Just got my first motorcycle.Never ridden before

[Guest]

Picked up a 1982 Suzuki GS650GL got it for 750 with Only 2k miles. Looking forward to learning.






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[Kiwi Canuck]

Welcome to the GSR, that's a nice looking bike and seems like a very good deal at that price.

Someone should be along shortly to give you a more "official welcome" with links to some important info for new GS owners.

David.

[Rob S.]

Welcome to the site.

Am I to understand that not only is this your first motorcycle, but that you've got very few miles riding on the street at all?

Take it slow.

Back in the day, people would have said, "A 650 for your first bike? Isn't that too big?" (A 650 used to be considered a large bike.) Today, they don't even qualify as 'mid-sized'.

But that "L" designation means you should have no trouble flat-footing it. A good bike to learn on.

As I said, take it slow, master the clutch and throttle, and wear a full face helmet.

Welcome to the brotherhood!

[cowboyup3371]

Please do one thing before even turning the key on - sign up for and take a Motorcycle Safety Class where you will learn the basics of riding in a controlled and supervised environment.

You can go here to find a course in the Seattle area - https://www.msf-usa.org/

[Chuck78]

Yes, please do!

Motorcycles are incredibly fun, and vintage motorcycles are a great way to learn mechanics and get a bargain deal on a bike, as long as you have patience to work through any neglect issues and current maintenance needs, as well as upgrading any downfalls to the old bikes like the GS charging systems. Look into a regulator rectifier upgrade with a used Polaris side by side ATV part, Polaris OEM number 4012941. The "Shindengen SH775" mod that a good majority of us on here have discovered is the best most affordable way to you have the absolute most top notch charging system on our GS's.

Clean carbs that are properly assembled with new o-rings, proper float height, a good sealing needle and seat, and synchronized at least on the workbench will go a long ways as well if the bike is not running good currently.


The members on this forum are very well-versed technically on these bikes, and are here to assist you with anything that you need in the future or present.


motorcycles are incredibly fun, but also incredibly dangerous, so play it safe, and always be looking out for other traffic on the road that is likely to not even see you. Always ride with the mindset that any car may cut you off at any time and try to kill you. it's the only safe way. Unfortunately especially in this smartphone day and age, motorists just don't pay attention and don't see bikes... Always ride defensively and be ready to make any evasive exit maneuver, planning your safe way out at all times if the situation gets threatening.
Leave plenty of distance in front of you to the vehicles ahead, you may need that distance for stopping or veering around potholes or other road debris...
And be careful riding in rural areas at dusk or dawn, and careful at all hours of the day October / November (deer mating season aka "rut"), deer and other animals will run out in the road, and deer come out heavily during those times mentioned...

Always watch out for gravel, oil spots on the road, sand / grit / dusty dirt spots on the pavement... Even the paint lines on the road that don't really provide the grip that asphalt pavement does, especially when wet! Be very cautious with the evasive maneuvers such as aggressive cornering, hard braking, or any braking with your front brake when around those sorts of road hazards...
and if you ever do run over any small animals or road debris, make absolutely certain that you are not using your front brake at the time of front tire impact! This is a sure way to crash as you will likely tuck your front end under and dump your bike immediately...

that is basically the crash course that I gave my friend in an attempt to scare him with reality and make sure he was ready for owning his first motorcycle...
Sorry to come on so strong with your first welcome greeting, but this is information but I felt very pertinent & critical for you to possess. A decade on motorcycles and 37+ years being a two-wheeled daredevil have finally arrived me at a more sensible point in life with a little more caution!

have fun, best wishes on your first bike, we are all here for technical assistance and other riding advice and much more!

[Brendan W]

Hi Gabriel and Welcome!
Many happy miles and safe arrivals.
If I may suggest, these bikes are deceptively easy to control on the move in spite of their considerable weight.
A common newb mistake is to ground your foot at a Stop sign when still rolling less than walking speed. Don't.
I did not have training. I don't think it even existed back then but the numbers don't lie. It's well worth considering.

[Wingsconsin]

I had a 650L model a few years ago -
Those things are plenty quick - enough to get into a heap of trouble right away --
Take it easy and get thee to a training course ASAP.
You will not regret the money you spend learning how to avoid becoming a statistic

PS: That bike is pretty

[ddaniels]

Welcome and yes take the training. Well worth it.

[ColoradoGS850L]

Welcome, the people on here are great and helpful with pretty much anything you could imagine, and probably some things you can't.

Definitely take an MSF or Abate class. When I did mine it allowed me to not take any further testing or classes etc. So, in addition to being super helpful and important, it also saves time and the hassle of more time at the DMV.

Also take a look at the top 10 newbie mistakes: https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ewbie+mistakes and make it a goal to do all of the listed maintenance. It might be overwhelming at first, but just remember once you've gone through all of the listed items you'll have a very dependable bike and will know far more about diagnosing issues etc.

Enjoy!