Suzuki GS500F reviews

Had the bike for almost a year now, bought used. It's a great commuter, I get about 55-58mpg. Starts to get uncomfortable after about an hour and a half. Has some chasis vibration around 80-90 mph and definitely upgrading the tires when the stock ones are shot. Other than that, I love her like one of my kids. Show less

Gs500f is a great beginner bike, or bike for the many women now involved in riding. It's light weight with decent power. Reliable as all heck and parts are extremely easy to get. Often at very reasonable prices. Handles very well, especially at low speeds which is extremely helpful for new riders. Thinking of getting into riding, or just want a reasonably priced fun machine to ride, take a look at this bike, you won't be disappointed. Show less

All my life I have ridden four wheelers and dirt bikes. I was nervous that I was going to get a bike that was going to be too big, and I knew that a 250 was going to be way too small for me and I would grow out of it quickly. I'm so glad that I bought this bike as my first bike! I'm 19 years old and in the 6 months I have ridden this bike, I have found that it is great for forgiving me when I make amateur mistakes - which most bikes won't do. I feel that I have learned a lot of the fundamentals of riding and now I'm upgrading! Good luck to whoever gets this bike; you'll love it! Show less

I bought the black and silver model, basically because it never looks dirty. I literally ride this bike every day to and from work, rain or shine. The bike is on the lighter side, so wind does play a little factor in driving. I drive the interstate almost the entire trip, so speeds of 70 to 90 are common. I had to take it a little easy breaking it in, but the bike holds up at these speeds, especially when the semis are on your tail. It likes running in the upper rpms, like around 6-8 grand. I had the accs. added after I broke her in. The exhaust sounds nice for a v-twin. The jet kit and K&N are a must for all of this to work together. The bike DOES NOT like lower octane gas. I run minimum 91 octane in the bike. Gas mileage-wise, it's getting close to 60 mpg. Since it is a 5.3 gallon tank, I have to switch it over to reserve around 210 miles, but you have another gallon or so in reserve, so 260-270 would be an ideal tank of gas. I found out the hard way. I had to push her a mile, uphill to a gas station. I was so close! Oh well. I hope this helps you decide. I have ridden everything from this bike (500cc) to 1800cc cruisers. For what you get, it's not a bad deal in a good v-twin. Show less

Just got out the military but my wife is still a soldier; with one car between us, I knew I needed a commuter to the local university I got accepted to. So I decided on getting a sports bike and started shopping around and as soon as I saw this bad boy, I knew this was the one. I have never rode before and the GS has been the perfect learning bike; forgiving but enough bike to keep up. Get this bike, it rocks. I'm in love but don't tell the wife, she is starting to get jealous. Show less

I just received my motorcycle license and was on the hunt for my first bike. I sat in them all, cruisers, crotch rockets, everything. As soon as I sat on the GS500F I felt home. My feet were planted on the ground, the bike didn't feel massive in front of me. I would recommend this bike to anyone for a first bike. Also take a motorcycle safety course. Show less

It's nimble. It's quick. It's comfortable. It gets and average of 63 MPG. It has a range of over 300 miles on a single tank. It's the perfect commuter. I love mine. Get your own :-) Show less

This is my first sportbike -- in fact my first motorcycle -- and I love its light weight performance capabilities. For an entry-level sportbike, it's got everything I need at the moment, including an unrivaled combination of exciting real-world performance and sporty styling all for a great price used (2006 model with 2000 miles). It has outstanding maneuverability, thanks to its low seat height and light weight. Its twin-cylinder engine offers strong acceleration and quick, clean throttle response. Even though I'm a tall, heavy guy its well-padded seat and smooth suspension provides a comfortable ride on the highway. Just a few thoughts for those who may be buying a used motorcycle in my first three months of ownership: (1) if the previous owner doesn't provide you with the owner's manual for your bike, go to the local dealer and order one. I just got mine, and it's filled with just about everything I need to know that wasn't provided specifically about my bike in the MSR cycling book. (2) Visit your local dealer and tour the service department. Ask to speak with and introduce yourself to the service manager. Ask him about his knowledge of motorcycles and cultivate a relationship. Then when you need something done (see below) he'll tell you how to do it yourself and save the $60 per hour mechanic costs. (3) If you can do it yourself, then do it. My used bike has a damaged break lever. Essentially the tip had snapped off in a fall, but otherwise worked fine. It looked bad, so I decided to replace it. Never done a replacement before, and after a short conversation with the service manager he helped me order the OEM part, showed me how to replace it, and then told me if I had problems to call him personally. I replaced the brake lever in about four minutes. (4) Visit with your local dealer's parts department. Get to know the regular employees. Chat with them about your bike and what options other people are adding. When you finally do order a part, they're great about getting it fast and letting you know. Show less

Just started riding and although I wanted to start with something in the 600 range, the GS500 has impressed me so far. It's no Gixxer, but it takes after its big brother. I'll definitely get a lot of miles under me on this one. Show less

About 3 months ago I decided to act on my lifelong dream of riding a motorcycle. While researching bikes, I totally thought I was going to get a cruiser. No way was I going to get a 'crotch rocket'. However, upon seeing the GS500F up close, it was love at first sight. Not only is it quick nice to look at, performance wise it is a dream. As this is my first bike, I didn't want too much power, but within two days of owning the bike I was doing 95 on the highway. The GS500F is very responsive and with the GSX style fairings, it is near impossible to feel the wind on my legs. I recently took the GS500F on a road trip to Phoenix from San Diego. Although it did get a bit uncomfortable on the 330 mile trip (one-way), the GS500F performed beautifully even in the 125 degree heat! I couldn't have asked for a better first bike! I am going to keep it even when I do upgrade... Show less