Frothing at the mouth: The GSX-8S and 8R Comparison
Finally entering its figurative hat into the burgeoning ‘middle weight twin’ ring last year Suzuki launched its first all new big bike platform with the naked GSX-8S which was later followed by the faired ‘sports bike’ R model earlier this year. The replacement of the ‘s’ with an r’ proved too close for many to the legendary ‘GSXR’ moniker and subsequently caused considerable frothing at the mouth across the social media platforms and led to the new bike being hung drawn and quartered long before a wheel had been turned.
With Suzuki seemingly withdrawing from the motorcycling brands arms race over the last few years I was buoyed from the possibility of Suzuki perhaps beginning its return and choosing to do so in the sector which has not only rejuvenated motorcycling on the whole, but bringing in new riders and attracting a return from those whom hung up their helmets long ago.
There’s been no escaping the damage caused by the continuous tightening of the licensing laws since the turn of the century which stemmed the flow of young riders following the traditional pathway of passing their test at 17 and working their way up the bhp ladder as funds and insurance allowed. The costly, complicated process despite its positive safety benefits resulted in those that would have previously continued their motorcycling journey simply walking away from the pursuit.
Admittedly’ the issue had been compounded by the lack of imagination and input from the manufacturers by failing to produce aspirational models alluring enough to have those rider’s reconsider.
The winds of change have been blowing over the last few years, first with the middle weight twin sector and now with the focus beginning to turn to the A2 category, the first stepping stone on the motorcycling ladder being Aprilia and its’ all new RS457 which squarely aimed at bringing the maximum permitted excitement to those early riding years of which is hopefully followed by the other manufactures in short order.
With a gold star awarded to Suzuki for effort, its back to the new models. The GSX-8S and GSX-8R both of which share the same 270-degree parallel twin, itself packed with innovative features, most notable of which being an cross balancer. A patented biaxial primary balancer which positions its two balancers at 90° to the crankshaft which is a first for a production motorcycle. This mechanism reduces vibration and has helped to create a lightweight powerplant that is more compact front to rear had a more standard arrangement been used.
It’s also fitted with the Suzuki clutch assist system (SCAS) which leverages precision-engineered ramps to force the clutch boss and pressure plate together, efficiently transferring torque to the rear wheel under acceleration, all while using softer clutch springs. The slipper clutch partially disengages when downshifting and decelerating to mitigate the effect of engine braking providing smoother deceleration. The powerplant also utilises a longer stroke than many of its rivals which coupled with relatively short gearing has resulted in class leading low and midrange performance. The maximum quoted 81bhp and 57lb-ft really don’t tell the full story, as always, it’s the area under the curves that matters.
Both models also share the frame, electronics, switchgear etc however the R benefits from an upgrade to its front suspension with Showa SFF-BP (Separate Function Fork – Big Piston) replacing the non-adjustable KYB fitted to S as well as having different clips on and of course its fairing, the R weighs in some 3 kg heavier than the S at a kerb weight of 205 kg vs 203 kg for the S.
Collecting the S first, I found myself quite taken with the overall appearance and the Pearl Tech colour scheme which I felt really highlighted the sharpness of the design. Somehow managing to both be fresh and modern yet giving retro ‘Katana’ vibes. The fit and finish of the components along with the boring cable and wiring routing all pointed to a well thought out and developed model, something that does let down some of its peers.
With the 5” TFT clearly the star of the show, a special mention goes to textured coating given to the handlebars, top yoke and ignition shroud which help to make the cockpit of the S feel more premium than its price point would suggest.
The switch gear is instantly recognisable as a modern Suzuki. Decently sized buttons/switches which operate the intuitive menu and settings that are on offer. These being 3 rider modes, adjustable traction control along with an array of the standard display/info settings. A special mention goes to the fuel gauge, something I think every motorcycle should have in the present day. The overall display itself is refreshingly simple and clear, retaining a swept rev counter design which is a plus in my book.
With a relatively low 810mm seat height, lifting the bike off it stand for the first time its weight is noticeable, again at odds with the term ‘middle weight’ is again questionable, as is a motorcycle with an 800cc engine. 203KG is 1000cc super naked territory. However, once upright the weight does disappear. The low seat height along with the overall narrowness provided by the parallel twin motor does a very good job of making the S feel more svelte than it is. The bars are just the right side of wide, around shoulder width for myself and in relation to the seating position result in slightly forward of neutral upper body position. The pegs are set centrally and lower than its more sporting rivals.
