Suzuki GSX-8R

The GSX-8R is a middle-weight sportbike built on the same platform as the GSX-8S and V-Strom 800. Although it carries the GSX name, the 8R isn’t an out-and-out high-performance sportbike - it’s more on the lines of an easy-going, yet quick, sports tourer. Suzuki has taken this sport touring route with the 8R, as it’s playing in a segment that usually is looked at by most riders as their first upgrade to a ‘big bike’. So comfort, usability and friendliness were high on Suzuki’s list when it came to creating the 8R. And in India, it goes up against bikes like the Triumph Daytona 660 and the Honda CBR650R.

I recently had a chance to spend a week with the Suzuki GSX-8R, where I clocked around 800km on it. I used it for my daily commute to work, and also spent a weekend riding it around some lovely ghat roads around Pune. And while I didn’t get the chance to go proper long distance touring on it, I did a couple of 100km stints from Pune to Lonavala and back on it.

Suzuki GSX-8R Design

The GSX-8R is a really good looking motorcycle. It’s got sharp lines like a proper sportbike, and even though it’s got a full fairing, it doesn’t cover a majority of the engine, and that engine on full display really adds a lot of visual muscle to the 8R’s design. Apart from that clearly visible engine, what I really loved about the 8R’s design were all the sharp creases on its fairing, the short underbelly exhaust, its aluminium trellis subframe and the minimal tail section. But I think there are some bits that do look a bit odd. For instance, I really feel those twin vertically stacked LED projector headlights feel out of place on a bike with a full fairing. Then there’s the slightly chunky LED tail light that’s mounted on the rear fender extender. It just makes the sleek fender and numberplate holder look really busy. And speaking of numberplates, Suzuki India’s solution of mounting the front number plate on a separate metal bracket that hovers over the front mudguard, looks plain ugly.

Suzuki GSX-8R Colours

In India, the Suzuki GSX-8R comes in 3 colours - Metallic Triton Blue, Metallic Mat Sword Silver and Metallic Mat Black No.2. Of these three, the blue looks fabulous. It’s a very rich blue that contrasts really well with the black panels and the gunmetal gray engine casing.

Suzuki GSX-8R Build quality

While I can’t comment on how well the GSX-8R will hold up over a long period of time, I can say with confidence that it feels really solidly built. There are absolutely even panel gaps all around, the switchgear feels chunky and solid to use and the paint finish is top-notch.

Suzuki GSX-8R Safety Features

The GSX-8R gets dual-channel ABS and a 3-level traction control system as standard. The traction control levels can be easily changed using the large rocker switch on the left switchcube. In my experience, the traction control system worked quite seamlessly on our Indian roads and even in its most aggressive setting, it never felt too intrusive. Apart from these, the 8R has no other safety systems like cornering ABS or cornering traction control. But given the pricing of the 8R, these don’t feel like big misses.

Suzuki GSX-8R Convenience Features

The GSX-8R has a 5.0-inch colour TFT instrument console that displays all the information you need in a clear, easy-to-read layout. But it doesn’t get smartphone connectivity at all, which is rather surprising for a bike of this class.

It also gets a bi-directional quickshifter as standard, and for those who would actually like to take the 8R touring, it also gets luggage loops under the seat. I was able to use these loops to tie down a ViaTerra tail bag securely on the rear seat for my longer rides.

Suzuki GSX-8R Rider Comfort

Even though the GSX-8R looks like a proper sportbike, it has a decently upright riding position, which made it really comfortable during my daily commutes. I found the seat cushioning quite decent, and even spending a couple of hours in the saddle was quite comfortable. The seat height is a fairly low 810mm. With my height of 5’9”, I had absolutely no problem getting both my feet on the ground. And the 8R’s narrow waistline allowed even of my shorter colleagues who are 5’5” and 5’6”, to be able to get their feet on the ground, although they were not able to flatfoot the bike.

