Suzuki GS500F
Verified18 reviews
Perfect 1st motorcycle for a 41 year old – Bought a 2013 in 2021 with 24,700kms, in stock condition. 500 cc twin engine has great pull for a +100kg person, comfy riding position and is super reliable. Does 250kms before hitting reserve, easy to maneuver and super fun to ride. Show details
Great first bike, even better long term bike, suits bigger riders, fantastic classic bike – Updating this review after four years ownership with a bit more experience under my belt, and also having ridden several other bikes for comparison. 32,000k on the clock now. Firstly - What I'd say is get rid of the factory BT45 bias ply tyres, the best tyres for this bike are Michelin Pilot Street Radials (onto second pair now). I was of the… Read more
opinion maybe this bike couldn't be leaned very far, but it certainly can. Can be leaned 50 degree with no problems.
Not only is the GS500 a good first bike, after 4 years after having owned several others, a Bandit 1200 and a GSX650 I can more appreciate the features of this bike. My thoughts after a year "I'm completely satisfied with it and have no plans to upgrade so I could see it being a good long term bike too. I went to this bike after learning on a CB125 (way too small), then buying a Honda VTR250 (still too small imo). "
Thoughts after four years: The GS500F really is a bloody fantastic bike. The time tested design of the bike in production still, from the mid eighties I believe, just works... fantastic package. Wonderful LAMS bike, wonderful bike... period.
Pros: *Excellent power, not just for a LAMS bike but for any bike, can get up hills without struggling, overtakes, get's away from traffic, as said pretty good on the freeway. *With decent tyres this bike handles extremely well in corners and is extremely nimble and easy to ride. *Suspension is excellent and gives a comfortable ride (despite the negative reports) suspension more than adequate *Still small enough to lane filter and get to the front at lights. *Comes with centre stand which allows tank to be filled right up, and maintenance to be done, chain, tyre pressures, etc *Tyres very easy to pump up.. especially the front.. no twin disks to get around in order to get onto the tyre valve *Sensationally fuel economy and range. I get about 280km before I need to fill up without going to reserve, and I ride it hard, normally pay about $20. So an extremely economical bike... One of the best ranges too. *The fairing works really well in the rain, actually keeps the rain off me while I ride. *Windscreen also effective in reducing wind noise *People love the look of the bike, Get many strangers commenting even. *Cheap to buy and plenty of low k ones out there. I got one with just 3000k's on it for $4200 *Very reliable and tough mechanically, Even very high k ones are still going strong, but they do need maintenance to run optiimumally- maintenance however is easy.. and if you have basic mechanical skill and are prepared to get a few cheap tools you can DIY everything just about. *Comfortable. After a days riding in the country. No unusual aches or pains or anything like that. *Simple design, less to go wrong: The bike is the essence of simplicity.. no gear indicator, no fuel guage.. you don't need either and I feel more in touch with the bike without them *Wide handle bars and mirrors allow good control and excellent vision behind. *Sounds awesome.. the engine and exhaust package from factory couldn't sound better in my opinion. *Gear shifts are super smooth- incredible gearbox *Heat shield over muffler- it doesn't get super hot -can touch it after a long ride. *Air/Oil cooled... super reliable... less maintenace- no coolant to worry about. *Light enough for nimbleness(especially at slow speeds) but heavy enough for decent stability *Parts for the bike are cheap used, and easy to get (lots around) *lots of knowledge base and resources around the bike... "how to's"... etc.
Cons: *Some people want a fuel guage and a shifter guage. At first I thought that might be a disadvantage but now, couldn't care less in fact I feel I'm more in touch with the bike not relying on those.. but each to their own. For some people this could be a con. But after having ridden bikes with fuel and indicator guage much prefer going by the odometer for fuel, and the indicator guage.. I like to check the guages as little as possible.. want eyes around me... so really.. I don;t feel I need an indicator guage .. or really want one.
*If getting a low k bike it might have original tyres that will need to be changed (over ten years old) *No ABS.. I had it drummed into me this is essential.. It is a good safety feature but I don't think it is a deal breaker at all. There is no substitute for safe and experienced riding and riding within your limits and to the conditions at hand.
*low beam is hopeless at night. High beam is sufficient though.
*There are of course faster, better accelerating, and more stable (heavier) bikes available. That said only once have I had someone in a turbo AMG Mercedes sportscar try and prove something by keeping up with the bike off the lights, and even then they couldn't get ahead. The bike is quick... you do have to look after it though to keep it like that, valve adjustment, clean air filter, spark plugs in good condition etc. You could get a bike that will do 0-100 in 3 seconds and tear away even from the fastest cars, but for 99.9% of purposes the GS500F does what it's supposed to and does it very well- will get you away from the traffic, well away. Especially for a LAMS bike it has easily enough power.
