... Now I took it on a Suzuki GS500 and therefore I felt comfortable on it so decided this was what I would buy for myself.
The GS500 is a twin cylinder, four stroke, air-cooled machine, 487 cc, with disc brakes front and rear, and of very simple design. No fancy computerised bits, no fuel ... Read review
Advantages: Great commuter - and OK for short people Disadvantages: Some vibration and not trememdously fast if you doing a track day!
...I took it on a Suzuki GS500 and therefore I felt comfortable on it so decided this was what I would buy for myself.
The GS500 is a twin cylinder, four stroke, air-cooled machine, 487 cc, with disc brakes front and rear, and of very simple design. No fancy computerised bits, no fuel warning lights, just the rev counter and speedo and basic bits and pieces. However it does have electronic ignition which is a bonus for those of us who ... ...
The riding position is quite upright and the older bikes are naked though the newer F model is faired.
If you want a sports bike - this is not it. If you want a grand tourer choose something else. But do not listen to people who tell you it is too slow - this bike cruises easily at 70mph and if you want to do a track day, as long as you do not want to get above around 105mph you will be OK.
Well there I was - over 50 years old and deciding to get into biking. Having had a CB100N around 25 years before but never done my test and having a husband into bikes - it was "if you can't beat them join them".
So got my theory and took my DAS. Now I took it on a Suzuki GS500 and therefore I felt comfortable on it so decided this was what I would buy for myself.
The GS500 is a twin cylinder, four stroke, air-cooled machine, 487 cc, with disc brakes front and rear, and of very simple design. No fancy computerised bits, no fuel warning lights, just the rev counter and speedo and basic bits and pieces. However it does have electronic ignition which is a bonus for those of us who have bruised legs in the past from kick starts!
The riding position is quite upright and the older bikes are naked though the newer F model is faired.
If you want a sports bike - this is not it. If you want a grand tourer choose something else. But do not listen to people who tell you it is too slow - this bike cruises easily at 70mph and if you want to do a track day, as long as you do not want to get above around 105mph you will be OK.
Also, despite not being a tourer, again do not listen to people who tell you it can not do distances - I did 1500 miles in a week on mine last year and I was comfortable on it most of the time! As it has a metal tank you can use a tank bag on it easily and if you fit a Rentac rack on the back then you can strap a tail pack on it as well. I also carried panniers either side so comfortably carried everything I needed for a week. Tank capacity is 20 litres and will take you approx 180 miles depending on riding conditions. Some people get much more. There is a reserve tank - don't forget if you have to switch to it, to switch back before re-fueling!
Mine is a 2001 model, the "500" ( previous to this was the "500E" and from 2004 they produced the "F")> Mine has done over 30,000 miles and is still going strong. There is a reason these bikes have been made for around 20 years and why many bike training schools use these bikes, so do not listen to the bike snobs who look down on them. They are lightweight (dry weight 174kg) and very reliable and can also be restricted for countries like the UK where this has to be done for certain classes of riders. Rumour had it that manufacture was being discontinued but I have found adverts for 2007 models so I assume the rumour is untrue - I hope so.
I am only 5' 6" tall and can comfortably put both feet down when stopped and my seat has not been lowered, so much smaller people can ride these bikes. I have a friend who is 5' 9" tall with very long legs and she has no problem either. Standard seat height is 790mm.
The main disadvantage is that common to many two pot bikes - the vibration is much greater than a four pot and on long distances, numb thumbs and wrists can result, particularly the throttle hand. Also, they are a little vulnerable to rust so keep them covered if possible.
Being slim, it is good for filtering and therefore makes a great commuter bike and is also ideal for new riders just out of their DAS, particularly as they are reasonably priced and insurance - even fully comprehensive - is not excessive.
Happy biking!
Some specs for the GS500E for those who like this sort of information:
Engine: four-stroke, air-cooled, 487cc In-Line Parallel Twin Cylinder, two valves per cylinder Mikuni BSR34SS Fuel system Supposedly does 50-60 mpg - I get less than this but that could be my riding! I get more like 45 mpg out of mine!
Six speed transmission
Front Brake: Single hydraulic disc 310 mm, Dual-Piston Calipers Rear Brake: Single hydraulic disc 250 mm, Dual-Piston Calipers
Front Suspension: Telescopic, coil spring, oil damped Rear Suspension: Link-type, 7-way adjustable spring preload
Sizes:
Seat Height: 790mm Wheel Base: 1410mm Dry Weight: I have seen specs of both 168 and 174k - I think the latter is more accurate but don't quote me!
Fuel Capacity: 4.5 gal. (UK gallons not US I understand)
Changes made in 2001 when the "E" was dropped are: Tank, rear plastics, seat, and tail light redesigned. Carburettor changed from a two-circuit design (pilot jet and main jet) to a three-circuit design ( pilot jet, mid-main jet, main jet).
