Suzuki GSX-S750
Thankfully, most test rides don’t start off by plugging a hole in a rad and spraying buckets of brake cleaner all over a heavily soiled (with coolant, that is) front tyre, but that was my intro to the GSX-S750.
This was one of my most anticipated bikes to cock a leg over, fuelled by the hype of its 2005 GSX-R750 derived motor. Thanks to the aforementioned factor though, there was little more I could do than grasp the magnitude of this bike’s lump, as I pussy-footed my way through the wide open Yorkshire Dales, painfully conscious that my front tyre offered about as much grip as a deep fried Mars bar... or at least for the first ten miles or so.
In that initial stretch, on roads that were built for bikes like this one to be taken to their redline and beyond, I really got a grasp of the Suzuki’s package and it wasn’t disappointing. The first thing to hit me was the revvy nature of the beast. It was unlike any of the others being unceremoniously flogged by my pursuers, for the simple reason that it was all about the top end. The bottom end was, well, crap. Flatter than an A cup and about as exciting too. But once the GSX’s motor got its shit together, there was no stopping its insatiable desire for speed. I say that acknowledging that the Suzuki is no super naked. It only makes a claimed 112bhp, and facilitates just five lb-ft of torque more than the wee KTM 690. But that being the case, the Suzuki’s top-end extravagance was still enjoyable to exploit.
The initial throttle pickup, the very first moment you get on the gas, felt harsh, but once the pistons were rolling, the delivery was smooth and linear and seemed to gain urgency with revs. It gave off a feeling of having earned the pace that would see you cling on for dear life as the wind did its best to dislodge you from the Suzuki’s comfortable saddle when cruising at illicit speeds, which added to the excitement on offer.
I’d liked that sensation, but I was much less of a fan of the low-end output, which was sloth-like when compared to the performance of every other bike in this mix, well, save for the WK. My biggest gripe was its reluctance to wheelie. I’d expect a 750 to pack the necessary punch for a clutched-up wheelie in second, but doing so would just make you look a nob as the revs screamed out and the front end stayed put on the ground.
In the bends, once I’d scrubbed all the crap from my front tyre, the GSX-S performed well. Suzuki have shown time and again they know how to make a bike handle, and this model’s no exception. I was impressed by both the stability of the bike and the way it changed direction with minimal effort.
You sit very forward on it and I reckon that helps plant your weight firmly over the front end, which gives off a planted and trustworthy feeling. The stock suspension was also decent when it came to sucking up
road imperfections, and it was impossible to knock it for vibes or poor ergonomics. It felt like someone had taken a sportsbike, nabbed the fairings off it and bunged some wide ’bars in place. For that reason, it’s the ideal bike for those of you migrating from sportsbikes to nakeds as it’s more of a halfway house than any of the others. But if fooling around and doing skids is your thing, there are better options.
My other gripe is the tech. The bike’s not hellishly priced, but one thing that was evident having blitzed the thing around everywhere, was the complete lack of need for the three levels of traction control on a bike this powerful.
Thankfully, you can switch the system off and that’s the way it remained throughout the course of two days of frolics, as it otherwise just reprimanded the experience. On a more positive note, the ABS was very good, and just as commendable as the stopping power of the bike’s anchors. All in, I very much liked the Suzuki, but I just wish it had a bit more grunt to get you going.