Additional CONS after 3 years. The GS500F is a great bike but I think ABS would make it better. Avoiding lockup of the front wheel with ABS could likely be the difference between the bike staying upright or not in an accident. AT 4 years though have not had a situation where I wuld have required ABS... fortunately/
Conclusion The GS500F is an absolute classic motorcycle, they got a hell of alot of stuff right with this bike and it excels in many areas, and doesn't have too many flaws... well none actually.... It is a fantastic motorcycle. As you can tell from the review I'm a big fan of the GS500F... and cannot get rid of the bike even though I have tried others and own others.... this bike I think will be a keeper. Love the bike.
Classic 500 legend in its own time – Remember when 500cc were the Kings, Norton, Triumph, Velocette, etc,... well add the GS500, simple, robust, budget bike that everyone should add to the fleet. I improved mine for 'road racing ' (sports touring) with bunch of 750 & 1000cc, fact is they can't get around a corner any faster in 45 to 90kph sweepers even 100 to 110 sweepers is about… Read more
the limit on tight country B roads. Changed the rear wheel for 160x60x17 tyre, big bore exhausts, advanced to ing timing, enriched the carbs, fitted Dunlop Alfa 13 race tyres, easy to lay over 40deg and hey presto it very punchy between 5000 to 8000rpm, 11.1 comp piston would do it a treat. 500cc are a hoot. I also have a 955 Daytona and 675 Street Triple. GS500 is great urban bike, also idwal for fringe country use, commuting and as tradie workhorse,.... better than limited function screaming supersports.
1990 & 2008 models – I had a '90 model about 20 years ago for a commuter and it did the job well. I've just bought an '08 model that was written off and turned into a track bike with a sports rear shock, braided brake lines and petal brake discs. It can't keep up with the sports bikes on the straights but it's a heap of fun in the corners and can keep the sporty bikes honest. It goes to show you how versatile the GS500 can be.
Suzuki GS500F all rounder – Bought this bike approx. 2 yrs ago before trading in for triumph street triple. A great bike overall nothing superb in performance though certainly quite capable. The big seller with this bike is reliability and longevity it just keeps going and going I have had quite a number of mechanics tell me first hand how good this bike/model is in terms… Read more
of reliability and low maintenance. Great commuter lot of fun in the twisties and good short/medium distance (light) tourer. an all round good bike
Love it – Bought this bike 6 months ago. Love it!! Pretty cheap to run. Nice big fuel tank 19-20 litres. Quite comfortable. Goes pretty good. Cheap to maintain. Fun through the hills. Good to commute on. I find myself leaving for work early so I can ride the bike, and often go to work via the hills. Most of it Worst thing is the front forks, a little too soft, bottom out sometimes Show reply
Reliable, Economical, Powerful and Comfortable long distance riding. No Regrets! – Suzuki GS500F is great for riders who live far from work. I can easily get 450km from one tank of premium unleaded fuel. I have had this bike for over 2 years and it is very reliable and comfortable. It is very fast with an engine capacity of 500cc. It takes only 6 seconds to get from 0-100km/hr. I ride it 5 days a week at a distance of 25kms to… Read more
work in the city from home in the suburbs. The bike can struggle if a pillion passenger is over 65kgs, but it is still capable to completing the task with a passenger. It is a heavy and solid bike, so you need to be careful getting off and on to make sure the stand is stable on the ground. Excellent for touring with friends because it is easy to handle around corners and hills, and the brakes are very reliable. Perfect in peak hour traffic with fast and flexible handling. The motorbike is wide so I would suggest not you try to lane split whether traffic is moving or stationary. Lane splitting on this motorbike is very difficult and the traffic is always too unpredictable to do it safely. I'm still very happy with my purchase, and it's a fun and economical way to get to work everyday. Reliable, Economical, Powerful, Comfortable long distance riding, Fast starter, Smooth Squeeky brakes, sore bum after an hour and a half, has trouble with a pillion over 65kgs,
Awesome, reliable workhorse – I bought a 2010 new in 2011. In 18 months I have done 55,000 kms. As a highway commuter, filtering machine, and long distance tourer, it is the only bike I've ridden but that doesn't change the fact that it has performed OUTSTANDINGLY. I have just returned from a VIC-QLD return trip in which it did 4000kms in ten days and it didn't miss a beat.… Read more
Great fuel economy of 4.5-5L/100km, and as it is mechanically simple I have been able to learn to maintain it myself - it hasn't seen a mechanic since the 1000km service. I added a Yoshimura slip-on exhaust and have not regretted it.- you won't either. I love this bike and I bet it'll do another 55,000 km on its ear.
