My real opinion on how GSs look

[Mike_H]

Thanks Mike, I like my bike too, and the toolbag. Your bike is coming along quite well, can't wait to see some color on it. You have one in mind?:-D

ya, Its going to be a color called Red Fire. Its the same as they use on Ford vehicles. Basically its a deep red metallic, with LOTS of very fine metal flakes in it, so it really sparkles in the sunlight (but not like a glitter helmet )

 

[boris]

well what a can of worms here lol
i think its mainly about what you like is what you like

i like non stock type bikes i think personalising your bike sets you out from the crowd , ive enjoyed looking at what other peeps have dont to their gs even if the overall look isnt my taste .
if we all had the same views about everything the world would be boring

i think a lot of it aswell is how and when you grew up
like here in england u dont see many harleys (atleast not where i am) cruiser type bikes /choppers ect
its more sports type bikes or sport/tourers ect
ive only ever seen saddle bags on a chopper
i used to go to oulton park regular as a kid with my dad late 70`s early 80`s.
hence i havent realy had much interest in cruiser/chopper type bikes

i like the lines on my gs450e (87)
although i feel it cries out for a full fairing lol

at the end of the day its just personal taste

 

[terbang]

I have my 1100EZ parked in a shed with 2 Hayabusas, a VTR 1000 and a 2006 1200 bandit and I still reckon its the nicest looking bike there.

 

[Dignan]

I had this long post written up but I sounded like some lovey-dovey drunk guy. "Why can't we just get along, duuuudes?, etc.."

I'll just say this:
There are people on both sides of the modification fence on this board. Either side will post douche-tinged responses. Don't take it personally.. Ignore it. Opinions are like a-holes.. everybody has one, and they all stink.

Also- re-read what you're posting before you make it public. If you sound like an ass either rephrase or don't post.
If you're posting with the sole intent of smacking a hornets' nest or sounding like an ass, go for it. There are plenty of like-minded people willing to argue with you here.

Well.. back to lurking for me.
ps- I love all your bikes. They showcase your enthusiasm, even the ugly ones.

 

[KGB]

I'm not a fan of the L models either.
The styling just doesn't attract me.
The L reminds me of the "L" Laverne had on her sweater

Some bikes are attractive, some are rugged looking, some are sexy.
Some of us like vanilla, some like chocolate, to each his own.
I like old cars, cars from the 50's-60's and 70's still had soul and style.
The soul, I've said it before and people just look at me, not sure they understand what I mean.
My GS to me, has soul. I own a GS1000S, the Wes Cooley model in blue and white. This bike spoke to me, and has daily for the last 20 years.
There's just something about it that I find attractive. When you're getting the motor wound up, starting from 400rpm on up, it just pulls.
As to the fairing, that's part of it's mystique or style.
It just wouldn't be the same without the fairing. The GS1100E I owned until last spring, great motor, the rest of the bike did nothing for me.

Ever drive a big block Chevy or big V-8, like a 440CI Mopar?
That has soul, and it just pulls.

My Triumph, great bike, just gas and go. It is a triple so it's a little different. Sure it has better suspension and handles much better, but does it have that 1% to grab me? Yea in it's own way.
Which do I prefer? The GS every time.

I'm not a fan of choppers, well riding them anyways.
The Intruder family, Madura more semi quasi choppers. I never found them comfortable. And they don't meet my riding style. Regardless of brand.

We each have our own opinions. I'm not looking for a fight or argument either. It was asked what attracts us or keeps us working on our GS'.
We all have many reasons. Bruce has restored a model that's one of my favorites. Maybe I'll buy the one here locally. Tracy created his own style
with a beautiful orange paint job. Tracy likes the leather bags, it stays.
We can alter and create a bike to fit our vision.

I've owned 7 or 8 different Suzuki's. I've owned the funky looking RE-5, I've owned a GT750 water buffalo/kettle. All new, yea I'm getting old.
I could have bought any brand or model I wanted, and I did a GS.

Some people buy them because they're cheap or reasonably priced.
Others want "legend" Others want cheap, reliable transportation.

So my point or opinion here is we buy them and work on them because we want to. It is a want. It's relaxing, it's therapy. It's something I enjoy.

Will I do it again? Probably.
Is it worth it? Yes.

I hope I've provided some insight as to why we're here and using my 5000/th post to do it.

 

[crag antler]

Hell with a "L"
It's an "E" or "GT" for me:shock: \\/ \\/ \\/

 

[tconroy]

Were all here for 1 reason,,,GS'S ROCK!!!!!!!

 

[MissFabulous]

Great 5000th post, Keith :-D

If everyone had the same taste in everything, the world would be a boring place and innovation would not happen.

Ugly is in the eye of the beholder.

Comfortable is in the body of the beholder.

That said, there is a real difference between saying

"That is ugly"

vs.

"That isn't my taste"

Personally, I like the Ls. I like the curvy swoop of the design. I like that they have a sort of old school chopper look in a more compact design. It's a cruiser that is pretty different than a lot of the others of its day and since. I probably still wouldn't leave one stock, but that's also my taste.

I don't like a lot of the Es depending on year... I think some of the seats look like ironing boards. The tail piece sometimes reminds me of a duck tail. Not my taste, but I can surely appreciate the love anyone has for them. The 83 E is my favorite... I'll take red, please. I like the older Kats, naked, please.

My point is that everyone should do their thing and appreciate what they like and consider that there still might be something of value in learning from what they don't like. Ranting about how ugly something is simply because it's not your taste is just likley to slam a bunch of doors.

