GS500 the best underrated budget option for Scrambler?

[sargment]

Hey Ya'll

Going to have a lot more room in the garage soon as I am selling my Sportster 1200 and the wifes FJ6R and looking at the next bike.

I have the hankering to build a Scrambler, always liked the look and the idea of riding a scrambler (Mostly road but not afraid of fireroads/gravel) almost pulled the trigger on a Triumph street scrambler and recently saw Hondas new CL500 scrambler at a bike show, gorgeous bikes but wow, what a price tag, I also saw a 1976 CB750 scrambler that I loved the look of so went digging into what it would take to build it my own.

See a lot of CB400-750s out there and I was looking at finding a running example of a GS750 to make into a scrambler in my area to that effect, when something cropped up in my searches, Suzuki's GS500s that they made up until late 2000's.

Digging into a comparison and wow, its got a lot less weight to throw around and decent horse power, is perfectly comfortable in the twistys and commutes based on my research, same great motor and reliability as well.

Interested in hearing owner impressions of the bike and what ya'll think of my Scrambler build idea? (Few examples out there, linked the one I liked best below)



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[Rich82GS750TZ]

This crowd, in general, isn’t much for chopping and modding, though you’ll find some examples if you search. But be prepare for jeers from purists. Mostly this forum’s participants are more into preserving, maintaining or lightly rest-modding. And, in general, the focus and interest here is on GS models from ‘76-‘84 or so, though you may find a few newer than that.

I, for one, think my ‘82 GS750T scrambles pretty sweetly, with no more cosmetic nor performance mods than a pair of Shinko 705s. Of course, My Triumph Tiger with its much greater suspension and braking (and everything else, except for style, frankly) handles those gravel fire roads with aplomb. But I at least feel like I look much cooler doing it on the ole GS.

 

[RichDesmond]

Probably as good a choice as any. They're cheap, common, lightweight and simple. And absolutely no one will care if you cut one up.

 

[Nessism]

The 500 linage goes back to the 450 of 1980. A solid bike, for sure. There are some random cases of crank/bearing problems, but they are rare. The valve train is indestructible, as long as the clearances are maintained. The biggest problem with the 450, not sure about the 500, is the charging system. The R/R ground is horrible, and when it fails, the bike over charges until the battery boils all the fluid out, and the ignitors get damaged. Install a SH775, fix the ground, and go ride...

 

[Roofaloof]

I just discovered this forum, but have owned and ridden a GS500 for about 4 years now. I absolutely love it! It's been a fantastic bike and I'd definitely recommend it for a scrambler build.

It's a fun, nice handling bike with good power and lots of used spare parts available. They seem to be commonly available in nice shape for under $2000.

There's not as much aftermarket support as more popular models, but it's still a good amount. Plus, it's a UJM era design, so many other models' parts interchange.

I built my 2006 model into a commuter/touring bike (pix attached). It's worked really well for some multi day tours.

You might want to check out the GS Twins forum for more info on this model and scrambler conversions. They have a few members who have done it, including this gorgeous example: https://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php/topic,73327.0.html

Good luck with your project! Feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions.