Suzuki GS500E (1989-current)

I brought this bike off my brother just before passing my test. A month later and I passed, I couldn't wait to get on it. It is restricted to 33bhp which is enough power to start with. I went out on my own on a Friday afternoon on roads I was very familier with and soon learnt how fast this machine is when you've just passed your test. There is more than enough power to get you in to trouble if you're silly enough. It took about 200 miles to start to get used to it, to ride it without thinking hard about the machine you're on. The brakes are excellent. With the restrictor in, 1st, 3nd and 3rd gear don't seem to be effected when solo which gets you up to 60 in about 4 seconds. Drop it in to 4th and the speedo needle starts o creep up abit slower, and you seem to hit the restrictor at 8,500, knock it up to 5th and you hit the restrictor at about 7,500 knock it up to sixth and you'll not get a lot. Down the bottom end of the rev range there's plenty of torque. In 6th you'll do 40 to 60 in about 5 seconds. However, you do notice a difference in the power when you're two up. 0-60 is about 7-8 seconds, and when want to overtake a car, make sure you knock it down a couple of gears and be ready to knock it back up when you hit the restrictor. I found changing gears at 6,000 revs solo and 7,000 revs two up is best when riding this bike restricted. MPG is good brilliant. On a good run two up I've calculated 68mpg which is great, solo must be about 75mpg and thats excellerating as i've described above. Commuting 4miles acorss town does drag that right down though, about 55-60mpg on cold mornings. The big bikes might grin when they overtake you, but you'll be laughing out loud when they've all pulled over to refill there tanks and you go sailing past. After 4 months and 2,500 miles I ride it confidently and I feel ready to take the restrictor out as I now feel as though its a hinderous hitting that flat spot. The only things that have needed to be done is a new chain and sproket that were previously abused by my brother. There is also some rust around the swingarm and the brake torque arm rotted right through. Other corroding area's highlighted as a winter cummuter are the little nuts around the handle bars and brake lines. Overall a great first step after passing your test.

i got my gs500e...back when i traded in the old 125...a tzr125l.... my first "real" bike.... being sensible i read review after review about most bikes i thought would be a sensible step up... bandits 600, cb500's and the like.... but i fancied a bike i could buy brand new... plus insure without the need to sell a kidney or two!!! first ride from the bike shop was fun, after 2 strokes the bottom end grunt was awesome!! let the clutch out and off it pops!! once run in, i got my nerve.. and decided to hear what it sounded like!! the engine was fun, compared to my fireblade now it was dull and gasping for breath at the top end of the rev range, but back then it was great!!! and the handling even after a sporty 125 was good!! the brakes did there job, and it was actually comfy!! i took it two up to the isle of man TT ... me and my mate, but two up, up hills was a little bit too much for the gs, but we had a ball, overall it was a great bike to start on ... fuel consumption was great, comfort was good, and it actually sounded good too!! performance was actually rather impressive at first, although once used to it it was hardly heart stopping!! build qualtity was not as bad as the press would tell you, just wash it after a winter run!! but the rear break did seize!! .... the mirrors were a but crap though, vibrating so much you could not see what was behind you!! but overall, it was a fun bike to start real biking on!! it was the first bike i ever got to 100mph... something ill always remember!! and too be honest, even after owning yzf600's and fireblades, i do miss it!! it had a real good charector!!

my second 500(the first being a cb500)although not as fast i find it to be more reliable,top bike

This was my first big bike, took me time to get used to the handling but I can certainly corner fine on it now (just had to give it a chance). Set the shock to the hardest setting and helped my riding alot. Don't see why people slate the riding position? Why buy it in the first place if its not comfortable? Only thing I don't like on the bike is the clocks, but at the end of the day you dont expect state of the art clocks for the price.

