From CBR125 to GS500? | GTAMotorcycle.com

From CBR125 to GS500?

mahnoy

mahnoy

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Hello guys.
I've been riding the CBR125 since June this year. And I love it! I think the 125 handles very well around corners and turns. I'm only 110lb, and if I tuck in and keep the throttle open for a while, I can hit 140km/hr. But on average, 120km/hr is the fastest I can get to. I don't feel comfortable riding it on the highway because of the lack of power, I don't feel like if needed, I'd be able to avoid a dangerous situation. So maybe it's time for an upgrade?

I have someone offering to sell me their 2004 GS500, 24000km on it for $3000. I heard she dumped it before... Is that a fair price? Ideally I'd go for a 600cc sport bike, but being only 22, new, female rider, I got quoted between $5500 to $6000 a year. For a 500cc, I think liability only, my insurance would be $3200. Right now I'm paying $1600 for full coverage on my 125.

Also, another thing I want to know is how does the gs500 handle? I know supersport bikes are made to handle the turns, but how about a sport/touring bike? With my 125 I feel comfortable taking corners at 75km/hr, taking the on-ramps at 85km/h. Would the GS500 be able to handle that well?

Would it be smarter if I just keep my 125 until my insurance drops significantly and I can get a 600cc sport bike, or should I get a 500 and just stay with that until I can afford a 600?

Cheers!
 
What company are you with?
I am also a 22yo female. I pay just over $1800/year for insurance for my 07 GSXR600. Full Coverage too. I'm with Statefarm, I had to bring my car over but it was well worth it..Do you have a clean driving record?

I'd call around and ask to see if you can get a better deal...

Janice
 
1) How often do you take the highway or need that extra power?
2) Find out for sure what your insurance rate would be (get some quotes =)
3) Only you can determine if your own want is worth the cost. $1,000 to you could be a big deal, to someone else it could be pocket change. You know your situation best.
 
Personally I would get a 250. Only because I don't want to pay 3200 for insurance. I hate the fact that I can buy the bike over again with one year of premium.

if money wasn't an issue, then 500 or 600 for sure.

How are you getting such high quote btw?

Kingsway quoted my 2,800 for 600, it was my 1st season, under 20, 1 mil liability.
 
adri said:
1) How often do you take the highway or need that extra power?
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I think the concern for her on highway is wind more than speed. I'm 160lbs and I ride highway all the time.

Get atleast one full year of insurance with the 125R. GS500 isn't rated as a super sport so you might be able to get something decent with Jevco. Otherwise, if you can't get statefarm, don't bother. Your age/gender will work against you for insurance.

Best way to find out is to call your broker and get a quote.
 
The GS500 would be a conservative "step-up" from a 125, although the insurance rate you have been quoted seems very high. The GS500 will cruise on the highway all day at 120km/hr (75mph). You don't "need" anything more powerful.

The GS500 you have been offered seems about market valued for this time of year (assuming it is in good shape). Just remember if you keep it 3 years, it will be 8 years old when you go to sell it (it gets tougher to sell the older they are, and repairs increase the older they get).

Although the Ninja250 is only a small step up from the 125, if your insurance is too high with a 500, the 250 maybe the only thing you can afford. A newer bike is probably better than an older bike if you are not mechanically inclined. For example, there is a 2008 250 for sale here at GTAM asking only $3700 with a slightly damaged fairing.

SeaMe
 
$3200/year for a GS500 is frigin brutal. I'd also be a little cautious of any bike that's been dropped or "dumped".

All in all though, if you can't get a better insurance quote for a GS500 or EX500...maybe look into an EX250 (older styled ninja 250's). It's not much of a step up from a 125 but that bike is very capable on the highway.
 
Flashmonkey said:
$3200/year for a GS500 is frigin brutal. I'd also be a little cautious of any bike that's been dropped or "dumped".

All in all though, if you can't get a better insurance quote for a GS500 or EX500...maybe look into an EX250 (older styled ninja 250's). It's not much of a step up from a 125 but that bike is very capable on the highway.
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+1 agreed, a better step up would be SV650.

After you finish one full year of insurance with Jevco you can get on their preferential rating.
 
Depends what kind of "dump" it was. Is there faring damage? (expensive to repair). Handlebar damage (cheap if it's just bending a bar back), lever damage (reasonably cheap to replace), bent rims? (expensive).

As for going round corners well it really depends what kinds of corners, some wide sweepers you can do all day at stupid speeds. The GS500 will do whatever you want to do with it, it's pretty similar to my EX500 and you'll have plenty of fun on it plus you get a more upright seating position for all day riding comfort as opposed to leaning forward a lot more on an SS and putting pressure on your arms etc.

As someone said though, get a full year of insurance on your current bike before moving up and you'll pay a lot less on insurance. I have full coverage on my EX500 for $1k currently and it will go down to $700 or less next year with full coverage but I am a lot older than you.

That price on the bike seems OK but you should check tire wear and see if there's a service history too. It's not a steal at that price and I'm sure when you get to your first full year you'll find similar bikes at similar prices.
 
From what I understand (being a new rider), GS500 is a beginner bike, so transition from CBR125 to GS500 should be very easy. It's not a heavy bike, the seat is fairly low positioned, the seating position is comfortable (since it's really not a sport, but a touring bike).

The engine volume is actually 487cc, so it's under 500cc bike, and the insurance should not be high.

I got my 04 GS500F with slightly lower mileage for less, but I bought new tires, brakes and a few small things to get my bike back to top shape.

