On the road with the GSX-S125

After squeezing everything we could out of the R on track, the next day it was time to jump on the S and see how the package works on roads.

The same good manners that the R had shown yesterday were evident in the S, too. There was a good level of acceleration, and the bike reached 60mph quickly. From there it was a bit slower to reach the top speed, which according to my dash was 74mph (flattening yourself on the tank rather than sitting bolt upright makes a big difference with this level of power). The level of power is more than adequate in towns and the S manages to keep up with traffic on fast A- and B-roads, too. Overtakes at anything above 50mph are a bit tricky, but not impossible. Just plan ahead and get a run on whatever you’re going past.

Claimed fuel consumption is 122mpg, meaning a near 300-mile range from a tankful. At the end of our somewhat ‘spirited’ test ride the dash showed 73.1mpg, but with a more sensible pace that figure would be significantly higher.

Suspension should be identical between the two bikes, but the front felt softer on the GSX-S125 for some reason – perhaps because of the different riding position. It still handled very well (which is just as well as the suspension is not adjustable on either model, front or back), and coped admirably over bumpy country lanes.

Because of the upright riding position and the wide bars, the S is easy to manoeuvre, making it a very pleasant bike to ride both in town and out on the open roads. If you don’t fancy the more committed riding position of the R, this is a great all-rounder – it’s just as much fun as the R and looks good too.