Newbie saying hello!

[Tranquility]

Hi All! Just a quick shout out ... I'm new to riding, just got my license a couple weeks ago and my first bike is (obviously) the GZ250. My husband forwarded me the link to this site after fruitless Googling for information regarding installing GZ saddlebags. "You going to sign on to the forum?" he asked. "Oh no no, I don't do that kind of thing". Ha! Famous last words indeed! :-)

I'm looking forward to being part of this community, and thank you all in advance for helping me with aaaallllllll the questions I will no doubt post!

By the way, another poster asked the exact same questions I had about installing saddlebags ... all MY questions were thus answered, plus I love the banter. Good energy here.

... all MY questions were thus answered, plus I love the banter. Good energy here.

Now this is person who has a good sense of diplomacy . . . banter . . . energy? A very generous interpretation, Tranquility, but welcome to the site. Good info and good people here, in spite of the occasional bouts of "energy".


Keith

[Moedad]

Welcome Tranquility,

We'll see if we can get you to change your name to Whimpering Basketcase. :whistle:

Seriously though, there's a lot to be learned here. Enjoy your bike!

[Tranquility]

I scanned through a few posts and have yet to come across the kind of "energy" you're implying, Keith! You mean I can expect to see some drama here? I love drama! As long as it's somebody else's. ;-)

Whimpering Basketcase: Funny!

Thanks again, I feel like family already!

[Moedad]

I scanned through a few posts and have yet to come across the kind of "energy" you're implying, Keith! You mean I can expect to see some drama here? I love drama! As long as it's somebody else's. ;-)

Whimpering Basketcase: Funny!

Thanks again, I feel like family already!

We want to see pictures of your bike, just to make sure it's the same as ours. :biggrin:

[David Bo]

Welcome Tranquility! I live about two and a half hours up the street from you... In fact, I am a District Sales Manager for a company that supplies equipment at the Kimberly Clark Plant in New Milford, CT so I am familiar with your home town. What year is your GZ? - Dave Bo

By the way, did you install your saddle bags yet? :??:

[Easy Rider]

I scanned through a few posts and have yet to come across the kind of "energy" you're implying, Keith! You mean I can expect to see some drama here? I love drama! As long as it's somebody else's. ;-)


Welcome!

Yea there has been some "drama". Not too intense and not too long lived but drama none the less.........oh, but ***I*** wouldn't know anything about it, mind you. :roll: :biggrin:

[adrianinflorida]

I scanned through a few posts and have yet to come across the kind of "energy" you're implying, Keith! You mean I can expect to see some drama here? I love drama! As long as it's somebody else's. ;-)

Whimpering Basketcase: Funny!

Thanks again, I feel like family already!

We want to see pictures of your bike, just to make sure it's the same as ours. :biggrin:
Yeah, because every once in a while, we flush out Honda Rebel riders looking for a sense of belonging, trying to pass themselves off as GZ riders. Bastards.

[Moedad]

I scanned through a few posts and have yet to come across the kind of "energy" you're implying, Keith! You mean I can expect to see some drama here? I love drama! As long as it's somebody else's. ;-)

Whimpering Basketcase: Funny!

Thanks again, I feel like family already!

We want to see pictures of your bike, just to make sure it's the same as ours. :biggrin:
Yeah, because every once in a while, we flush out Honda Rebel riders looking for a sense of belonging, trying to pass themselves off as GZ riders. Bastards.

I hate those guys! :biggrin:

[Tranquility]

Moedad, I'll post a pic of my Hon~ I mean GZ on Monday. I have pix of her on my work computer ... which goes to show how much work I do at the office. ;-)

Dave Bo, I haven't installed my saddlebags yet, will get to it this week, definitely. It looks easy enough to do ... which means it'll take me hours, no doubt! My GZ is a newbie too: 2009.

[alantf]

By the way, another poster asked the exact same questions I had about installing saddlebags ...

I'm not sure what questions/answers you got, so if I throw in my two pennorth here & you've already covered it, you'll have to excuse me.
Don't forget that your saddlebags (if leather) are likely to touch, or nearly touch the exhaust pipe (muffler?), so to stop the heat damaging it, you may need to fix a heat shield under it. You should be able to find the post for it. It's just a case of cutting a piece of aluminium to fit under the bag, & then fixing it with half a dozen pop rivets or nuts & bolts. :tup:

[Tranquility]

Thanks, alantf! I attached them as high as possible and indeed they are still very, very close to the exhaust pipe. I'll start checking out my heat shield options.

[Water Warrior 2]

Is it safe to assume you have saddle bag brackets to keep the bags away from the rear wheel ? Did you find the Penny Tech solution by one of our members ?

[Tranquility]

Yes, brackets, definitely. I installed everything this weekend (posted about the experience briefly under a different Index ... summary: Pain in the butt!).

I wanted the saddlebags to better support the GZ as a commuter bike, can't ride the bike wearing "office formal" wear. I'm not sure how much help they will be in that regard though, the saddlebags are tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! :-)

"Penny Tech"?

[Water Warrior 2]

Penny Tech............. a home grown item, procedure or fix that is virtually free compared to dealers, aftermarket vendors and anyone else out there wanting too much money.

[alantf]

the saddlebags are tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinyyyyy

My saddlebags are only of use for the stuff I don't need to get at very often, such as waterproofs, luggage nets, bungee cords, rope etc. For the stuff I need to get to easily (like when I go to the supermarket) I've got a luggage box. It's much more practical.

http://www.postimage.org/Pq1OERf9.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=Pq1OERf9)

The only problem is, that to be able to open the box, you need to remove the backrest (sissy bar?) to allow it to hinge forward. It's not really hard to adapt it, & my wife (who rides behind me) says that she prefers the box to the backrest. I've never found any problems with weight or handling, by having a large box, so it might be worth your while investing in one if you want your clothes to be relatively crease free.

[Tranquility]

Thanks for the advice, and the pic, alantf!
So no problems with passengers with regard to the GZ's power? Living in New England US, I have many, many hills to navigate. Lots of fun, but I'm not convinced my little bike could handle the extra load. What has your experience been?

[Easy Rider]

So no problems with passengers with regard to the GZ's power?

If you don't insist on going too fast and don't think you HAVE to use 5th gear, then you should be fine........depending on the size of the hill AND the size of the passenger, of course! :whistle:

[alantf]

many hills to navigate. I'm not convinced my little bike could handle the extra load.

Well........... we live up in the mountains, so EVERY journey back home means riding up VERY steep roads. I weigh around 160 lbs & my wife about 130 lbs. I've never had the slightest problem going up, & we use the bike more than we do the car. My only advice would probably be to wait until you're Completely at ease riding (as riding 2-up is a completely different feel to the bike, as regards braking, balance etc.) & also wait until the bike is well run-in, so you can give it more revs without worry. So long as you're happy going up (& I mean really steep hills) at 30-40 mph there's no problem. Having said that - my bike is the European (Spanish) spec, which runs slightly richer than the American spec, but I wouldn't think that it would make an excessive difference.