PERFECT PLATFORM
Unless you’re in MotoGP, to build a great race bike you must first have a great road-going bike, which can then be the platform on which you build your race bike. The Suzuki Gixxer SF is a perfect platform to build a race bike
THE SUZUKI Gixxer SF, which is essentially a fully faired version of the naked street-fighter Gixxer, retains all the positive points of the latter; naturally so, since the chassis and the powertrain are common to both the bikes. When we first rode the bike, we came back impressed. The 155-cc singlecylinder air-cooled engine was smooth and revved freely, while the chassis resulted in a bike that handled exceedingly well. At the time we had felt that the Gixxer SF could be a good platform for a race bike for beginners.
There were a couple of reasons that had led us to this conclusion about the Gixxer SF. To start with, the bike’s chassis was outstanding and, as a result, endowed the Gixxer SF with amazing handling characteristics. While we were impressed by the bike’s dynamic abilities when we first rode it on the twisty roads of Lavasa, the impression was reinforced when we took the bike through 10 of the highest Himalayan passes last year. On that run, the bike’s handling prowess came to the fore with its ability to inspire confidence through every turn, sweeper or switchback. It felt equally stable at speed on the long straights we traversed once we were back down in the plains. Such dynamic abilities are great to have in a platform that can serve as the base for a race bike.
The Suzuki Gixxer SF’s engine, too, is a great asset. The engine construction is simple and, therefore, modifications necessary to make the bike ready for racing are easily accommodated. Although one sometimes feels that the road-going Gixxer SF should have had a bit more than its peak 14.8 PS, which is available at 8,000 RPM, Suzuki make sufficient modifications to adapt the bike to their racing requirements. As a result, there is plenty of power in the race bike. The way the power is developed is also noteworthy since there is a linearity to the delivery that inevitably helps novice riders feel comfortable with the Suzuki Gixxer SF.
Overall, there can be no doubt that the Suzuki Gixxer SF is a great platform to create a race bike for novices and beginners looking to make a foray into the world of motorcycle racing.