Suzuki GS500F Review (2004)
What Is It?
The Suzuki GS500F is a mid-range sports bike and is powered by an air / oil cooled 487 cc parallel twin engine which puts out 47 bhp at 9,500 rpm and maximum torque at 7,500 rpm.
Specs
- Seat Height: Low (790 mm / 31.1 inches)
- Weight: Average (199 kg / 439 lbs)
- Economy: Good (60 mpg / 4.7 l/100km / 21.2 km/l)
- Range: Very high (260 miles / 418 km)
- Power to Weight: Low (0.236 bhp/kg / 0.176 kW/kg)
- Top Speed: High (110 mph / 177 km/h)
Pros
- Perfect for commuting
- Big bike presence
- Cheap to buy
- Economy
- Gearbox
- Comfort
Cons
- No gear position indicator
- On the heavy side
- Lacks ABS
- Handling
What Is It Like?
Suzuki GS500F 2007
Tell us a bit about you
I'm a 64 year old male, 5ft 10ins high and now retired. I've been riding bikes since I was 17, with a short break of about 5 years when I worked in London.
My biking has always been for commuting to / from work and the occasional dash into Town to pick up something. Now retired and I find that I rarely use the bike, and sad to say I'm getting a bit old for it - I don't want to become a doddery old danger on 2 wheels!
Why did you choose it?
I was lucky enough to work about 5 miles from home for many years and had a 250 cc bike for this easy commute. But I was then relocated to an office roughly 20 miles away with a commute that involved being on a fast dual carriageway, so had to upgrade to something with more power. This bike turned out to be the ideal commuter bike for me, with the power to safely use the fast Dual carriageway without any problem.
What is good about it?
It's a great all round commuter bike with a fairing to give some protection for your legs.
What could be improved?
Nothing as far as I am concerned, it fitted my needs like a glove!
Any mods or upgrades?
No.
What is the economy like?
The economy was great, to be honest I cannot remember exactly how much I got from a tank full of petrol, but I know I was very happy with the mileage I got.
How is the engine?
Fine - it drove me to / from work every day without any issues.
How does it handle?
Fine - I just used it for commuting and it was ideal.
What are the brakes like?
Fine - never been an issue, always gone through MOT checks without any issues.
Is it comfortable?
Yes, as I say I used it regularly Monday to Friday for many years.
How reliable have you found it?
Very - I think I only had to take it to the garage for a fault to be fixed once in the 14 years that I have owned it.
What's the servicing frequency and cost like?
Took it to my local independent garage once a year for service / MOT - very reasonable.
To Sum Up
The GS500F is a great reliable all-round commuter bike.
- Paul H, 2021
Price Guide
Add Your Review
Do you own this bike? We would love to hear anything good, bad, unexpected or that you have changed plus anything that a prospective new owner might find interesting or useful.