Shuffling the S around to be able to exit the parking space the steering feels exceptionally light thanks in part to the noted lack of a steering damper, the wide bars and the noticeable amount of rear suspension sag leading to a very rear feeling weight bias.
Starting the S for the first time and the usual Suzuki ‘clockwork whir’ is immediately audible below the very twin sounding exhaust note, itself louder than I was expecting from an OE exhaust system.
The usual excellent light Suzuki clutch and gearbox action see my first few minutes aboard the S negotiating the exit of a tight and busy industrial estate during which it immediately feels as though I’ve been riding it for years. Both front and rear brakes have excellent lever feel and the low speed fuelling (currently in B mode) is beautifully metering out what I want, as I want it.
Once out onto more open roads despite the standard fitment quick shifter/blipper I’m enjoying using the clutch for shifts whilst exploring what’s on offer from the new engine. Which with its sound and strong, immediate surge of torque has all the hallmarks of riding a V twin. The longer stroke of the Suzuki unit along with its unique balancer setup has resulted in an exceptionally strong midrange surge which remains strong enough in the upper range to easily find yourself hitting the soft limiter. Despite the balancer setup some vibrations, particularly whilst sitting at constant motorway speeds that make themselves known through both the pegs and handlebars. These I feel add to the overall experience rather than detract, a twin regardless of configuration should have its own character and Suzuki has ploughed its own furrow just as it did with say, the SV650.
Heading along a familiar B road reveals the quick shifter to work brilliantly, inadvertently shining a light on the auto blipper which despite boasting the ability to operate downshifts with the throttle still open does so with a harsh, slightly mistimed action. Nothing that couldn’t be solved with some adjustment to its kill/gain/timing, but enough to have me wince enough to find myself changing ‘old school’ style. Which I feel suites the attitude, handling and performance of the S. Engaging.
The non-adjustable suspension (with the exception of preload to the rear shock) does a good job of delivering comfort and performance. Only when really pushing on, on bumpy roads did I find the limits of its performance could be found. The previously mentioned rearward weight, kerb weight and long wheelbase result in a generally stable handling motorcycle. Only a handful of times during my miles on the S did I manage to instigate instability. This was always on the same section of extremely bumpy road whilst under hard 3rd gear acceleration where enough weight was loaded off the front end that a series of bumps managed to result in tank slappers which without the aid of a steering damper did progress further than I’ve managed on the dozens of other motorcycles I’ve ridden on that stretch of road.
The rearward handling bias of the S and relatively low footpegs respond best to a more point and squirt riding style, itself making the most use of the potent midrange surge metered out through with the brilliantly ratioed gearbox. The Nissin brakes offering more feel than overall stopping power are more than up to the task of hauling the S to a stop, to the point of being able to overwhelm the front suspension to its stops. Again, during my test there was a particular corner where a series of ripples just before the transition into the corner put the suspension firmly into it stops which in turn activated the ABS. Although initially disconcerting it highlighted that the system was there and ready to help once the limits of the package had been reached.
I’ve no doubt that an upgrade from the OE Dunlop’s to sportier/softer carcass type choice would increase the overall grip and aid the suspension in absorbing some of the energy, potentially avoiding the ABS from making its self-known so early.
That being said the during my time on the road I did not experience any issues with the OE Dunlops other than a remoteness from the front tyre. No slips or slides from either end, even with the traction control off and would be happy to allow them to see out their miles if I owned an S/R myself.
The S makes easy work of urban riding, the light action assisted clutch is a joy to use and its more than happy pulling away in 2nd gear which is always a positive for town work. The riding position affords excellent visibility even if the mirrors would benefit greatly from longer stalks they are still give a more than acceptable view of what’s going on behind. The seat is wide and plush with an excellent backstop which is perfect for pushing against as and when rising spiritedly.
Jumping onto the R straight from the S and its immediate the two modes have more in common than they do differences. The R off the stand feels a slightly heavier proposition to manoeuvre around, not only as result of the additional weight of the fairing (3kg) but also a change in its weight balance. The above the yoke clip on handlebars also result in a markedly different feeling when pushing lock to lock. I note that the clips are not only above the yolk, mimicking sports bikes of the past, but are also swept back considerably behind the yoke rather than alongside.
