SUZUKI GSX-8R BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

Rising from the ashes of the discontinued GSX-R family, Suzuki is back with a sporty middleweight number.

- DANGEROUS

As the saying goes, you should never judge a book by its cover... or a sportsbike by its top yoke mounted bars, questionably long wheelbase, or significantly chunky 205 kilos. I say this having fallen foul of assuming Suzuki's new GSX-8R would be a bit of a flop, compromised by features like the above, plus a few other bits, such as the low footpeg position it inherited from the GSX-8S that forms much of the foundation of this protagonist.

While the 'S' makes as much sense as a pint down the pub, the idea of somehow magicking its naked platform into a pukka sportsbike seemed a stretch beyond my imagination - or, at least, without making more nips and tucks than you'd find on an ageing movie star.

Surely, slotting a fairing in place, an 'R' symbol on the side of it and some firmed-up suspension wasn't going to transform the street hustler into a trackfuelled fiend? But Suzuki seemed to think it would... so much so that it decided to launch the bike in Spain, at one of my favourite race tracks - Monteblanco.

And to make the trip that bit more enticing, while showing off the versatility of the package, the brand decided to throw in a 200km road ride around some of the finest squiggles of tarmac you'll find in the southern region.

Sitting through the presentation, 34 floors above the city of Seville, I got my first proper look at the 8R in the flesh. It seemed decent enough, full of tech and shiny bits, while undeniably showing off the same donor frame and engine you'll find on the S. In fact, even the rear subframe and seat unit was a crossover part, alongside the 14-litre fuel tank and 5in colour TFT dash that was to play host to a raft of rider modes and functions.