1979 Suzuki GS850 review from United Kingdom
"Superb"
What things have gone wrong with the motorcycle?
When I bought this bike it had been dry stored in a heated garage for twenty odd years, and although in mint condition, both silencers had rusted on the underside. These I replaced with a pair of SITO pattern silencers, which actually seemed to be of better quality than the originals.
They also sounded better than the originals without being noisy.
General comments?
Having owned almost sixty bikes from 1960 until now, this is my favourite for smooth, comfortable and completely reliable riding.
Wherever I go, people admire it and can't believe how old it is.
My wife agrees it's the most comfortable bike she has ever ridden pillion on.
Because it's the first version of this model, it has contact breaker points and coil ignition, which makes maintenance easy with no fears about ignitor suddenly dying in the middle of nowhere.
Only problem with this bike for me is that the seat is a tad high for my short legs, making slow speed manoeuvring a tad scary! But that's my fault, not the bikes.
Recommended reviews
 | My GS850L is quick, comfortable, handles well, it is very reliable and the best $800 I've ever spent |
| Perfect, inexpensive, reliable bike to learn touring on |
| Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model Year | 1979 |
| First year of ownership | 2005 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Acceleration marks | 7/10 |
| Roll-on Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Handling marks | 8/10 |
| Braking marks | 10/10 |
| Reliability marks | 9/10 |
| Comfort marks | |
| Dealer Service marks | 7/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 5025 miles |
| Most recent distance | 6785 miles |
| Previous motorcycle | BMW R90/6 |
| Date of Entry | 1st January, 2008 |