How does this seller's GS850 look to your trained eyes?

[jjwa]

I am impressed by the amount of quality replies, I like GSR! Thanks.

it was my first bike too. I am 5'-8" and a slight 135 lbs, but I have no issues with the 850's size or mass. The power is perfect for a new rider because it teaches you to be smooth, which is the secret to being fast and safe.

I understand how smooth helps to be faster/safer.

But when you say the power would teach me to be smooth, I don't know how that would work. It sounds logical, but it feels like pure theory, I can't imagine it. Could you elaborate?

[Tim Tom]

The power delivery on the bike is linear and predictable. Essentially what this means is when you twist the throttle, particularly on corner exits, the bike accelerates smoothly and the bike holds its line through the corner. What you dont want (especially for a new rider) is a bike that is too responsive and aggressive with the throttle. To the point that if you crack the throttle even a little the bike lurches forward. This is not productive to good riding. I dont think it`s been brought up before but do you plan on taking a riding class? If you havent already do it as soon as possible and educate yourself as much as you can. There is a lot of technique to riding a bike that goes way beyond the basics.

[jjwa]

The power delivery on the bike is linear and predictable. Essentially what this means is when you twist the throttle, particularly on corner exits, the bike accelerates smoothly and the bike holds its line through the corner. What you dont want (especially for a new rider) is a bike that is too responsive and aggressive with the throttle. To the point that if you crack the throttle even a little the bike lurches forward. This is not productive to good riding. I dont think it`s been brought up before but do you plan on taking a riding class? If you havent already do it as soon as possible and educate yourself as much as you can. There is a lot of technique to riding a bike that goes way beyond the basics.

I have had lessons and an examination for both parking lot exercises and normal road riding in traffic, they are a requirement here. But they did not go into the distribution and linearity of power delivery of varying kinds of bikes. I only have experience with the little Honda CB500s they had at the riding school, so nothing to compare either. I expected all non-sports/-racer bikes would have a pretty smooth/linear/predictable power delivery.

[Tim Tom]

I have had lessons and an examination for both parking lot exercises and normal road riding in traffic, they are a requirement here. But they did not go into the distribution and linearity of power delivery of varying kinds of bikes. I only have experience with the little Honda CB500s they had at the riding school, so nothing to compare either. I expected all non-sports/-racer bikes would have a pretty smooth/linear/predictable power delivery.

I am glad you did that. In the U.S. it is just a parking lot test and you have your license. Too many riders are not as proficient as they could be. Regardless now that you have a good basic skill set you should build on it. There are lots of books and movies about being a better rider buy there us no substitute for riding education...


Also did you buy that bike yet???

[jjwa]

I am glad you did that. In the U.S. it is just a parking lot test and you have your license. Too many riders are not as proficient as they could be. Regardless now that you have a good basic skill set you should build on it. There are lots of books and movies about being a better rider buy there us no substitute for riding education...


Also did you buy that bike yet???

I haven't bought the bike yet, I passed the test and had to wait a little before I could request the actual license from my local government and now I have to wait a little until I can pick up the actual pass. And then I can go test riding other people's bikes (which I see as a requirement before buying anything).

I am actually somewhat over the top in the whole safety department. I already bought a set of ATGATT gear during my riding lessons, because I knew I would need it later anyways and the stuff I could borrow from the riding school sucked and smelled. I already have looked up what kind of advanced courses there are here. And I started to make a list of book recommendations I found during all the reading I did about riding, safety and bikes.

I bought "Motorcycle Roadcraft: The Police Rider's Handbook" because it was recommended in several places, but it was waaay too advanced and abstract for a beginner, it works from a whole system that's just not practical to add when you are just starting, it'd only confuse. So I've put that aside and maybe in a few years when my learning curve has flattened out a little it will have some use.

I watched Keith Code's "Twist of the Wrist II", which is interesting even though of his views are debatable.

One of David Hough's book(s) is what I will check out next. But probably only after riding at least a thousand kilometers by myself first. Because riding is the only way to get actual experience .

[1948man]

Looks like a good deal. I quit riding for about 30 yrs before starting back about 6 yrs ago. The last bike I had before quitting 30 yrs ago was a GS 850G. Maybe the best bike I've had and it didn't look as good as the one your considering.

[Tim Tom]

Wow you are one of the most prepared new riders ever I think! Somebody get this man a medal (or a bike)

You are right that you should ride first and get the basics down before worrying about the much more advanced and abstract techniques. My favorite is Lee Park's book Total Control, but they all have merit.

Do you need to have a motorcycle licence before buying a motorcycle in the Netherlands? Wow. I find it interesting how different the American approach to motorcycles is from the European standards.

[jjwa]

Wow you are one of the most prepared new riders ever I think! Somebody get this man a medal (or a bike)

You are right that you should ride first and get the basics down before worrying about the much more advanced and abstract techniques. My favorite is Lee Park's book Total Control, but they all have merit.

Do you need to have a motorcycle licence before buying a motorcycle in the Netherlands? Wow. I find it interesting how different the American approach to motorcycles is from the European standards.

Haha sometimes I over-do things a little... or a lot . Did you notice the length of my posts?

While you are probably allowed to buy a bike here without a license, you would not be allowed to ride it :P. And because I really want to see and feel how well a bike runs and how well it suits me ergonomically before I buy it, I want to ride it first. Owning a bike before you are allowed to ride it is way too frustrating and tempting anyway .

Later this week I can pick up the little plastic card called a license. And next weekend I am going to a concert up north, probably on a Honda CX500 a flatmate is letting me borrow! (Very nice of him!)

[Tim Tom]

Owning a bike before you are allowed to ride it is way too frustrating and tempting anyway .

Later this week I can pick up the little plastic card called a license. And next weekend I am going to a concert up north, probably on a Honda CX500 a flatmate is letting me borrow! (Very nice of him!)

I bought my GS without a licence. Hell I didn't even have the permit when I got it, I just saw it sitting in used section at the bike dealer, and knew I wanted it!

It was only later that I figured out what the hell I actually bought and how good of a bike it turned out to be.