Hi guys and girls, I'm a recent arrival to motorbikes and I've recently purchased a new GSX650FU, so I thought at least one person out there would be interested in how I find the bike.
Apologies for the length of this post, but I've tried to make relevant so bear with me .... it is a ramble ! Skip to the bit 'GSX650FU' if you just want the bike review.
My style of riding - to help you to make a call on whether this post if relevant to your style of riding, I am a 43 year old, 6ft guy weighing in at 87kg who is more interested in having a massive smile on my face through the corners but not really interested in going too much above the speed limit on the straights. I intend to do track days for the buzz of speed, personally seeing the public roads as something to respectfully share with other road users while still being enjoyable to use. The bike is my everyday transport and a major source of enjoyment, only using my car when I need to carry large items, dogs & people or need to travel between 10pm-5am. Basically, I love riding and will get on my bike in all weather and conditions, going out riding for the sake of riding. I will do all roads, including gravel, if the need or desire arises.
Riding experience - I got my learner plate in late Dec 2012. I've ridden over 10,000kms in a little less than 5 months in all traffic conditions. I've also attended 2 riding training days run by Pro-Ride (really recommend getting time with Dayal and Karel), which I have found highly beneficial to both my riding enjoyment and potential to survive NZ roads.
Type of Bike - straight off, any potential bike had to be fun to ride. Living in the West Auckland areaand working in the CBD
I realised that my main use for the bike would be on sealed roads, so I focused on touring/sports touring bikes with wind fairing for comfort for longer rides. I also wanted lazy gearbox shifting so decided on a larger engine 4 stroke, giving comfort at motorway speeds and having decent torque for acceleration and hills. The larger bike also seemed to link to larger tyres = more rubber on the road.
My first bike was the GS500F, which is a cracking bike. It is a basic 500cc bike that is fun to ride, plus being very economical to run and easy to service. It is a brilliant commuting bike and was more than enough for my skill level for road use. It has a very respectful burst of acceleration for pulling into traffic but is well mannered and predicable in corners. I wouldn't anticipate it being a great track bike however. Initially I found it was prone to side winds but I think most of that was my inexperience as a newbie to riding bikes vs driving cars & trucks. I really rate the GS500F but I always wanted something more ...
THE GSX650FU
Roll forward to a Saturday morning in April 2012, when I popped out on my bike and somehow ended up at a Suzuki dealer (Holeshot in Takapuna), looking at the GSX650FU. Again.
As fate would have it, the NZ demonstrator for the GSX had arrived in the day before. Understandably I felt it would be rude not to try the demo after reading reports that made me question some aspects of the bike. After an hour or more or riding pleasure, during which time I didn't stop grinning, I grudgingly returned the bike to the dealers.
I really fell for the GSX650FU. I was absolutely hooked. My first experience of the GSX650FU was much, much better than I'd ever expected.
As it is effectively identical to the standard GSX650F but with less HP, I justified the trade up to the GSX650FU on the basis that I would learn to handle a 'grown ups' road bike in corners etc, but with a safety limitation on the power. So an hour later I'd ordered the bike, getting it 6 days later.
I've had the bike for nearly 3 weeks, and done over 2,000km, including a tour around some very changeable roads in the very beautiful and friendly Northland.
Firstly I think the bike looks great. It has a conservative sporty look. A nice mix of a nifty sports bike and a solid touring bike. I've fitted a GIVI V46 top box which although useful, has detracted from the bike's looks.
The bike has a more upright position to a pure sports bike, with the bars raised and the pegs more inline with the hips. This makes it comfortable for long rides, with no pressure on the arms/wrists. The legs wrap comfortably around the tank giving great stability. However get the balls of your feet on the pegs and lean slightly forwards and it feels more alive, the seat height easily allowing me to move my weight between the pegs and my butt cheeks off the seat in corners (as needed).
The seat height also allows me to both feet very easily on the ground (6ft tall guy) when stationary or when moving the bike at almost stationary speeds (parking etc), so I can see it working for shorter riders.
The fairing shields most of the wind but I still get some on my neck/head area, however I don't find this an comfort issue and barely notice when riding (plus given it is a motorbike I expect to be exposed to some wind !).
The brakes are highly effective, not requiring any more than 2 fingers on the front for full impact, the back is also quite effective and smooth for low speed stuff.
The suspension is soft enough to provide a comfortable ride but it is still stiff enough to allow me to feel the road surface and aspects of the bike's traction. I haven't adjusted the factory settings, but it is adjustable (once you know what you are doing).
The 6 speed gearbox and hydraulic clutch setup provides a smooth and positive shifting experience, with a gear indicator on the console when you are not sure what gear you are in. The engine picks over at about 5,000 in 6th gear at 100kph.
The quiet 4 cylinder engine is fuel injected, which means no issues on cold mornings and a really smooth controlled throttle. The gearbox/engine setup provides masses of engine braking and the engine provides huge amounts of torque at low RPM. I barely need to go above 6,000 RPM but the engine will rev out to 12,500 (once worn in at 1,600kms).
I think it is fair to say that the bike is considered heavy at 240kgs, but what it gives you is a solid, secure ride, even in blustery side winds which means the bike laps up the distance. However, it also provides a very lively experience through the corners (especially if you shift your weight between pegs), so sometimes I've had to catch up with the bike's movements ! I see the weight as a benefit for everyday riding, after initially being quite scathing of heavy bikes (purely ignorance on my part). That said, you do need to be more mindful to keep the bike upright when stationary as a lot more weight to hold up if you lose balance.
Summary - I love the riding position, look, feel and quality of the bike. It is smooth, response on the throttle and brakes, stable yet nimble. Your can tour all day or take it our for a 30 minute cornering frenzy. From my limited riding experience, the joy you can get out of a bike is more about how you ride the bike than the published statistics.
The bike's RRP is NZ$14,500 so not cheap. However if you are looking for a bike to use everyday like me then I'd recommend trying it before discounting it. You might also find that you keep well past your full licence stage, so it seems to have lots or grunt for everyday use.
My last thought - the size and power of this bike is too much for a first bike but it an amazing second LAMS bike.
I'd strongly encourage you to test ride the demo for a good hour, so you can take in all types of roads.
Hope this is of benefit to at least one new rider out there.
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Originally Posted by Edbear
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