SUZUKI HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF producing affordable and fun-to-ride naked middleweight bikes. In fact, for many riders over 40, Suzuki's 1996 Bandit 600 will be remembered as the original-and possibly the best-entry-level middleweight of them all. It was handsome, easy to ride, enormous fun, and cheap and a huge sales success across the world.
In 1999, Suzuki, seemingly with a golden touch for nailing this budget market, introduced the SV650 V-twin. Like the Bandit, it was offered naked or faired and was as undemanding as it was satisfying to own and ride. In time the SV morphed into the Gladius, then, by popular demand, back to the SV and it is still on sale today.
Now, in the spring of 2023, Suzuki are introducing the all-new GSX-8S as, you have guessed it, an affordable, fun, and easy-to-ride middleweight. However, despite the ethos being the same as its legendary predecessors, this is a completely new model for Suzuki who, having remained dormant for far too long, have erupted into life with the intention of grabbing a significant slice of the key middleweight market.
The GSX-8S is powered by Suzuki's all-new DOHC 776-cc parallel twin platform which features a 270-degree crank and produces a claimed 83 hp at 8,500 rpm and 78 Nm at 8,000 rpm. It is the same motor that is housed in the new V-Strom 800DE; the only differences being in the fuelling and exhaust. Both use the same reverse airbox which sits under the seat.
Ride-by-wire allows three engine modes (A, B, and wait for it-C) and there are three traction control settings (plus Off). Rider aids are not lean-sensitive, which means no cornering ABS, but Suzuki's bi-directional quick-shifter does come as standard.
This story is from the June 2023 edition of Bike India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 2023 edition of Bike India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Bagnaia Stamps His Authority
The 2024 MotoGP World Championship starts where it was left off as Francesco Bagnaia reminds the field why he is the reigning world champion
Apaches on a Go-kart Track
TVS invited us to their Apache Racing Experience GP. We had a lot of fun and we also learned a lot. Here is how the experience was
A Visit to Harley's Indian Home
It is always fascinating to watch things being put together. This time we got to watch X440s come to life in the \"Garden Factory\"
A Classic Re-energized
Kinetic Green launched the E-Luna recently and we just got our hands on one. We took it around town and here is what we feel about it
Almost Perfect
Anyone thinking of upgrading to a 600-cc-plus motorcycle must ride the Kawasaki Ninja 500 at least once
Xtremely Convenient
We had a ride on the Hero Xtreme 125R a few months ago at the time of its launch in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Of late we had an opportunity to test it out on our roads and here is how the ride went off
The Process of Elimination
The Kawasaki Eliminator has little competition, for it has always belonged to its own niche. We do not see other manufacturers bunging sport bike engines into cruiser chassis, do we?
Reincarnation
The first Super Duke arrived in 2005. Some 12 years after its demise, that magic \"990\" capacity returns to the fray. This time not as a Super Duke-only the gargantuan 1390 gets the \"Super\" tag these days-but simply as the 990 Duke. Here is how our first ride went off
Singularly Purposeful
Ducati produce a road-going single-cylinder for the first time in half a century and enter the supermoto class with intent
2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 801
Drops All Pretence of Being an Off-roader