It's always a bit weird riding a different bike when you've been riding the same one for a long time. I was sorry to part with the Kawasaki Versys 1000 S Grand Tourer, but excited to ride Suzuki's new GSX-S1000 GT. I liked the look of it; I liked the idea of having 150bhp again (the Versys had 118bhp); and I had fond memories of riding the GSX-S1000F a few years back. In between running the original GSX-S and the Versys, I had a Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX, which is the new Suzuki's main rival, so I felt I was in a good position to compare the new GSX-S with the previous model, as well as with its closest competitor.
Making the Transition
But you get used to things, and the Versys was like a comfy pair of old slippers to me. During my first ride of the Suzuki, I missed having heated grips (riding in January makes them a necessity for me), so that will be the first thing I get fitted to the GT. I missed having an adjustable screen (another accessory I might have to procure), and I missed having a top box. While my GT has very stylish and color-coordinated hard panniers (big enough to take a full-face helmet) fitted, there's something just that bit more handy about a top box as it's sitting flat, rather than on its side, so you can just open it and chuck things in. BUT I do think top boxes are hideously ugly things, so I'll settle for the panniers on longer trips and probably order a tank bag from Suzuki for everyday use.
Denne historien er fra May 2022-utgaven av Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
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Denne historien er fra May 2022-utgaven av Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Honda CRF1100L ES Africa Twin
Without panniers he was adventuring nowhere - so at least Bertie's got something sorted now
BMW R 12 nineT
Chad gets a track day surprise when BMW's R 12 nineT turns out to be surprisingly fun on track
Test fleet: VOGE 525 DSX
After testing the Voge's abilities on a long ride, it was time to take it to the Cotswolds and see how it would manage on the rougher stuff
Portuguese Perambulations
Nearly over before it had begun, a brief workshop stint allows Spain and Portugal to be explored
Highway to Heaven
Three friends take on the challenge of riding the length of Canada, from Vancouver in the southwest to Inuvik in the north. The road is long, the conditions merciless, and wildfires are tearing through the country. To top it all off, the final leg of the journey is the ultimate test of gravel riding skills, nerves, and courage - it's the legendary Dempster Highway...
Battlaxes at the ready!
We tend to take tyres for granted, never really looking at them in any detail, or at how they work, just hoping that they keep us shiny side up at all times. Even in the wet
Ducati Riding Experience
When I rode the Ducati DesertX to France last year, I did have a bit of an explore on some easy fire roads and gentle green lanes in the wilds of the Médoc area, but was left with the feeling that, had I the experience, the DesertX would have been capable of taking me along some more extreme trails to some even more exciting places. If only there was a way of finding out just how well the Italian adventure bike could cope with some more extreme terrain...
Four pot flyer
Many said that sports bikes, and particularly bikes in the traditional Supersports class that was populated by 600cc inline fours, were dead. Maybe they spoke too soon?...
Eastern adventurer
With an increasing interest in smaller capacity adventure bikes, the market expands with a new entry
First Time Lucky?
It's ironic that the first all-new MV Agusta model to hit the marketplace right after Italy's No.1 trophy brand was acquired by Austrian giant Pierer Mobility, owner of off-road titans KTM, should be the company's first dual-purpose model of the modern era, powered by MV's all-new 931cc three-cylinder engine that's destined to form the basis of a whole series of new models in coming months and years.