The GSX-8R’s clip-on handlebars are positioned a bit high and closer to the rider. This allows even shorter riders to sit fairly upright on the seat. But some of my taller colleagues, who were nearly 6’ or taller, found the seating position slightly cramped, especially when trying to get into a tuck behind the tall windscreen.

Suzuki GSX-8R Pillion Comfort

The GSX-8R’s pillion seat is fairly slim and a bit high, so some of my shorter pillions did struggle to climb on the seat. To top it off, the grabhandles are almost in line with the seat and need pillions to tuck their fingers under them to get any grip.

 Honestly, the stock grab handles do not make for a great pillion experience, and the rear seat is best suited for short rides. Even the footpeg position, although not set really high, made for a cramped lower body position for taller pillions.

Suzuki GSX-8R Engine

The GSX-8R gets a 776cc liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine that makes 83PS of peak power and 78Nm of peak torque. The 8R’s power figures are not particularly impressive, but it does produce a good amount of torque that comes in at low rpm. Plus this engine has a 270-degree crankshaft configuration, which offers it a bit of a V-twin feel with strong mid-range punch.

While I did not have a chance to test the actual performance figures of the 8R, Suzuki claims that it can go from 0-100kmph in under 4 seconds and will go on to a top speed of a little over 200kmph, which should be more than enough, considering that this bike will be the first ‘big bike’ for many riders. The engine even offers 3 riding modes - A, B and C, with C offering the lowest throttle response and A offering the most aggressive. While I spent most of my time riding around in B mode as it provided a great middle ground, even A mode, while feeling much snappier in response, doesn’t feel intimidating, even if you’re using it in the city.

Suzuki GSX-8R City Performance

 The GSX-8R’s engine is super tractable and can pull easily from low speeds even in higher gears. In the city, I was easily able to ride in third and fourth gears for most of the time. Overtaking traffic required almost no effort.

As soon as I would open the throttle, the 8R’s engine would roar to life and I could easily get past any vehicles ahead of me. And in bumper to bumper traffic, the slipper clutch provided a really light clutch action. That combined with the bi-directional quickshifter ensured that my left arm was unstressed even on the slowest commutes.

Suzuki GSX-8R Heating Issues

I did spend a lot of time commuting in city traffic with the GSX-8R, that too on really hot days in Pune when the ambient temperature was nearly 40 degrees celsius.

Even in stop-and-go traffic in that heat, there was no hot air being thrown towards my legs. I could feel a general warmth around my shins, but never any troublesome heat. Even when the dashboard reported the coolant temperature in excess of 100 degrees celsius, the engine did not show any signs of struggle. I would say that the GSX-8R has no heating issues whatsoever.

Suzuki GSX-8R Highway Performance

On the highway, the GSX-8R comfortably cruises at 100-120kmph with no vibrations felt anywhere on the bike. And during some overtakes, when I touched much higher speeds, the engine remained just as smooth and unstressed.

While I was only able to use the bike for short rides, I have no doubt that I would comfortably be able to ride 500-600km in a day without much stress. My only real gripe with this twin-cylinder engine is that it simply doesn’t have that addictive howl of an inline-4 motor like on the Honda CBR650R, or even the typical three-cylinder whistle of the Triumph Daytona 660.

Suzuki GSX-8R Gearbox

The GSX-8R’s 6-speed gearbox shifts very slickly, whether shifting up or down. The standard quickshifter works really well too, especially when shifting up. But I did notice that sometimes, when downshifting without the clutch, the gearbox would feel a bit clunky.

Suzuki GSX-8R Mileage

Suzuki claims a mileage of approximately 24kmpl for the GSX-8R, and feels like it's achievable in the real world too. But in reality, the moment I started riding aggressively, that mileage number started dropping drastically. I ended my week with the 8R with an overall tested mileage of 19.8kmpl. And although it’s got a 14-litre tank, the bike would hit reserve after covering just about 200km. 

