DOES SIZE MATTER?

Last year I landed up with two totally different test bikes from two different manufacturers at the same time and thought nothing of it then. Until I had them parked side-by-side that is.

- Ferdie Pieterse

In the one corner, the Suzuki GSXR1000 sat proud. Suzuki’s GSXR1000 is an iconic motorcycle, seeing the light of day back in 1986 as the GSXR1100. Many reincarnations later, it is maybe not the absolute top-of-the-range cutting-edge superbike of the modern era, but that’s not the point of this article. When introduced back in the day, the GSXR1100 and 750 were both the lightest and ‘smallest’ bikes in their classes. In the 90’s the GSXR range grew quite a few pounds and longer wheelbases, but over time the GSXR’s stared shrinking down to today’s proportions.

In the other corner, we have the BMW R 1250GS. It has a great following all over the world, even more so in South Africa. And trust me, it is not a small bike. If you see one approaching from the front it has huge presence, pretty much like a Ford Ranger (or Hilux if you prefer) fitted with all the extras. It is almost spaceship-like in its appearance. Unlike the GSXR, the 1250GS became bigger and bigger and has evolved over the years becoming more menacing in its frontal appearance. Thankfully, due to modern materials, the weight has been kept in check to a certain degree, but it is still a big, heavy bike.