The kings of effortless road riding
Sports-tourers are quiet heroes and they’re better than ever
If someone says ‘all-rounder’ you’ll probably imagine something tall, semi-knobbly and sprouting a beak. But, despite perceptions and trends, the traditional sports-tourer is still very much alive and well. Kawasaki’s Z1000SX has been their best-selling UK bike for almost a decade thanks to mixing performance and ease of use with touring ability. Kawasaki clearly see a bright sportstouring future too, as the Zed-ThouEss-Ex has evolved into the sharper
Ninja 1000SX for 2020. And for those with fond memories of old-school sports-tourers there is Suzuki’s GSX-S1000F, which still follows the time-honoured path of taking a sportsbike and making it more practical and mature.
With surging inline-four engines, full fairings and no desire to even get their tyres dusty, both are very different propositions to adventurebased options. On the great roads that make up the MCN250 test routes, both also highlight why they’re still such brilliant bikes. It’s the Kawasaki that makes the first positive impression on Lincolnshire’s convoluted B1176. The new Ninja SX is loaded with tech – cruise, colour dash, two-way quickshifter, three riding modes, adjustable traction, lean and G-force graphics – but fancy new trinkets are not the reason. No, it’s because the Kwak no longer steers like its front wheel is drowning in custard. Previous variants needed serious input on the inside ’bar, especially at low speed, but this bike skips from left to right without resistance. Otherwise it’s reassuringly SX, from styling and stance to noise, striding midrange and GPz wheel adjusters. It’s primped, polished and classier as the Ninja, though. The straight-back riding position is as good as before, but with added luxury from a thicker seat – meaning a smidge more legroom, too. Suspension still balances comfort and control, only now with greater plushness. The reasonably effective screen adjusts as before (press a tab by the clocks, move by hand) but now has four angles to choose from, and you also get all those blingy electronics in the £11,147 on-theroad price (in green or white; this paint is £200 extra). This SX Touring model has panniers, heated grips, slightly taller screen and sat-nav mount for a grand more. Familiar 1043cc engine as well.
Despite new cams and odd-length inlets the inline four makes the same claimed 140bhp and 82lb.ft as before, and feels identical. And that’s great. There’s eager-to-please thrust, with snappier low-end response than the Suzuki. Power fades above 9500rpm (redline is 10,500), but the midrange is so swollen you won’t care.
The Suzuki returns the same 45mpg average as the Kawasaki, but that’s where the similarities end. The GSX-S1000F feels and sounds more like a high-bar sportsbike than a sensible sports-tourer – because that’s what it is. The 999cc, 150bhp motor is based on the 2005 GSX-R1000 and has rushing longlegged drive, pulling with spiralling urgency to 10,000rpm. You can hold ratios for so long it makes the Ninja seem frantic. It feels faster than the SX too, helped by a rowdy soundtrack and close gears – shift from fourth through to sixth at 60mph and revs barely drop.
It’s a sportier-feeling chassis too. You sit ‘in’ the GSX-S rather than ‘on’ like the 1000SX, with a lower, thinner seat and more sportily positioned pegs. It’s still an upright and comfy stance, and low-speed balance is superb, but feels more purposeful. The Suzuki’s ride is firmer and doesn’t have the suppleness of the Kwak at low speed, but handling is more accurate and intuitive.
But leaning more to towards sport than touring means the Suzuki lacks some all-round appeal. Its dash is clear, the mirrors are good, sure. But it doesn’t have inbuilt pannier mounts and pillion accommodation isn’t as good as on the Ninja. There’s no cruise control, quickshifter, remote rear preload adjuster, heated grips or as much data on the dull dash. Modes? Phone connectivity? Nope. Screen height isn’t adjustable either (though this bike’s £285 super-tall accessory item is very protective).
Not having any of this not only limits the Suzuki’s weekend-away appeal but makes it look dated next to the spangly Kwak.
The engaging B664 and flowing A6003 in the latter sections of our B-road loop shine a spotlight on real attraction to the GSX-S, though. No, it’s not got umpteenlevel traction or a widget showing what percentage braking effort you’ve used. So what? Suzuki have pretty much nailed the essentials – and the bike itself is lovely. It overflows with the feel, sound, character and performance of a Noughties sportsbike, but with small concessions for usability, a less boisterous image and a riding position that suits aging riders. And is as good as that sounds.
It’s also keenly priced. Yes, the Ninja 1000SX Tourer represents great value; there’s not much with its performance and equipment level for 12 grand or just over. But there’s £500 off the GSX-S1000F at the moment, making it just £10,347 on the road. Buy before the end of June and there’s a 0% APR hire purchase deal for up to four years – with £2500 down that’s £163 a month. With that deposit, the GSX-S on HP is only £1.32 a day more than this Ninja 1000SX Tourer on PCP and it’ll be all yours at the end, where you’ll need to find an extra £5900 to keep the SX.