Suzuki calls the bike a “crossover”—mirroring the language used in the car market for vehicles that have the taller stature and rugged stance of SUVs but aren’t really designed to be used off-road. It might seem to be a small niche, tucked between the GSX-S1000GT tourer and the V-Strom 1050 (itself a bike that’s oriented more toward the street than the trail), but for Suzuki the GSX-S1000GX is a relatively easy way to use existing components to expand its model range, appealing to a slightly different customer who might not be interested in either the GT or the V-Strom.
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Check out the full story at https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-reviews/suzuki-gsx-s1000gx-plus-first-ride-review/
Read more from Cycle World: https://www.cycleworld.com/
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SportsTranscript
00:00 Suzuki is entering an all-new category with one of the most beloved engines in
00:04 motorcycling and a lot more tech than we're used to seeing from this company.
00:08 But is the GSX-S 1000 GX+ worth the price of admission?
00:14 Now what is this motorcycle? To Suzuki this is a crossover motorcycle so it is
00:22 something in between their GSX-S 1000 GT and their more adventurous V-Strom
00:28 models. This is an on-road motorcycle but it's going to have that sport
00:32 performance mixed with a little bit of that comfort that you get from an
00:35 adventure bike. This bike is going to compete with bikes like the Yamaha
00:38 Tracer 9 GT, you might even think of the MV Agusta Turismo Veloce, the BMW S 1000
00:46 XR, and of course the Versys 1000. Now plus is the model that we are getting in
00:51 the United States. It is basically going to be a GX model with side bags and a
00:56 center stand. Now how does this bike compare to the GT+? We mentioned that the
01:01 biggest thing is in that ergonomics. Now this bike, the handlebar is about two
01:05 inches closer to the rider and about an inch and a half taller. That's going to
01:09 open up the rider triangle and make this bike a lot more comfortable for longer
01:14 distance riding. Other changes related to ergonomics, you've got an all-new seat
01:18 it's about 15 millimeters taller, going to give you a little bit more legroom as
01:22 well. Now while ergonomics are a big talking point for a bike like this, the
01:26 headline here is the electronics. This is actually the most advanced motorcycle
01:32 that Suzuki has ever built and they're really proud of what they have done. Is
01:36 it groundbreaking? No, not necessarily. I think a lot of the technology that we're
01:40 going to get into is stuff that we're seeing elsewhere in motorcycling from
01:45 other manufacturers, but for Suzuki to introduce some of the technology here it
01:49 is big and they've done some nice things in the programming that they're really
01:52 proud of. So first things first, this bike does have a six-axis IMU so a lot of the
01:57 electronic systems are going to use that IMU for cornering data. So this bike is
02:01 going to have essentially a cornering ABS, lift control, so a wheelie control
02:06 function built into the traction control. Now that traction control, it kind of has
02:09 almost two parts to it. Suzuki calls it roll torque control, so as the bike is
02:15 leaned over it's deciding how much power it can deliver to the bike before the
02:20 rear wheel would step out. In addition to that now it does also still have a TC
02:24 system where the power is going to get cut so once the rear wheel starts
02:29 sliding. The big thing here that Suzuki is really proud of and a first for them
02:33 is the electronic suspension. Now this is the first electronic suspension from
02:38 Suzuki. It's a very similar system to what Kawasaki is using for the Versys
02:42 1000. It's a Showa system but with programming direct from Suzuki and input
02:48 from them. So they've got us today on roads that really vary in terms of
02:53 conditions. You've got cobblestone, really smooth asphalt, broken up stuff, highways,
02:58 and they're just trying to prove that this bike has a little extra versatility
03:02 over even the GT model that came before it. Now similar to the Suzuki models
03:07 before, this bike has three ride modes, an A, B, and C. Those systems are going to
03:13 have pre-programmed settings for traction control for the suspension but you can
03:18 go in and fine-tune your selection individually and kind of build out those
03:22 modes however you want. A is obviously going to be the more aggressive. The
03:27 initial settings are going to be a little bit tamer for the traction control and
03:30 your suspension settings are going to be stiffer. Now if you go to the other end
03:34 of the spectrum to C, you're going to have a little bit more aggressive
03:38 traction control settings and softer suspension. You can build a custom user
03:43 mode for the suspension that allows you to kind of fine-tune the suspension
03:47 settings, give you a little bit extra tunability there. Then on the rear they
03:52 have electronically adjustable preload which is going to affect the suspension
03:57 when it recognizes that someone has either sat on the bike, you've put extra
04:01 gear on the bike, or the passenger has got off the bike. One of the big things
04:05 that Suzuki is doing is pulling a lot more data from this bike so you've got
04:09 stroke sensors and it's kind of just managing all that data and telling this
04:13 bike how to perform. Again just a lot more features and technology and overall
04:19 refinement compared to the GT model that came before it. As for that engine, this
04:23 is a variant of that K5 GSX-R 1000 that's been talked about for years. This
04:28 is an 18 year old engine at this point. There's a reason why Suzuki is still
04:32 using this in its platforms because it is so good. Of course it has over the
04:37 years been massaged for on-road kind of performance. It's got a little bit more
04:42 mid-range than what you would have had in the GSX-R 1000 back in the day.
