Ooh Hello

Currently bike-less and living on Shetland in the far north of the UK. Lived here for over a decade, but am English.

Last bike was a Hayabusa, before that there have been many: Lambretta 100, Honda CB250 G5, CX500, Africa Twin, Pan Euro, Goldwing 1500, Suzuki GP100, GSX400F, Kawasaki GT750, KLR650, Yamaha v70, James Captain, Villiers 123cc, Gilera Runner SP180 and probably others long since forgotten.

I have been thinking about a GS for ages, every other bike that I passed in the north of Scotland on the Wing was a GS, usually with foreign plates. What puts me off is my height, 5'8" with a 29" inside leg. I am not worried about the weight as the Wing was a beast and I was only 10 and a half stone when I bought that. The weight was low down, as I read it is on the GS. Slow speed turning scares me shitless at the best of times though.

I don't plan on any off-roading. I want a GSA so that I can go touring on the continent with a huge fuel capacity. My other half was on the cusp of saying yes to a big trip through Europe to Greece, and I don't think that it would take a lot more persuasion. Anyway, these are just big words until I do something, but as have found that cycle touring is just getting too hard at my age and with lungs like a 70 year-old. I ought to own up to not having ridden a motorbike on the continent since 1978, but this isn't rocket surgery, what could go wrong!?

I don't have a big budget so it's going to be probably around 2010 model. Being so far north getting to see likely candidates will not be easy. I have also got rid of all my bike gear, so I will need to start from scratch with everything. I looked at Schubert helmets and decided that was a very bad place to start.

I am not really into cleaning bikes. If I wanted to polish something I would buy a sideboard, so I will be the one who has a clean number plate and lights and the rest will be "dusty"

Sorry for the long intro but I like the look of my bytes.

A Charles Hawtrey fan eh? Welcome aboard.

Thanks big boy. Nice pants by the way!

Hello, the gsa is a wee bit taller than the gs, next time your near Glasgow give us a bell and take my gs out for a spin, all the best tam.

Have you got the standard seat on yours Tam? What inside leg are you?

Aye mate, all standard seat and suspension,inside leg is 30 , feet are both on the ground, but they are heavy pushing around campsites , but once moving they handle really well, had sports bikes all my life up to 2 years ago, and have wasted a few on the backroads with it, only fly in the ointment is the germans crazy indicator switches, left for left , right for right, then you cancel with a button on the right, but you do get used to it eventually, all the best tam.

Keep an eye out for factory lowered bikes which were a factory option for a minimal cost and don't worry about low speed handling as once moving all the weight goes out of these bikes and they are very easily maneuvered.

Welcome along BTW.

Welcome along from another islander. Mitchels in Inverness have a couple of gs's in if you ever make it down that far.

Greetings & welcome to the forum...hope you find a new toy soon....

Taller bike just takes getting use to. Im only 5ft 7 and no problems on standard gs

Barge said:

Thanks big boy. Nice pants by the way!

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You'll fit right in on the forum!

You're about the same size as me matey. My 1150 is fine and I've ridden a 1200 with no problem. The only issue is trying to push the fecker backwards up a slight incline on my driveway. It's well worth paying the 12 quid subs.........although like me, you won't find much in the way of clothing that 'll fit on here!