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    How I got started

    This was my introduction to the Suzuki GS world, thought I would type it up and share for your enjoyment!

    A little History:




    My fascination with motorcycles began early one morning around 2003. At the time I was the Am Lap guard at the local swimming pool, and I would spend the hours of 4-8 AM watching people swim and discussing motorcycles with the other guard on duty. We both really wanted to get a motorcycle, but had no expierience with them.


    Well eventully the guy I used to guard with ended up buying a bike. It was a 1983 GS550e and it was in pretty good shape. All the pieces were there, and they looked good. It has the silver / red paint job some of you may be familiar with. He found someone who was only using it to get around at the airport, (he appearantly had several aircraft) and he bought it for it think $1000. I remember him riding this bike to AM lap swim a few times and even when we were out (we would hang out sometimes outside of work). He moved on after a year or two to a bigger bike and let the old suzi sit under her cover for quite a while. It wasnt running at this point and I think that the owner was ready to move on.


    By the summer of 2005 I was still lifeguarding to get by, although I had moved up in that world. I spent the entire summer working two jobs (which totaled 4 locations, beaches pools etc.) and saving as of my money as possible because I knew that I really wanted to join the prestigious club of motorcycle owners. I remembered that my friend had found his suzuki for about $1000 a couple of years ago so I made that my target. When the end of summer approached after working 60-80 hours a week I had easily set aside the needed cash to start seriously looking for a bike. At first I didnt know where to start, and after a few failed attempts to find a suitable bike (I wanted one that would work just fine but still give me a reason to take it apart and learn about bikes here and there) my old AM lap guard friend approached me and offered to sell me the GS. He only wanted $500 for it because it wasnt working, plus we were friends and wanted me to get a good deal.


    At first I was a little hesitant because I had no idea why it wasnt working, but maybe this was just the kind of bike I was looking for? There was nothing else out there at the time so I took him up on his offer. Even if it didnt run, it sure was good looking. I lugged the thing back to my garage in my brothers truck and had my first real introduction to motorcycles. I remember thinking about how heavy it was! That makes me laugh now, but trying to push the bike around back then took some effort At the time I did not have a motorcycle endorsement, though I did have a valid motorcycle learners permit. In fact I had never even been on a motorcycle. I had rented a moped in mexico on a vaction one time, but this was my only bike expierience. I needed to learn how to ride a bike, and get licensed so the bike stayed in my garage for a period of about 4 or 5 months. It wasnt running anyway so I also needed to tackle that.


    Looking into motorcycle safetly classes I ran across grays harbor motorcycle safety school, in hoquium, WA. (I am from Seattle ) They were offering the classes for a good price over a weekend that I would be free. I didnt really feel like staying out on the coast all by myself for the weekend though so I asked my friends to see if any of them might be interested in learning to ride a motorbike. My good friend Scott (who is well known around here as Kcwiro) was really into rally racing his subaru at the time and thought that motorcycles sounded fun, so the two of us signed up for the course.


    That course was a blast! Everyone there was very helpful in teaching us, especially because we were beginners. I would recommend a safety course like the one I went through to everyone who plans on riding and has never taken a course as it can give you some vital skills (but of course the learning never stops). At first we thought we would have a fun weekend with something to do, but that course changed everything. Neither of us had ANY idea how fun riding can be, and we were instantly hooked. There was something like a 90-day window to go to the department of licensing to get the endorsement added on, but of course we went the following week and soon, in the mail came our brand new drivers licenses, with a little number '3' under the endorsement field. (In washington state they use 'y' for a learners permit and '3' for a full endorsement, which of course includes only 2-wheel bikes, no sidecars, etc). Now I just needed to solve the problem of getting my bike to run. And Kcwiro had aquired a new problem: He needed to own a bike. No matter what.


    It was late winter when we went through the safety course, and now it had turned to spring. Kcwiro had been franticly looking for a motorcycle and had found a 1980 GS750e. It wasnt in great shape, but it did run. We lugged it back to my garage in the ol truck to park it next to my 550. Kcwiro spent the whole night riding up and down my street. We were now both 'offcial' club members...


    It was around this time that Kcwiro discovered 'thegsresources.com' penciled inside the cover of the clymer manual bequeathed with his bike. He had been doing quite a bit a research on his own bike and sumbled upon the solution for my 550 enroute. I followed his advice and I made an account. Then I was introduced to the famous 'stator papers'. After much reading Kcwiro and I were able to get the bike up and running for the first time since I had purchased it the previous summer. We also discovered that the regulator rectifier was bad and would need to be replaced. Along with a new battery and some new wires, the bike was running great and I could finally start to take it out for afternoon rides around my neighborhood to practice my riding skills and get comfortable. We now had an offical stable where we kept two working bikes. And having the support of the forums is great, the people here really KNOW bikes, and are always enthusiastic about helping out.


    Since then there have been many nights spent working on one bike or the other with my riding partner. There have also been many great adventures with still more to come. Theres nothing quite like that feeling though when you first ride, the first time you feel yourself out in the open cruising by the world.



    The bike as it was the day I bought it

    #2
    How I got started

    Tmwnni,

    Welcome to the forum. Great story, thanks for sharing! If that's the picture when you bought your 550, it must be looking quite sweet today! That looks great!

    Glad to hear of your garage activties and success!! It's also smart to get a safety / riding class (or two) under your belt. You can outride your skill level pretty quickly in the early stages, so take it easy for a while!

    When the 83 550E/ES came out, Cycle World and Cycle Mag both loved that bike - great machine! If you don't have the original article on your E, send me a PM with your email and I"ll send along a pdf of the original article. I know I've got at least one, probably a couple.

    Keep reading, keep learning, keep riding, and keep safe!
    Scott
    1982 GS1000S #1 bought in 84, #2 gone, #3 in hibernation
    1983 GS1100ES #1 (bought in 03, July 09 BOM, 65k traded in 17), #2 New daily rider, #3 in hibernation
    1982 GS1100E Red #1 - Original owner, sold in 93, #2 (Red) sold in 20 to Andy B
    2018 Gold Wing Tour - new out of the crate :) 1st non-Suzuki in 38 years
    sigpic

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      #3
      Good story, and I agree........nice find on the bike. That's a good looking machine. I bought my GS on the cheap as it wasn't running either. It was also an R/R issue, that my brother figured out before I even discovered this website.

      Welcome!

      Comment


        #4
        great story!

        I picked up my 550L before finding the GSR also. No way I would have figured out the "coil relay mod" without this place! WELL worth the money to get the little "site supporter" line!

        Comment


          #5
          Its always great to read an enthusiastic entry story by a new rider/owner. It reminds me of my 1st bike after just having bought it.
          And to be honest, I am thinking about taking a "refresher" safety course myself. It HAS been many years (since `80 or `81 on a road bike) that I've driven in traffic. Just have to get over the apprehension of leaning and learn to trust the tires.

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