GSX-8R leads new 2024 Suzukis By Ben Purvis
As sales of 200 hp superbikes continue to decline, a new market for softer, gentler sports-style machines is beginning to bloom, and Suzuki's new GSX-8R is the company's first step into it.
Appearing as a rival to sub-100 hp, practical sports bikes like the Yamaha R7, Aprilia's RS660 and Honda's CBR650R, the GSX-8R is a straightforward derivative of the GSX-8S naked roadster that was launched 12 months ago, using the same engine and frame but with sportier styling.
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| GSX-8R |
That engine is Suzuki's new 776 cc, 61 kW (82 hp) parallel twin, which was under development for a decade before reaching production in 2023's GSX-8S and V-Strom 800DE. Prioritising usability and a broad spread of performance over headline-grabbing peak numbers, it's an engine that's already getting plenty of praise, and the GSX-8R provides its most exciting platform yet.
While the frame is from the GSX-8S, the GSX-8R gets new Showa suspension instead of the roadster's KYB components, promising sharper handling. It's paired with a strong electronics package including three-level traction control, multiple riding modes and a standard bidirectional quickshifter, plus the inevitable TFT dash with phone connectivity.
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| GSX-S1000GX |
Weighing in at 205 kg including a full 14-litre tank of fuel, the GSX-8R isn't as light as some rivals but should still be more than manageable for most riders. Like the Japanese 600 cc four-cylinder sports bikes that dominated the market in the 1990s (before they became too track-focused for most riders), it's clearly designed as a one-bike solution for buyers who don't have the space, cash or inclination to own multiple machines for different roles.
Suzuki's second new model for 2024 also uses the same engine and offers multi-role appeal, but with a very different look and posture. The V-Strom 800RE is the logical addition to the V-Strom 800DE that was launched last year, essentially offering the same package but in a cheaper, more road-biased form. Gone are the DE's wire wheels and 21-inch front rim, replaced by cast alloys, measuring 19 inches at the front and 17 at the rear. In comes shorter-travel suspension - 150 mm at each end instead of 220 mm - with non-adjustable Showa components in place of the DE's adjustable ones. The bars are narrower, the pegs are higher and further back, sacrificing the DE's off-road riding position for something that's a little more comfortable for long on-road runs.
As on the other models using this engine, there's still tech including a TFT dash, traction control and an up/down quickshifter, along with LED lighting.
The last new model to join Suzuki's 2024 range is the GSX-S1000GX, a so-called 'crossover' bike designed to compete with the likes of Ducati's Multistrada and BMW's S1000XR. Like the V-Strom 800RE, it's a machine that combines a high-rise riding position with road-oriented suspension and tyres, but the GSX-S1000GX is a much higher-performance prospect thanks to the aluminium chassis and GSX-R1000-derived 999 cc four-cylinder engine - already familiar from the GSX-S1000, GSX-S1000GT and Katana models.
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| V-Strom 800RE |
That combination makes for 112 kW (150 hp) in a tall, 232 kg package that promises plenty of comfort as well as speed. That comfort comes not only from the roomy riding position but also high-tech Showa electronic suspension that uses skyhook technology to monitor the bike's position in relation to an imaginary point above it, adjusting the damping 1,000 times per second in response to readings from stroke sensors, accurate to within 1/1,000th of a millimetre, to iron out bumps before you even feel them. It also includes a form of electronic anti-dive - Suzuki's Deceleration Damping Control - as well as electronic rear preload adjustment and ties in with the rest of the bike's electronics to offer a huge array of riding modes and options. Those systems, including cornering traction control and ABS and a variety of power levels and throttle maps, are all accessed via a large 6.5-inch TFT dash that includes full map-based navigation.
