1979 Suzuki GS850 review from Canada
"Great value in a bike from this era"
What things have gone wrong with the motorcycle?
- Fuel petcock diaphragm stuck open, fuel overflowed & spilled everywhere.
- Head gasket blew in 1999, potentially weakened by the petcock problem.
- Original seat wore out; seat pan rusted to bits, both needed to be replaced.
- Flaky, inaccurate and unreliable fuel gauge.
- Self-cancelling turn signals do not always work.
General comments?
For the most part, this has been a very dependable motorcycle that is a joy to ride, stressing neither the bike nor the rider on long trips. It is an excellent highway bike as it performs the same under heavy loads and with a passenger.
Acceleration, while not earth-shattering, is smooth, as is roll on. This bike is pretty easy to ride. My only complaint is that the brakes seem to be a bit undersized for its weight, especially considering the 25 years of wear and flex in the brake lines and calipers (both which are due for a re & re on my particular machine).
Recommended reviews
 | Superb |
 | Perfect, inexpensive, reliable bike to learn touring on |
| Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model Year | 1979 |
| First year of ownership | 1995 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Acceleration marks | 6/10 |
| Roll-on Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Handling marks | 7/10 |
| Braking marks | 4/10 |
| Reliability marks | 7/10 |
| Comfort marks | 7/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 29000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 70000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 29th October, 2005 |