New Suzuki GSX-S1000GT for 2022

Sport touring is cool again, it seems. With rumours of the Honda NT1100 coming soon, we now get news the Suzuki GSX-S1000GT is confirmed for 2022!

This bike is based around the same K5-era GSX-R four-cylinder that Suzuki has been using in its GSX-S series of  naked bikes for several years. Suzuki says it reworked the internals (new intake, exhaust camshafts, new camchain tensioners, new valve springs, new clutch and gearbox parts), and as a result, the new engine is better-suited for sport touring purposes, with a strong power boost in the mid- to high-rpm range. It’s also Euro5-compliant now, which is most important, as it couldn’t be sold in the EU otherwise, and that’s likely the most important market for this bike.

We haven’t seen official horsepower figures, but expect the new Suzuki to make about 150 horsepower and 80 pound-feet of torque.

Suzuki gave the new bike a ride-by-wire throttle, which is not only an important part of the emissions technology, but also allows a lot of engine management, including wheelie control, traction control and electronic cruise control. Suzuki also included an up/down quickshifter, along with its Low RPM assist and Easy Start systems, although it’s doubtful many people are getting excited about that.

There’s nothing too tricky about the frame; it’s an aluminum twin-spar arrangement, with boxed-in swingarm and trellis-style subframe (designed for easy luggage attachment and passenger comfort). The suspension comes from KYB, with fully-adjustable forks; Suzuki says the shock is also easily adjustable, which will make it easier to set the bike up for passenger hauling.

There’s a set of four-pot Brembo monobloc brake calipers up front, mated to 310 mm floating discs. Suzuki put ABS on the bike, but with no mention of an IMU, it seems this system is not lean angle-sensitive, and neither is the traction control system.

Suzuki built this bike to go long distances, with a 19-litre fuel tank, and a handlebar that’s higher and wider than the naked GSX-S models. The handlebar is rubber-mounted and the footpegs have rubber inserts to reduce vibration, too. And, there’s a decent catalogue of accessory upgrades, should you want to make the bike even better at making big mileage. Owners can put on an accessory touring windscreen, heated grips, a clip-on tankbag, and other parts. The 36-litre saddlebags are optional on the standard model (along with colour-matched side panels and matching keyset), but they come standard on the GSX-S1000GT+ model. The GT+ is the same bike mechanically, it just comes with some touring bits included from the factory.

While there doesn’t seem to be an IMU (again, no mention of it in the press release), Suzuki did include a 6.5-inch TFT screen on the GT. It has Suzuki’s new mySPIN app (available free through Android and iOS app stores). The mySPIN app allows riders to connect their phone via Bluetooth or direct USB connection (the USB connection on side of the TFT screen also doubles as a charger). Then, they can control music playback on their helmet communicator, answer/reject calls, or access turn-by-turn navigation.

LED headlight, signals, and taillight come standard. The GT will come in either black or blue paint schemes.

Suzuki says the new bike weighs 226 kg, with an 890 mm seat height.

At this point, we haven’t been given Canadian pricing or availability for this machine.