Coming back hopefully 🙏

[Jason11]

Hi.

Looks like GS ownership hopefully will be happening again owned a 30th anniversary a while back but buying a house / having a family it had to go.

Got the nc500 pencilled in and hotels booked for later in the year, GS was my first choice of bike to buy to do it on !

Will be on a strict budget unfortunately as it’ll be a second bike and the woman of the house has already moaned so don’t want to come back with my other bike sold

I’m hoping a 3k ish budget will manage to get me another being hopeful but I’ve seen a few lately sell for this so I’ve got faith.

Any recommendations?

Would you recommended aiming for a 07 for the updated abs?
Or go for a early spec with abs removed etc

Thanks
Jason

 

[KMD]

Hi Jase, welcome. Can't really comment on the bike as I'm a dinosaur and still run two 1150's (Gs and RT), all I'd say is if you do the NC500, take decent waterproof's. You never know what weather you're going to get up there.

 

[Jason11]

Hi Jase, welcome. Can't really comment on the bike as I'm a dinosaur and still run two 1150's (Gs and RT), all I'd say is if you do the NC500, take decent waterproof's. You never know what weather you're going to get up there.

Thank you.

I’ve got all the gear except a GS
Waterproofs will be the first item packed as I’ve been told the weather is very unpredictable

 

[Pukmeister]

I'd say £3k is really bottom end of the market where the dross lies, for another grand you have a much better selection.

I wouldn't touch a ServoABS bike now unless it had been removed, too much to go wrong and too expensive to put right.

The second generation Hexhead from '08 is a great bike if you can find one. The ABS pump motors can play up but are inexpensive to fix (brushes stick), the bikes are simple to work on and there are plenty of used parts available from ebay, motorworks, sherlocks and the like.

The achilles heel can be seized alternators, never wash a Hexhead and put it away wet, always start the engine after washing for a minute to spin water from the alternator and dry it out.

(I traded my 2008 Hexhead with full luggage and got £4500 for it against a 1250GSA. It had 50k on the odometer and was mint. I now wish I had kept it.)

 

[Jason11]

I'd say £3k is really bottom end of the market where the dross lies, for another grand you have a much better selection.

I wouldn't touch a ServoABS bike now unless it had been removed, too much to go wrong and too expensive to put right.

The second generation Hexhead from '08 is a great bike if you can find one. The ABS pump motors can play up but are inexpensive to fix (brushes stick), the bikes are simple to work on and there are plenty of used parts available from ebay, motorworks, sherlocks and the like.

The achilles heel can be seized alternators, never wash a Hexhead and put it away wet, always start the engine after washing for a minute to spin water from the alternator and dry it out.

(I traded my 2008 Hexhead with full luggage and got £4500 for it against a 1250GSA. It had 50k on the odometer and was mint. I now wish I had kept it.)

Yeah that’s my thinking, should have kept my anniversary looking back now as you don’t see many around.

I did find a 54 plate however it had the abs issue so needed resolving and no luggage but opted out on that one as it would have sent me over budget with fixing / buying.

The prices for them seem all over the place at the minute, I need to get something sorted before June ideally or looks like I might need to take look at something else

 

[Justin]

3K ????? its close but if willing to look at higher mileage bikes you should be ok. The GS is great tool and will bring you so many memories.
My advice would be look for a cared one and treated accordingly

 

[Eastmidsbiker]

Welcome, I have to ask, why not use your current bike ? Anything will do the NC500, 125cc included. I've done it on an R6, a GSXR1000 and bumped into a rally of 125cc scooters doing it.

 

[Jason11]

Current bike is a k5 gsxr1000 which I know is more than capable however couple of reasons why I don’t want to use it (it’s absolutely mint and sub 7k on it so don’t fancy Scottish weather and leaving out etc)

1 : excuse to get another bike

2 : it’ll be around 1700/2000miles and something a little more comfortable with luggage would be nice

3 : if we want to go off route on rubbish roads will be better suited too.

A GS is my first choice but admittedly I’ve had to think about other options if a GS doesn’t happen so a tiger is my next pick

 

[gspod]

A good time to buy - 2 of my friends have purchased real bargains in the last couple of weeks.
I recon £3K will get you a good SC or high mileage TC - don’t be scared of mileage as long as there’s good history.
I wouldn’t wait, spring is coming - put in low offers on a few bikes.
Good luck

 

[Gavla04GS]

Hello and welcome @Jason11

I’ve taken liberty of spending your virtual money on this £4k 07 GSA

Or this O8 GS @ £3.3k

Happy hunting