Suzuki GSX-S1000GT

[Navy Boy]

Hi All

I took this little chappie out for a spin last Friday afternoon. I only managed just over an hour but did get to ride it on a variety of roads and think that I managed to get a good impression of what it is like.

I must add that I owned its forerunner, the GSX-S 1000F for a short while a few years ago and, whilst I loved most aspects of that bike, the snatchy throttle response eventually put me off keeping hold of it.

Firstly I can confirm that this one has a far better relationship between wrist, throttle and what the engine gives you in return. One of the best Ride-by-wire systems means that you get what you ask for and all in a nice smooth manner.

The engine felt remarkably similar to the F model - Not surprising really as they are the same motor only with the GT now tuned to get it through Euro 5 regulations. In other words it has grunt everywhere with increased revs simply increasing how wide open your eyes go as they search for the rapidly approaching vanishing point on the horizon :gob:

It is comfy though your legs (I'm 1.83m tall or 6'00" in old money) are quite bent. Nothing too extreme but I wouldn't want them bent any further. The screen is fine though a bit low for sustained touring rides and the electronics are simple enough to understand without having to resort to the handbook.

I suspect that I'll be buying one of these in the not too distant future and I'll be looking to enjoy the potential bike the 1000F got so close to being.

[1/32 man]

Having just traded up to a 2016 F, I havent noticed any throttle issues...it is old school two cable type control though so time will tell.

I looked at the new GT but money wasn't on my side.

[SaferRides]

I might buy a used one in a few years when my sportsbike days are over. The reviews to date have been very positive.

Sent from my SM-S906E using Tapatalk

[Navy Boy]

Having just traded up to a 2016 F, I havent noticed any throttle issues...it is old school two cable type control though so time will tell.

I looked at the new GT but money wasn't on my side.

Most, if not all, of the F models will have been modified by Suzuki to overcome the problem. Blackbird owned one back then and had a new ECU fitted under warranty which all but solved the issue apparently. Enjoy the bike - They are a cracking machine and will provide lots of smiles ;)

[Navy Boy]

I might buy a used one in a few years when my sportsbike days are over. The reviews to date have been very positive.

Sent from my SM-S906E using Tapatalk

Yep - They are very much suited to someone making the move from a dedicated sportbike to something a wee bit more usable.

My overall impression was that it was a typical Suzuki in many ways. That is not the latest in terms of technowizzbangary but what it has is useful and fairly easy to use and as a result it is very well priced too. Longer term you are more likely to actually make use of the features it has which maintains your satisfaction level with the bike for far longer in my experience. As many will tell you I tend to move onto the next machine pretty quickly but am now at the point where I want to start keeping hold of my bikes for longer. This could very well be the bike to help me start that trend :niceone:

[Navy Boy]

So - I've taken the plunge and ordered a Triton Blue machine from Mark at Motorazzi here in Wellington. It should arrive in mid to late Jan.

I'll post some pictures up once I get hold of it. Let the fettling begin! :msn-wink:

[Hoonicorn]

I'm split on the looks of the GT, although I've only seen the black and dark blue in the metal (both at Motorazzi).

It has the old k5 motor which can't have been snatchy for 15+ years, so maybe it was emissions or the ECU settings that messed it up. Hopefully Suzuki have got it right with the current models. But the price is a jump from the previous 1000F and the new naked bikes are more expensive too. I think the prices might push a lot of new customers towards the new 8s. But for people who buy BMW sport tourers, the 1000GT might be a good value for money option?

[Navy Boy]

I'm split on the looks of the GT, although I've only seen the black and dark blue in the metal (both at Motorazzi).

It has the old k5 motor which can't have been snatchy for 15+ years, so maybe it was emissions or the ECU settings that messed it up. Hopefully Suzuki have got it right with the current models. But the price is a jump from the previous 1000F and the new naked bikes are more expensive too. I think the prices might push a lot of new customers towards the new 8s. But for people who buy BMW sport tourers, the 1000GT might be a good value for money option?

Yep I'm with you on the looks. It does look better in the flesh and the panniers enhance its looks further too IMHO. The colour-matched wheels on the Triton blue model are what really swung that colour scheme for me.

