| Model year | 2002 |
| Year of manufacture | 2002 |
| First year of ownership | 2006 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Handling marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) |
8.0 / 10
|
| Distance when acquired | 6000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 12500 miles |
| Previous motorcycle | Kawasaki EX 250 |
Summary:
I'll never sell it
Faults:
Nothing terribly bad has happened so far. Other than the obvious wear and tear.
General Comments:
Great starter bike. I love it. It handles great and I can keep up with the big dawgs. It's much lighter now that I eliminated both exhausts and replaced them with one exhaust.
Best bike I've ever ridden!
Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 4th August, 2006
| Model year | 2005 |
| Year of manufacture | 2005 |
| First year of ownership | 2005 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Acceleration marks | 9 / 10 |
| Roll-on Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Handling marks | 6 / 10 |
| Braking marks | 6 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 3 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 10 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) |
7.3 / 10
|
| Distance when acquired | 0 miles |
| Most recent distance | 7200 miles |
| Previous motorcycle | Suzuki GS500E |
Summary:
An amazing bike at twenty minutes, but a little pain comes with every additional moment
Faults:
The rear brake pads needed to be replaced at 6,000 miles.
The hi-beam switch was broken when I dropped my helmet on it from about 6 inches above the switch. ($118 plus labor).
On two occasions the bike has been in gear while the green neutral light was on.
The mirrors give a good view of your shoulders, but not so much the traffic behind you.
General Comments:
This is a great bike for the in-town errand runner, but its heavy vibration and steep angle in relation to the handlebars make the driver feel pushed into the handles (especially with passenger).
Quick acceleration and much better gas mileage than its four cylinder bigger brothers (usually 210 miles per tank).
I opted for the 5 year warranty, which is a phenomenal bargain, but thus far all of the mechanical problems have been my fault.
Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 29th January, 2006
I've had no problems with the bike at all, except for laying it down the day I bought it.
I don't understand the comment about leaning too far forward, you're almost sitting straight up and down compared to every other sport bike I've been on! On other sport-bikes the passenger is on your shoulders, but on the 500 they're sitting right behind you... much much more comfortable for the driver.
The one and only problem I have with my 500 is power, great for what it is, but I need to upgrade to the ZX-10!
You have to replace the brakes pads with at least 10,000-15,000 km distance.
OEM mirrors are not the best type, look for ZZR600 mirrors they work and fit fine. I have them.
I rode this bike for a long distances over 4 seasons; it is a low maintenance bike compared to other ones in its category.
As long you do regular inspection and change oil regularly you'll be fine. It is a learners bike, not meant for power.
| Model year | 2003 |
| Year of manufacture | 2002 |
| First year of ownership | 2004 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Acceleration marks | 7 / 10 |
| Roll-on Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Handling marks | 9 / 10 |
| Braking marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) |
9.0 / 10
|
| Distance when acquired | 2000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 4000 miles |
Summary:
This is the best motorcyle to purchase as a novice rider
Faults:
There were no mechanical problems identified with my motorcycle.
General Comments:
This is the best money you will spend on a introduction to a sport-bike.
The motorcycle is practically dummy-proof because it has the kickstand shut-off switch.
This motorcycle kept me out of trouble in traffic, rather than creating potential accidents.
Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 7th June, 2005