Staying Connected

In a world dominated by the smartphone, manufacturers cannot afford to ignore Bluetooth connectivity for long. Suzuki have also updated the small Gixxers to stay relevant

- Joshua Varghese

IN ITS LATEST ITERATION, THE Suzuki Gixxer SF has been updated to be OBD2-compliant and to run on Ezo fuel.

Furthermore, they have equipped it with "Suzuki Ride Connect", their version of a Bluetooth-enabled console. We spent a few days with this updated motorcycle to experience these changes and check just how relevant the Gixxer SF is in a class that is currently dominated by 160-cc machines.

In the styling department, the most obvious change appears to be the colour schemes. Three of them are now on offer, of which I feel the blue works best. Suzuki's departure from MotoGP was a pity and, as collateral damage, the Ecstar livery-undoubtedly the best paint scheme for the Gixxers-is no longer available.

Like the Hayabusa, the Gixxer SF's styling was also inspired by a bird of prey and the placement of the LED lighting units complement that aggressive silhouette without taking anything away from the sleek design. To further improve the styling, one could immediately dispose of the sari-guard.