My previous 1000f was 95% there in terms of being an ideal sporty road/tourer machine but the throttle just didn't quite work for me. Perhaps I'm a picky so-and-so but I really don't enjoy bikes that I can't ride smoothly. The GT is a good example of where Euro 5 regs have actually made a machine feel better to ride - This wasn't my expectation I'll be honest but in a lot of ways the GT is now the bike the F should have been back in 2016.

I've owned a number of BMWs (1100S, 1150RT, 1200RT, 1200GS and K1200S) over the years and an RS was on my list of possible options this time around but to get one with panniers and heated grips involves spending another $10k over the GT - In other words almost 50% more and given how much I enjoyed riding the GT it simply wasn't a good value option. I don't decry the RS at all and I know people love them but that sort of price difference just cannot be ignored.

As some will tell you I change my bikes regularly and often :laugh:. Very few bikes make me want to keep hold of them long term but with Sports tourers I've sort of come back to the genre after having owned a few in the past (Mainly Triumph Sprints of various flavours). Perhaps it's time to stick to this one long(er) term. We'll see. :drool:

[roogazza]

I love the K5 engine after having the 1000 for about nine years. (smooth as silk and grunty ! )

I did look at the gsx1000F before going for the 1400.
If I was to change thats the bike I'd look at again ,or the modern Z900 Kawasaki...

Enjoy XXXXX :woohoo:

[Navy Boy]

I love the K5 engine after having the 1000 for about nine years. (smooth as silk and grunty ! )

I did look at the gsx1000F before going for the 1400.
If I was to change thats the bike I'd look at again ,or the modern Z900 Kawasaki...

Enjoy XXXXX :woohoo:

I've traded my 04-model 1400 for the GT. A shame to let it go but I simply can't justify keeping the 1400 as well. They are lovely bikes ;)

[Dave C]

I've traded my 04-model 1400 for the GT. A shame to let it go but I simply can't justify keeping the 1400 as well. They are lovely bikes ;)

I bought a GT in August, and I’m rapt with it. Does everything it says on the tin - goes like the clappers, stops and steers well, comfortable and the panniers hold a reasonable amount of gear. Only done 3.5k so far, combination of being busy and the wettest winter in Northland since ages ago, but summer seems to be arriving at last and a lap of the South Island in late Jan - early Feb is the plan!

[Navy Boy]

Interestingly I had a nearly new BMW RNineT as a courtesy bike yesterday whilst the Multi was being serviced.

I say interesting as I looked up the price for a new one just out of curiosity to see how it'd compare to the GT. Some $25k+ for the BMW which didn't even have a rev counter so already some $2-3k more than the GT before you've even started raiding the BMW accessories catalogue - Which you'd need to do as the bike is as basic as machines come nowadays.

Now I'll add that I've owned BMWs in the past and always enjoyed them. This one too was nice to ride and the Air/Oil cooled 1200 Boxer motor is still a lovely thing to use but at that price??? Seriously?

The Service reception chap asked me what I thought when i took it back - I simply smiled and said that it wasn't for me :yes:

[Navy Boy]

So - It's arrived and I now have my hands on my new Triton Blue GSX-S1000GT.

Just in time for the weather to turn to custard too :oi-grr:

Impressions thus far are that it is smooth, the throttle response is as good as I remember and the motor is as cracking as it always has been.

Bad bits are that the panniers still haven't arrived - Neither have the heated grips. Both of which were ordered a while back.

Still - They'll turn up soon enough and I'm a happy boy right now.

No word on economy and general riding impressions as yet. I'll put some pictures up too once the weather cuts me a break.

:niceone:

[Tokerau boy]

So - It's arrived and I now have my hands on my new Triton Blue GSX-S1000GT.

Just in time for the weather to turn to custard too :oi-grr:

Impressions thus far are that it is smooth, the throttle response is as good as I remember and the motor is as cracking as it always has been.

Bad bits are that the panniers still haven't arrived - Neither have the heated grips. Both of which were ordered a while back.

Still - They'll turn up soon enough and I'm a happy boy right now.

No word on economy and general riding impressions as yet. I'll put some pictures up too once the weather cuts me a break.

