Alright so let me tell you about the headache I’ve been having lately – filling up my GS500F felt like it was draining my wallet just as fast as the tank. Riding daily to work was starting to hurt the pocketbook, man. Something had to change, so I figured it was time to actually try some of those “save gas” tips floating around.
The First Thing I Tried (Didn’t Work Great)
I heard keeping tires pumped up helps, so I grabbed my crappy little hand pump. Seriously underestimated how hard that is. Pumped until my arm felt like falling off, probably didn’t even get them right. Checked later with a better gauge at the station, and yeah, pressure was way low. Felt kinda stupid. Pumped ’em up proper cold like the manual says. Did it make a difference? Maybe a tiny bit? Hard to tell at first.
Getting Serious With the Basics
Next up, the spark plugs. Mine looked… crusty. Seriously overdue. Went down to the parts place, found the right NGK ones for the old GS. Popped the old ones out – super simple, just two wires and unscrewing them. Screwed the new ones in finger-tight, then just a little pinch with the wrench. Fresh plugs in! Engine seemed to idle a bit smoother instantly. Okay, better.
While I was feeling handy, I dug out my dirty air filter. Man, that thing was clogged! Dust bunnies and bugs having a party. No wonder she felt choked up sometimes. Honestly, just cleaned it off best I could – tapped it hard on the pavement, blew some compressed air through backwards. Not perfect, but better than before. Kept the garage doors open after that, felt like I needed the ventilation myself.
The Big Surprise Change
Then came the big experiment. Everyone online yaps about how you twist that throttle thing near your right hand. I’ve always been… uh… enthusiastic? Let’s just say I like feeling the pull. So, I made a dumb rule: pretend there’s a raw egg taped under the twisty grip.
- Way easier starts: No revving high in neutral anymore. Just enough juice to kick in.
- Super boring ride: Seriously, accelerating felt like watching paint dry at first. Kept it gentle, slow roll-on.
- Looking way ahead: Started spotting lights turning red way earlier. Rolled off the throttle super early, coasting gently instead of racing up and jamming the brakes.
- Traffic jam zen: Stuck in stop-and-go? Forget constant clutching. Just eased forward super slow when a gap opened.
Felt like a grandpa riding, but hey, saving gas ain’t cool, right?
Did It Actually Work?
Filled up again after my “egg throttle” week. Usually, that commute burns almost a full tank. This time? Looked at the pump. Had to double-check the odometer math. Got nearly 15 more miles out of that tank than my usual.
It works. Seriously. Changing plugs and air? Yeah, probably helped a little. But the throttle? That was the game-changer. Saves gas, and actually makes the ride kinda smoother. Less brakes, less stress.
Still getting used to the slow crawl from lights, but my wallet feels less punched at the pump now. That old GS500F still gets it done, just a bit cheaper. Hope my dumb egg trick helps someone else save a few bucks!
