Some bikes just fit, like your favourite pair of shoes or your favourite T-shirt.
Suzuki’s GSX-S1000GX is my new favourite band T-shirt.
Based on the GSX-S1000GT, it shares a host of parts; frame, engine & gearbox, subframe, rear plastics, exhaust and so on. The GX sits taller than the GT with a more comfortable riding position and crucially, It has a full and comprehensive electronics package with more acronyms than you can shake a stick at.
It’s a strong package with a great chassis that is fun, fast and comfortable.
The GX has come in for some criticism, usually for lacking feel at the front and having a slightly vague front-end, mostly down to the sub parr OE tyres. I’ll agree, the OE Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 tyres are not the best and take some warming, but my press bike was brilliant. The front felt planted and gave me so much confidence I was able to really push the bike. Accelerating out of roundabouts, on its side, throttle on the stop, it would lift the front but felt totally planted. It’s a great chassis that you can really have some fun with.
If you buy one, change the tyres for something better.
Ride quality and brakes
This is the big brother to the GSXS1000GT sports tourer.
It’s taller, has more comfortable ergonomics, and is the first Suzuki bike with electronic suspension and it’s good.
You have four electronically controlled damping modes to choose from; hard, Medium, Soft and a customisable User mode. You also select your rear preload which adjusts electronically. It’s simple, effective and intuitive.
The brakes are good and offer plenty of stopping power, but I would say lack some feel. My press bike had a lot of lever travel but the Brembo brakes were very effective, even two up and making good progress, I was never left wanting.
Engine
Suzuki’s GX has a 999 cc inline 4-cylinder engine, which is somewhat of a rarity these days.
It puts out a healthy 150 bhp at 11,000 rpm and 106 Nm of torque at 9,250 rpm.
It has an old-school feel to it, with a raw edge and sounds great. It loves to rev and when you do, it’s quick too, but could do with a bit more bottom-end grunt.
The bars are rubber mounted and the large pegs have big rubber tops so whilst the engine makes a lovely induction noise and has a slightly brutish nature, you are well insulated from vibration.
I had a play with the three rider modes which are customisable, but found sticking it in mode A and backing off the electronic aides worked best for me. In B, with standard settings, it would cut power when I was pressing on if the front became even slightly light. It was worse with a pillion and less weight on the front.
Reliability & build quality
Suzuki’s reputation for quality is well-established, particularly evident in recent models such as the GT, 8S, 8R, and V-Strom, which have consistently demonstrated durability and reliability.
You could argue that the GX isn’t entirely new. Yes, the technology is new, but fundamentally the chassis has been around for a while, as far back as the GSX-S1000 and the engine is an evolution of the K5 GSXR engine, meaning any potential issues would have already surfaced.
Value vs rivals
This is a win for the £14,799 Suzuki GSX1000GX. BMW’s S1000XR is £16,790 although it has more power at 170 bhp. KTM’s 170 bhp 1290 Super Duke GT is £18,799 and Kawasaki’s Versys 1000 SE comes in at £15,569. Yamahas Tracer 9GT is a more difficult competitor at £15,016 which includes hard luggage (panniers)
If you want hard luggage on your GX you’ll need to opt for the + model at £15,899. Keep in mind the Tracer 9GT only has 117 bhp.
Equipment
Suzuki dug deep in their toy basket to make this their most advanced bike to date. From semi-active suspension to Bi-Directional Quick Shift System, Suzuki Intelligent Ride System (SIRS), Suzuki Drive Mode Selector Alpha (SDMS-Αlpha, aka adjustable rider modes), Smart TLR control (Traction, Lift & Roll Torque), Smartphone Connectivity, cruise control, Suzuki Road Adaptive Stabilisation (SRAS), Suzuki Advanced Electronic Suspension (SAES), 6.5in colour TFT dash and plenty more.
Despite the abundance of technology, the GX feels natural and easy to operate. The user interface and controls are intuitive and user-friendly.
Specs
Engine size 999cc
Engine 4-stroke, 4-cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC
Max power 150 bhp
Max torque 106 Nm
Fuel capacity 19 litres
Seat height 845 mm
Bike weight 232kg
Front suspension Semi-active Showa 43mm USD forks with manual preload adjustment
Rear suspension Semi-active Showa mono shock. Electronic preload adjustment.
Front brake 310mm discs with Brembo four-piston radial caliper. Motion Track Brake System working with 6-axis IMU.
Rear brake 240mm disc with single-piston caliper. Motion Track Brake System working with 6-axis IMU.
Front tyre 120/70 x 17 120/70ZR17 Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2
Rear tyre 190/50ZR17 Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2
Price new £14,799 OTR





