1999 Suzuki GS500E review from United Kingdom

The bike has to live outside 365 days a year, only covered at night, so there have been the inevitable seized brake pistons, one each, front and back. Ten minute job to free them.

There is some slight corrosion of the chrome parts, the mirror stems and fork brace, but it doesn't get much TLC.

It has only failed to start once, when the first really cold weather of last year hit, the battery gave out. I had been going to change it the previous winter, but managed to get an extra six months out of it.

It's a doddle to work on (air cooled and no fairing) so changing oil or plugs for example takes five minutes.

I bought the GS500 as an emergency measure to get me to work when my GPZ600 timing chain tensioner broke. I'm still using it three years later so it can't be as bad as some of this will make it sound!

It's certainly no sports bike, but it's perfect for commuting because it's so small and light. It will get through almost any traffic.

The engine does not like to run below 3000rpm. It makes for a lot of gear changes around town. Above 4000 and it comes to life properly (well, as much life as a 500 twin four stroke can come to!)

The forks are ridiculously soft. More than once they have bottomed out under braking, and given that the brakes aren't exactly brilliant, that is saying something.

Handling is surprisingly good in the dry, mainly because it is so light, which makes up a bit for the lack of power.

The OE tyres should be illegal.