What i want to ask is which of the two ( 2008 GS500 and CBF500 ) bikes from a bike dealer is a better bike for DAS. I will be working with a business partner ( fellow neighbour biker ) so costs will be shared. I've got some wonga for the bikes but have not decided to finance them or buy them outright yet. If anybody has got these bikes can you give us your opinion please.

Nathan.

Hi Nathan,

How long are you keeping them and are you planning on selling, scrapping or running them til they die?

I'm guessing the Suzi is cheaper initially but the Honda will hold it's value better. Probably. Suzi might be cheaper to service and probably to fix when it gets chucked down the road?

I'd go for the Suzuki myself, but that's because I prefer it to the Honda, not for any sound business reason.

SB

PS there'll now be a queue of people (well, Pudders anyway) telling you how great the Honda is and how you shouldn't listen to me because I've admitted I'm biased and... ;)

If i get rid of them every four months via financing all bikes, the money side works out better ( saying a company is VAT registered for example ). The VAT reclaim we get pays for the cost of financing the bikes.I have noticed that the CB holds its value more too.

Yes the Suzi is cheaper, £3,349 is the cheapest i have seen where as the CBF is around £3,600.It's not alot more money to buy the CB but i wont be keeping it long enough to justify the extra £££'s, the only reason i'm leaning towards the CB is i have not seen a GS at a training school before.

I am not biased towards the CBF 500 or the GS as i have ridden Suzuki's, a CBR6 and a Cagiva Elefant E750LE before so overall i'm happy with the bikes i've ridden. We will also need basic reliable 4 stroke 125's and rev & go 50's too. I looked at the CG, Suzi's EN and the Yami YBF so will need a little feedback from the biking buddies.

I suppose those Timbuktoo scooters for 50p are a no go area.

The school where I took my DAS training (Swains in Buxton:thumb:) used GS500s, but they were using second-hand ones and doing their own maintenance, apparently they are relatively simple machines that don't break too easily under the abuse of inexperience.

I thought they were a nice bike to learn on:thumb: But then at that point I didn't have anything to compare it to;)

Hi Nathan,

SB

PS there'll now be a queue of people (well, Pudders anyway) telling you how great the Honda is and how you shouldn't listen to me because I've admitted I'm biased and... ;)

Oi..i object to that comment young man:lol1:

Both are good learner bikes, and if they aren't gunna be run till they die, i suspect theres little in it, passed mine on a GS and have ridden the CB, both bland dull 500's basically.

Are you suggesting i spend too much time on here:norty:

Pud

Thanks CrisPDuk

I wonder what condition the GS's will be in after some rubbish weather. Always better to be seen with clean almost new bikes. I know the Suzuki's have not got as good a reputation for paint finish. I looked at the MCN reviews and they say the CBF is more fun with more power and better handling.
It would be more fun learning for the first time on a CBF 500.

cbf 500 :)

Thanks Bighead i am trying to convince my dad to think the same too.