Suzuki GSX650F Forum - www.GSX650F.biz

You have the first part figured out anyway ( being cautious ) . Honestly I think the best thing you can do is find a big parking lot and practice for a few weeks. You may have already heard this alot but that's because it's a great way to learn. No pressure from being on the road. You can go at your own pace. Just ride around in circles, practice braking, shifting & especially counter balance & counter steer. Also, use only rear brake to stay in control while going very slow. Hope that helps .

I said yes and no to the question.
Yes, it is an awesome bike.
No, this should not really be a beginners bike. It is too heavy to control. Riding position
is too race like and not enough cruising upright like. The cc is too big an engine for a beginner
to me because its like trying to hold on to a out of control beast. Anyway, my first bike was a
Honda CM400 Custom, and is what I did my test on. But when your a seasoned rider this is an awesome bike.

Not to be a nuisance, but does anyone want to offer me any guidance, here?

The 650F is a lot more powerful than the gs500. The acceleration difference is night and day (how does 0-60 in 3.8 seconds grab ya?). The weight of this bike is a good thing because it behaves itself in the wind so it is a decent tourer and it is still very nimble and capable in the Twisties. What I like too is that it is a big bike for just being a 650. I'm 6'4" and it fits me very well. You will love this bike, I guarantee it.

Hi Lewer .
I had a GS500F ,for about 9 months ,then a 800cc cruiser for about 2 years ,then got back on a sports style with the GSX650F.
The GSX ,Feels the same when in the seat ,with the riding position ....but a little more sporty as you do lean over the bars a little more and its taller ,but you wouldn't feel any great change ,like if you sat on a gixxer 600.
But as soon as you crank the throttle on the 650 ,then its a whole new ball game. Although on paper its only 150cc more ,its feels like 500cc more.
I used to say and still do ,that a GS500 is a one year bike ....meaning after 1 year you get bored with it and want to up grade or want a change.
{but you would be lucky to hit it full limit and ride it to its full potential}
I used to think the GSX650F was a 2 year bike ..meaning after two years you would get bored and want to upgrade , but for me its just perfect and I'm not even near half way to riding the bike to its limits and potential ,its got some much to give me yet and teach me that I've got years and years of fun to be had.

I would love a Gixxer 600 ,but its just not for me with the riding position and the GSX just does it ALL ,twistys ,tourer and commute...the only thing it lets me down " Little" is in the look of the sexy super sports 600s ,but with some bling its getting there.

So anyways ,will you enjoy the GSX and is it worth the upgrade ,I say yes with out a doubt ,its worth it as long as your not thinking its a super sport and want to do track days every week ,with a good rider the bike will keep up and pass ,alot of gixxer riders on the street.

Thanks guys

That is what I wanted to hear.

Will probably save up during the long (Canadian) winter and hopefully have enough to get one by the spring and sell my GS500 to a friend.

This bike just really, really appeals to me. I thought about a gixxer 600, but even sitting on my brothers 750, it just doesn't feel right. I decided I would much prefer the same style seating as the GS, but with a bit more punch.

I love the fact that this bike appears to really be able to do it all.

Also, relevant to the thread title, I for one am glad I started on a GS500F, it inspired a lot of confidence in me over the last year and I still love it.

Hello everyone, for someone who has been around drag racing. The GSX650F 3.8 0-60 mid to upper 12.0-12.30 1/4 mile
Ninja650R 3.6 0-60 low 12.0-12.20 1/4 mile
FZ6R 3.9-4.0 0-60 12.30-12.40 1/4 mile
I hear a lot of folks saying for a first bike stay away from the 650F, but the bikes I named are close in performance. Also the SV650F is an 3.6-3.5 0-60 and runs the 1/4 in 11.8 seconds. All of these bikes are 12 to bottom 11 second bikes with some tweeking. Only differance is two I4's one parrallel twin and V-twin SV650F. I understand power bands, but a 12 second street bike is a 12 second street bike regardless how it accomplishes it. As far as weight goes I can see everyones point, but I rather drop it than it getting away from me. This is only an opinion/observation in performance in the bikes that are suppose to be user friendly. Thanks for a great site and this was not meant as a slight on any member's opinion. Happy motoring, Gil

Hi Gil ,good post with all the times and how the GSX stacks up again its company .

