I know this isn't "traditional" or anything of the sorts, but I don't know where else to post it. Believe me, if there was somewhere else with the knowledge you all have, I would. A 16 year-old friend of mine today was given a 1978-1980 Suzuki GS1000 motorcycle. Problem is, he has never driven a real bike before (unless you count the couple of times he has briefly driven a 50cc Honda Ruckus scooter... which doesn't count!) This thing is 90hp bone stock and will run the quarter in 11.8 seconds. Also, it is supposedly not the best handling of bikes out there. In my opinion, he'd be able to get in trouble on a little 250cc bike, let alone a 1000. I know this bike is way too big for a beginner. He says he is a quick learner, but he doesn't understand what kind of power the thing has. I give him about 20 feet.
Do the guy a favor and buy the bike from him so he doesn't kill himself on it. Who the hell gave that to a 16 yr old, and why do his parents let him freaking keep it?? Too big/heavyfor a beginner to handle, and wayyyy too fast for any 16 yr old, no offense meant. That's just nuts.
those are deathtraps. some expierienced riders dont like those. way to much power. who ever gave that to him should get his ass kicked.
Hey Scrible Tell him to trade it for a Honda CB750. They make cool old school choppers and are a little tamer (is that a word). Anyway, at 16 he's probably goin' to do whatever he wants because, after all, he's bullet proof. I'm suprised you didn't catch more hell for this post Drewl. Hell, help him build the ramp for the big jump over the pond. Stay off dirt/gravel roads until he can ride blindfolded. You can lead a horse to water.....but you can't make him not ride 1000cc motorscooters John
It was given to him by his 28 year old brother. It was his dad's before that. The bike was laid down in 1999-2000 by his brother who was injured in that wreck. Hasn't been driven since. Seems the only problems are a bent headlight assembly, scraped up speedo, and a bent footpeg. It was laid down because it had a electrical issue, all power was lost his brother lost control around a gravel corner. I shouldn't be talking, considering I'll only be 18 myself on the 21st of this month. I think that I have enough common sense to know that I wouldn't ride it, even with a little bit of experience under my belt. It won't be sold, or traded for anything, I can guarantee you. I have already offered to buy it from him knowing that it isn't a bike that a beginner should have.
I have a friend that his first bike was a Panhead. Never rode before. Bought it as a basket case, put it together, couldn't get it to start. So they used a rope and a car & pulled it. He got it started, took off just fine, pulled around the car, & was doing great - untill he ran out of rope!!! ~ Paul aka "Tha Driver" You talkin' dirty or hep?
the GS1000 is a popular bike to make into dedicated dragster (or maybe im thinkin GS1100). either way its a monster but i seriously doubt anyone'll be able to tell the kid anything. if he makes it to your age, he'll be a badass cyclist in the making.
That's stupid. Put him back on the 50cc until he at least gets the basics down, AND proves he's responsible and smart enough to handle something bigger....even then don't go to a 1000cc until he's much older. I have a 750 Ducati, my brother has a 900 GSR-R, they're both silly fast.
I had a Eddie Lawson Edition 79 GS1000. WIcked bike. Way to much for a beginner. I could Pull 2nd gear wheelies with that thing, ANd its a way heavy bike.
As said above he can get into trouble on any size bike but a GS 1000 is just too much for a teenager to start out on. I started out on a big bike myself, (Kawasaki Z1 at 17 y.o.) and I have no idea how I lived through my teens. Talk fast though, cause once he twists that throttle and feels that beast pull he'll never stop. Try and get him to look for a late 70's Honda 550-4, 80's Rebel or something like that. They are still out there cheap and a LOT easier to learn on.
I don't know; the first bike I rode by myself was a 650 Bonneville, I was about 9 or 10. I made it almost a block before I wiped out a mail box, broke my left pinky finger and a clutch lever. Needless to say I was ruint. Personally I've always felt the heavier bikes were easier to ride, if I recall those were pretty heavy, does it still have the crash bars on it, those would be helpfull for the first couple of weeks. They used to say that the overwhelming majority of motorcycle fatalities happen in the first two weeks of rideing.
