GS500 Starter bike

[nuron]

We've been looking for a good starter bike for my wife since she took the MSF BRC a couple months ago. She's been keeping in practice in parking lots on my NT - but obviously it is not an ideal beginners bike. Found this GS500 - which I've always heard was an ideal starter bike - and we're probably going to look at it in the next few days. But since I am no expert nor mechanic I was hoping to get some feedback from others. Does it look like a decent deal? Any advice or wisom or insight? It's a 1995 GS500 with 14K miles and looks to be in good condition for $1400. Kelley Blue Book says an excellent condition model retail would be $1210 - but would also have much more miles on it. Here are the ads.

http://greensboro.craigslist.org/mcy/3086972967.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zz4xq8mlHo&sns=em

 

[Phil Tarman]

I tried to look at the ad but it has been tagged for removal and I couldn't get it to come up.

I know nothing about these bikes, but they're much closer to the size that seems to make sense as a beginner bike.

 

[stupidmonkey]

GS500 has been around for a long time. Won't have troubles finding parts if she happens to dump it. I compare it to my EX500 ninja, only I believe it has 5 gears instead of the ninja's 6 and air cooled instead of liquid. That bike would be next in line for a beginner bike if you are not going the 250cc route. Easy to handle, light, and shouldn't have any balancing issues with it.

 

[stupidmonkey]

I'd also see if you could get him to go down to $1200 and have a mechanic take a look before you buy because you just never know. Needing new tires, parts, etc should also be factored in.

 

[nuron]

Thanks for heads up about the bad link. Here is the original ad. My my wife has sat on a LOT of bikes the past couple months including another GS500 that was way overpriced in a dealership. The Ninja 250's and 500 felt great to her but when she sat on a GS500 she said it was the most comfortable of anything she has been on. Main problem I'm finding with the mini-Ninjas are that most of them are loaded with aftermarket racing exhausts and other stuff which makes me leery of how they have been used or abused by the young guys selling them.

!!! 1995 Suzuki GS500E Only 14000 Miles!!! $1,600​
NO. I am NOT a dealer! I'm a website designer. EXCELLNT running bike !!!! New tires, & brakes. I got this GS 500 about a week ago on trade. I have the clear title IN HAND! This is a PERFECT beginners bike to learn on. She purrs like a kitten.. Needs nothing. Feels as nimble as a Honda Nighthawk, or a Ninja 250.. Looks like a GSX-R without the fairings. Video of it running can be seen by searching youtube for jschenker011 (Email me if you can't find it, and I'll send you the link) I accept trades, trades & cash, & cash. Trades can be almost any motorized vehicle. NOT Guns, electronics, or ex-girlfriends. Asking $1,600 NO joy rides. If you have the cash or title to your trade in hand, you can test drive it. If you're gonna have the cash, or title in 2 weeks.. you can come look, but you will not be test driving it until I see the money & or title. I have Title in Hand, she's ready to roll. She's NOT gonna wait long! Call me. Jeff 33six-8 two nine-7two22 ​
She's NOT gonna wait long! Call me. Jeff 336-eight two nine-7222​

 

[Nicole]

My first bike was a GS500. My advise is to have it checked at a dealership or trusted mechanic before buying.

 

[Warren]

Looks like a pretty good bike. $1200 would be what I would offer. I know a couple of women that ride Suzuki Savage's that are also good starter bikes.

 

[MaggieMan]

"But since I am no expert nor mechanic"

The bike looks clean and well cared for, but then, you don't know what it looked like when he took it in 'trade'. Likewise, the engine oil may look like honey now, but may never have been changed before. The bike is 17 years old and 14K miles is not very many. To my mind, the big concerns on a deal like this are the engine, carbs, and tranny ... other items like the battery, clutch, chain & sprockets etc. can jump up & bite you in the backside ... but it won't be that big a bite.

Ultimately, $100-150 or so at a dealership buys a lot of peace of mind. Perhaps, you can find someone in a local club that has experience with that bike to go look at it with you? Even if you're not an "expert or mechanic" you do ride and basically know what to look and look out for. If the bike starts, runs and rides out well you might consider saving the cost of an inspection for the inevitable 1st repair or maintenance. I hate to make this all about money, but that is the basis of your question: If getting hosed on a $1200 bike would ruin your life ... spend the money to get it inspected at a reliable Suzuki dealership. Be sure that inspection includes written repair estimates. If the bike isn't a basket-case you can use those estimates to chisel the seller down on his price.