Suzuki GSX-8R Underpinnings

The GSX-8R is built around a tubular steel frame which uses the engine as a stressed member. At the front, it’s running a  Showa SFF-BP (Separate Function Fork - Big Piston) upside down fork, while the rear gets a linked monoshock. The suspension doesn’t get any adjustability except for preload at the rear.

Suzuki GSX-8R City Handling

Even though the GSX-8R is a fairly heavy bike with a kerb weight of 205kg, I barely noticed this weight, whether I was trying to move the bike with my feet at a standstill, or maneuvering through traffic. The tall handlebar made it quite easy to filter through traffic, and at city speeds, the GSX-8R felt as easy to manage as a 250-300cc sportbike.

Suzuki GSX-8R Highway Handling

Once you start riding a bit faster, the general position and narrowness of the clip-ons along with the slightly lazy front-end geometry (it has a slightly more raked out front and longer trail than its competitors) requires you to put in slightly more effort to steer the bike.

This is especially true if you’re trying to make quick direction changes around a set of tight corners on a winding road or a race track. On longer corners though, the 8R feels really stable when leaned over. But the Dunlop Roadsport 2 tyres were not particularly confidence-inspiring when I encountered mid-corner bumps or pebbles. Overall though, I’d say that the GSX-8R’s handling is neutral and predictable, which should make it great for newer riders.

Suzuki GSX-8R Braking

The GSX-8R gets twin disc brakes at the front and disc at the rear as well, with dual-channel ABS. The brakes don’t have that sharp initial bite that proper sportbikes have, and the lever needs to be pulled in a little before the bike starts shedding speed. But although there is a bit of initial travel, the feel at the lever is not spongy at all, and once you squeeze the lever enough, the braking is strong and progressive.

Suzuki GSX-8R Ride Quality

The GSX-8R’s suspension is set up a bit on the firmer side. On smooth tarmac and even while cornering it feels great, and is able to absorb slight mid-corner bumps with ease.

In fact, the front suspension feels soft enough to absorb most undulations, and even rumble strips, on the road quite well. But the rear feels stiffer in comparison, and if I didn’t slow down enough for sharper bumps, I would generally end up getting a solid jolt up my back. While I wouldn’t call the ride quality bone-jarring, I would avoid riding the GSX-8R on bad or broken roads.

The GSX-8R might not be a hardcore supersport, but that’s not a bad thing. It gives you the look and feel of a big bike, but with the ease and friendliness of a 300-400cc bike. I really believe that the GSX-8R is a great option for riders upgrading from 200–400cc bikes, and it can be that one bike that will handle city commutes, weekend touring and even an occasional trackday. What makes it a great deal is that at Rs 9.25lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), it more affordable than its competitors as well.

That said, if you’re looking for a proper sportbike experience, the GSX-8R, or in fact any other bike in this category, will not cut it. If track riding is the main reason you’re looking at a big bike, I would recommend checking out something properly sporty like the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R or a Ducati Panigale V2.

Honda CBR650R

The CBR650R has an inline-4 engine which makes more power and also gets Honda’s e-clutch technology, which lets you ride without using the clutch lever at all, even when doing a standing start, or coming to a stop. It’s also smoother and offers more top end performance with that fantastic inline-4 exhaust howl. But the GSX-8R is almost Rs 1.25 lakh cheaper, feels lighter and more friendly to use in traffic, and is generally more comfortable. Plus the Suzuki’s extra torque makes it easier to ride at slower speeds.

Triumph Daytona 660

Again, the Triumph’s engine is more powerful, but the Suzuki’s engine produces more torque. So in urban conditions the GSX-8R is much easier to ride and is also more comfortable if you plan to go touring. That said, the Daytona offers slightly sharper handling and a slightly more aggressive ‘sporty’ feel. But for that, you have to shell out nearly Rs 50,000 more than the Suzuki.