I was also thinking the exact same thing about the liquid cooling in the Ninja 500. Knowing my luck, more things would probably go wrong, even with good maintenance. I'm still shopping around, and there are things that have peaked my interest. Any tips on looking at used gs's or ninjas? might do some shopping this weekend if the stars align for me.
In regards to the posts about the communities, I have heard and read good things on GS-Twins. I cant remember the ninja 500 sight, but I think I was on it for a short time. I did hear about the mods to do.
If I do go with the GS, I guess progressive springs should be first on my list. And in regards to the possible mods for the GS, what kind are you talking about? A simple exhaust and rejetting? And I'm also guessing a k&n air filter (but I've hear opinions from mechanics that OEM is the best for everything).
Appreciate the input from everyone, especially you Sabex.
Mine's looking more cafe racer-like every time I touch it with a wrench.
GSTwins is great for getting answers, and they have compiled all of the useful information into the GSTwins wiki (http://wiki.gstwins.com/)
Rejetting is a good idea, you can grab a more even power band for a few bucks and a couple hours work. You can rejet it with stock air filter and exhaust, or any aftermarket combo. There is a matrix on the GSTwins wiki to help you find a starting point.
Most of (I think) the mods on my bike...
Steel braided brake lines, front and rear
Jardine full system exhaust
Rejet
K&N lunchbox air filter
15t (-1) on my front sprocket
Clip on bars
Front springs
Fenderectomy
Integrated tail lights
1/5 throttle mod
Swapped in a single bar end mirror
Ballistic battery
How do you like the jardin? If I went with a new exhaust, I think I'd want the whole system, not a slip on
And please explain what the 15t at the front does for it and what the 1/5 throttle is
Also in guessing ballistic battery is just one of those non liquid batteries?
Sabex
Well-known member
Exhaust+rejet+air filter is mostly what I was referring to. However, there are a few other things that people have done (like boring out the engine; which if I recall can't be done on the EX without a lot of hassle) that I can't remember atm.
A lot of people switch over to K&N on the GS. OEM usually isn't the best for everything. A lot of times OEM is designed specifically to meet regulations; which could be a little restricting. If OEM was the best for everything racers wouldn't be replacing 80% of their bikes.
The jets you use will depend on what exhaust and air filter you have/use. You can find a graph somewhere on the GS site showing what other people are running which you can use as a base and then just fine-tune it yourself.
You would also want to just get a full system because it'll save you some trouble. The stock GS can is just one solid piece and there aren't many slip-ons that'll just fit right over it (after cutting it; you'd have it cut it for any slip on.) I know yoshimura still makes a slip on that'll fit which sounds pretty good. Tricky(on the forum) has a full jardine system which, in my opinion, sounds better than the yoshi slip.
As for springs: if I remember right most people prefer a static spring rate (usually getting either racetech or sonic springs) over progressive. Although you'd be best to research the difference between static and progressive to decide for yourself.
As for looking at used bikes: the same as any other bike really. check for damage, ask how it happened. research the most common problems with a bike (like the GS eating oil/leaking oil; the 1st gen ninja's flywheel, cct and 2nd gear; etc) and look for them. If the guy seems like an idiot/doesnt know how to take care of a bike/obviously neglected it and you get a bad vibe don't be afraid to just walk away; there'll be 100 more bikes out there for every 1 you turn down.
And don't hand over cash until you see an updated UVIP. Go to the MTO and get a copy printed (you'll need one anyways) it's only $20 and will tell you if there are any leans (which could be acquired AFTER the owner had purchased the bike)
Thanks sabex. I'm familiar with the buying process, just not looking at the mechanics. As far as I know the GS doesn't really have any problems. I think a deal breaker for know whether the owner took good care is if they had the springs done, in which that's a huge plus for me. When I'm looking at bikes in mainly comparing the cost vs clicks which I think is a decent measurement tool. I'd like to stay between the 12 and 24 mark, having the valves checks done for me. I've been off the road this summer for too long and it's antagonizing. Hopefully the stars align for me and something is done either this week or next the latest.
I like the Jardine very much. People compliment me on the raw sound it gives. I chose it because it was $400 for a full system, vs. ~$300 for a Yoshi slip-on, and you have to cut the stock pipe to get that one on. If you do get the Jardine, I recommend buying the QMI (~$40) to quiet it down a little, without it, it is certainly a loud one.
The stock front sprocket has 16 teeth, so I dropped down one tooth. It gives it more low end grunt, and you can feel it pull harder from a stop and all that. I did loose some top end (before I was cruising in 5th on the highway, now I'm in 6th) but I can still pass and all that on the highway with enough power, so I'm happy.
The 1/5 throttle mod is still a work in progress for me, I am still trying to get it down right. Effectively you can shorten the throttle throw from 1/4 turn to 1/5 turn, so you can reach wide open throttle quicker. Some people use a 99 SV650 tube I think, some people do what is called the "zip tie throttle mod" (that's what I'm trying). You fix a zip tie or two to the throttle tube, so that when you turn it, the larger circumference of the tube takes more throttle cable with it.
https://www.google.ca/search?q=zip+...59l2j0l2j62l2.2225j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
The Ballistic battery is a Lithium battery. My battery kept draining in my underground parking spot so every time I went to use the bike after a cold night, I would have to bump start it. I swapped to the Ballistic when the stock battery needed replacing.. it doesn't lose any charge in the cold, so it makes my life easier.
That problem could be avoided by using a trickle charger
I've had a couple mechanics say they won't even check my valve clearances until I hit 25K km, because there is no point on these engines. Coming up on 19K now!
Very interesting. I think if I did grab something with less than 12 I'd still do the check. I'd like to keep it in as pristine of a condition as possible. If more people chime in on that then perhaps ill do the same. My buddy does have the tool to measure so if worst comes to worst then ill do it myself.
So far it seems like the GS is ahead of the ninja for me. The only thing going against the gs is the fact that its a twin, and if one were to suddenly not work, 1 cylinder would suck. Also it's headlight is brutal on the F model.
