Introduction, positioning and rivals of the Suzuki GSX-8R
Just four months ago, my colleague Pipe Hinojosa travelled to the Monteblanco circuit and its surroundings to test the new Suzuki GSX-8R. He already recorded a full video on his first impressions of riding this sports bike, which he was really looking forward to after riding the Suzuki GSX-8S and the V-Strom 800 Tech. The 800 cc twin-cylinder engine is the star of these new features, but I had not yet had the chance to find out why it is so highly praised. I can only say one thing: I am happy to start this collaboration with SoyMotero.net with a pleasant surprise like this GSX-8R.
And as the owner of one of the old 600s, a Yamaha R6 from 2007, there are many things that I shouldn’t like about a “sports bike” that shares 90% of its components with the naked. It is, therefore, the typical F with a slightly more aggressive fairing and clip-on handlebars above the stem, but you end up forgiving everything when you come back from the ride with a smile as a result. If they haven’t changed almost anything compared to the 8S, I know, now, that they don’t need to.
Easy, agile and effective would be the first adjectives that come to mind when talking about the GSX-8R, and which it shares with many of its rivals, such as the Yamaha R7 (73.4 hp, €9,799), the Kawasaki Ninja 650 (68 hp, €8,350) or the Aprilia RS 660 (100 hp, €11,999). Others follow their own path with three-cylinder blocks such as the Triumph Daytona 660 (95 hp, €9,995) and even the usual four-cylinder engines such as the Honda CBR650R (94 hp, €10,000).
Technical characteristics of the Suzuki GSX8R
If you want to find out everything about the 800 cc twin-cylinder engine, with a 270º crankshaft timing that gives the same feel and ignition order as the V-twins of the Hamamatsu of yesteryear, I invite you to read or watch the test at this link. The reason for this test is none other than to bring to the female public, very interested in this bike for certain details that I will tell, the impressions of a closer reference in terms of size, experience on the bike and aspects that we value above raw power.
If we only look at that figure, the horsepower, this Suzuki GSX-8R has the disadvantages compared to some competitors. However, its restraint stops being relevant as soon as you ride it and you realize that the virtue lies in balance. It has 83 hp at 8,500 rpm and delivers 78 Nm of maximum torque at 6,800 rpm, so it could seem like a slow engine on the climb and with little delivery until the key moment, but it is quite the opposite. One of the most notable aspects is the wide range of use and thrust of this twin-cylinder engine, which you only notice weakening at the top of the rev counter.
This brio is not a nonsense when it comes to consumption, which remained around 4.7 l/100 kilometres even after the test and recording. During urban or daily use it is easy to get close to 4.2 l/100 kilometres, which makes it a proposition to consider if you are looking for a single motorcycle for your garage.
Indeed, this is one of the key points of the GSX-8R in my opinion: its versatility. Beginnings in medium-displacement motorcycles do not usually come with a large budget, so we need a bike capable of meeting expectations on the road and on journeys in itinere, for example.
Technology and electronics are essential to optimise this behaviour, making use of the three driving modes (SDMS), the traction control adjustment (STCS) in 5 levels, the low-rev assistant and the quickshifter for up and downshifts. A system that comes as standard and that I found very refined when changing gears.
In addition, it has the easy start system that only requires pressing the button without having to operate the clutch to start it and the design of the TFT screen allows you to read the relevant information in a second. The placement of the data is as it should be, as well as a few menus to navigate and that’s it.
But all this would be of little use if the ergonomics of this sports bike did not allow us to feel comfortable (and comfortable) in traffic. I am referring to that sector of riders who are not “up to par” and are barely taller than 1.60 metres, always relegated to naked bikes or smaller custom bikes. In this case, the 810 mm from the ground make this Suzuki GSX-8R an ideal bike for the smallest riders.
How is the Suzuki GSX-8R going?
To learn about the chassis of this GSX-8R, I also invite you to read the complete Pipe test beforehand. In this article we will focus on my feelings to compare them to those of a more experienced rider. Two very different profiles that, however, we have pointed out the same lights and shadows of this very F R.
Starting with the small, or almost non-existent, difference between the hand position of the 8S and this GSX-8R. The forged aluminium clip-ons are lower, yes, but they are still positioned above the stem and only slightly move the rider forward. Only then is a small change in the triangle formed between the footrests, seat and grips justified to give a racing touch to the ride. However, at no time are the forearms or elbows strained.
The GSX-8R’s Showa suspension is a bit harder than the naked’s KYB, but it’s still not adjustable and, according to my partner, the differences are minimal in terms of feel. However, the rear monoshock (adjustable for preload) has a firmer behaviour with heavier riders; in my case I found it a bit bouncy and I would have to try to find my ideal setting.
We also agree when talking about the effectiveness of its braking, with 310 mm discs, gripped by 4-piston radial-mount Nissin calipers and a 240 mm rear disc. The latter is more than enough for the GSX-8R and this is said by someone who uses it a lot, even in the curve itself.
These turns are completed with hardly any effort and with an astonishing speed for a bike weighing 205 kilograms. The wheelbase is considerable, so we gain stability in open curves without losing the effectiveness I was talking about in twisty sections. An ideal type of road for this sports bike, with an engine that doesn’t require constant gear changes and allows you to enter with up to two different speeds depending on your mood that day.
You might expect a certain slowness in the weight change, but the GSX-8R goes where you ask it to without hesitation and with aplomb that allows you to reach the limit in a matter of minutes at the controls. That is why some of our colleagues complained about scraping the footpegs on the track, something that did not happen to us during the road test. It is true that the Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 were another of the pleasant surprises of the day, with an exquisite grip on the Madrid asphalt.
