Riders who cover serious distances face an age-old dilemma. Do you go for the powerful touring motorcycles, one that hums along at 80 MPH lazily, and plan the fuel stops meticulously? Or do you opt for the far more fuel-efficient smaller engines, but deal with the strain at those same highway speeds? This dilemma carries over everywhere: the large tourers are unwieldy and hot in traffic, while the smaller engines struggle to overtake on the highway or up an incline.
In an ideal world, you’d pick a motorcycle that can give you both fuel efficiency and good power. But if it were easy, we’d not be writing this piece for you, would we now? Thanks to technology and some very intelligent R&D departments, there are some tourers available today that get quite close to this ideal.
The Case For Sport Tourers Over Other Touring Bikes
If you’re looking for a mix of power and fuel economy, the traditional full-dress tourers need to be discounted immediately. They are the two-wheeled equivalent of a camper van, so you’re not going to get good fuel efficiency out of them and their big curb weights. The weight is also the reason they focus more on torque rather than power. This is also the reason adventure tourers don’t make the cut: they are overbuilt because they need to be able to take on off-road conditions without failing, so there is extra weight here. Sport tourers have an emphasis on the ‘sport’, so they are light and powerful – and if you ride them sanely, efficient as well.
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The Suzuki GSX-S1000GT Is The Touring Bike That Balances Power And Fuel Economy
Suzuki has some great products in its portfolio if you’re looking for cost-effective and reliable motorcycles. The touring portfolio adds a pinch of spice to it by offering liter Gixxer-derived models, so there’s no doubt that they have pace if you want it. The GSX-S1000GT is the traditional sport tourer, so not only can it take off like a scalded cat, but it can also hurry through a set of twisties and put a big grin on your face. And possibly one of terror on your pillion’s. At the same time, Suzuki says it can do around 40 miles to the gallon as well. Combined with its 150 horsepower, the GSX-S1000GT is the touring bike that balances power and fuel economy better than most.
It Is Priced Like A Bargain
Suzuki has priced the GSX-S1000GT at $14,399. It gained a mere $100 after the new tariffs, and it is truly phenomenal how Suzuki has given it a feature set that balances itself between offering a great price and enough features to make it feel like a premium product. Like a lot of Japanese products, you do not have to dip into the accessories to have a premium experience with this tourer; the base price covers features enough to please.
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150 Horsepower Is Enough For Anyone
The GSX-S1000GT uses an old liter GSX-R1000 engine to great effect. It is detuned to 150 horsepower, but you still need to rev it to 11,000 RPM to get to that peak power figure. Torque is also available relatively high in the rev range – 79.6 pound-feet at 9,250 RPM. This is an inline four-cylinder engine that displaces 999cc and has a high 12.2:1 compression ratio. It might feel a little gutless at low revs, but anything from the midrange onward is quite the rush. A six-speed manual gearbox with a standard two-way quickshifter, assist, and slipper clutch, and final chain drive is present.
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Sport Bike Chassis Complements The Engine Perfectly
Like the engine, the GSX-S1000 GT’s chassis is also derived from a liter Gixxer’s. That means an aluminum twin-spar frame with an aluminum swingarm. The bolt-on subframe is a stronger-than-usual unit to account for the weight of a pillion plus luggage. The chassis, like the engine, is more suited to attacking corners than cruising on straights, but it does have all-day comfort.
All Of It Works Well
The GSX-S1000GT does not get electronic suspension like its sibling, the GSX-S1000GX+. However, it does get fully adjustable suspension at both ends, with inverted forks at the front and a single shock at the rear. The brakes are equally quality components, with Brembo providing twin 310 mm discs at the front with radial four-piston fixed monobloc calipers, and a Nissin 240 mm rear disc with a single piston caliper. 17-inch alloy wheels and radial tubeless tires contribute to the great handling.
Full-Sized Tourer, But Shows Sporty Intent
The GT measures 84.3 inches long, 32.5 inches wide, and has a 57.5-inch wheelbase. Its ground clearance is a normal 5.5 inches, with the seat being accessible for the masses at 31.9 inches. The fuel tank is appreciably large, at five gallons, and with it close to full, the wet weight is 498 pounds. That’s par for the course.
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Intelligent Feature Set Helps Keep Price Down
Suzuki has done a great job with the GSX-S1000GT’s features. The premium feel starts with the 6.5-inch TFT display that has Bluetooth and navigation as standard features. It also offers hard luggage that is color-matched and a USB charging port. The options list has items like a taller windscreen for hardcore tourers, heated grips, engine protection, and billet aluminum levers.
There is a by-wire throttle but no six-axis IMU (again, a feature that the significantly more expensive GSX-S1000GX gets.) Instead, you get five-step traction control, switchable ABS that can be toggled while on the move, and ride modes. Cruise control is standard, and it can be enabled at 19 MPH and up in second gear or higher.
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Only One Real Direct Competitor For the GSX-S1000GT
Sport tourers based on sport bikes seem to have fallen out of favor with manufacturers these days, and crossovers have the edge. As such, the GSX-S1000GT doesn’t have too many natural enemies. Sure, we could talk about the BMW R 1300 RT and the KTM 1290 Super Duke GT, but they are both significantly more expensive, at $22,645 and $20,499, respectively. Besides, the KTM doesn’t have a MY26 version out yet. That leaves us with the $13,999 Kawasaki Ninja 1100 SX that meets the criteria as the Suzuki’s direct competition.
It offers a 1,099cc inline-four engine, but is down on power at 132 horsepower compared to the ‘Zook because it focuses on torque. It has a higher 83.2 pound-feet peak torque figure. It also has a six-axis IMU and is cheaper at $13,999. You can even have one with better components like an Ohlins S46 rear shock and Brembo front brakes for a little more, at $15,799. However, it errs a little too much on the side of caution as it is 18 horsepower down and 18 pounds heavier than the Suzuki.
Source: Suzuki Cycles