All of this is just my opinion and worth considerably less than I charge for it!
Good luck and let us know,
Scott

 

[nuron]

Thanks everyone. Great advice especially MaggieMan.

@Nicole I actually thought about you before even posting because I'm thinking you have mentioned before about your travails with your first bike - and then, of course, there is your signature nickname, lol. Do you recall if there was something specific or significant you learned about GS500 problems? Or was yours just a general basketcase full of problems?

 

[Nicole]

The bike that I had bought second hand had been sorely abused before I got her. The most chronic was that the bike was happiest when she got her carbs synced every other oil change (2k every change); that is about a $100 investment and a learning curve then easy peasy. Considering all the problems I had with the bike and dropping it 3 times; that was one tough lil bike. If you get the bike get an aftermarket cam chain tension-er put on if it doesn't have one already and learn how to use it; it will save you some expense and aggravation later. Keep the Drive Chain the proper tension and looking like it just got out of an oil bath and you won't have too bad of stretch problems. If your doing a long ride plan an hour in the shade every 4 hours to let he drop in temp some, or your gonna want to change the oil sooner. The bike is good at telling you when to change the oil, because shifting gets a bit difficult.

I loved the bike, but after slipping 4 discs in my back riding in that position for any amount of time was painful if not dangerous due to loss of feeling in different parts of my body from the riding position.

The bike you are looking at buying will probably have other quirks. From knowing different riders with the same bike I have learned that while some of the quirks will be the same; others will be completely dependent on the riding style and maintenance given from the rider.

Thanks everyone. Great advice especially MaggieMan.

@Nicole I actually thought about you before even posting because I'm thinking you have mentioned before about your travails with your first bike - and then, of course, there is your signature nickname, lol. Do you recall if there was something specific or significant you learned about GS500 problems? Or was yours just a general basketcase full of problems?

 

[nuron]

Thanks for the great insight Nicole... and everyone.

 

[Rmcapozzi]

I had a '90 GS500E back in 93-94. I thought it was a great bike. It was a reasonably quick bike coming off of a CBR600F. It was by far the easiest starting carbureted bike I ever owned. All my Hondas have been a bit cold blooded. The Suzuki sparked right to life and settled into a steady idle with little choke even in cold weather.

The relatively low power led to long chain life and reduced adjustment frequency (again as compared to my Hurricane). Low weight made handling a snap. Seat height was manageable for me (29" inseam) but I was on my toes (not unusual for me). The bike's narrowness also makes it seem small also as opposed to an inline 4.

The bike also had excellent mileage and range. I recall averaging around 60mpg. 250 miles on a tank before hitting reserve was typical as I would often ride from Springfield, VA to Blacksburg, VA without stopping.

I think if it is in good shape, it would be a great first bike. And since it has been around for a LONG time, getting parts/accessories will be easy.

 

[Chuck 500]

I "grew up" on a Suzuki GS500F. Mine was a 2007 but the bikes are very similar in terms of engine and frame.

It will be an excellent beginner bike. There is an excellent forum called GSTWINS for these old bikes and there are folks on ther wo have forgotten more than the younger techs will ever know.

The engine is fairly bullet proof. Simple carbaretor motor, air cooled. Mine had six gears, the older ones may have five, not sure. The engine likes to spin so don't be afraid to ride around at 5,000+ rpms. When starting, the engine MUST get warm before riding. I started the bike, then geared up, by then you should hear the rpms drop as the engine comes up to operating temp. If you don't warm it up, it will be balky.

Be sure to clean and lube the drive chain regularly. I did mine every 500 miles. Had the original chain on when I sold it after 2 1/2 years and 15,000+ miles.

The rear brakes are likely to squeak or squeal. When I inquired on the forum about it the genral response was "It's a GS, that's what they do." If they squeal some, that is not a problem.

The gas tank is huge, 5 gallons, so range is very good which encourages strtching the limits to longer rides. I only sold mine after getting to where I regulary rode 500+ mile "day" trips.

The only real down side is that there is not much of an aftermarket. If you mainly want for training, that will not be a major problem. If you want to convert it into a mini touring bike (like I did), it's problematic.

As with any used vehicle, it is good to get it checked out before buying.

Good luck, the GS500 is a great little bike with enough power to hold its own but not so much as to get a new rider in trouble too quickly.

Chuck