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suzuki gsx

Suzuki’s latest offering in the sportbike world, the GSX-8R, is a combination of style and performance. Suzuki says the new motorcycle is designed to turn heads while delivering a thrilling riding experience. 

Aerodynamic Excellence

The GSX-8R offers a full fairing that has undergone wind tunnel testing to optimize aerodynamic performance and provide the rider with some weather protection. Adorned with bold 8R logos on the side panels, the fairing also incorporates mirrors designed to reduce drag.

Impressive Lighting

At the front, there is the iconic stacked LED headlight, a hallmark of Suzuki’s GSX series. It’s complemented by an LED position light, ensuring clear visibility. The rear combination light and turn indicators are all equipped with LED technology.

Powerful Heart

The GSX-8R is powered by a 776cc parallel twin engine, shared with the GSX-8S. Its long stroke and 270° crankshaft design is said to provide low-end torque, usability, and flexibility, while the DOHC and four valves per cylinder contribute to a free-revving nature. Peak torque is rated at 78 Nm delivered at 6800rpm and peak power of 82.9PS at 8500rpm.

The 270° crankshaft design not only offers a distinctive power delivery but is also said to produce a rumble reminiscent of Suzuki’s acclaimed V-twin models. A patented cross balancer design ensures a smooth and compact, lightweight engine.

Precision Handling

A steel frame forms the core of the GSX-8R, and is supposedly engineered for precise handling characteristics. The low, forged aluminum handlebars offer a sporty riding position and direct control, shifting the rider’s weight over the front wheel. A lightweight aluminum subframe and swingarm further contribute to the bike’s agility.

Showa suspension components, including Separate Function Fork – Big Piston inverted forks and a monoshock in the rear, ensure responsive handling. Nissin four-piston calipers grip 310mm discs, providing confident stopping power. The GSX-8R is fitted with Dunlop Roadsport 2 tires.

Advanced Electronics

Enhancing rideability and usability, the GSX-8R boasts a suite of electronic systems. These include a bi-directional quickshifter as standard, three selectable engine power modes, three traction control settings, and the option to disengage the system entirely. Suzuki’s low RPM assist and easy-start function further simplify the riding experience. All these settings are easily accessible through a single rocker switch on the left-hand handlebar, displayed on a vibrant 5″ TFT screen.

  • Suzuki has filed a 300c sportbike’s patents, speculated to be call GSX-R300.

  • The sub-500cc segment is the most hotly contested in the market.

  • Suzuki feels that the motorcycle market is moving towards smaller capacity and cheaper bikes.

Suzuki is making a comeback into the sub-500cc segment. These 200cc, 250cc, 300cc, 390cc, 400cc motorcycles appeal to a large cross-section of enthusiasts, due to reasons covering:

  • The next capacity level to step up to after owning a kapchai or scooter.
  • More affordable for a large section of the populace.
  • Easier to learn on, easier to ride.
  • Lightweight and simpler – good as daily commuters, especially for those who already own a bigger bike.

Suzuki GSX-250R

This battleground has been fought by almost all manufacturers for a long time. You could find almost all the brands here, even BMW has joined the fray with the G 310 R and G 310 GS. Similarly, Triumph had tied up with Bajaj to work on a 400cc bike in the future.

Triumph Bajaj partnership announced to conquer middleweight bike segment

Now, Suzuki has decided to fight back after being ominously missing.

Suzuki’s patents drawing for their 300cc sportbike was recently leaked online and is rumored to break covers at EICMA later this year.

They already have the GSX-250R in circulation, but they bike is a woefully underpowered single-banger, while their rivals continue to build high performance lightweights such as the KTM RC 390/390 Duke, Kawasaki Ninja 250 /300 and now 400, Yamaha YZF-R25/R3, Honda CBR250RR, and so on.

GSX-R300 Patent

From the patents, the engine appears to be a parallel-Twin. If Suzuki sticks to the dimensions of their GSX-R150’s engine architecture, the bore should be 62 mm and a stroke of 48.1 mm. That’s in the same league of its rivals and should produce around 40 bhp.

Also from the drawings, the 300 looks to have the design theme and lines of its GSX-R1000R big brother. The front wheel has a single, radially-mounted brake caliper and disc; the swingarm looks to be of aluminium, corresponding to that type of design. Tying everything together is a tubular steel frame.

Biggest question is if I’ll ever make to Malaysia. And if it did, will it be the full 300cc version or sleeved-down 250cc variant that we always see happening in our country?

Time will tell.

2015 is a very special year for Suzuki as one of its most popular models – the GSX-R range, celebrates its 30th anniversary. Unveiled in 1975, the GSX-R was very successful in the racing scene, thanks to riders like the legendary Kevin Schwantz.

Thanks to all the success and fame in the MotoGP scene, the GSX-R gained a massive following worldwide. It is said that there are more than a million GSX-R owners at the moment in the world.

So, in order to celebrate this milestone event, Suzuki unveiled a 30th Anniversary edition of the GSX-R1000 superbike at the German MotoGP event last week. The main highlight about the special edition model is that it features the same paint scheme as the original 1985 750cc model.

The blue and white paintjob was also run in the weekend’s German MotoGP race on the factory racing bikes of Aleix Espargarò and Maverick Viñales. There are no mechanical changes to the bike but the new colours are a tribute to the original GSX-R750 machine that kick-started the now famous GSX-R name.

According to Suzuki, the bike will be a full production machine and will go on sale globally from November.

The Suzuki GS series was Suzuki Motor Corporation’s first full range of 4-stroke road bikes, launched in 1976 in 750cc guise; which then expanded to include smaller GS550, GS1000, GS125 and GS1200SS models over the years. However, it was the 750 and 1000cc models that drove development on the race track and led-to the development of a new breed of motorcycle; the GSX-R.

 

 

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