As the title states, I'm looking at possibly getting a 1995 GS500. The guy that has it wants $1100 for it, here are the issues.. He has two tanks, the original has internal rust (somewhat easy fix from what I've read) and the tank that is on it is in rough shape. He has no idea what the original miles are because he bought it without gauges and bought and installed gauges for it. The only other rust on the bike is on the exhaust, from header to tailpipe.

I almost bought a new '08, but didn't like the fairings too much and really didn't want to spend that kind of money on a first bike that could be dropped and whatnot, but I loved the bike.

One of my biggest concerns is if is gonna be underpowered for me.. I'm 6'1" and about 260lbs, I could care less about keeping up with any sport bike, I just want to make sure I can easily cruise at interstate speeds (70mph) and even pass on the interstate (accelerate to 80 or 90 or so, not that I'd ever do it, just want some decent power at that speed). Just in comparison, I learned to ride on a 1981 Yamaha XJ650 and it seemed to have plenty of power for someone my size.

Also, is there anything I should look for if I go and take a look at this bike? I have read that there had been issues with rust around the welds, but in his videos (he has two posted) there seems to be no rust there.

Couple of more questions, I know these bikes haven't changed much in years, but are the parts on the newer ones interchangeable with the older bikes? (like the tank, if i decide to just buy one off ebay and repaint it) And is it possible to run a wider tire in the rear without swapping out the swingarm or modding anything? (I remember reading for a 150 tire, I could swap a Bandit 600 swingarm on to accommodate it, but what about a 140 tire?)

I really like the look of the bike (have always liked the standard/naked bikes) and have been keeping an eye out for GS500s ever since I started saving up to find a bike.

One last question, I know a lot of people 'outgrow' their bikes after they become real comfortable, but I want to try and keep this bike for at least a year or two, so what is there in the way of performance mods to beef up its power? From what I've read there are a few bolt ons and sprockets, but other than that most will be at least semi-custom.

Thanks in advance for any/all input.

Just me: I very rarely pay over book value for anything.  NADA lists a 95 GS500E in average condition at $975.  Average condition means clean without obvious defects, you can print this out right off the NADA web site.  Granted asking price will reflect what the market will bear, and the market is crap right now.  You can expect to pay over book for something rare or flawless which this bike is neither. 

If it were me, I would take a copy of the NADA value with me and show it to the seller and offer him something more reasonable like $700- $800.  Low retail is $740 and the buyer should expect to invest in cosmetic and / or mechanical work but the bike should still be in safe running order.

About the performance questions, I recently picked up a 99 GS500E for my wife and have not ridden it yet so I really can't comment.  Maybe it will be warm enough in Minnesota by June or July, I will keep you posted.

Comfortably on the GS500E seems good to me though.  I am 6' 165 lbs. and I fit on the bike really well.  I can't wait to take this bike for a ride.

I'd shoot for closer to $800.  Not knowing the mileage will add a note on the title and might make it more difficult to resell (if you ever want to).

For the larger rear wheel, check out the FAQ/How-to section of this site.  There's thread on putting in a Katana rear wheel.  You can fit a 150 without much trouble, but a 160 might require a few minor modifications.  And some 160s might not fit on the wheel.  I don't know the largest tire size for the stock wheel though.

Quote from: AraneaeFatalis on April 03, 2009, 12:29:49 AM
One last question, I know a lot of people 'outgrow' their bikes after they become real comfortable, but I want to try and keep this bike for at least a year or two, so what is there in the way of performance mods to beef up its power? From what I've read there are a few bolt ons and sprockets, but other than that most will be at least semi-custom.

Exhaust, sprockets, jets, air box - I think that's about it without getting too crazy.

The GS500 is decently quick though.  Especially around town.  You'll be quicker than most of the cars on the road and even if you accelerate quickly you won't be doing triple the speed limit.  So there are some advantages to having a "slower" bike.  Plus you can always work on your cornering speeds    As for highway speeds, I can't comment on that too much.  I usually keep it at 70.  It seems to pull fairly strong to at least 85 though.

