It´s regarding an older model, but the Feb. issue of Cycle Canada´s 2003 Sport Bike Buyer´s Guide had this to say about the GS500E (naked): "The GS is the lowest-priced sport bike on the market, and one of the lowest-priced bikes /period/. Air-cooled twins aren´t exactly high-tech, but the GS is comfortable, smooth, and has good midrange power and strong brakes. If you´re looking for a smart entry-point in motorcycling, or just good value, this is your best bet." I´ve ridden my friend´s ´97 GS500E a bit and it´s got enough juice to get you to any speed you´ll /reasonably/ need to go. I expect to be trading up to one of these (from my start Marauder 250) soon.