Buying a GS, years to avoid?

[Lasse]

Hi

Looking at GS'es at the moment, was wondering if there are years that are preferred over others?

[tialloydragon]

I don't think any year GS is to be avoided over others.  I would try to go with a younger GS over an older one if given the choice, but if the bike has been well maintained, I don't think you can go wrong.

[tt_four]

hmm.... I'd say 89-2010 

No they're all the same. At one point they changed the tank, seat, and tail, and then they put the fairing on it. At one point they put on different carbs and an on/reserve switch for the gas, but otherwise they've had the same exact frame, motor, controls, ever. Ooh, newer ones have an oil cooler too, but you're never gonna over heat without it anyway.

Basically it just depends if you like a certain styling more than another because that's the only real difference. the older ones are cheaper, which is a plus. I usually see newer F models going for $2500-3000, but plenty of people get one from the early/mid 90s for less than $1000, but you should be happy with whatever you get.

[Viperz]

Since when is the oil cooling being used? Here is 2009 description:
http://moto.suzuki.ca/en-CA/Product%20Lines/Cycles/Products/GS500F/2010/GS500F.aspx

Engine   487cc (29.7 cu. in), 4-stroke, air-cooled DOHC

[black and silver twin]

Since when is the oil cooling being used? Here is 2009 description:
http://moto.suzuki.ca/en-CA/Product%20Lines/Cycles/Products/GS500F/2010/GS500F.aspx

Engine   487cc (29.7 cu. in), 4-stroke, air-cooled DOHC

04 and newer have oil coolers, at least the F models. Mine does and so do all the other f models Ive ever seen, they're quite common around here. 

[tt_four]

I think a lot of places like that just consider an oil cooler to be an accessory, not a method of really keeping the motor cool. It would probably only be considered air cooled or water cooled, regardless of whether there was an oil cooler or not.

[burning1]

Oil cooled usually implies large oil passages in the heads near the exhaust valves. Oil does help serve to maintain engine temperature, regardless.

[gsJack]

Oil has two functions in any air cooled internal combustion engine, to lubricate and to cool.  It carries a considerable amount of heat away from the head to the sump.  That's why you have cooling fins on the bottom of your engine sump area.  Years ago I had a 82 CB750K with many miles on it that was beginning to crap out and I put a Lockhart oil cooler on it and got another good year out of it.

On the other hand too much of a good thing can be bad.  Oil should run at the boiling point of water or a little warmer to boil off the water that is a natural by-product of internal combustion and collects in the oil, the oil gets real crappy real fast otherwise.  I've put over 150k miles on 2 GS500's and never had a sense of them running too hot even when thrashed hard all day in the southern mountain twisties.  They run cooler than any of the 4 old Honda air cooled bikes I previously owned and I could always sense when they were running hot.  I wonder if it's even prudent to put an oil cooler on a naked GS500 or to leave it on one that's been converted unless you do a lot of running in heavy city traffic on hot days, I don't.  If I ever convert one I'll be monitoring the oil temp for a while; do they put a thermostat on the oil cooler to regulate the oil flow on the GS-F?  

Back to business:

Hi
Looking at GS'es at the moment, was wondering if there are years that are preferred over others?

The 01-02 are the best of the GS's, the 01 was the first to have the 3 circuit carbs which was the biggest improvement made in the 2 decades they've built them and the 02 was the last naked GS sold in the US.   If you like the plastic coated GS-F models or live in another country where they still sell the naked ones just ignore me.  

[coreyt]

any of them are great. I have a 1990 and it runs perfect like brand new.  has anyone heard of UM 650 sport bikes?? v twin engine like 65 horsepower??

[gsJack]

any of them are great. I have a 1990 and it runs perfect like brand new.  has anyone heard of UM 650 sport bikes?? v twin engine like 65 horsepower??

Those are Hyosung motorcycles.  Hyosung bikes were first sold in this country by a company called United Motors under the UM name and they continue to be sold here along with the ones Hyosung now sells under their own name.  Same bikes with different names on them.

http://www.motorcycle.com/specs/united-motors.html

[tt_four]

Pretty soon you should be able to find them at the local HD dealerships. That somehow fit into their grand plan of canning Buell. They destroyed a company making awesome bikes because they couldn't understand the sportbike market, and couldn't get over their own egos, and all of a sudden they're gonna start putting hyosungs in their showrooms. Most HD dealerships hated having buells on their showroom floors, just imagine how they're gonna treat those things.

[adidasguy]

I think the oil radiator was added because of the fairing and belly pan. They deflect a lot of air around the bike rather than letting it flow through the bike. That adds to rider comfort, but reduces the cooling of the engine. The oil radiator is positioned where air enters through the fairing to cool the oil because the belly pan prevents much air from going over the oil pan in the bottom of the engine.

Very few bikes have the full fairings that the GS500F has (which I think looks really great and makes the bike look bigger than it really is). Most others have a partial fairing and a smaller belly pan so much more air gets to the engine and the bottom of the engine.

From everything I have read and what my dealer and others say, any GS is good as long it has been taken care of. The design is basically the same since 1989 so there are no bad years.

Pick the GS500 you like based on the style: color, fairings, naked or not, etc. Don't worry about what year it is. Parts and service are available for all of them.