Once on the move these changes along with the fairing being mounted somewhat below yokes change the ‘S’ models sensation of sitting within the bike to that of sitting on top of the bike.
The fairing sits low and further forward than a true super sport bike which gives the overall feeling that the R is a larger motorcycle over the S despite them both sharing the same wheelbase.
The above the yoke clip-ons still offer a drop in height over the bars of the S, with the swept angle of the clip-ons also canting your upper body forward as well as lower and pulling your elbows in. An overall more sports bike aping riding position.
The footpegs and seating height remain unchanged from the S, however in addition to the fairing and the addition of the clip-on handlebars the R has an upgrade in suspension from KYB to Showa SFF-BP (Separate function fork – big piston) yet still non- adjustable items. Out on the open road its clear that these are an upgrade on the KYB units fitted to the S, less harsh in their stroke and able to cope with rapid bumps in a much more controlled manor. Testing at the same corner entry which saw the ABS chiming on the S each and every time, I only managed to do so on the R a couple of times, however I feel this is more a result of riding the R in more traditional ‘super sport’ way as the change in riding position lends itself to, running through the corner with more speed and lean which in turn raised the issue of ground clearance. The trade-off of the more comfortable low mounted pegs, which on the S can be ridden around, do become a hinderance on the R. I personally found the front end feeling to be a little less communicative on the R than with the S, which for me is a result of the clip ons being behind the yokes rather than true clip-ons and a continuation of the remoteness afforded form the OE font Dunlop with the Rs higher demands.
This change of attack on the R also results in more considered gear selection over the S to ensure there’s enough revs left to exit the corner with enough drive whilst also ideally being in the mid-range sweet spot. The change of riding position and the addition of the fairing both dulling the sensation of speed, exactly as you want on a sports bike. This on the road results in having to achieve higher speeds to feel the same sensations you do on the S.
The extra weight over the front end on the R largely resolves the tank slapping ability which the S can fall foul to at its upper limits and sees the R quick to ‘fall’ into a corner. This quick initial turn in is met with excellent mid corner stability which does take some effort to make complete the turn. A trade-off of the shared wheelbase with the S.
All these things result in two very distinct motorcycles despite on paper being virtually identical. The S is the broader proposition with a lower overall performance ceiling which is excellent for urban work and extremely engaging firing along twisting B roads. Its playful character, commanding riding position and torque laden motor makes for a motorcycle on which an inexperienced rider will quicky build confidence on, or a more experienced rider will have an absolute hoot on, all whilst keeping speeds down to (hopefully) non-custodial- sentence levels.
The R takes away some of the urban riding ability of the S and replaces it with a higher overall performance level. Those for whom commuting means A roads and motorways the fairing offers excellent wind protection and higher, more comfortable cruising speeds and a reduction in vibes over the S when holding steady motorway speeds.
Once off those and onto the twisty b- roads the R seeks out higher cornering speeds and those that can keep up maximum momentum. A genuine ‘my first sports-bike’ with the added benefit of genuine everyday usability in a similar vein to early CBR600s and their everything to everyone blend of performance and convenience.
Both models are excellent starting points for your chosen route. Although not strictly necessary, each bike would respond greatly from various upgrades and not necessarily the same package of upgrades for each model. Which for me always provides an excellent ownership journey especially for those who prefer to modify rather than replace once familiarity sets in.
Perhaps given the success of both models since their launch we could see Suzuki look to further sperate the two models from each other over future generations or potentially offer an extra ‘R’ version of each.
As it stands both models are well considered and executed additions to the middle weight twin market. At £8299 OTR for the S and £8999 OTR for R they sit comfortably within the sector price points and at the time of writing benefit from an additional year of warranty from 2 to 3 years on new motorcycles purchased between 01/01/24 until 31/12/24 with the option to extend to 7 years/70,000 miles of service activated warranty for motorcycles serviced through an authorised Suzuki dealer.
Written by Danny McFadden – www.DannyMcfadden.co.uk
Please email for more information on works at : Info@FirstTurnMedia.co.uk C/O Danny
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