My first Suzuki
After eight years, five previous bikes and nearly 220,000km saddle time, I’ve just gone and done something a little unusual: I have procured a 2010 Suzuki GSX1250FA in the factory touring format. It’s Indy Candy Blue. This event is unusual because this is my first Suzuki.
Why? Three months ago I had a rather eventful mishap with my Aprilia Shiver that resulted in it being written off by my insurer.
Looking for a replacement has been a bit exhausting. What else is there on the market with good ergonomics, reasonable range, reliable parts and after sales service at a price that doesn’t make one’s nose bleed? Very little, in my opinion. A 1200cc or even 750cc Shiver with a 19 litre tank may have seduced me, but it would have needed to be a massive seduction to counter the downside provided by the suboptimal and largely disinterested New Zealand distributor. A KTM 990SMT may have done it, if KTM still had these as a current model and if they were several thousand dollars less expensive. Ducati Multistrada? Not new at the current prices, and I would be reluctant to procure the previous model version given their finicketyness for service and the cost of getting that. Yamaha TDM990? A bit dear and, according to Yamaha New Zealand’s web site, not currently available in this market (like most of the Yamaha range, which is in fact available for sale new). Suzuki V-Strom 1,000? Nice, but it doesn’t speak to me, sorry. Yamaha FJR1300? Been there, done that. Bloody brilliant bike, and a bit pricey new. Kawasaki? Nothing that interests me (I don’t want a Concours for the same reason I don’t want an FJR1300). Honda? Nothing that interests me (I’ve owned an ST1300 and don’t rate it anywhere near the FJR or the Connie).
Suzuki GSX1250FA? Bingo!
I may well have bought one of these in its standard form – without the Givi hard luggage. I really like the look of them, and think that the Indy Candy Blue model with its titanium-coloured rims is the sexiest of the three available colours (silver and black being the other two choices). A GSX-R1000 headlight and the full engine fairing enhance the sharp looks. But New Plymouth Motorcycle Centre had their demonstrator (1,130km on the clock and new bike smell) available at a very sharp price. They added Oxford heated grips, a Scottoiler and a Leo Vince SBK can for a few extra sheckles, and I was sold!
So on Friday just past, Mrs H and I flew to New Plymouth and rode it home.
Jumping on, the first thing I noticed was the lack of leg room compared with the Shiver. McDonald Motor Trimmers will be able to help me with that, I’m sure. Otherwise the ergonomics are very Japanese, well finished and in the right places.
Starting it up? It’s a Suzuki. Squeeze the clutch in mate!
Riding away, it’s sublimely smooth. Indeed it’s hard to believe that there are any reciprocating parts in the engine. It has a red line on the tach up there somewhere and even a shift light. Why, I’m not quite sure. All the business happens between 2,000rpm and 4,000rpm. Effortlessly. The 110Nm of torque peaks at 3,700rpm.
Riding an Aprilia Shiver meant that lots of gear changing was necessary. That was the first bike I ever owned where first was a genuine riding gear, particularly for sharp uphill corners.
It took me all of about three minutes to mentally segue back to my short-shifting habits and rolling-on-in-top-overtaking that was a feature of my time on an FJR1300. This lad clearly has a large soft-spot for big torquey inline fours.
Despite never having personally owned one, I have done a few km on Bandits before. Mrs H has a 650 and I’ve spent some time on both the 1200 and 1250 versions. I reckon that the GSX1250FA (not technically a Bandit, he said pedantically) handles differently. Better differently. Why? I’m not sure. Mechanically they’re the same bike. The only differences are the front suspenders, the full engine fairing, headlight, instrumentation, radiator and cooling fans.
Prior to purchasing I expected to be shelling out some cash in the not-to-distant future for a suitably skilled professional to apply their charms to the stock suspension. I may still do that, but the ride is way better than I expected. Most of my riding to date has been with the lovely Mrs H ensconced on the back too. Watch this space.
I also expected to have to shell out some cash on a seat upgrade, and will do so. The stock seat is about a 7 out of 10. I suspect it will be a bit of an arse eater on longer trips. Apparently the seat has three height adjustments. I need to read the instruction manual to see which of those it’s currently set at and how to change that. I’d like a bit more legroom, please.
Handing is great. I would have been remiss not to have aimed my new steed at some twisties on the way home. It took a few sets to get used to a wheelbase longer and mass heavier than the Shiver’s. But once rolling and weaving, it’s a real smile inducer. The stock tyres are Bridgestone 021s. So far I’ve only ridden these on perfect summer roads (apart from a couple of patches of roadworks). I was never a fan of the BT020 and will reserve judgement on these 021s until I see how well they go in the wet and how well they wear.
Brakes are ABS. Again I had some pre-purchase misgivings, having previously ridden ABS-equipped bikes where I found the whole experience unsettling due to spongey vagueness. This Suzuki’s ABS feels just like normal brakes. I haven’t yet had to put their ABSness to the test. They stop the bike and feel believable and true. I may throw some braided lines on at some time but that’s not a priority.
The Givi luggage works well. It’s the Monokey system and is very easy to off and on. Capacity is good and we plan to make good use of that on our travels.
Mrs H said she had an enjoyable pillion experience but says that the FJR1300 affords a pillion more legroom and is easier to mount and dismount. Although after some experimentation she fared better using the rider’s pegs for this purpose, rather than the pillion’s.
This GSX1250FA is quiet as for both the rider and the pillion. And that’s with a Leo Vince SBK can fitted. I don’t plan to remove the baffle from that. With the stock can on you’d need to use the tach to see if the engine was running. Wind deflection from the nose and screen is excellent. I had lots of lovely clean air coursing past my XR1100.
Coming back home yesterday there were some big winds across the Manawatu and through the northern Horowhenua. Despite having a pillion and full luggage kit, these winds and the odd gust troubled the Suzuki and its rider not a jot. I was very impressed by that. I’ll report back at some stage after I’ve negotiated the Rimutaka Hill Road in a gale but based on yesterday’s performance, I’d have few reservations about attempting that.
Niggles? Instrumentation mainly. Suzuki has built this new integrated unit with an analogue tach and digital everything else. It’s clean and easy to read. But you can’t have the clock and odometer up at the same time. Nor a trip meter and clock or trip meter and odometer. That omission could be helped by having a “mode” button on the lefthand grip somewhere. And there’s no ambient air temperature – I really miss that. It’s nice though to have a fuel gauge once again (the Shiver hasn’t got one of those).
So after a few hundred km, I’m very pleased with my new ride.
If you’re looking for a big comfy road eater that’s voraciously smooth, agile and predictable, buy a Suzuki GSX1250FA.
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Originally Posted by PrincessBandit
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