If you are a teenager go get a Ninja or other flashy learner bike - if you are a grown-up, get one of these Value, reliability, looks (people with no clue will think you are on a 300km/h machine), comfort, diligence, honesty, integrity, grit The front suspension and the exhaust need to be upgraded; then you are good to go
Suzuki GS500F Great all rounder – My 2010 Suzuki GS500f gets ridden a fair bit in all weather. It is a fabulous bike regardless of whether you have a full licence or on your L's or P's. I looked at all the new 250's on the market but each one felt like a young kids bike eg, no much room, cheap looking always need a big rev to get going ect. The Suzuki is 100% reliable and glitch… Read more · 1
free. You can travel long distanced no problems, my friends on sport bikes need to stop and stretch every hour and by the time we arrive at a destination they are very sore.
It is easy to ride, comfortable, handles nicely, has enough power, good torque so you dont need to rev it hard. Only thing I didn't like was the silent exhaust which I changed now it sounds like it has some character but is not too loud. I have it serviced by a Suzuki and being air cooled service costs are low and fuel use is so low it's amazing. I always run premium.
The squeaky rear brake problem vanishes by about 4,000km comfortable, reliable, very economical, looks good, can travel long distances on freeway, centre stand very,very quite with standard exhaust
Suzuki GS500F – Bought as brand new 2011 model. Fantastic bike in the twisty stuff obviously not a powerful as your 600cc plus sportbikes, but still great bike through mountains. 2 seperate mechanics I have spoken to, both tell me the gearboxex on them are the best around and tough as. Very easy bike to ride overall, nothing super spectacular about it, just a… Read more
solid performer. Brilliant fuel economy far better than a lot of sport bikes. Other strong points - high degree of reliabilitty just keep on going. Am informed that at about 100,000 klms they will need a rebuild however can go to 130,000ks or more they will just burn a bit more oil. reliability, fuel economy
Perfect Learner Bike – I would have to say this bike is one of the easiest and most forgiving bikes to learn on. I'm currently on my P's and own a 2009 Suzuki GS500F. The design is simple and the motor has been around since the 70s. The only downside I've had thus far is attaching a Ventura Pack 'n' Rack. A slight modification is needed but nothing you can't handle. … Read more
The bike is forgiving when missing gears, braking hard and even when you slip over a little water. There's no dramatic lurching when taking off and is great to learn throttle control on.
It's got enough get-up-and-go to keep up with most other people and is great value for money. I won't be changing over for a few years yet! Reliable, value for money, forgiving and looks good Slight modification was needed to add a Ventura Pack 'n' Rack. But this wasn't hard to do.
Excellent – I've got 22000km's on my GS over the last 2 years and passed my P test comfortably. It's easy to ride and suits a 100kg rider like me well. I have a gear rack and commute 64km daily and can't wait to get on each day. bike travels comfortably at 110-120 km/h with a good (not awesome) acceleration - Suzuki seriously got this bike right and haven't… Read more · 1
messed with it too much. Inexpensive to buy, holds market value for a long time, very little to go wrong, great fun to ride and learner legal in NSW and ACT, fuel economy is terrific Cheaper fairing which will cost a bomb if you drop it, carbie driven so it hates cold weather, little instrumentation.
Excellent – I bought an 2005 model in early 2007 from a workmate who had recently upgraded to a VTR 1000 Firestorm. The sole purpose was to get a learner legal bike for about six months that would suit me, a bigger bloke, and get me back into riding after nearly ten years. This did the job fantastically as I commuted year round for work (25km daily) and took… Read more
it from Tamworth to Grafton and Coffs Harbour (300km approx.) five or six times a year. So while I was always dreaming and talking about getting something bigger and better, this bike lasted me nearly three years and didn't skip a beat and I have only recently traded it for a Hayabusa. Yes it is built to a budget, but it is a great introductory bike that offers riders enough fun to want to get back on ten minutes after getting home. And looking after it looks after you with cheap maintenance costs and great fuel economy. Superb for what it is, that being a higher end learner legal bike catered to bigger people. Fuel economy is fantastic when the bike is kept up to date with servicing and ridden maturely. I often returned from Grafton area to Tamworth and didn't flick to reserve tank until the 320km mark, which equates to a range of of about 425km if you try. Power delivery is smooth across all gears. Will happily sit on 120kph all day and doesn't want to go much faster which is great news for parents. Nippy handling. Comfort is limited to about one hour in the saddle so long trips require several stops. Otherwise the only negative things are what makes this bike so great for learners. Yes you do need a run up to overtake trucks and the faster caravans. Yes you will find power lacking when you go up big hills and mountains. No you can't really get your kneepads dirty.