I started on a 400 two-stroke, then got a cr250r, then a fj1200. only mini bikes before that, but I had open fields to crash in.
My buddy had one of these and I used to take it out on occasion, it will get up over a 100 very easily. If you can't get him off it, how about Making him sign up for a motorcycle safety course, if your local jounor college has one. At least it my give him a fighting chance.
Actually the first bike I owned was a 750 Norton Atlas, paid 50.00 bucks for it I was 14. But I had already fractured both knee caps going over the bars of an older friends hill climb bike ( BSA Gold Star) when I was about 12 or 13. After that there was a 45" Harly, then a BSA 441 Victor Shooting Star, then a brief stint with a 305 Yamaha drag bike, a Trumpet 500 tiger with w Bonnie head, a Villocet twin, a pre unit BSA, an 80" Flathead Harley, a stroked 61" Harley ( pan 61" topend 'n' cases with the wheels from the 80"er) that bike morphed several times over the years until it ended up a little over 100". I still own a 650 Bonnie that I owned for a spare bike while I still had the pan. I haven't seen it for over 20 years but I know where it is and that its safe. Sled, Someday when we're together I'll tell you a pretty funny story about the Norton. The yamaha was the smallest bike I ever owned BTW, and it only lasted for a month or so. Big bikes are just easier to ride. More forgiving.
Ran across a bike crash just after it happened one day.Did not see it happen but the way people were stopping to help it must have just taken place.There was a guy lying in grass beside road.Someone had a bandana over his face.Just as I went by they removed it to try and talk to him.I have never seen anything like it,His whole face had been torn off including his nose and lips.I heard later that he did survive the crash.I cannot imagine how they could begin to fix his face.That will keep me off bikes forever.
I am a huge proponent of the Motorcycle Safety Program. Please look into this. Here in PA, it's FREE. You should sign up with your friend and BOTH take the class. I was riding for over 10 years before I took the class, and I learned all kinds of good information that has helped on the road. You can get in trouble on any bike. I own some big bikes, but I'm most often found riding 75 mph 150-200cc scooters.
I was born and raised on bikes. From peewee 50 to 125cc dirt bikes to my first daily ride I had a ysr 50 for my first ride and when I was 19 I purchased a brand new Kawasaki zx7-r Yes the racing version. There were many 150-165 mph runs on the highway. I say turn him loose. He is either gonna like it or it will scare him. Those are some of the fastest coolest old bike made. If you go to a Motorcycle drags event you will see lots of those models there
To much bike to learn on... I had one of the first GS1000 Katana's back in the early 80's and roadraced it. Got clocked at 164mph in the bottom of the Gravity Cavity at Road Atlanta, scared the shit out of me because I had a big wobble goin through there every lap... Went back to racing smaller bikes after that... The kid needs an Kawasaki EX500 or a Honda Hawk to learn on. And definately not a newer 600, they'll smoke that old Suzuki...
The day that I got my first bike (17) my mom took out a 500,000.00 life insurance policy on me. I come from a bike family and she knew I was going to mess around on it. it was only a 500cc
Sign up both of you for a rider safety class, and spend the time learning things you may not know yet. It'll make you a better rider and car driver. I went after riding dirt bikes for 10 years and friends road bikes for 4+. Keep him around for a long time friend
my first bike was a 65 panhead FL at 17. then i rode a 87 evo for a while then a 100"evo then a 106 panhead and now a 650 triumph. doesnt matter what the size of the motor or bike is its the size of the brains in the person and the responsibility of the person whos teaching him.
Test rode one of those brand new in 79, when I was a 19 old e-2 in the Air Force. Quick little run through the gears, half throttle, realize I'm going over 65 in a residential zone. Took it back and bought a 750 instead. Would've killed myself on the 1000, almost did on the 750. Still got the 750, next time it changes hands will be in my will.
Everybody should learn how to ride on a dirt bike.....that way, you know how much it hurts to fall down on dirt and won't want to do the same thing on harder pavement. And I agree...motorcycle safety course.
But all of those are slow Really the Panhead was real slow, the rest significantly slower than a GS1000...
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