Me not being a drags person at all ,Am I right in thinking 12 seconds is fast for a first bike ??.

Lets look at it again:

Beginner: Someone who is new to bikes that has never ridden one or has ridden his friends bike once or twice. I doubt it would have been a big bike.

So taking that into consideration, lets look at some of the specs of the F:

Weight: 241kg wet.
Power: 650cc's

So, a beginner will most probably ride it slow for a while and that will make the bike a hazard to them as it is kinda tricky to ride it slow and turning ect. It took me a while to get used to the added weight compared to my previous 140kg bike.
When riding in town, the power can be very deceptive as it's so linear that they probably won't even notice how fast they are going until they have to brake for a cage or obstacle.

600 - 650cc sport touring/entry level bikes (except for race replica 600's) are regarded as beginner bikes purely because the market is not that saturated with 250's (except Kawasaki and Honda?) and no-one except kids wants a 125. So the next step would be a 600/650.

Some people start out on a machine like this and cope well. I started on a 250 purely because I have never ridden a bike before and wanted to hone my skills on a lesser machine and gain respect for the kind of power a bike makes compared to a car. When I knew I was ready and able, I bought the F and I think that I made a wise decision. I knew how to handle a bike properly in any situation from my 250 days and had full confidence in my abilities to really make the most out of the machine from day 1 instead of riding like a granny for the first couple of months which made the experience so much better. And I did not have the fear of dropping it.

I was a beginner. Took the safety course, and have been riding this bike for 6 days. The handleing is crisp and tameable. It's only heavy pushing it up a hill. You certainly don't feel the weight when riding. You don't have to learn to respect a motorcycle. If you don't respect them, you shouldn't be on one. Ride the 250 in a classroom, course setting. This 650 is an excellent beginners bike. Unless you don't get proper training.

Steve

Of course you have to learn to respect motorcycles! I used to be one of those people that said bikes are deathtraps and you won't catch me riding one and look. Here I am today enjoying bikes. I learnt to respect them as I never had an understanding for them.

Hello Gil
Maybe you can explain this to me
Been riding for some 20 years now but honestly somehow I have had only 250cc, had a honda xr 250cc 1993, suzuki rmx 250cc 1993, ninja 2007 250cc.
I have met some friends of mine who are riding all thos back/wrist breaking supersport and honestly I must admit there are relly cool looking bikes with lots of speed and rpm, I hve tried riding on them but Iam 43 years old hahahaha
And I can tell you honestly that the ninja 250 is a super flickable bike for traffic jams, seriously....the best there is for downtown traffic


I live in a small country Suriname South America, lots of traffic jams, no twisties what soever, and no really long straightaways so therefore I am looking for a cool easy bikes which are the gsx650f, ninja 650r, yamaha fz6r, ducati 696
These are all cool and good handling bikes except that I do not like the sound coming from a twin
I personally go for the inline four, especially with a yoshimura

Could you please advise some more
Best regards,
Michael Chang

Because of the circumstances where I'm at we only have a Kawi (US spec) dealer so I went with the 650R. But if you like the sound of a I-4 then a 650F or FZR6.

Gil

Hey everyone! im new here, i have been reading a lot in this forum, it is very insteresting and it helps me a lot i just put my down payment on my gsx 650f ,2009. and im going to pick it up in april cause the canadian winter is extreme i did this cause the 2010 model is $2500 more expensive and the only difference i see so far is the color so i made the deal with the blue one. im a little worried about the weight now, everyone is talking about that!!!! it will be my real first bike but i have rode bikes back home from 50 cc, 250 MZ, 350 JAWA, and the big one "URAL" i dont know how many ccs but with side car, it when i was in the army. i picked the suzi f after many months doing research on the internet and i think picked the best bike out there, i love it
ride safe....

Hi Ray and welcome .

Really the weight only come into play for a new never ridden a bike "ever" people, its the silly slow riding mistakes that catches new riders out ,once you can do slow stuff or have ridden a little and got that hang of stop start and U turn ,your all good.
Anyone can make it threw the first week ,having never ridden a bike at all ,but they should just keep close to home say they know every road every bump and get past that first week with the bike unscratched.
Hey some people will drop a 250cc just as easy as a 650 so don't stress ,just take you time and it will be all good.