Find out how Suzuki GS500F compares to other Learner Approved Bikes
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Good – I bought my bike as an L plater in late November 09, and I will be happy to keep it until I'm off my restrictions. Fantastic learner bike for those that are too tall or heavy for a 250cc. It has plenty of low down torque, and you can ride it very lazily without many gear changes, but it's equally as fun revving the guts out of it through the… Read more
twisties. It's a proven bike, with very few changes mechanically since its inception in the late 80's. The air cooled twin is basic, cheap and goes forever. The only real gripe I have is the apparent lack of aftermarket support in Australia, most parts have to be sourced from the US. That said, it isn't a supersports by any means, so just mod the exhaust and carbies for that sexy parallel twin sound, and leave it at that! Fantastic fuel economy and range, very forgiving bike, perfect for learners and anyone after a cheap runabout. Looks great! Big fuel tank can be a pain, if cornering very hard on about half a tank, the fuel can slosh around and unbalance the bike a little. Seat can be a bit hard on long trips, a few budget fastenings and fixings are used, but it is a budget bike.
Excellent – Excellent bike that offers outstanding value, great fun, and good performance. Coupled with great fuel economy, low insurance costs, low maintenance requirements and costs makes this a really great buy. Perhaps not as cool and trendy as the latest fuel injected models from Suzuki, Yamaha, and Honda but this machine is really budget biking at its… Read more · 8
best. Highly recommended! Outstanding learner's bike that also suits an experienced rider who wants a lower priced machine.
Simply simple.
Air-cooled and carburettors = far less to go wrong and cheap to maintain and service.
Good brakes.
Comfortable and sensible riding position inspires confidence.
Easy starts even in the [Qld!] "cold" but you will need some choke for the first 20 seconds or so.
Great styling.
Perfectly adequate performance - no problems on the motorway cruising at 110km/h.
Fantastic fuel economy - you'll easily get 400km from the 20lt tank and still have some left. My average fuel consumption is 3.5lt / 100km with a 50/50 mix city/highway.
Handles very well and is a forgiving bike.
A great value for money purchase.
Performance sufficient to keep up with the traffic and get ahead at the lights if you give it a bit of stick.
Skinny tyres are cheap(er) to replace. Simply simple.
Rear brake squeals when pulling up at the lights! Annoying lol !!
No fuel gauge so rider must use trip meter but is this REALLY a problem?
Speedometer not very accurate - 110 indicated = c100 actual - but this helps you keep your speed down I guess.
Seat not all that comfortable - a 75 minute riding session is the maximum for me before I need to take a rest break.
Skinny tyres.
Clutch a bit heavy.
Excellent – I have a black and silver GS500F K7, I bought it new on 1st July 2008. I'm on my "L's" and I have to say that it is a perfect learner's bike. I have been riding trail/dirt bikes since 1981 (I'm 47 yrs old now), but this is my first road bike and it has more than enough power at my skill level and handles brilliantly, it keeps up with all my mates… Read more
bikes on weekend rides no problem (250's right through to 1000's).
I've just clocked up 1000 klm's and it is in for it's first service at Peter Steven's in Ringwood today, which I am told will cost around $350, a bit high, but this is because the valve clearances have to be checked on it's first service.
They are going to check the rear disk brake squeel for me, it may just need deglazing, so my only gripe may be cured by this.
The only mods I have made is a set of reflective rim stripes (from www.rimstickers.com.au) and I am looking at giving it a fendorectomy (the rear guard is just to big for my liking) and some different turn signals (smaller LED ones, flush mounts for the front). Handling, comfort, economy, price and looks. squeely rear disk brake when applied at low speeds (only when warmed up).
Low beam head light could have better penetration but high beam is fine.
Good – Fun, yet to do a serious ride on it, but good for weekends, and the occasional trip into town, though the traffic Fun to ride for an Old Codger like me (my other Bike is a Toyota Camry) Nowhere to stick the E-tag
Good – Highly impressed with my GS500F(K8). I've had it for about a month and put 1500km on it. I am not yet out of the "burn-in" period so still can't rev the bike past 5500rpm or fully open the throttle. There's really good usable power between 3000-5500rpm and the bike has enough go in it that I don't feel slow against a friend's VTR1000. Handling… Read more
is excellent and the stock tyres should last for ages. I'm so impressed by this bike that while I'm already looking at its big brother the GSX650F, I'll be comfortable on my 500 for the next year or so. Excellent fuel economy and range - 7000km service interval.
Good handling and upright riding posture for 6ft/100kg guy.
Enough power to travel on highways at 110kph with power left for passing.
Price - onroad for under $8500.
Disk brakes front & rear. Choke on cold mornings.
Being faired you'll have an expensive bill if you put it down. A drop in the driveway will cost me ~$500 to get the light surround fairing replaced.
Fairing looks a little cheap(?)
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