Suzuki GS500F or Kawasaki Ninja 400R?

[Paice]

Pretty much the title says it all. I'm looking to buy my first motorcyle, and have been looking around for a month now.. I have pretty much narrowed it down to two bikes that I am very, very interested in. Though I have a few issues, and need help deciding on which bike.

The Suzuki is a 500cc motorycle, its $4,400 and has a very nice look to it. It's great on gas, which is a reason why i'm buying a bike, since being in school saving money in every way would be nice. Though, it being a bit larger engine, should I go with it??

Now the Ninja 400R, is a smaller engine, but comes with a heafty price (new). I believe it is 7 grand or something like that. Its a beautiful bike, and what not, but being a new rider and the fear of dropping the bike, will it damage all that expensive plastic, which will just cost more money??

Anyway's a little about me I guess to help you, help me decide on a bike. I'm 5'11, 145lbs (ya I know, small), I have ridden a dirt bike before but that was awhile ago, and only for about a year. As you can tell, I don't know much about bikes, just price, engine size, and blah blah, just what anyone would know.

So if someone or multiple people could help me out on deciding which bike to get, it would be nice. ALSO another thing is for some reason bikes are cheaper in the USA, then up here in canada, so wheres a good site that I could look at for motorcycles in the states?? To possibly get shipped up to here in Canada. Of course I would look at them up here in Canada before I went in bought on in the states.. So ya anyways Thankyou in advance!!!

[Chris R]

Unless I'm behind on my MC news, the US doesn't get a Kawasaki 400R. That said, I have no experience with that model. I have owned a 500R, and have ridden a 250R and 650R though. My dad also owned a GS500 (the naked model, but it's mechanically identical)

With all of that said, the GS500 is a fine starter bike. It produces around 37 horsepower, and is a reliable air-cooled v-twin design. Suzuki has sold that engine for over a decade with very few changes.

If the 400R is anything like the 250, 500, and 650, then it is a liquid-cooled parallel twin. Liquid cooling is the key distinction between the two, and that more efficient cooling system probably means that the Kawasaki 400 (despite being 100cc smaller) makes just as much power as the GS500.

Because this is your first bike, and because money matters, I would go with the GS500. the used market will be much larger, and parts (should you drop the bike - it happens) will be a LOT easier to find for a GS500. You'll have the entire American market as well, whereas the Kawasaki 400 won't have that parts supply.