[Marty]

Hi All,

I got the phonecall from the bike shop in town yesterday, saying that the demo was ready to be taken for a ride. So, of course, I dropped by after work to have a look at it.

The first thing I noticed, was how nice the blue looks in person, so much better than the promo photos.

Anyway, I had today off work, so I went in first thing this morning and took it for a ride.

I'm 186cm tall and about 89kg. I found the seating position to be quite comfortable, especially since the seat didn't make me continually slide down onto the tank. The reach to the bars was good and my legs weren't cramped.

The bike sounds quite good stock, much better than I expected, I wouldn't mind listening to some of the aftermarket exhausts though.

The throttle.... it definitely surges when first cracking it on. I got used to it by the end of my fairly short ride, but it was noticeable. I think it was more noticeable because the last bike I rode was a BMW S1000R, which has a silky smooth throttle.

I tried my best not to avoid a lot of the bumpy sections of road, just to see how the suspension coped, and I couldn't fault it, even with the stock set up. Some good corners would have been nice to test it out a bit more.

The brakes were also quite good, lacking initial bite, especially compared to the BMW, however, they worked very well with a bit more of a squeeze.

The dealer asked me not to rev it past 6000rpm, as the bike only had 20km on the clock when I tested it. I didn't take it past this, but I was still able to tell that the bike had plenty of power there.

I did 60km/h to 100km/h sections of road and didn't notice the wind being an issue. However, after a few hours at 100km/h+, It'd probably get a little annoying...especially coming from a sportsbike.

Most importantly, even with a short ride and without revving it much, it left me with a smile and I had to have one.

I've ordered a red and black one, and it'll be here within 14 days

My only issue is the fact Suzuki Australia haven't sorted out an accessory list, so I cant order any accessories yet.

- Marty

 

[matdaddy]

nice marty glad you got one sorted


i too am still waiting for suzuki australia to sort out the accessory i have a nice pile of money to spend on it but cant


so i guess let the count down start

 

[Marty]

I would have thought that having accessories ready for sale with the bike was standard practice, but I guess not haha.

Its gonna feel like a long wait, but I'm super excited

 

[jong]

Got a demo ride booked this Monday. Looking forward to a little squirt.

 

[jong]

You've ridden the BMW s1000r, so I'm interested to know why you went for the Suzuki in the end.
The Beemer not to your tastes or expectations?

 

[Marty]

You've ridden the BMW s1000r, so I'm interested to know why you went for the Suzuki in the end.
The Beemer not to your tastes or expectations?

My mate leaves his in my shed, so I'm allowed to ride it whenever, so I've actually ridden it quite a bit.

Its a really nice bike to ride, but... it did cost him around the $25 000 mark, which is a bit over 9 grand more than I'm paying for the Suzuki.

I'm not really a fan of the way it delivers power, there's certainly no shortage of power, but its lacking down low and in the middle. Get it past 8-9 grand, and well, its got a huge amount of power haha.

The steering lock is atrocious for a naked bike, my Triumph Daytona had more steering lock. While it's not something you notice while riding through the twisties, you do notice it in traffic and slow speed manoeuvring.

It's essentially a sports bike with different handlebars and less fairing. A huge amount of fun to ride, but it's just not something I'd spend my money on.

On top of that, I've heard a few too many stories about the electronic suspension failing, and that doesn't sit well with me, especially because I plan to keep the bike well outside its warranty period.

You couldn't go wrong with either, the Suzuki just suits me better

In saying all there, if I did have over $25k to spend on a bike, I'd probable end up with the KTM 1290 Superduke.... I just struggle to justify spending that much on a bike at this point in time.

 

[jong]

I've ridden the s1000r as well and agree with the steering lock woes at low speed.
It is a ball tearer to ride and has plenty of bells and whistles included for the money but long term ownership concerns me as well.
My 1st add on with the Suzuki if I go ahead would be a quick shifter, that little piece of hardware I find highly addictive.
Roll on Monday and we shall see.

 

[Marty]

that was my thought as well, though it'll probably be a while before I get a quick shifter. I'm looking more at things like a tail tidy and radiator guard first.

Not looking forward to the break in period, Its going to feel like a long 1600km haha

 

[Redman]

Awesome news Marty on the order & a good review as well. Thanks for that. I checked out the bike the other day in Brissy at Springwood Suzuki & you're right, the blue is so understated in the marketing packages. Not only that, the grey as well! I was shocked at how good it looks... My only problem was they didn't have the black/red version available to check out. Got a bit on at the moment, but hanging to get there & test ride asap.