:niceone:
Any chance of a photo with you riding in the rain while we have rain?

[Navy Boy]

I managed to make the most of the good weather and put some proper miles on the GT this last weekend. Herewith some of my thoughts thus far:

Economy - I'm getting around 18-18.5 Km/litre on average. With a 19 litre tank that means a useable range of 300+Km. That's sufficient for me.

Suspension - Good overall ride quality with it being firm enough to prevent any wallow but not too uncomfortable on the bumpier stuff. The only change I've made from standard settings thus far is to stiffen up the rear rebound damping from 1 full turn out (From fully screwed in) to half a turn. That appears to have helped a wee bit.

Engine - Oh yes - What a beauty. Such a beauty that I incurred my first speeding fine for over 30 years on Saturday... The lady was very nice about it though :doh: The cruise control (Which works very well) came in for plenty of use thereafter...

Weather protection - Pretty good. I have a taller screen waiting to be fitted but thus far it seems to be decent with the windblast hitting me mid-chest. With the angle of the screen the airflow is relatively laminar and in the warmer conditions that was most welcome.

Overall impression - It's as good as I rememeber it and the Triton blue colour scheme really sparkles in the sunny conditions. It makes you smile which bikes should do IMHO. I love it and it makes me think that this is the bike the GSX-S1000f should have been a few years back.



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[Navy Boy]

Greetings All

A quick update now that I'm over the 1000Km mark.

Screen - I fitted the taller touring screen (Obtained from AliExpress for a lot less than the Suzuki item). It does make a difference though I'll be trying an additional spoiler on top of that to see if that helps even more.

Panniers - I got these fitted at the first service as they arrived after the bike. They are a good size and look to be suitably sturdy. I've yet to carry anything of any weight in them but thus far they get a qualified thumbs up.

Heated grips - These were fitted earlier this week - It cost me just over $950 with the labour included... :shifty: Still - They seem to work well and they are the same thickness as the original grips so aren't too bulky. They have three heat settings and are easy enough to use with the button being on the left hand grip itself. They've come in very handy this week here in Wellington...

Overall - The last big four cylinder bike I owned was my 2004-model GSX1400 which I really enjoyed. This feels like it's a few generations on from that bike - Mostly that is positive though I do miss the 1400's low rev shunt which used to muscle you along in such an effortless manner. Personally I'm glad that Suzuki use older tech and keep their prices lower than a lot of the competition - 'If it works then why fiddle with it' is a good mantra to have and this bike is a good example of that. It reminds me a lot of my Triumph Sprint ST/GTs that I've owned in the past though with more tech and a four-cylinder character to it. It's a definite improvement on the GSX-S1000F that went before it and it's still as quick as I'll ever need or want.

Yes I do look at the BMW R1250RS and wonder about the 'What if?' had I spent the extra money on one of those. They are a cracking machine and I'm certain that I'd love owning one but for the nearly $10k difference I'd always be wondering just how much more that extra money bought me over the GT.

[Dave C]

I’v e owned my GT for about 18 months / 14k now and have been well pleased. Almost all open road / ‘fast touring’ riding, including a South Island loop, more recently a trip from northland to Taranaki - Whanganui - Rotorua - BoP then home to Northland. Have been literally from North cape to the Bluff, entirely trouble free. The bike has been serviced by the book, and I had the local suspension guru tweak the suspension which has improved the overall balance of the bike. It has always handled well, but the tune has made it even better! I was happy enough with the OEM tyres , but when they were toast (about 9.5k) replaced with Metzeler Roadtec 01 SE, which were f’n expensive but have lived up to thee hype. Excellent grip in all weathers, very confidence-inspiring! Planning another Sth Island trip late March. I spend most of the time in ‘B’ mode (A = sport, B= road, C= rain) but also slip into A where the mood takes me. It does change the character of the bike quite noticeably, encouraging a much more aggressive use of the throttle and much more reliance on the radar detector! The manual warns against exceeding 140k with the panniers - I can report from a reliable source thats things stay rock solid and steady with numbers starting with a 2 on the speedo. All in all a very fine bike for (relatively) not many dollars!