NB: also worth noting the space under the seat where you could store loads of stuff disappeared - there is nowhere for anything on the GS500 model - I hope the F fares better (excuse the pun)!
Advantages: Reliable, cheap, does exactly what it says on the tin! and has masses of fun! Disadvantages: uncomfortable long distance touring for taller people!
This bike has been my angel on wheels over the past 10-11 months! it really is as good as people say, and more!!! i have had numerous people say to me that they are bullet proof, will do in excess of 60-80k miles, and mine hasnt once let me down! considering mine is a 95 N reg GS500e, it is in excellent condition, and for around £1000 you get a whole lot of reliability and masses of fun!!! it corners like a dream! left knee down to right knee down ... ...sportsbike trainer and pre 21yrs old sports bike if it is restricted to 33bhp (for about £100)!!! i have the unrestricted 50bhp version, bought it with 24k miles on the clock, and N reg... for £1000 exactly.... it was advertised for £1200... but with a bit of cheek i had this reduced.... and i have never ever regretted the buy ever! and i expect you could get the same bike cheaper elsewhere, but i had a lot of extra's and 12 month warranty added ...
sentientphil 18.06.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Suzuki GS500E
Advantages: Cheap (second hand) - few vices Disadvantages: Unsophisticated
...anything wrong with sheep!
Suzuki worked very hard to identify a specific market, and delivered the goods with astonishing accuracy.
At the centre of the machine is a four stroke, double overhead cam parallel twin cylinder air cooled motor, developing with a six speed gearbox - if you don't understand what that means, take it from me, it's a bog standard power plant.
About the only innovation which Suzuki implemented on the bike was to use a rear-mono ... ...is now the absolute standard construction design for practically any motorcycle built in the past ten years.
The wheels are three spoke alloys, with disks front and back, there is a chain drive, and beyond that, everything is very much as you would expect.
The machine was built very much with final selling price in mind, so there isn't any works fairing (on my model anyway) refinements are kept to an absolute minimum. There *is* an electric start, ...
dobieg 21.08.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Suzuki GS500E
Advantages: Cheap. Econonical. Easy to maintain. Disadvantages: Uncomfortable with distance. Rusts easy. Underpowered.
I owned a Suzuki GS500E for two years before trading it in for a Triumph Sprint 900. The GS500E handle fairly well once the suspension is set up for your weight but can feel a bit slack at it's rear end.
I'd bought the GS500E just after passing my test and realised soon after that I should have invested another £500 and bought the Suzuki Bandit 600 instead. The difference in price doesn't compare to the difference in handling and build quality between ... ...another Suzuki since Honda's reputation for build quality alone exceeds that of Suzuki.
I wish I had shopped around and road tested different bikes rather than opting to buy this bike. I now realise that riding a bike is like wearing a glove; it either fits or it doesn't. ...
steve.toplis 23.02.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Suzuki GS500E
Advantages: Small and handy cheap Disadvantages: Not very fast
...was lucky to have a Suzuki GS500 E to use some years ago now. I know you must be wondering why that and not another. Anyway, I was glad to find that it was brand new and given to me to make deliveries by a company. The Suzuki GS500 E is an aircooled twin cylinder machine the most cheap of the 500 cc machines that Suzuki makes it has some interesting features and is not at the most fasionable end of the market for learner and commuter riders it is ... ...Hence, I am reviewing the Suzuki GS500E.
~The Look~
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It's has a red plastic and metal body with black controls with black buttons on the handlebars and blue display screen on the instrument panel. I liked that clearly. It's got many buttons on the front of the handle bars on-off switch, stop clutch/brake leavers, speedo, revcounter etc. The seat is a black with silver inserts with the flexibility of extra features that the machine ...
essential1 04.06.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Suzuki GS500E
Advantages: Good alrounder Disadvantages: Might not be flashy enough for some!
...have been overlooked.
The Suzuki GS500E, fully faired version, is really a super all round bike. It packs plenty of power, handles very well and is very economical. Whats more the super cheap insurance class it falls into is a definate bonus. And the price, what can you say, you wont find any better bargin priced machine on the market.
As a passenger, the ride is very comfortable, a little vibration is felt through the pegs, but nothing to complain ... ...be pleasantly supprised. The purchase price of these bikes is amazing, good value beyond belief!!And if you want a mega bargin, then snap one up second hand and you will be well happy.
We bought ours 3 years ago for £3800 and sold it as mint last week for only £1350. The guy who got it, with only 5,800 miles on was well chuffed, I can tell you.
So if your not into mega posing CBR style, and just want a good honest but yet classy looking bike, the ...
ambergem 29.03.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Suzuki GS500E
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