You'll be fine.  When I had my gs I was weighing in around 235/240ish.  Bike had plenty of power to get me to highway speeds, and then still had enough to let me speed up and pass cagers when needed. 

You've probably noticed that I said 'when I had my gs'.  Yep.  I sold it to a friend last year who is using it to learn to ride.  I'm actually buying it back from him this summer, so I've been stocking up on parts for it.  Check out the wiki.  There are a TON of things you can do to mod the gs, and I don't think any of them are prohibitively expensive.

Good luck with the bike!

Uhhhh... If you were seriously in the market for an 08 but were deterred by fairings, buy the 08 and take the fairings off...

Your size should be no problem, I was 6'2" and about 240# when I got my 1st GS500 ten years and 140k miles ago and was up to 255# since and back down.      It was my 5th bike, I put about 230k miles on four 400-750cc Hondas before that.

Performance is no problem for all around use.  I've put in quite a few 400-500 mile interstate days on the GSs at about 75 mph or so indicated going to the mountains to play.  A downshift will give a quick pickup to higher passing speeds if needed.  I had my naked 97 GS up to 110 mph indicated with a large Plexi 2 windshield and 250# me aboard.

Any 150 tire will fit the GS500 on the stock 3.5" rear wheel with clearance all around except for the brake torque rod that will be close to the tire and easily bent for more clearance.

Not knowing the mileage do a compression test before you buy it, then the value is all about condition.  142psi is the minimum spec.  I wouldn't pay a thou for a GS with a beat-up tank or other obvious problems.  Check the wheel bearings, steering head, and swingarm for play.  You can put a 140 rear tire on the stock wheel.

My last bike was a 1982 XJ 650 Seca.  It had more power than my GS and it was faster, but it weighed 90 lbs. more, so the power difference isn't that much unless you're drag racing.  The GS 500 is a second slower than the XJ 650 on the 1/4 mile.  I like the power of my GS and think it's enough for the street, and yes, you can accelerate to 80 or 90 on the interstate in a few seconds.  I highly recommend a 17-tooth front sprocket for the interstate.  Now if you take a passenger with you who weighs 200 you may want to get a bigger bike, but alone you'll like it.

Have a 150/70 Metzeler Z6 on a wheel right now that I've ridden 3k miles with no problems.  Had to mod the rear brake arm and cut a notch into the chain guard with a dremel tool.  Just installed a Bandit 400 wheel with a 160/60 Metzeler  and had to reuse some GS wheel parts. Otherwise looks like she'll roll pretty good.

I've heard the stock rear shock is pretty soft.  Can't tell you how soft cause I've always had a Katana shock intalled.  May want to upgrade there.

Good luck.

Prices seem to be pretty market dependent, if you are in Southern California like I am, that is probably a fair, or even a low price, given the market around here. I'd go for it. You won't have any trouble on the freeway, but you might want to upgrade the suspension at some point. Just give the bike a good going over before you buy it. There are many posts here about what to look for. If you find any of the things mentioned in the "what to look for" post that weren't in the original add (stuff like rusty chain, bald tires, or worn brake rotors) offer the guy a few hundred bucks less...

Buying used bikes is a game, some are good at it, some are bad at it. Do your reasearch and go in confident. Find the inevitable faults, maybe even make a couple up if it looks like he doesnt know what he is talking about, point them out to him, mention you are not happy about the tank and the fact the mileage is an unknown and parts are getting hard to find. He will want to emphasise the good points but you need to hit him with all the negative points and never look too keen to buy it. Then show him the used price guides and tell him to stop taking the piss and justify his asking price, he wont be able too and you will gain the upper hand. Then offer him $750 (or whatever you are happy to pay) and tell him you are doing him a favour taking it off his hands. If he is desperate he will bite, or at least haggle.

Dont feel pressurised into buying it if you are at all unhappy with the bike or the deal, GS5s are like busses........... there will always be another one along in a while.

