about to buy a 92 gs500e

[mockspeed]

hey everyone.

i am a newbie in the world of motorcycles. had my license since i was 18, but my first bike (89 ex500) was ridden only 4 times b4 i sold it due to my mom. ne how, now that i can actually get a bike, i found this gs500 in my area. this is the listing:

1992 Suzuki GS500. Purple. 51,100 original miles. All stock.

-Starts and runs fine.
-Rode successfully from El Toro to Seal Beach (40 miles).
-Brand new tires - paid $275 for them, installed (Bridgestone)
-New battery
-Newish chain
-Weak brakes (shot front rotors)
-Weak forks (seal leak on right; bottoms out on driveways at >5 mph)
-Consumes oil at 1/2 quart per tank of gas, compression off (indicates ring job)

History:
Purchased yesterday from original owner. I am the second owner. I am selling because I can't seem to schedule time with my mechanic friend who was going to teach me to wrench using this bike.

The Skinny:
The bike starts, runs, and did the freeways fine. It hasn't been abused, but it has been neglected. All the electrical is in good condition, and the battery is only a few months old. The chain and sprockets look in good shape. The tires are perfect. Riding aggressively on this bike is a very bad idea. But easy going trips it works like a champ. Essentially this bike will keep running as long as you keep feeding it gas and oil.

Essentially this bike will work for you if:
1) You want an inexpensive in-town commuter and occasional freeway ride.
2) You are a mechanic, or want to learn to be one, and have the tools, time, and skill to fix this bike up like new. It is extremely easy to find parts for, which is one of the reasons I bought it.

so basically this is a dollar bike that i can definitely use and fix up and get use out of to learn how to ride. the price is reasonable, and according to the pics:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaakel/74258300/

its looks to be in pretty good shape. the only thing is, i would like you all to let me know how easy would it be to fix up this thing (ie find better forks are new forks (aftermarket), better condition rotors) and what are your suggestions for how to conduct a test ride?

finally, how much should this thing go for considering it has 51,000 miles (yikes!!!) and i plan to use it as a local commuter bike, avoiding freeways for the long haul (anything over 100 miles).

how much would that oil guzzling problem cost to fix?

i would really appreciate your expertise. also, if someone who is in my area (orange county or pomona area) who could possibly come out wiht me to see the bike. just an idea.

thanks

sy

[mockspeed]

i will reveal the price after i get a guesstimate from you guys, the experianced riders. but it is below $1000.

[ashman]

500 bux i bet. i saw it in another post on craigslist. the engine is shot. i wouldnt buy it. save 700 more and get one ready 2 ride.

-ash

[ashman]

http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23075
news travels fast around these parts mister.

-ash

[john]

Take your time and try to find one with much less mileage.

[starwalt]

It definitely looks like a project bike. If you have the space, time, ability, and tools it may be worth your effort if you can get it for $400 or less.  If the engine has been neglected or fiddled with, it may not be what you want to get riding quickly.

I doubt that the rotors are shot from normal use, more likely the pads were never inspected, worn away and then they ran metal to metal for a while. I've seen two sets of rear pads done this way. Rear pads...not front pads. I call this "Bicycle Stopping Syndrome"

You can get an idea of what you would pay on eBay for a similar bike at one of my pages HERE.  Mind you, the prices are for a wide variety of conditions and markets.

[mockspeed]

hahaa...wow...didnt even see it on the website (its my first time on here, ya know). yep, $500 but the price is negotiable, though slim i would say.

how do you know the engine is shot? just by the info provided on the listing. and what is considered good mileage? this bike is 13 years old, so thats about 4000 miles a year.

i dont mind the purple (but the pink would be changed to Laker gold....)

how much would engine repair, brakes and a fork reseal cost (round about figure)  if i were to go to a shop, since i am a total newbie.

also, would you think this is a good bike to mess around with and learn how to fix. i know i can follow instructions on a repair manual, i have the time between classes.

finally, wats the diff between a gs500 and an ex500?

thanks for the quick reply!

[Phaedrus]

Mockspeed - I am often known for my bad judgement, so take what I say with a grain of salt. But I'll tell you what I would do.

Since you are a total wrenching noob and basically a riding noob, this would be a good bike because you will almost HAVE to pamper it. And you can work on it and even if you make a mistake, so what? It is a $500 bike. Throw a couple more bucks into it to fix your mistake and then ride it again (make sure it is safe to ride obviously).

GS's are said to be one of the easiest bikes to work on. What better way to learn than by starting from the ground up on a bike you won't have to worry about scratching?

Buy it for $500 - or less if you can get him to negotiate. Throw a couple hundred bucks into it and yoou have yourself a cheap rat bike to learn both riding and wrenching on. THis board is a great resource for learning both.

