Hello from Melbourne, Florida

[adrianinflorida]

Hey all. Picking up my 2003 GZ250 on Friday, this site has already been an invaluable source of info on the bike. Thanks for being here.

[JWR]

Welcome.

Yes some good hands on people here.

[alanmcorcoran]

Yo, Adrian... welcome to the forum.

[mr. softie]

Yes its good to have a new member. Post some pics of your bike etc. Looks like you are in the ideal spot for a beach lover!

[adrianinflorida]

Just and update.....
Picked up the bike Friday afternoon from the lady selling it. She's in Port St Lucie, about 60+ miles south down A1A from where I live. I might not have mentioned, it's been years since I've ridden, so why not break in with a nice loooooong ride back to get back into it. By the time I got home, my ass was numb. Now I see what you guys were saying about the seats.

Anyway, the frame, engine and paintwork are nearly immaculate, some of the chrome leaves a bit to be desired, and with lotsa elbowgrease and chrome polish it's getting close to being picture worthy. The rear shocks had some nasty surface rust on the springs, so I found a pair to replace them and ordered them yesterday, and I'll probably need to replace the right side rear fender support (The chrome part that runs along the rear fender) as some of the chrome peeled right at the back edge.

Otherwise, she runs great, and I'm looking forward to getting alot more seat time in, along with the numb ass that goes with it. I'll get some pics up tonight.

[Easy Rider]

Now I see what you guys were saying about the seats.


We wouldn't lie to you !! Got some ocean-front property for sale in Arizona...... :biggrin:

Until you decide to seriously attack the seat problem with some kind of change, try getting your feet OFF those forward pegs to vary the pressure point on your butt......and/or varying the bend in your knees to move you forward or back on the seat......and/or leaning forward a bit more. None of that really solves the problem but it you start doing some of it BEFORE it really gets painful, it makes it a little more bearable. Frequent short stretch breaks help too. :tup:

If you do a search for "seat" you should find hundreds of posts and at least two or three alternative solutions.

[alantf]

Sooooooo..... Easy's a George Strait Fan? -- Yea. one of his greatest songs!

[adrianinflorida]

Now I see what you guys were saying about the seats.


We wouldn't lie to you !! Got some ocean-front property for sale in Arizona...... :biggrin:

Until you decide to seriously attack the seat problem with some kind of change, try getting your feet OFF those forward pegs to vary the pressure point on your butt......and/or varying the bend in your knees to move you forward or back on the seat......and/or leaning forward a bit more. None of that really solves the problem but it you start doing some of it BEFORE it really gets painful, it makes it a little more bearable. Frequent short stretch breaks help too. :tup:

If you do a search for "seat" you should find hundreds of posts and at least two or three alternative solutions.
I found This:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/01-SUZUKI-GZ250-FRAME-GZ-250_W0QQitemZ200300519680QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotorc ycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item200300519680&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=65%3A10|39%3A1|240%3A1318
Not sure if I like the look as much as the current seat, though

[Easy Rider]

Not sure if I like the look as much as the current seat, though

Was there a "smiley" missing from your post? I don't see anything there that looks remotely like a seat. Maybe I missed something.

[Moedad]

Sooooooo..... Easy's a George Strait Fan? -- Yea. one of his greatest songs!

And Alan is a Rocky Balboa fan.

[Easy Rider]

Sooooooo..... Easy's a George Strait Fan? -- Yea. one of his greatest songs!

Not really. Didn't even make that connection.
Not a fan of country music in general.......except southern rock.

I really miss Stevie Ray.
I AM a Free Bird ! :rawk:

(And yes, I know those two things are really not connected.)

[alanmcorcoran]

You might like My Morning Jacket or Kings of Leon. Fleet Foxes, maybe? (they're from Seattle, but they don't sound like it.)

It's time to let Lynryd Skynyrd go.

[Easy Rider]

It's time to let Lynryd Skynyrd go.

THEM ARE FIGHTIN' WORDS, SON !!! :skull:

Sorry but those other names sound a little GAY. :shocked:
OK, MORE than a little. :roll:

[alanmcorcoran]

Not that I care that much, but with 400 or so members, odds are about 40 or so GZ250'ers ARE gay. I've seen the bands in question, a few of them live and multiple times. Pretty sure My Morning Jacket and Kings of Leon are 100% not gay, but can't really vouch for Fleet Foxes (they used to be called "Pineapple" [more gay?] but some other band already was Pineapple.) The name is supposed to be a reference to elusive prey in an English hunt.

I haven't seen My Morning Jacket in a few years, but I think the last time was in Grant Park, Chicago. The lead singer and the drummer were hairy, sweaty (and, in the drummer's case, pretty damn hefty...) - they kind of looked like.... BIKERS!!!

Perhaps you'd like the Drive By Truckers? Skynryd-like and 100% Southern. Not my cup of tea, but also probably 100% Not Gay.

(Tell me you didn't like anything by Queen.)

PS. KOL hail from Nashville, TN and MMJ originated in Kentucky. Expand your horizons! You're not dead yet!

[patrick_777]

They are from SEATTLE, afterall.

