Hello guys 'n gals :)
Could you please tell me what should I look out for while buying a used GS?
I'm looking for 1995-1997 model
:dunno: :dunno:
I'm not a noob, it's that I've owned a 250 cc bike b4 and now I want to go 4 the Suz GS 500 :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
thx in advance :)
Well, great choice in bike! :thumb: Just do a general check around the bike like you would for any bike you are going to purchase. Look for the tell tale signs of being dropped: chipped or scratched handlebar endweights, exhaust canister, brake and clutch levers, mirrors, engine case, etc. I'd check to make sure the battery looked pretty clean and make sure it is the correct one. Also check for corroded battery cables, subframe, and the cables to the black box, as one guy in the forum had his cables to it nearly destroyed. Have it run and see how it sounds, make sure it doesn't misfire, pop, etc. I'm not the most experienced in this area though, some of our resident experts have purchased several used gs's and they'll be able to give you some good info. Good luck on the hunt!
Bix
The gs bikes are pretty stout bikes but are prone to corrosion. Biggest thing to look for is rust in the gas tank. You can look inside and see it if its there pretty easily.
Other than that look for the usual signs of crashing, good running condition and look for oil leaks...other than that they're indestructible (unless you run them without oil...Richard!).
Good luck. Any reason only 95-97 model years? They were essentially the same from 89-00 and had a body restyling in 01+ models but are mechanically the same. The various years did see some minor mechanical differences (brakes different after 96 I think) but nothing that would make one more desirable the the other.
thanks for the replies guys :thumb: :cheers:
While the engine is quite robust, it doesn't react well to bad maintenance (low oil levels). The plain bearings are damaged pretty quickly when that happens.
If such damages are present, you hear strong knocking sounds from the lower end, getting louder with high RPM (as opposed to the normal noises from the valve drive (upper end) which are drowned out by other engine noises at higher RPM).
Long warm up times are normal for a GS, so if it doesn't idle well without choke in the first five to ten minutes, that's just the character of the bike.
After warm up it should idle well around 1200 RPM (adjust it or have it adjusted to that level when warm, gives you some hints on general tuning.)