Use the rat'd GS as a starting point - a learning tool if you will, and when you are ready to "ride aggressively" then sell the GS and buy yourself another bike that is newer, requires less work, has less miles, etc. But for something to "get the hang of it" with, I don't think the GS can be beat.

As for the difference betweenthe EX500 and the GS500? Check out the GS500 FAQ: http://gstwin.variders.com

[500rider]

If you not going to fix it yourself then pass.  At shop rates for labour you will very quickly be into lots of $$.  

For the front forks, I'm thinking a couple hours labour plus $50-$60 to replace seals/bushings.  A used front rotor can be had for $80, pads $30. You will likely have to replace the brake lines since they will have gone mushy by now and the bike has seen virtually no maintenance.

Depending on where the oil leak is it could be cheap or expensive.  

At that kind of mileage, there could be lots of stuff ready to go.  But, for $500 it's hard to go too wrong.  you know what you're buying so the worst that could happen financially is that you're out $500.  

I'd be a little concerned about safety myself.  If the brakes are weak, do yourself a favour and don't ride it till they're fixed.  

I bought a bike 2 years ago for $500 and so far I've dropped about $2500 into it.  (that's Canadian $ mind you).  I did a lot of things that were not totally required like paint, wheel bearings, progressive springs etc. so really $1500 would have done it.

[Mr.7]

If you don't like to work on bikes then don't buy it.
If your like me and just want to buy, ride it, and love it, find a better bike.

Besides, that is the uglyest gs I have ever seen

[Rema1000]

-Weak brakes (shot front rotors)
-Weak forks (seal leak on right; bottoms out on driveways at >5 mph)
-Consumes oil at 1/2 quart per tank of gas

In good condition (no real problems), a black-engine early '90s GS might go for $1000 to $1200 in my area.

If the front brake disk does not need replacement, then $500 is OK.  I'd say that the oil consumption problem would drive the value down to $600.  The fork seal and front pads might cost $60 together (plus a couple of weekends for you to sort them out).

If the rotor needs replacement, that really knocks down the value.  The front rotor alone is $200.  If it needs a new front rotor, I'd put the value at $300.   If you only have $600, then you could buy it for $300 and put $300 into it.  If you have $800-$900, then I'd pass and look for an '89-'92 in better shape.

[The Buddha]

Yea bike in excellent running shape need work often enough ... I'd pass ... $400 too is high, OK not if you part it off. BTW I had a 48 K miler that stood up to most abuse I handed out to it with minimal fuss.
Cool.
Srinath.

[pantablo]

I'll give an opposing viewpoint to Phaedrus, for the sake of argument...

If you are a total new rider and arent a good wrench to begin with I'd pass on the bike. it will cause you  more greif and aggravation than enjoyment.

If you were very handy with tools (if you're comfortable doing more than just your basic oil change on the car, for example) then its a good fixer for $500 or less.
THen you can ride it and fix it incrementally. Fork seals arent a big deal to change or arent hard to change but they arent for the feint of heart mechanically. You should have some experience and confidence wrenching. The soft (bottoming out) forks are a separate issue to the fork seals. they (all gs') have that stock. you need to swap the fork springs to progressives to cure that ($60 for the springs, easy to change).
If its burning oil the engine is due a rebuild-no small task for anything but a solid wrencher.

So, I'd say keep looking for a running bike in better condition so you can concentrate on learning to ride instead of on the mechanical condition of the bike (and the lack of confidence that inspires).

[Roadstergal]

OK, fine, I missed it.    


But I still agree.

[pantablo]

it should...

http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23075
news travels fast around these parts mister.

-ash

10 posts up...

[500rider]

... So, I'd say keep looking for a running bike in better condition so you can concentrate on learning to ride instead of on the mechanical condition of the bike (and the lack of confidence that inspires).

+1 to that.  There are enough concerns just learning to ride let alone trying to solve your mechanical problems at the same time.

[Grainbelt]

I'll try a different angle: SAFETY.  I bought a '93, and put 2k miles on it before I realized it had the original chain on it (30k miles).  I'd be concerned about learning to ride on anything with brakes and suspension that has been ADMITTEDLY neglected.

[Jared]

Grain...would you rather they lie to you about thecondition/maintenance of the  suspension etc???
Frankly I'd rather hear that stuff up front myself ( It also helps you in the bargaining...).

But on the whole I'd say keep looking for a lower mileage piece.... It's not a lost cause but the oil usage is high.... If you were building a track bike that you were gonna tear down anyway it might be a good candidate...at a low price...

Good luck.

[mockspeed]

wow guys...thanks a lot for the advice. for now, im gonna stay away from the bike and look for something in rideable condition that is safe. i agree that safety should be a primary issue.

as for wrenching, i like to think of myself of capable of learning to wrench, but i would not ride something i wrenched with a complete sense of freedom from worry (atleast in the beginning).

ok so the verdict for me is a no go on this bike.

thanks again everyone!

sy