And Skynyrd ain't worth two shits.
Classic? Yes. Good music? No in the slightest.

[patrick_777]

Not that I care that much, but with 400 or so members, odds are about 40 or so GZ250'ers ARE gay.

I think there's about 40 from California ON here....Hmmmm...Coincidence?

[alanmcorcoran]

I wish to extend an apology to all radio listeners born after 1964. I am sorry that, given most people stop listening to new bands after high school (or college, if they make it that far) and, the fact that there are more boomers than any other generation, you have been forced to listen to "Stairway to Heaven", "Jumping Jack Flash" and "We Will Rock You" a billion, trillion times. Take solace in the fact that, as someone born right in the middle of the boom, I have had to endure these 40 year old, worn out "classics" for longer than most of you, and, yes, they make my head explode too.

Now, who is going to apologize to me for U2, The Dave Mathews Band and The (unsuccessfully suppressed dry heave) Jonas Brothers? (Think I just threw up a little in my mouth.)

Don't fear the gays. At least they won't steal your women. Probably designed those ass-less chaps you're wearing.

[adrianinflorida]

Not sure if I like the look as much as the current seat, though

Was there a "smiley" missing from your post? I don't see anything there that looks remotely like a seat. Maybe I missed something.
Crap, posted the wrong link, sorry. lemme try again:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/_Motorcycle-Parts-Accessories__SUZUKI-MARAUDER-GZ250-250-CUSTOM-SEAT-CONVERSION-SALE_W0QQitemZ150323506100QQadiZ2863QQadnZMotorcyc leQ20PartsQ20Q26Q20AccessoriesQQcmdZViewItemQQptZM otorcycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item150323506100&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A543%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

[adrianinflorida]

Ok, here are a couple pics, I'll get some better pictures (Outside) later on.

(Notice that my bike has the extremely rare blue color scheme ;) )
And, yeah, she's getting a new rear tire tomorrow. Ant the new (Rust free) rear shocks/springs will be here by the weekend.

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv6/adrianinflorida/photo3.jpg

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv6/adrianinflorida/photo4.jpg

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv6/adrianinflorida/photo5.jpg

[Easy Rider]

(Tell me you didn't like anything by Queen.)

PS. You're not dead yet!

Thanks for reminding me; some days I'm not too sure.

Good music stands on it's own. I do, in fact, like a lot of Queens music. I can do without the visuals, however. :biggrin:

[Easy Rider]

Not that I care that much, but with 400 or so members, odds are about 40 or so GZ250'ers ARE gay.

I think there's about 40 from California ON here....Hmmmm...Coincidence?

:shocked: :crackup :popcorn:

[Easy Rider]

Don't fear the gays. At least they won't steal your women. Probably designed those ass-less chaps you're wearing.

Let it go, Alan.........least I trot out Freud!!! :poke2:

[alantf]

Hey adrian,
I could be wrong, but it looks to me as if there's something missing from the backrest. Usually, the two bolts on either side that join the backrest to the side supports also connect a luggage rack that can be taken off. If the four bolts are about 5/8" too long, you can be sure that it's because the rack has been taken off & the original bolts used to hold the existing pieces together. It may be worth phoning the lady, & asking nicely if there is a rack. It's not unknown for someone to remove something, put it on a shelf in the garage, & forget about it. A friend of mine bought a hatchback car, & the seller forgot to put the luggage area cover back in the boot (trunk), so don't be shy about enquiring - she can only say "yes" or "no"
By the way, I only noticed this because my backrest/carrier is exactly the same as yours.

[adrianinflorida]

Hey adrian,
I could be wrong, but it looks to me as if there's something missing from the backrest. Usually, the two bolts on either side that join the backrest to the side supports also connect a luggage rack that can be taken off. If the four bolts are about 5/8" too long, you can be sure that it's because the rack has been taken off & the original bolts used to hold the existing pieces together. It may be worth phoning the lady, & asking nicely if there is a rack. It's not unknown for someone to remove something, put it on a shelf in the garage, & forget about it. A friend of mine bought a hatchback car, & the seller forgot to put the luggage area cover back in the boot (trunk), so don't be shy about enquiring - she can only say "yes" or "no"
By the way, I only noticed this because my backrest/carrier is exactly the same as yours.I already asked her, she said she never had a rack for it (She bought the sissy bar from a friend of hers). I temporarily put those longer bolts in, I was out of shorter bolts at the time. There are a few luggage racks for GZ250 sissy bars on EBay, I may look into them, but I don't really mind the lack of a rack. I'm debating saddle bags right now, I'd get more use out of them, I think, than the sissy bar rack.

[adrianinflorida]

The new rear shocks arrived today, beautiful, shiny and rust free. Just waiting on the rear fender braces, and need to think about handlebars. Any suggestions from those who changed theirs? I'm open to pretty much anything except ape-hangers and drag bars. :)

[adrianinflorida]

Cleaned her up some more, installed the new shocks, nice having non-rusty shocks on the bike. Now to find some handlebars.....

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv6/adrianinflorida/photoa.jpg


http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv6/adrianinflorida/photob.jpg