Why the GS500?

[Kerry]

Anne bought the GS purely on looks.  It is a great looking bike.

A worthy way to do your 1,000th post John.  Short and sweet!

[RandiBBB]

The price was within range for what I wanted to spend on my re-entry bike, my best friend had the GS as her first bike and she raved about it, and the bike felt right when I first sat on it.


I'll be honest - I'm still lusty after a cruiser but if I'll get there, and when, are up for debate.

[TR]

I chose the GS for the beam chasis, the monoshock rear suspension, a great looks, the 4 stroke engine, enough power for 2 up, discs breaks, good lights, light weight, and good price.

So, when finally 10 years after decided to buy a bike, checked for something better, and there wasn't. It proved to be a good bike but had some weaknesses I have been fixing...

[Mike Harman]

I have been riding a 1977 GS400X bought new in 1978 for $1000, and I was just amazed at how well it handled, and how bullet-proof the engine was. Other than the usual valve adjustments and attention to the ignition (old points not electronic), there wasn't much I had to do to keep it running. My old one still is all original except for the seat, tires, chain and sprockets. I had to replace the steering stem races and balls, but the new tapered rollers on the 500 should last forever. What caused me to buy the 400 in 1978 was a magazine review that called it the best of the 400 class, and one of the top ten best buys of 1978. It still runs good today, 26 years later.

I kept telling myself that if I ever found another GS400 in new condition, I would buy it in a flash. I have had the bike out on good roads and bad, creek beds, mud holes, and steep down hill boulder gardens. It's not a dirt bike, but at 380 lbs it's not bad if you get stuck out somewhere in nowhere land or want to tool around on a national forest fire trail.

So voila! I just found out about 3 months ago that Suzuki has taken the old 400 series to a new dimension! The engine seems to be identical to the old 400 series, except better displacement, better ignition, and the bike's a whole like better-looking, although the 400 looked great when it was new.

So I just bought a nice 2001 GS500 with 4000 miles for $2650 at Two Jacks in Wilkes-Barre, PA. It looks like new. Towing it back to St. Albans, WV in a blizzard at single digit temps was not much fun, but it was worth it.

This bike is perfect for my needs. I basically putter around on narrow, black- top, windy, hilly roads and occasionally dirt roads in the woods. I might do more distance runs with the new bike, but I have no need for bigger, faster, heavier two-wheel transportation. This one is "just right."

But I do have a few questions for the experts...

[Von Vester]

I hadn't ridden in over a decade, but when my friend bought a bike it gave me the fever again. While brousing cycle shops I saw my GS in the used bike dump. It was love at first sight. Great naked looks, upright seating position, and good price because it didn't run.

Took it home in a station wagon (when you impulse buy you gotta make due with what you got). Waited a month for parts. I've been having a ball ever since. Performs real nice, very easy to work on, and I look great when I check myself in the shop windows.