Jong,
What dealer are you going to on Monday to test ride? Are you looking to place an order for one soon?

I also have to agree about the accessories list, that's the one of the things that's holding me back from placing an order at the moment too. I want to get an idea on what the accessories are going to cost. I agree too, a quickshifter is most probably on the cards (Depending on cost)!

 

[jong]

Test ride at Brisbane Motorcycles Windsor.
Not in a rush to purchase even if the Suzuki is on the money, a few other bikes I want to consider as well.
Want to have my mind made up by December.

 

[Marty]

I've talked to the guys at Brisbane Motorcycles Caboolture, they have a red and black demo, might be worth a look if it's not too far? I'd be interested in hearing your opinion if you do.

 

[matdaddy]

ive seen the red and black its a nice colour much nicer then the promo pics

imo the black seams to blend into the frame a bit too much and hides that glorious shape of the front side pods and makes the bile seam like its all balck with like 4 spots of red


dont get me wrong its a nice red and very much grew on me 1st time i saw it but after looking around the bike i think the black hides too much of the sexy shape

 

[Redman]

Test ride at Brisbane Motorcycles Windsor.
Not in a rush to purchase even if the Suzuki is on the money, a few other bikes I want to consider as well.
Want to have my mind made up by December.

Yeh, I'm in the same mindset as you, I'm not in a rush to buy & want to get a feel of all the bikes around the GSXS before making my decision. It's still a lot of money to jump into something I feel & I don't want to do it without knowing what else is out there.

I'm trying to tee-up a day to head up to Team Moto in Virginia to test ride the Suzuki, along with a K1000, Speed Triple & S1000r if I can (all secondhand except for the GSXS of course).. Might be later this month but depends on if/when I can get a day off from work as it'll have to be on a weekday they've said.

Interesting to hear you guys talk about the S1000R like that, I'll be keen to keep it in my mind when I'm taking it for a ride..

We'll see what both my heart & wallet decide!

 

[Marty]

One I wanted to test ride, but didn't get the chance to, was the Speed Triple. There were a few reasons why I didn't try overly hard to get a test ride. They cost a lot (new) for a bike that hasn't really had an update in quite some time, their specs are down on the other bikes (mind you, everything I've read, this doesn't have a negative effect in enjoyment of the bike at all), and I've owned a Triumph, the electrics leave a lot to be desired.... maybe they improved post 2007 though.

The 3 cylinder engines are amazing, I really loved that about my Daytona. I don't want it to sound like I'm talking bad about the Speed Triple, because they're apparently an amazing bike, they're just a lot of money for an older design.

 

[jong]

The specs on the Suzuki aren't that great either really, certainly compared to the Euro naked offerings.
But at a 6K difference to the BMW s1r for instance I'm interested to see if the extra money is really worth it for all the bells and whistles you get included.
Role on Monday and we shall see.

 

[Redman]

Look forward to hearing your opinion jong!

Yeh, I've heard a few of those things about the speed triple as well but want to make sure I'm making the right decision.. At this stage it's the Suzi hands down (without a test ride even) but I'll see after I test ride a few.. I'd definitely be looking at the s1000r & the speed triple as second hander's so that's the other thing to weigh up... Whether or not there's one available at the right price, and whether it's good enough for the money against the new GSXS..

 

[Martin]

The S1000R is nice for sure, although for me I would have needed risers to make is as comfortable as the GSX-S. The quickshifter is a nice addition, but other that that, the advanced TC and active suspension didn't seem to add much to the ride.

May look at the XT in a couple of years, but for now the GSX-S ticks all the relevant boxes, including value for money.

 

[Marty]

I'm very interested in your opinions of the other bikes Jong and Redman, especially the comparison with the Speed Triple.

 

[Redman]

Will let you know how it goes once I've jumped on a couple.. Still incredibly in love with the look and price of the GSXS, so it's going to be hard to beat..

I just know that when I bought my last bike, a GSXR600 a lot of years ago, I never really looked at anything else or took anything for a test ride, so I always had the thought in the back of my mind asking whether there was anything better that I should've test rode..

But hey, also a good chance to ride a few other bikes as its been a fair while for me!

Definitely interested in looking into fitting a quickshifter though.. Anyone had experience with them, pros & cons? Is it necessary for a competent, but not professional by any means, type of rider like myself?

 

[Marty]

I can't remember who it was, but someone on the forum had a Translogic one fitted to their bike.

I've had a little bit of experience with Dynojet quickshifters on other bikes, they're quite simple.

HM quickshifters are stand alone and are super simple to install.