I've made some very dear, helpful friends here, and some of the closest ones have very different tastes in bikes than I do. If I went around here with an attitude saying this is ugly, that is ugly, I probably wouldn't have these very special, amazing people in my life.

 

[crag antler]

Were all here for 1 reason,,,GS'S ROCK!!!!!!!

Exactly. As long as it say Suzuki GS...
we are all family. Whether we get among or not, just like a real family:-s :-D

 

[crag antler]

Great 5000th post, Keith :-D

Man, he talks alot:shock: =D>

 

[Jethro]

The way I read it, Issac is curious why people try so much to keep thier GS bikes stock.

Well I can't speak for anyone else, but this is why I keep mine mostly stock:

 

[Desolation Angel]

...like here in england u dont see many harleys (atleast not where i am) cruiser type bikes /choppers ect
its more sports type bikes or sport/tourers ect...

Man, you should see it here. We are absolutely overrun with cruisers and the tough guy leather gear and accessories! It's actually rather unbelievable. I can't figure out why, either. Oh, we've all talked about that here repeatedly. I figure it's some weird I'm-a-badass mental disfunction going on, but I'm not a psychologist, nor do I play one on TV. :-D

 

[Desolation Angel]

Quote:
Originally Posted by MissFabulous
Great 5000th post, Keith :grin:

Man, he talks alot:shock: =D>

Yes, doesn't he, though! :-D

 

[Jethro]

He talks a lot, but does he say anything? :razz:

 

[bonanzadave]

The way I read it, Issac is curious why people try so much to keep thier GS bikes stock.

Well I can't speak for anyone else, but this is why I keep mine mostly stock:

Your exempt from this thread. Its an "L" rant and as we all know, Red Silver or Blue the "Es" were then and are today the coolest looking bikes around. Sorry Ls.

Speaking of rants...I keep coming back to this site hoping to see someone getting under someones skin for reasons other than politics or harleys. Its like the best soap opera around. Keep em flaming. Its so entertaining.

 

[beby99]

I like the "L".....but than again, what do I know....all I own are non GS twins...-1 :-D

 

[Guest]

Your exempt from this thread. Its an "L" rant and as we all know, Red Silver or Blue the "Es" were then and are today the coolest looking bikes around. Sorry Ls.

I like L's. And I don't think they need to be customized to look good. But they look good customized, too! Here's me on my GS850L back in 1982. All stock and beautiful! :-D

 

[Commodus]

You just came off as a world class jackass. I especially like the use of the ellipsis for dramatic effect during your "..." half-assed, e-testically fueled tyrade about why my opinion, being different than yours, makes it both A: factually incorrect and B: worthy of your unsubstantiated derision.

No I didn't. Read it again. This time, perhaps, more slowly. Well maybe first sentence is OK, I probably did come off as a...well probably not a jackass, but certainly a jerk.

You made several very strongly worded statements with zero detail or evidence, and presented them as fact.

This is "just my opinion"? I said that myself twice in this thread already.

I don't like how high the guages are. That makes me "ignorant of motorcycle aesthetics"? That's like calling me "ignorant of people aesthetics" just because I don't like the way a certain chick's nose looks.

After my initial post failed to bring about a decent debate, I left simple ****ing instructions, and then I repeated them. You need to read them again.

You're just making stuff up. None of what you've written has anything to do with what I've written.

If you try what you did again, anybody who reads this might agree with your love of GSs, but they're gonna think you're some dumb kid who found a tall rock to stand on.

Let me try again. You want to debate a particular subject, motorcycle aesthetics. And it is a worthy subject, one dear to my heart and several others who post here, I assume anyways. BUT you preface this debate with statements that come off like..."Hey, I know bugger all about this topic, but let me rubbish a bunch of the stuff you guys like and then you can justify what you like to me!! What fun!"

 

[tconroy]

I forgot the * thingee on the end of my post... it was an expression. And, now that you mention it, I wish I had had sex twice AND ridden MY motorcycle four times today...)

Please don't blow a gasket Dude. You had some valid points regarding the term 'modifications'. Honestly, though, most of us are de-facto told that putting things back to original (at least mechanically regarding engine matters) is the correct thing to do. And, some of us actually like the way the originals looked... (although I think we ALL DESPISED the stupid pullback bars...)

But, now that I think about it some more, it begs the question: How is that you came to buy two of them if you didn't like the looks of em? And, do you have pics of your that are (I assume) highly modified much more to your liking to show us?

Educate us, oh wizard of metal and rubber. Show us our mis-steps...

(edit: I forgot to mention maybe the reason a lot of us don't highly modify our bikes are financial or logistical; it costs BUCKETS of money to buy/own/use metal fabrication gear, torches, welders, presses, etc... and other than stripping a bike (ala Capt. America's direct descendents) of brakes, fenders and horns/electrics, sometimes its out of most of our grasp...

But then, that doesn't change your initial thought offering...)

You said it Wayne,The hanldebars suck and my bike is all original,I like it that way.If I could wihout numerous other changes I would put "E" bars or drag bars on but I have a vetter fairing and would have to change a lot of things like shorter brake line and cables.I try to keep it looking good without spending a lot of money on it unless I need something that is actually broke.If i was younger and not married i would sock a lot of money in it and change a lot of things,but for this 47 year old man it as good as it gets the way it is.Another thing....CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG!!!!!!!!!Or we could start a new topic like...I married a Blonde and hate redheads or something LOL!!!!!!

 

[tconroy]

Maybe if you clean your bike up and get some valve cover chrome rings you would like yours better Isaac, just a thought.