Suzuki announces GSX-S 1000, GSX-S 1000F

By
Zac Kurylyk
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GSX-S 1000

Suzuki has raided the parts bin and produced the new GSX-S 1000 naked bike and GSX-S 1000F sport tourer.

These bikes are both based around the same 999 cc inline-four as found in the 2005-2008 GSX-R 1000 (the long-stroke K5 series). As usual, they’ve detuned it for street usage; the motorcycle makes more power down low, with less peaky delivery, thanks to revised cam profiles. The motor also gets lighter pistons and a 4-2-1 exhaust.

It’s not all warmed-over stuff from the parts bin, though; they’ve built a new aluminum frame for these machines, which they claim is lighter than the current-generation Gixxer Thou (they repurposed that bike’s swingarm for this machine). The 43 mm KYB forks and Brembo brakes were designed specifically for this bike, and both bikes share a three-mode traction control system.

Here's the sport touring version. No word yet on whether these are coming to Canada.
Here’s the sport touring version. No word yet on whether these are coming to Canada.

The shock is adjustable for preload and rebound damping, and the USD front suspension is fully adjustable.

ABS is standard; both bikes have dual floating 310 mm discs up front, with four 32 mm opposing pistons apiece.

We don’t have weight specs for either bike, although the full-faired sport tourer undoubtedly weighs more.

This is certainly an interesting move for Suzuki; Honda seems to have blazed a trail for real-world sportbikes with their CBR650, and Suzuki’s taken up that challenge and added a lot of extra horsepower. Both these bikes have an upright seating position, and seat height is only 815 mm – that make things easier for plenty of riders.

On a side note – Suzuki also announced the return of the liquid-cooled 1250 Bandit to the UK market, as well as the fully-faired GW250F. That doesn’t guarantee either bike will make it to Canada, but it’s slightly more hopeful. We don’t know if the GSX-S models will make it here either, but it looks likely.

 

 

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3 COMMENTS

  1. I want it when and where can I get one its frustrating when you can see it on the internet everywhere else but Canada what is it our dollars not good enough?

  3. The naked one looks OK, in a street-fighterish European sort of way.

    The sport touring version’s styling leaves me a little cold. They should have left it half-faired, IMO.

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