Like some others mentioned i find the 2 star rating pretty unfair for this bike. You guys might be used to ride & review 10000£ bikes and then when you ride this ofc you'd say "bleh". I have a 2003 and its my first real bike,i love it,couldnt be happier,speeds upto 120mph when i need,runs cheap not much maintenance needed,has a huge mpg value,looks nice and is pretty solid with the frame and engine. There is nothing wrong with this bike when you compare it with what its meant for,a cheap,reliable,beginner street bike. I never heard a complaint before about the suspansion or the handling,its not your ordinary 130-170hp racer that you corner with 100mph excuse it! this bike is great for those who are just starting or upgrading from 125cc. It deserves atleast 4 stars in its own league.I dont know about it there but Honda CB500 costs a lot more here. FIX THE RATING!!

Ok it is probably just me. but I found the riding position on this bike the most uncomfortable I have ever ridden. I honestly couldn't do more than 30 miles before I had to stop in agnoy. Tis a shame cause the rest of the bike seamed ok. a good alternative to the ER-5 and the CB500

I had one of these little chaps as a loan bike recently, while my Buell was in for a service. I was fully expecting a nasty little learner bike, but wound up having a really good laugh riding it. The engine is flexible enough for easy round town riding, the gearbox is very smooth and the handling is more than acceptable but for me, the biggest grin came when riding on the motorway, screaming the poor little engine along. Clealry the GS can take this sort of abuse all day long. I think if you just passed your test, this is a far better proposition than a CBR600 or R6 that so many get lulled into thinking is a good move. This is a good bike to hone your riding skills, to gain confidence. I think you could own one of these for years and be perfectly happy - especially in a city where its slim dimensions, economy and easy riding, will pay dividends.

As others have said, this bike is a great step up from your 125 to build some confidence on. It is what it is! A cheap, reliable bike that is built to be that first big bike. So stop reviewing it like you are about to trade your R1 for it. That's just stupid! I own the GS500f 2005 model and she is restricted to 33bhp for the next 2 years. TIP - don't take the heavy bar-ends off - they are there for a reason!!! The handling goes to crap (YES, i found that out the hard way). She will get to 95mph even while restricted (disclaimer - only tried in track conditions...honest guv!) and if you drop a couple of gears can overtake traffic quite easily. Just don't expect to be keeping up with the 600cc bikes eh? As a first step from a 125 it's an awesome bike.

As with another reviewer I agree that MCNs two star rating is unfair. Having just past my bike test and restricted for two years this is a great little bike to build confidence on. I also disagree that the suspension is "soft, wallowy", now I know I don't have a frame of reference for this however I have not had any problems from handling and find the bike quite flickable. It accelerates fast enough for a new biker and gets up to illegal speeds even on my 33bhp restricted version. Once you hit 50mph it does become harder to get it to accelerate with any speed and above 70mph you can forget any sudden increases. We need to remember though that this is a cheap bike for people who have never had a (big) bike before. It is a safe, predictable, non-threatening bike with great MPGs to boot.

Firstly, I feel the 2 star rating given by MCN is VERY unfair. Don't forget, the reviewers are used to blasting around tracks reviewing Hayabusas and the like, and I doubt that they have been near a GS500. These bikes are very highly rated for people just having passed the full test in the USA and Europe, it just seems to be over here that they are slated,mainly by the wannabe rossi's in need of a manhood extension. Anyway, back to the bike! The acceleration is quite good after 3000 rpm,for the inexperienced it is ideal,more than quick enough, but not so as it scares the pants off you!! It will do 0-60 in around 4 seconds, which is quicker than any car under £80000. Handling is good, but could be improved, but saying that, the bike is not meant to be hammered in to corners like a sports bike. VERY comfy to ride on and very light, which is ideal for newly qualified riders who want to build confidence. Brakes are very good,especially compared to the ER-5 that i learned on. Gearbox is also excellent and positive. To summarise: If you want a very reliable experience gainer, then try the GS for yourself. They go for peanuts and are great fun as a first big bike, insurance and fuel costs are ridiculously low!! Remember, not every rider starts on a crotch rocket super sport, ask those who know and they will recommend starting on a 500, at least for a few months while you practice safe riding. Hope this review helps, and most importantly STAY SAFE!!!!