Gs550 EK (Suzuki GS500E)

Member Name: motorrobin

Product:	Suzuki GS500E
Date:	06/04/06 (3714 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: nicely sided and seat can be cut to except lower riders, idea for DAS training

Disadvantages: front engine bolt siezes in place, electrics rot,riding position uncomforatble

GENERAL
These bikes will take alot of abuse from novice DAS riders!. At a local training school where i help out they have one that has gone round the clock and still going well.Most of the ones i have see have been crashed or dropped at some time.

PAINTWORK
White rims can look tatty and are hard to keep clean... graphite grey models look better.The metalic silver frames show up the rust quite well!.

CHASSIS AND ENGINE
They can take quit a bit of neglect- lack of servcing etc.
As they get older, they like to start leaking oil from around the front of the engine.
Im not a particular fan of the standard mono shock setup as its exposed to the elements.
The petrol tank rots inside out on the lower corners where the panels meet up.
Fairing models can be easily converted to a unfaired version with the purchase of a standard gs headlight and support brackets.
The electrical system will start to rot out, unless preventative treatment is done. The rear tail light will rot out and stops working one bulb at a time.
Clutch worm-gear mechanism (on the sprocket cover)can wear out causing clutch operation problems.


THE RIDER
Alot of women riders can get on this bike, with the seat lowered.
If you are a very over-wieght person there is a great risk of your inner thighs cracking the side panels.

I can not ride the gs500 with the standard bars as i get numb hands, wrists and twinges of pain!. the later model with the standard handle bars is no problem for me.


EXTRAS
Most after market mirrors around the £12 mark are not as good as the originals as they will vibrate making rear view visibility impossible!.
Scot-oiler extends chain life dramatically.
I would recomend crash bars, as droping the bike could cause serious damage to the engine. I.e one trainee droped a gs500 and it smashed the pickup coils and ripped out the rotor bolted to the crankshaft- almost scraping the crankshaft!.
If you have small hands , you may find the reach too far, i dont know if you can buy levers that will suit a rider with small hands?

Summary: hard working bike that can take abuse from learners and neglect

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