2024 Suzuki GSX-8R Review | Motorcycle Test

2024 Suzuki GSX-8R Review

Review by Wayne Vickers

I quite liked the GSX-8S when it lobbed on our shores last year. A fun little road bike that was more than engaging in the Queensland hinterland, as well as around Lakeside Raceway (check the YouTube vid out if you haven’t seen it for my dog-on-race-track avoidance shenanigans).

And Suzuki has now followed up with the GSX-8R. Does R stand for Rorty? Racey? Rambunctious? Whatever it stands for, the 8R is quite a nice thing. And I got to spend the day on one, punting it along Victoria’s Great Ocean Road at the Aussie launch.

Mechanically, it’s quite similar to the 8S and runs the same chassis and driveline. The main differences are the obvious full fairing and screen, a slightly lower and forward ‘bar position, and firmer Showa suspension at both ends.

But before I dive into how those tweaks change the bike, let’s do a quick recap over the whole package.

It’s running the 776 cc parallel-twin shared by the 8S, as well as the V-Stroms – and punches out a stout 82 hp at 8500 rpm, with 78 Nm at 6800 rpm. It’s a lovely engine, well-fuelled and quite torquey off the bottom. The GSX-8R tips the scales at just over 200 kg, but feels nothing like that heavy.

It has a nice low 810 mm seat and is generally super-easy to ride. Twin 310 mm Nissin brakes up front provide plenty of stopping power.

It has the same quick-shifter as the 8S, although I found this one to be a little tighter and more urgent in the lower gears. Maybe it just needed more kilometres. It felt, in fact, just like the V-Strom road variant I’d tested recently, as opposed to the 8S and the V-Strom DE, which both felt a lot smoother.

I also like what Suzuki has done with the styling. Those vertically-stacked headlights are still to fully grow on me, but the profile looks sorted. And it is ripe for a tail-tidy. One thing I hadn’t picked up from any pictures or videos, but did notice in the metal, was a certain Katana-esque curve that ran over the top of the petrol tank and then down through that front fairing. A nice subtle nod to the past that really surprised me when I spotted it.

The colours are all impressive, too. That Pearl Ignite Yellow is the first one I was drawn too. Absolutely killer. And once I finally looked properly at the Metallic Triton Blue I noticed it had that subtle metallic sheen to it, and suddenly it was my favourite. The only question mark I had on these two colours was the grey wheels.

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They don’t really match the Anthracite on the subframe and look a little undercoat-like to my eyes. The yellow would look awesome with black wheels and the blue should have blue wheels like the 8S does. In the end, I came full circle and was eyeing off the Silver with the red wheels! Either way – plenty of choices.

The riding position is only slightly more aggressive than the 8S, so it’s still plenty comfortable. It’s not running low clip-ons, but forged aluminium handlebars that are only just forward and down from the S. So, it’s sportier without being too racey for the road. This is a real world bike, not a race replica. So it’s plenty comfortable enough to do a full day along one of the greatest roads in the country. And that front screen is low enough to push air directly onto your chest, so there is no buffeting.

I’ve talked plenty about the engine in the 8R’s sister bikes – but it’s certainly worth going over again. What a sweet thing. A proper 270-degree crank and a patented cross-balancer equates to a great-sounding and smooth twin. It’s punchy, too. There’s noticeably more grunt than a certain red competitor that, by comparison, is probably better up top.

And while we didn’t get enough distance on the bikes to really get a conclusive range, with a 14 L tank I’m going to estimate you’d be fuelling at the 250-300 km mark, depending on how much fun you’ve been having.

I’m told they’re racing these things in the States and I’m curious what tweaks they’d be doing and what the results would be. I’d assume a cam, full exhaust and tune, would have it punching much closer to 100 ponies. There’s no doubt that would be an even more exciting ride. But for your favourite twisty road, with corner speeds at or near posted limits, this is a properly rewarding bike.

There is a certain section of Great Ocean Road I’ve done more a few times, on and in various machines. It’s nice and tight for about two whole kilometres. Flicking from one side to the other on the 8R was probably one of the more enjoyable and least intimidating runs through there I can recall. The morning was damp with patchy rain here and there, but then the sun came out right at the appropriate time. Very nice. We weren’t scraping the knees, but couldn’t have been that far off it.

Ride modes and electronics are the same as the S, and I was perfectly happy staying with the slightly more relaxed B map, which gives just as much power as A, with a touch less throttle sensitivity and a flatter power curve.

The quick-shifter is at its best under load and/or in the upper gears. I was a bit critical and suspect of the quick-shifter in the V-Strom road-variant in the same way, but perhaps it was getting better as the day went on as the bike had more kays put on it. So that could be a thing, too.

Suspension-wise, the 8S was certainly acceptable, but the 8R steps it up another notch. The move to Showa suspension from KYB is a noticeable step up in terms of firmness and control, without really losing any comfort. Big Piston forks up front have plenty of feel, and the shock seemed pretty good, too.

With more time on it, I might have gone up a step or two on pre-load just to see what that did, but it was in the ballpark for sure. I wasn’t looking for any compression or damping adjustments, which is just as well, as only the rear preload is adjustable. So while the shocks might not be fully adjustable, I don’t think most folks will need anything more than the pre-load.

There are plenty of options available from Suzuki, such as heated grips, billet levers, and such bling, but one thing that did catch my eye was the soft luggage option with a quick-detach system. It certainly looks sturdy enough and suits the bike’s lines quite nicely.

Price is where it scores more big marks. At just under fifteen grand on the road, it’s only eight hundred bucks more than the S, which seems serious value. The question for me is, does it go far enough?

Do punters want more differentiation, and do they expect to pay a little more for it? Should it have a bit of a tune in it and fully-adjustable suspension? Or is Suzuki leaving room for an RR version now that the Gixxer 750 has departed?

Time will tell. But if I had the choice between the S and the R, I’d go for the R.

I like the Suzuki GSX-8R because:

• You get that sweet driveline that I liked so much in the 8S.
• With even better handling – and it’s still plenty comfortable.
• An $800 premium over the S is bloody good value for full fairings and better suspension, so it’s a no-brainer for weather protection alone.

I’d like the Suzuki GSX-8R more if:

• Wheel-paint colour needs a rethink on the yellow and blue schemes.
• While I think this represents great value, I can’t help but think there’s an opportunity for more here. I’d have thought an R version could/should have more differentiation. A different cam and tune for another 10hp with a juicier sounding Yoshi slip on?
• Does that leave room for an RR version perhaps? With more hump, clip-ons AND fully adjustable suspension that could be taken to the track in earnest? Hmmm…

Head to the Suzuki Motorcycles Australia website for more info (link).

2024 Suzuki GSX-8R Specifications