04:45 Suzuki claims about a hundred and fifty horsepower. We have dyno tested a GT
04:50 model just a year or two back. It made about a hundred and thirty-five
04:54 horsepower on our dyno so that's about what you can expect in the real world at
04:58 that rear tire. A couple more things from a chassis perspective. The subframe is
05:04 going to be a little bit stiffer and longer compared to the GT models. They're
05:08 expecting this thing to be loaded down just a little bit more. Looking at just a
05:12 few other miscellaneous bits on the new GX model. You've got Brembo brake
05:16 calipers on this thing. You've got a "adjustable" windscreen on it. I do the
05:21 air quotes because there are three positions for that windscreen but it's
05:25 actually Allen key and then reposition the windscreen. So kind of a miss in our
05:30 opinion there. It's not just a class type system where you can run the windscreen
05:33 up or down. It does have the same 6.5 inch TFT display that was available on
05:39 the GT models. The programming is just a little bit different so that you can
05:43 manipulate the new electronic systems. All of the other switch gear and things
05:48 like that are as you have found them on the GT. Now what is this thing like to
05:53 ride? Now I'm gonna go right through to the engine because it's the quickest
05:57 thing to get to right? Because it's great. It's an incredibly capable engine. I
06:02 think that it feels a little bit almost rough around the edges compared to some
06:07 of the newer platforms. But I think that's what gives this bike a little bit
06:11 of character. Really great fueling on this motorcycle. Tons of low-end
06:16 to mid-range torque. Plenty of roll-on power there. It's such a great platform
06:21 for street riding. And plenty of power up top. This bike is happy to do wheelies.
06:27 Play around all day long. Handling isn't as light as I would like it to be on
06:32 this bike. It still feels a little bit heavy and that's where you kind of feel
06:35 some of this outdated hardware coming in. I wish the bike handled a little bit
06:41 lighter. If Suzuki was to build an all-new chassis to re-engineer this
06:45 whole platform, I think they could make something that's a little bit lighter, a
06:49 little bit more nimble. They're claiming about 511 pounds without the bags which
06:53 is a little bit more than your Tracer 9 GT. It's say lighter than the MB still.
06:58 So weight is right about there. But I still think that they could make this
07:01 thing handled just a little bit lighter and be a little bit more nimble. Now what
07:04 I will say and what I think has been true of so many Suzuki models before
07:08 this is that it is incredibly stable and planted. It's just a really enjoyable
07:13 motorcycle to ride. That's a little bit from the engine. It's a little bit from
07:17 the chassis. It's just so user-friendly. It's what we have come to expect from
07:23 Suzuki. Now that is all to say that this bike is so similar to the GT models
07:28 before it, but in a lot of ways it is different and it all goes back to those
07:33 new electronics. We got to talk to the Suzuki engineers today. They are so proud
07:37 of this system and I think rightfully so. Again it's not the newest stuff in
07:42 all of motorcycling. We've seen electronic suspension from so many
07:45 different manufacturers at this point. All the IMU based stuff. They took a lot
07:49 of pride in building out the systems to their spec. To what they wanted the bike
07:53 to do. And that really does make a difference in this GX model. It makes it
07:58 so much more versatile and that really was the big takeaway from my experience
08:02 today with the GX model. And I think that's the thing that Suzuki is doing so
08:06 well right now is refining these electronics that they have. The cruise
08:10 control is seamless. Getting that thing activated, adjusting your speed, all the
08:14 switch gear is just exactly where you want it. The electronics on this bike are
08:19 the standout. Now that is not to say that this bike is perfect. Again I mentioned
08:23 some of the little things that we wish Suzuki had done like introducing an
08:27 adjustable windscreen on this thing. I'll also say that while I appreciate the
08:31 added versatility that comes from the electronic suspension, I was never able
08:36 to get comfortable with the automatic preload adjustment out back. I just felt
08:40 like it made the bike feel busy and ultimately I always went back to the
08:44 fixed settings. No heated grip standard and then like there's little things like
08:48 the brakes. They're just not quite as performance oriented as some of the
08:52 stuff we're seeing elsewhere in the category. Another thing that kind of
08:56 stood out to us, the side bags. They are 25 liters each and they are just big
09:03 enough to fit a size medium full-face helmet in. The biggest thing for me
09:08 though is the price tag on this motorcycle. It is $18,500 in the States
09:14 and it only comes in a matte green. That's a lot of money when you consider
09:19 that the Yamaha Tracer 9 GT is almost $2,000 cheaper. Now of course that is a
09:26 triple. It is a little bit smaller engine but that thing is exciting. It's got
09:31 character and I think that is one of the bikes that people are going to be cross
09:34 shopping here. So who is this bike for and what does it offer? Well I think it
09:39 is for the person who's going to be doing a little bit more longer distance
09:43 riding. I think this is so much more versatile than the GT or GT plus models.
09:48 If you are interested in that kind of K5 based platform, you're a Suzuki fan,
09:53 you've been looking for a GSX-S1000 model, this is probably one of my
09:58 favorite GSX-S models so far. Thank you for tuning in to our review of the GSX-S1000
10:04 GX plus. If you like what you're seeing, be sure to hit the subscribe button,
10:08 hit the like button. If you've got any questions about the new bike, throw a
10:12 comment below, give us some feedback. We love hearing from you. Thanks so much.
10:16 We'll see you in the next one.
10:19 [engine noise]