General Comments:

After riding some Chinese scooters that can accelerate up to 60mph, I needed something that I could take on the highway. So I earned my motorcycle license and purchased a naked Suzuki 550L.

I actually still have this bike, but I was able to buy another Suzuki -- the 500F. It looks like a sport bike, but the handlebars are slightly higher than a 600. My 500F is great. I just had to do some routine maintenance on it in order for it to ride well. On one particular ride on the highway, I did lose power, but after doing some basic carb cleaning, changing the spark plugs and replacing the air filter -- the bike is running fine.

I'd recommend this bike to anyone who likes to ride just for the sake of riding. This is not a sport bike, but I have cruised on the highway at 90-95 mph without the bike shaking or anything. I bought my bike for $1800, about $600 below KBB values.

Hope this review helps! Keep riding!

Faults:

Trip odometer dial appears to be made of cheap quality plastic, and came apart within about 1 month of purchase. Easy to fix with super glue however, and had no problems since. See it as a very minor issue only.

Dials, tacho and speedo, are both analogue, and look a little dated, but again it's a minor thing only.

At times it does feel almost softish under brakes when really pushed (only an observation).

The GS500F could do with a fuel gauge; this would be my only real constructive feedback.

General Comments:

A good solid bike overall.

Performance wise, not an outright performance bike by any means, but does deliver solid acceleration and is certainly able to do highway speeds (100 - 110klms) quite adequately.

Two up, it's still quite a comfortable ride overall.

Very economical in terms of mileage; can get 330klms+ quite easily on a full tank. Have managed 360klms couple of times, and still had a small amount left in the tank, which continues to astound other riders on bigger bikes.

Like the exhaust pipe, which is factory fitted. It looks good and suits the bike.

Servicing; only had 2 minor services carried out, and both have been quite cheap, so no complaints at all.

Through the twisty stuff, it is a solid performer and is definitely a lot of fun. Can keep up with bigger bikes in the tight stuff.

Overall a really good bike, and would recommend it to anyone. Great commuter and great bike to have fun on on the weekends too.

General Comments:

I purchased my Suzuki GS500F, after having a number of sport bikes in the 80's, and Harleys through the 90's & 2000's.

I still think the Harley is a gorgeous machine, however my budget didn't allow for a 20K motorcycle at the moment, so I went back to my roots.

I have found this little Suzuki to be a blast to ride. It handles well, is not too uncomfortable, and delivers surprising performance for a 500.

I know they call it a "starter" sport, but at 41 years old, and a life long rider, it delivers plenty of "pep" to keep my interest. Best bike- on-a-budget I ever owned!

Faults:

Nothing!

General Comments:

Excellent beginner bike, this was my first ride and it's perfect for someone looking to get into the scene.

I like the looks of the fairings and it handles amazingly well.. It's affordable and the insurance is cheaper that most other bikes, other than cruisers.

Gas mileage is good, averaging around 60MPG. The drive train is a little outdated as it hasn't changed much since late 1980's, but is very reliable! There is a reason why Suzuki didn't change much mechanically.

The downsides:

- The front suspension is soft. I replaced them with stiffer after market springs, and I recommend this to anyone who owns a GS500.

- Front brakes are weak, could use dual front discs to support its 400lb weight.

- The rear tire is skinny, needs to be wider as when leaning into sharp turns, I'm almost hitting the sidewall on occasion.

Overall:

An excellent bike for the price! You just cannot beat it. I will be upgrading to a GSXR-600 very soon.