[gsxs1000admin]

Enthusiast Rishaad Mody had a chance to ride the Suzuki GSX-S1000 for 6 days through India on both bumpy roads and on track and he’s written a review covering everything from its amazing 1st gear speeds to his rubber brake hose scare.

A few of you may have already gone touring with your GSX-S1000 so you may have come to the same conclusions as Mody. The liter bike has ample space on its flat rear seat for most soft bags and the pillion foot pegs can be used as strap anchors. He managed to strap on a fully stuffed Dirtsack Gypsy to the back and even though it’s filled with 6 days’ worth of clothing and a full race suit, there’s still enough room on the seat for him not to feel overly cramped! Though you may want to avoid the slow going city streets since the engine radiates a lot of heat.

Also tested during his 6 day riding stint are the speeds that you can achieve on first gear. Yes, what you’re looking at is indeed Mody going 120km/h at 11,000rpm and this is in first gear.

As for how the GSX-S1000 performs on track, there’s plenty of power for you to throw around but he did point out a few flaws. Tank grips may be necessary as he had a hard time hanging on during hard acceleration and the first gear acceleration is just brutal.

What’s worth a mention are the rubber brake hoses that failed to perform when he tried to brake hard at around 240kmph. The lever went limp and he was forced to stop while using both the rear brake and gears. A very dangerous failure especially when one is moving at high speeds.

Overall, an informative and entertaining read if you have the time.

Living With A Superbike: Suzuki GSX-S1000 - Overdrive

 

[Ghostrider.1127]

"What’s worth a mention are the rubber brake hoses that failed to perform when he tried to brake hard at around 240kmph. The lever went limp and he was forced to stop while using both the rear brake and gears. A very dangerous failure especially when one is moving at high speeds."

WE are in 2016 not in the 80`anymore
nowadays "rubber" brake lines are for first 2-3 years of life quite like braided stainless steel unit

 

[Beaker]

Nice little write up.
I always enjoy to hear what others have been doing with their Gixxers

 

[4tune8]

What’s worth a mention are the rubber brake hoses that failed to perform when he tried to brake hard at around 240kmph. The lever went limp and he was forced to stop while using both the rear brake and gears. A very dangerous failure especially when one is moving at high speeds.

Overall, an informative and entertaining read if you have the time.

Living With A Superbike: Suzuki GSX-S1000 - Overdrive

Very strange , but i must admit the very short straight at the local track and my lack of skill haven't allowed me to brake hard from 240 k's however i do back to back 15 minute sessions as an on track marshall and am using the brakes hard for that time . Usually approaching my brake point on the longest straight some were between 200 and 215 kph depending on the speed my groups are riding at.Braking very hard to get speed down for a very tight turn . I cover between 250 and 340k's in a day out there depending on weather and or crashes and I HAVE NEVER EVER , had brake fade or any issues with brakes whatsoever . Rubber brake lines can be an issue when brake fluid gets very hot , but this is not an issue for sports riders of this bike . If you plan to go racing fit braided lines for sure. So am puzzled that the reviewer had any problems. Maybe he is an ex racer and was getting to a limit i am yet to find.

 

[Beaker]

Maybe he knocked his brake pads back or maybe it was oil from his leaky fork seal. I don't hold much credence to that bit of his report either.

 

[Joe Garfield]

There is a post in another thread about a recall for leaking Brembo calipers. I wonder if it's related to the failed brakes mentioned above. I seriously doubt it has anything to do with using rubber brake lines, and think it's more likely related to fluid boiling if not the recall.

 

[mistersharkster]

Well done article. I like the very the much the equilibrium between text and pictures

 

[GSXSdrew]

Very strange , but i must admit the very short straight at the local track and my lack of skill haven't allowed me to brake hard from 240 k's however i do back to back 15 minute sessions as an on track marshall and am using the brakes hard for that time . Usually approaching my brake point on the longest straight some were between 200 and 215 kph depending on the speed my groups are riding at.Braking very hard to get speed down for a very tight turn . I cover between 250 and 340k's in a day out there depending on weather and or crashes and I HAVE NEVER EVER , had brake fade or any issues with brakes whatsoever . Rubber brake lines can be an issue when brake fluid gets very hot , but this is not an issue for sports riders of this bike . If you plan to go racing fit braided lines for sure. So am puzzled that the reviewer had any problems. Maybe he is an ex racer and was getting to a limit i am yet to find.

"These are fine on the street but a big no-no on the race track! Starting my 5th lap"

They failed on the race track, not the street.

 

[sangedegsx]

Maybe he knocked his brake pads back or maybe it was oil from his leaky fork seal. I don't hold much credence to that bit of his report either.

even factory bikes are known to have air in the brake system...

 

[Beaker]

True
but normally with air in the system the brakes are spongy all the time.
As we don't have all the facts I guess we will never know and all will be conjecture

 

[Jeffro]

Good report and review, thanks for sharing
Jeffro

 

[mcm]

Think you are right

There is a post in another thread about a recall for leaking Brembo calipers. I wonder if it's related to the failed brakes mentioned above. I seriously doubt it has anything to do with using rubber brake lines, and think it's more likely related to fluid boiling if not the recall.

the recall was one week after purchase & my serial # wasn't included, yet once in a while after parking for a couple of hours (mostly in the summer) and getting back on it the lever would have no pressure. Pump it a few times and back to normal.

Have bled the line a few times with new fluid, since then its been ok. Some times it's a bit spongyer than others, do pump them a bit when at a light (its a habit just to make sure).

They do always work well in all situations.

Any info in this regard is much appreciated ( perhaps some thing else that can be done?)

best regards

 

[Jeffro]

Actually - I have noticed sometimes after getting onto the bike (after a break of at least few days) the lever feels like it has air in the system but pump the lever a couple times and it's back to a normal hard lever.
I intend to bleed it and see if this goes away.
Jeffro

 

[sangedegsx]

It happened to me.

The brake lines didn’t fail but they sponged up. The lever went all the way down and I had no brakes. After they cooled they worked again. It was an unusually hot day and after a few sessions my lever felt like mashed potatoes.

Wasn’t my first track day so don’t think it was air in the system since I would have felt it before. Wasn’t a leaking caliper.

I got a new brembo 19rcs master and HEL brake lines. Only ones available for the abs. Wish there a better brand out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ballmead]

It happened to me.

The brake lines didn’t fail but they sponged up. The lever went all the way down and I had no brakes. After they cooled they worked again. It was an unusually hot day and after a few sessions my lever felt like mashed potatoes.

Wasn’t my first track day so don’t think it was air in the system since I would have felt it before. Wasn’t a leaking caliper.

I got a new brembo 19rcs master and HEL brake lines. Only ones available for the abs. Wish there a better brand out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Better brand of MC or brake lines?

 

[sangedegsx]

Better brand of MC or brake lines?

Brake lines. The only available are HEL but they worked fine so far.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ballmead]

Brake lines. The only available are HEL but they worked fine so far.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

HEL brake lines are awesome. I've run them on all my bikes over the years.
You're not missing out on anything.

 

[sangedegsx]

HEL brake lines are awesome. I've run them on all my bikes over the years.
You're not missing out on anything.

ok thats good to hear, thanks for the reassurement!