Suzuki GSX-8S (2023 – ) review

There is two ways of looking at the design of the GSX-8S. As a functional motorcycle there’s virtually nothing wrong with it. The new engine is a peach, its well-proportioned chassis combines comfort and handling and with a TFT dash, crisp switchgear and enough electronics it’s got everything a modern, mind-range roadster twin needs. But the looks are, shall we say, an acquired taste, with a stripped-back style resembling a crashed ‘street fightered’ sports bike and a stark choice of matt finish colours that look more like primer than paint with some suitably crude graphics on top. Yes, looks are subjective, but as the priciest of the trio comprising this, the Yamaha MT-07 and the Honda CB750 Hornet you’d hope for something more desirable looking, the Honda in particular showing price is no barrier to a sweetly styled bike.

Nothing to complain about here. The GSX-8S, although based on the same frame and engine as the V-Strom 800 adventure bike and also sharing much with the faired, GSX-8R sportster, has the middleweight, naked roadster posture pretty much nailed. It’s impressively accommodating of all sizes of riders, your 6’ 3” tester feeling more comfortable than on the somewhat dinky MT-07 and, overall, comfortable with a slight sporting bias. Being a twin the GSX-8S is also pleasingly narrow and light (compared to a triple or four) and the seat’s not so high as to make things awkward. All round, no complaints here at all.

Unfaired roadsters like this will always have some practical limitations, the lack of a fairing leaving the rider completely exposed for long-distance, high-speed cruising. As such motorways are a particular chore but this is true of any bike of this type. It’s also not the ideal pillion or luggage carrying bike, although it’s reasonably competent at both. Those considerations apart, however, the GSX-8S is a brilliant all-rounder. It’s comfortable, manageable and easy to get on with, making it both a great ‘first big bike’ and excellent round town commuter. It’s sufficiently sporty and fun to be a great weekend B-road toy, and it can do most other things reasonably well, too. And if you want a fairing or more adventure style version Suzuki has the GSX-8R and V-Strom 800 as well.

There is no shortage of engaging, characterful motors on bikes in this class. Yamaha’s 73 horsepower MT-07 remains a great buy, the 80 horsepower triple in Triumph’s Trident 660 has a character all its own while Honda’s new 91 horsepower Hornet is probably top of the class for both performance and price. But the 83 horsepower GSX-8S is right up there. What the 776cc Suzuki gives up to the Honda in peak power it more than compensates for with torque, thanks to a peak of 78Nm compared to the Honda’s 74Nm. That translates into gorgeous flexibility the Honda can’t match, and is arguably more useful in the real world. It also sounds great and is glitch free. Cherries on top include the three riding modes, a standard quickshifter, traction control and powerful brakes that are beyond criticism.

Ultimately, the GSX-8S is a slightly budget-oriented, novice-friendly roadster, so it can’t be expected to have sophisticated, multi-adjustable or semi-active suspension like you’d get on a high-end sports bike. Nor the ride quality or control that comes with that. That all said, however, the Suzuki is better than most rivals in this respect. On face value the non-adjustable inverted forks and preload-only monoshock are nothing special, but they’re set up well, with a sportily-firm and controlled ride combining confidence and steering precision. Indeed, the balance of the bike is spot-on, giving intuitive, natural handling and, overall, it’s probably the best handling bike in this class.

The GSX-8S is a middle of the road bike, and we’d expect its running costs to be middle of the road, too. Expect reasonable but affordable insurance premiums and a fairly average hunger for consumables such as fuel, tyres, brake pads, chains and so on. It’s also likely to be a popular bike, so residuals should be better than most and overall running costs, while not cheap, won’t be far off.

As is the case with all brand-new models, especially those with an all-new engine like this one, it’s too early to be certain about the reliability of Suzuki’s new GSX-8S. That said, it’s not an out-and-out performance machine with the demands on a bike’s powertrain that brings, its electronics package is both proven and fairly straightforward with the same going for cycle parts such as the suspension and brakes. Overall, the GSX-8S has been designed as a fairly robust, novice-friendly machine so we have few causes for concern.

The new GSX-8S comes with Suzuki’s (and the industry’s) standard two-year/unlimited mileage, manufacturer-backed warranty covering all parts and labour, so nothing out of the ordinary there. Servicing-wise, probably due to the powertrain being so new, recommended service intervals are currently quite short, being due every 3,750 miles or annually (whichever comes first) with the major valve adjustment service due at 15,000 miles.

Like the Yamaha and Honda it’s up against the GSX-8S is a fairly budget-oriented bike so you wouldn’t be expecting much in the way of luxuries. But the Suzuki certainly doesn’t come over as a budget bike in the metal. On top of the slick and comprehensive colour TFT dash there is decent switchgear, three rider modes, cornering ABS and traction control and, unusually for this class, a quickshifter/autoblipper as standard. In short, it wants for little. To be fair the GSX-8S is also slightly pricier than most of its rivals, the Hornet currently £1,000 less and maintains that price advantage even when optioned up with an equivalent quickshifter.

As mentioned, this category of bikes is becoming one of the most competitive of all. Yamaha’s MT-07 set the formula, the combination of fun, affordability and ‘first big bike’ friendliness since inspiring a wave of similar bikes of which the Suzuki GSX-8S is the latest. It’s a worthy contender. The new 776cc twin cylinder engine is a flexible and fun gem, with the added bonus of a standard quickshifter. Its chassis and handling are up there with the best, too. And it’s also well-proportioned and decently equipped. But at the time of writing the Suzuki is £1,000 more expensive than the Honda Hornet and, to these eyes, not as good looking with styling only its mother could love. If that doesn’t bother you for its combination of features, size and sheer grunt it’s one of the best bikes in the class.