Welcome Resurgence

Suzuki jump back into the competitive middleweight category with the attractive GSX-8S

- Adam Child

SUZUKI HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF producing affordable and fun-to-ride naked middleweight bikes. In fact, for many riders over 40, Suzuki's 1996 Bandit 600 will be remembered as the original-and possibly the best-entry-level middleweight of them all. It was handsome, easy to ride, enormous fun, and cheap and a huge sales success across the world.

In 1999, Suzuki, seemingly with a golden touch for nailing this budget market, introduced the SV650 V-twin. Like the Bandit, it was offered naked or faired and was as undemanding as it was satisfying to own and ride. In time the SV morphed into the Gladius, then, by popular demand, back to the SV and it is still on sale today.

Now, in the spring of 2023, Suzuki are introducing the all-new GSX-8S as, you have guessed it, an affordable, fun, and easy-to-ride middleweight. However, despite the ethos being the same as its legendary predecessors, this is a completely new model for Suzuki who, having remained dormant for far too long, have erupted into life with the intention of grabbing a significant slice of the key middleweight market.

The GSX-8S is powered by Suzuki's all-new DOHC 776-cc parallel twin platform which features a 270-degree crank and produces a claimed 83 hp at 8,500 rpm and 78 Nm at 8,000 rpm. It is the same motor that is housed in the new V-Strom 800DE; the only differences being in the fuelling and exhaust. Both use the same reverse airbox which sits under the seat.

Ride-by-wire allows three engine modes (A, B, and wait for it-C) and there are three traction control settings (plus Off). Rider aids are not lean-sensitive, which means no cornering ABS, but Suzuki's bi-directional quick-shifter does come as standard.