Considering first bike

[LukeysBoat]

 Hey there, new member here from Nova Scotia, Canada.

There is a 1993 GS500E for sale 2.5 Hour drive away from me for sale for $800 Canadian. The MVI is good until next year. It has a new solenoid. The owner says that the carbs are good and there are no leaks, but there is a  bit of a damp spot. It will need a new front tire soon but he says he rides it every day without any problems. He's going to send more pictures when he gets home today.
 
  My friend is a Triumph mechanic and I'm hopefully going to be able to bring him with me if I go check out the bike, hoping I can meet the owner half way at my parents' place. My mechanic friend will also be able to help me with any work on the bike that I can't do myself provided we can find any needed parts.

  What should I be wary of? I know it's really cheap which doesn't make me super confident but the owner does claim there are no problems.

  - Luke

[J_Walker]

Some people just sell stuff for super cheap? Like me when I'm trying to rid of all the motorcycle bits from my parents house... 

TBH, the GS500 isn't really a "desirable" bike for most.. I'd say just test ride it if you can. run through all the gears, and feel the power band, and have him start the thing up when its cold.

tires suck, but its basic bike maintenance with chains

[Watcher]

If it's mechanically solid it may just be the cosmetic issues bringing the price down.  It's missing the little accents on the gas tank and side plastics (namely the Suzuki badge and the GS500 decal) and has that white spot where it was likely repaired.

If it's in need of tires that's also a likely cause of the low price.

If it's what you want and a price you are ok with I say go for it.



Like J_Walker said, have it start cold and it's also a good idea to let it get hot, too, so let it warm it up until you can fully turn the choke off before throwing a leg over it.

[MikeZad]

I bought my 2002 GS500 a few weeks ago for $900. Was listed for 1k. Also came with a bunch of gaskets and filters. That price is not the far off, and yours is not insanely low either. Check it out and see if there's anything actually wrong.