The good, the bad and the ugly
Winter’s hard on bikes – so how is the Suzuki GSX-S1000F standing up?
FOR THE PAST few weeks, I’ve been living with the Suzuki GSX-S1000F, having taken the keys from my predecessor as he headed off to the world of four-wheeled journalism. “It’s the most comfortable bike ever,” Colin enthused, which wasn’t how I remembered it, having ridden one back from the south of France in one hit the year before.
But you know what? When you’re not in the saddle for twice as long as is sensible, it really is comfy. We’re not talking big tourer/ big trailie levels of roominess, but the reach to the bars is relaxed, even my long legs aren’t cramped, the tall touring screen does just enough to limit the windblast and the seat is plenty plush enough for journeys lasting up to the two hours it takes to drain a tankful of fuel.
That’s a pleasant surprise, given that it’s essentially a sportsbike in disguise. An even better surprise is how easily managed the retuned K5 GSX-R1000 engine is on the greasy winter roads. This is a mighty 143bhp engine, but it manages to find grip on the least likely surfaces – and when increasingly confident twists of the wrist eventually break traction, it merely flashes an orange light for a second, the tail feeling light, then carries surefootedly on its way. There are three levels of traction control, so perhaps this isn’t the right time of year to have it dialled all the way down, anyway.
More importantly, it’s a fun bike to ride. I remember this from riding it on my French trip. The steering is fast, light and accurate, while the engine pulls hard out of each corner and charges away down each straight. That’s how you ride in summer, right? Well, I’m being smooth and rarely hitting full throttle, but the GSX-S does a
good winter-friendly version that’s plenty exciting enough, even without provoking the traction control.
This is the Tour version of the GSX-S, which means it has a bigger screen and some luggage: a ring-mounted tankbag and a tailpack, but I stopped using them almost straight away. I found the tankbag too small to be useful – my trusty 12-year-old Oxford magnetic bag is a better size, but the tank ring stops it sitting on the mostly metal tank properly. The tailpack is better, but wouldn’t hold enough for a week away, is less flexible than my normal Kriega US-20 and, worse, it has already chaffed the paintwork.
Mind you, Suzuki always insisted this wasn’t a sports tourer, so it’s no surprise the luggage feels like an afterthought. Strapping a larger rollbag on the back is really frustrating. There’s a good bungee point on each pillion footrest hanger, to which I attached one end of a Rok Strap. Further back there… nothing. I found two fold-out loops under the tiny pillion pad, but they’re too high and too far forward, so the bag is pulled into the space where I should sit. It’s hopeless. The bike definitely needs some sturdy mounting points further back.
This Tour version also has heated grips fitted. Only I can’t switch them on. I need to take the GSX into a dealer to get them working again, which is disappointing on a brand-new machine. As is the wear on the heel plates. I’m wearing normal road boots so they shouldn’t have scuffed up so horribly. They’re a real contrast to the rest of the bike which (luggage scuffing aside) is standing up really well to the winter. Fasteners are non-furry, the chain is non-orange, it cleans easily and takes polish well (though I give it a liberal spray of anti-corrosion coating after each wash).
I’ve found myself warming to the GSX-S as the miles have gone by. It’s a curious blend of rewarding and undemanding – fast and fun without being lairy or scary. It’s easy to live with and does everything I need from a bike. Yet something stops me raving about it. I don’t catch myself looking forward to each ride because I’ll be on the big Suzuki or looking for reasons to get it out of the garage. It’s an easy bike to like, but sadly it’s one that’s hard to love.