2006 2008 2010 GSX-R 1000 rides.

**Dafe** · 18th January 2011, 05:39

Thanks to Wellington Motorcycles hosting the Suzuki trial range of bikes, I was fortunate enough to take my first ride on a K9/K10 model GSX-R 1000.

Previously I've owned a K6, two K7's and currently a K8. I was a little nervous about trying a K10 as I knew that I may have to own one after trying one. That wasn't to be the case though.

I've read that there are a lot of significant upgrades done to the K10 and when you sit on this bike and twist the throttle, you can hear and feel a tighter & stronger engine response. The Showa suspension is a nice change too.

There is one change to this bike that ensures I will never purchase one though.
The seating position is not comfortable compared to a K6 or K8. This is personal preference though.

On a K5/K6 you tend to be seated at a low seat height and down in the bike. The K6 has a short wheel base. You are a little squeezed but it is generally quite comfortable for a litre sports bike.

The K7/K8 lengthened out the wheel base and this was notable as I was no longer required to attend Yoga class. The ride height is still lowish and the loading on the wrists is minimal.

Upon sitting on the K10 I immediately noticed a high seat height with the squeeze again, the high seat height creating more loading on the wrists. I felt like I was sitting on a R1.

I like the look of the K10 and the K8 equally. The K10 has a nicer instrumentation display, front headlights and showa suspension. I did not notice any difference in feel between the cable clutch and the hydraulic clutch.

In short, the seating position is the let down for me. If I wound back the clock 10 years then I imagine this wouldn't be such an issue but I do put a value on the comfort factor. I need to be able to ride the long trips and enjoy them. For this sole reason, I don't believe I will ever part money for a K9/K10. The K8 is the choice for me. I'll be looking forward to the next major GSX-R change in hope of a more comfortable bike, If not then it may be time for me to check out the Busas.

I'm keen to hear what other KB riders have experienced between the K6, K8 and K10 thou's as I've found very few articles online.