I am sure that you'll enjoy the GS500 if you'll get it.
 
mahnoy said:
if I tuck in and keep the throttle open for a while, I can hit 140km/hr. But on average, 120km/hr is the fastest I can get to. I don't feel comfortable riding it on the highway because of the lack of power, I don't feel like if needed, I'd be able to avoid a dangerous situation. So maybe it's time for an upgrade?
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based on that quote... i would suggest you keep your cbr a bit more. going faster than 120 will rarely put you out of harm's way. just don't take the highways ( the 125 is not a touring bike ).

on the other hand, the gs500 won't be that expensive to insure. statefarm is a good start. and get married. that helps too!!!

the gs is a good step up. it's heavier and a lot more stable at highway speeds than the cbr. i'd say $3000 is a decent price. depends of course... shape, maintenance, etc...
 
I made the exact same move as you did from the 125 to the GS500.

Here is my experience so far and what helped me make the decision to go to the GS500.

The CBR was great for my commute because I only had to drive 12Km from home to work, and my average cruising speed during the morning and evening rush hour was about 40km/h. For those reasons it was great, but I wouldn't venture out on the highway with the CBR, just not safe.

I moved in April and my commute is 32km each way, I needed a bigger bike to get me to and from work. I wanted something that was reliable, easy to maintain and was a very common bike on the road. I wanted to make sure that if I were to need work done on the bike I wouldn't be stranded for 5 months because it was a rare bike, and there weren't parts around or there wasn't a specialist who needed to work on it all.

The GS500 is a very bare-bones bike, the maintenance is very straight forward and there is a huge community and resource for GS owners. It is good on gas and is a very nice and smooth bike. It rides very comfortably, it hits 120 with ease and can reach around 170-180. Some say that it is a little sluggish on tight turns, but I haven't really encountered it.

All in all, the cbr is a great bike to learn on and make mistakes. The GS is a great bike to teach you how to ride smoothly and become more comfortable on the road and at higher speeds. Get another insurance quote, that sounds ridiculous.

check out gstwins.com and go to the forum, you can find just about anything you want to know about the GS500 on there.
 
janjan said:
What company are you with?
I am also a 22yo female. I pay just over $1800/year for insurance for my 07 GSXR600. Full Coverage too. I'm with Statefarm, I had to bring my car over but it was well worth it..Do you have a clean driving record?

I'd call around and ask to see if you can get a better deal...

Janice
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Where is your policy registered? Not in GTA I assume .... big difference in insurance rate. Statefarm will not accept her probably either.
 
I'd wait one more year, just for the sake of the insurance. Save the money you'd pay towards a better bike.
 
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mahnoy said:
Also, another thing I want to know is how does the gs500 handle? I know supersport bikes are made to handle the turns, but how about a sport/touring bike? With my 125 I feel comfortable taking corners at 75km/hr, taking the on-ramps at 85km/h. Would the GS500 be able to handle that well?


Cheers!
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hey, dont knock Sport tourers!! My GSX650F can hold its own!!! and the
GS500 will as well. You DONT need a SS bike to go Fast.. (yet again, some proves my point that North Americans are caught up in the CC rating game etc :( )

My buddy on his DL650 VStrom shows thats a very capable motorcycle too on corners.. remember, riding is not all about the type of motorcycle, but the rider as well. :cool:

Good luck.
 
I say look into a ninja 250.
 
I applaud you young'uns that'll pay through the nose to ride a bike in Ontario.

It's completely irresponsible, impractical and (in some cases) the biggest financial burden you carry in your early 20's. I mean, $1600 for insurance and maybe $3000 on a new 125, is $4600! That can be spent on an economical car that's good year-round.

but I digress, for I too have spent copious amounts of money on a bike that I shouldn't have (given my situation)... I say you save your money, and when you get an insurance break, get something >500 cc's.

Sure, you don't need a big motor to be fast in the twisties, but look around the GTA: Most of your riding is straight-city waffle streets and highways, where 1300cc's is right at home.
 
Hey guys thanks for your thoughts. I've called around pretty much every insurance company I know in the area. Statefarm is only cheap if I bring my car over, but I'm currently paying $1000 a year on my car under my dad. So unless their car+bike insurance price is cheaper than what I am currently paying, I highly doubt I'll switch over. Some insurance companies won't even quote me because of my age.

True I don't need more power, I just want the option of having more power. I avoid the highway as much as I could with my 125, but I mean, a bigger bike would help.

And someone mentioned that it's kinda shaky in turns? Maybe I'll wait then... A guy I ride with had a katana 600 as his first bike. He told me that it scared him going taking corners because it would shake and it was just heavy and not agile. He said he would not recommend it for anyone. He now rides a gsxr750 and he's one of the best riders I know.

I'm actually really considering the ninja250 as my next bike. Maybe after my insurance policy expires, I'll see how much they'll quote me for that. Anyone knows how the ninja250 handles?
 
mahnoy said:
I'm actually really considering the ninja250 as my next bike. Maybe after my insurance policy expires, I'll see how much they'll quote me for that. Anyone knows how the ninja250 handles?
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The ninja 250 handles just fine. I have a 2006 EX250 and that thing was able to take my abuse through the twisties, on the highways, and the mean streets of downtown toronto....and I'm a LOT heavier than you are.

People are gonna tell you that the older 250 has crappy suspension....and for someone of my size that may be true. But to be honest with you, I never came close to approaching the performance limit of that bike's suspension on the street. Riding that hard on the street, for a noob (or for anyone really...but that's another debate for another thread) is stupid. Adjust your riding style to suit the bike and the situation. Not being a complete idiot will alleviate any suspension issues you may encounter. Moving up to a larger, over powered bike won't always solve the problems you have.

To be honest, sometimes having less power and crappier suspension will turn you into a better rider....100+ hp and the top of the line, super adjustable suspension setups is often times just used as a crutch.
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