I forgot to mention I am in Louisiana, and I just got another email from him (after I had asked a couple more questions) and he said the bike had been laid down at a really slow speed but the frame and swingarm are perfectly straight and there are no issues with it.. The ONLY thing I really have a problem with is the fact he only has a Bill of Sale, no Title what-so-ever.. I would hate to buy it and try to get it titled only to find out it was stolen or something.. I've never bought anything that didn't have a title to it.

This is the first GS500 I've seen anywhere remotely around here, I like the bike and I don't mind a little bit of work to get it back road-worthy, but I have no mechanical experience aside from doing some engine mods on the MR2 Spyder that I used to have.

bill of sale = parts bike

No title = run away.

You will have NOTHING but problems with the DMV.  Plus not having the title is strong evidence that the bike has a bad history.

Thats kinda what I figured. I was gonna call the DMV to ask about it, but I really wouldn't wanna go through the trouble of getting a title for the bike, cause if something was wrong I'd be out a chunk of cash for nothing.

+1 for run away

go talk to you're insurance company and ask them about a bonded title find out how much they'll charge you thats what i did, all you need is a bill of sale, and to fill out some paper work, i only had to pay 100$ if you really want it that is.

Is there any way for me to find out if it can be titled before I buy it? Like if I can get the VIN for it or something? Its a ways away and my friend is buying a Yamaha Dual-Sport near where this bike is located, so its a good time for me to get it if I decided to.

Here's the ad the guy put in Craiglist today for those that wanna read about it and see a picture. He also has two videos of the bike.

http://batonrouge.craigslist.org/mcy/1108077504.html

Quote from: AraneaeFatalis on April 05, 2009, 04:20:48 PM
Is there any way for me to find out if it can be titled before I buy it? Like if I can get the VIN for it or something? Its a ways away and my friend is buying a Yamaha Dual-Sport near where this bike is located, so its a good time for me to get it if I decided to.

Here's the ad the guy put in Craiglist today for those that wanna read about it and see a picture. He also has two videos of the bike.

http://batonrouge.craigslist.org/mcy/1108077504.html

You should be able to ask the DMV if the bike is stolen or not with the VIN... You also might be able to find out if it is on a salvage title, which is likely given that the previous owner doesn't want to give you one. The price of a bike without a title should be very much lower than the price of a bike without. You should pay parts bike prices for this thing, no matter how it runs, because if you find that you can't get a title for the bike for any reason, that's what it will become. Even as a parts bike, this could be risky if the bike is stolen. I think legally you're OK if you try to determine if it is stolen and don't have any indication if it is, but the cops could still take the bike from you and return it to the rightful owner as well as cause you a bunch of hassle...

His add says "obtaining title" so I say you call him and tell him you have the cash in hand and will buy the bike from him the day he gets the title and not before. If he really is trying to get the title, it will either take a couple of weeks or he won't be able to do it and neither will you.

He gave me the VIN for the bike and said he would go down to $1000 for it. I had asked him about the 'obtaining title' and all he said in response was 'i have the bill of sale'.

I figured with the VIN number I can perhaps get someone to see if I can get a title for it. There is a place near where I live that does titles. Guess I'll see what they say. I really like the bike, and I love the naked-style.. Hopefully it wont be too underpowered for my big self.

KBB Value on it: http://www.kbb.com/motorcycle/retail/1995/suzuki/gs500e/78984

NADA Value on it: http://www.nadaguides.com/default.aspx?LI=1-23-38-5697-0-0-0&l=1&w=23&p=38&f=5698&m=0252&d=1200012504&y=1995&ml=S&gc=MC&gtc=MC

GS500's are common. There will be others. With titles. Walk away.

IF you can even get a title for it, that's several hundred dollars worth of hassle, plus the actual cost.

Walk away. In my experience, folks "selling" bikes without titles are far more trouble than finding a bike with a title. In most states, the only person who can get a new title for a bike is the titled owner - if the bike is off into bill of sale land and a title does not come with the bill of sale, it's a problem, don't make it your problem. A legit owner can get a replacement title for peanuts - so if they don't bother...

The revised, lowered price is still absurdly high for location, condition (assuming everything you haven't described is fine, which is doubtful) and lack of title. Walk away, find another. Don't get suckered.