VOL. 52 ISSUE 35 SEPTEMBER 1, 2015 P85
ing the big Suzi in a higher gear
and just rjiding up and down the
rev range, maximizing the mid-
range and shortshifting rather
than maxing it out into the top
end. The motor becomes quite
vibey at high rpm, making the
whole ride rather uncomfortable,
so keeping the revs in the sweet
spot of between 5-8000 rpm will
deliver plenty of performance
and a smoother ride.
There's no quickshifter on the
GSX-S, but you don't need it, as
the gearbox is as smooth as any
GSX-R superbike of the past.
Suzuki have been known for
their gearbox prowess and this
bike is no different, especially
when matched to the light action
of the cable-operated clutch that
is actually missing the back-
torque limiter of the superbike
engine.
The motor and gearbox have a
refined feeling, like some of the
cracks in the original K5 en-
gine have been smoothed over
and it's now ready for another
lease of life. There's still a solid
GSX-R-style induction roar when
you slam the throttle open and
go hunting for canyons, but
conversely it doesn't sound as
To that end, this machine is
fitted with Suzuki's three-stage
traction control system (it's actu-
ally four-stage. Stage One is the
least intervention, Stage Three
the most, then Off). The TC
system recognizes wheel spin
by checking the front- and rear-
wheel speeds, throttle position
sensor, crank position sensor
and gear position sensor and
alters the ignition timing to bring
everything back under control.
The TC is one of the better ones
out there and doesn't have too
harsh a cut-in to slow you down.
Mind you, this was only a road
test so getting real traction data
would be better sourced at the
track, but through twisty canyon
roads in second and third gear
and getting all ham-fisted on the
gas, the TC's intervention was
quite smooth and unobtrusive.
The TC is a version of the system
found on the V-Strom 1000, but
modified for naked bike perfor-
mance with an extra stage of
intervention (V-Strom has only
two stages).
Even though you sit at a low
31.9 inches above the ground
(the Kawasaki Z1000, for
instance, is only 0.2 in taller),
you don't tend to feel overly
cramped thanks to the peg/bar/
THE INITIAL
POWER
DEILVERY
FROM A CLOSED
THROTTLE IS QUITE
HARSH BUT ONCE
YOU GET GOING
THE SUZUKI'S BIG
TORQUE JEANS
SHINE THROUGH
SND YOU'LL HAVE A
HARD TIME KEEPING
THE FRONT WHEEL
ON THE GROUND.
terrorizing as a proper GSX-
R1000 when you let it have its
lungs. It's almost like the engine
has grown up from the hard-
charging teenager to the man in
a suit who still remembers how
to party.
(Left) That Suzuki GSX-R1000K5-
derived engine is a masterpiece in
four-cylinder superbike design.
(Middle) The brakes on our testbike
were not as good as we hoped.
(Right) Styling is a little more
subdued compared to some of its
Japanese rivals.
