Bikes to commute on - 500/600cc

Right...takeing a new job and need somthing to commute on as even my Golf Tdi is not gona cut it..so..the shortlist...

Honda CB500
Honda CBF600
Suzuki GS500
Kawasaki ER5

Out of the 4 the top 2 look the best in terms of build quality and reliability...but the Suzuki is dirt cheap to buy and run, but what mileage could they run to realistically?

I need a tank range of 200 miles or so and think all of these can provide it..but..are there any good bikes that will do this too? Insurance on all of these are below £200 and its only gona be used Mon-Fri...

Help please!!!!

GS500 is what all the couriers in Sydney use. They are cheap and bulletproof and have decent grunt for a commuter.

[SoulKiss]

I think your tank range is a bit of an ask - most bikes seems to have about a 18l tank, which equates to about 4 gallons.

So you are looking at a 50mpg bike.

The SV gets about 40-45 mpg - depending on how you are driving it of course

I would (of course, being biased) suggest an SVS, they can be had for £4k new from dealers.

Insurance might be a little more tho.

cannot comment on any of the other bikes as I havent ridden any of them - closest woudl be a CBF500 when I did my DAS.

Bandit 650cc. A little over the cc, and the 650 will prices will still be a few £k, but i've got an oil cooled 650 and for 27 mile commute, its bloody superb. Comfy, ABS, cheap insurance, easy to repair parts.
I try to keep it clean as much as possible (Salt + budget bikes = rusts quick) and regulary get other bikers comment to me that the Bandits a reat bike for a commute.

Big tank, i've had 217 miles from one tank, but usually get about 185-200 miles with some hooning every tank fill


Otherwise, what about a 600cc Bandit? Just the same I guess, but i've not had one so can't compare them.

Phazer 600? Pricey though?
Thundercat 600cc?
Hornet 600cc, but thye have a really bad fuel range, but about 100bhp (Bandit 650 is about 81bhp).

[the_lone_wolf]

as a fun bike i'd have the SV, but as a commuter that's gonna get wet, salty, bashed and used a lot the GS would be my choice, endless supply of spares and dirt cheap to run, plenty fast enough and a more comfy riding position, better steering lock too

See i've heard a lot of bad stories about teh Suzuki GS500, i'd be more inclined to go for a CB500 over that. Bullet proof bikes, almost like the ol C90s

Couriers love them.

I used to use a curvey SV650S for the same commute and would get about 150-170 miles from the tank. Same quality as the bandit, so expect to keep on top of furry bolts in the winter.

I have been offerd a gs500 with under 2k on it for ?1500 - id service it myself and after a bit of a dig around have seen them do 100k with little effort...thats 5 years of work at the mileage id have to do (35 miles each way)

Originally Posted by Daimo

See i've heard a lot of bad stories about teh Suzuki GS500,

I've got two GS500 K2 engines sitting in my garage, one with a knackered crank, the other with a knackered top end. Both engines had less than 10K miles on them when they went pop.

The build quality of GS500s is bloody awful, worse than you could ever imagine an SV to be. They rust like mad and are nowhere near as good as a CB500.

CB500.

My riding school used them, when i took my test (2005)they had 51 plate ones so they were at least 3.5 years old and had been used every day all year. They had no corrosion on them and ran smoothly.

if you can afford it get the Honda, it will last longer.

So the honda then!?

No one has said anything bout the ER5? I take it thats not really an option compaired to the Honda?