No matter how vast the touring bike segment has grown, finding the right tool for long hauls feels like a game of trade-offs. If the tarmac is your preferred choice of touring, then you often have to weigh performance against comfort. Sure, you can lean on sport tourers to bridge the gap. But more often than not, you end up with a crotch rocket softened by higher bars and a plusher seat.
That’s no good for hours of saddle time. To fix this, manufacturers have stepped up with a new breed of sporty crossovers. As the ultimate solution, you don’t have to sacrifice speed for comfort or vice versa. Joining the bandwagon is the latest contender that nails the trinity of long-haul comfort, rock-solid stability, and uncompromising power.
Why the New Breed of Sport-Crossovers Hits the Balance
Sport tourers have been popular across the board for high-speed long hauls, with heavy hitters like the Kawasaki Ninja 1100SX. However, due to their sporty stance, you get little room for relaxed ergonomics, which will eventually wear you out. After hours in a permanent attack position, you inevitably end up with a sore back or, worse, aching wrists.
That physical toll naturally makes you crave the comfort of adventure bikes. And that is why the sports crossovers were born, which added the upright rider triangle and long travel suspension to the traditional sport tourers. You get that tall stance like ADVs, but paired with 17-inch wheels wrapped in road-biased rubber. As a result, you gain legroom and visibility without sacrificing a razor-sharp flickable front end.
Now, every major brand is offering crossover siblings to their traditional tourers. For instance, while the BMW R 1300 RT is the top-tier choice for speed and tech, the BMW S 1000 XR offers superbike on stilts’ performance with an upright spine. Similarly, the Yamaha FJR300ES wooed crowds as a classic comfortable package, but the Tracer 9 brings the do-it-all factor. Taking the same formula, Suzuki also introduced a new sports crossover based on the popular GSX-S1000GT+.
Suzuki GSX-S1000GX+: A Blend Of Comfort, Stability, and Power Together
Suzuki’s touring portfolio is known for cost-effective, reliable options. On one side, you have the low‑slung powerhouse GSX‑S1000GT+, and on the other, the rugged, go‑anywhere V‑Strom 1050 series. However, by effectively blending the best of these two worlds, the new sport‑crossover GSX‑S1000GX+ delivers a true best‑of‑both‑worlds experience. By pairing the GSX-S series proven inline-four engine with the upright ergonomics and comfort of the V-Strom, the GX+ excels at long-distance comfort and sporty handling.
Sport-Touring Performance Without Flagship Pricing
Priced at $18,749, the GSX-S1000GX+ is at the expensive end of Suzuki’s touring lineup. But the sticker price includes everything without the need for any upgrades. Of course, competition is fierce in this niche segment. For instance, the Kawasaki Versys 1100 SE LT offers a bit more torque at a slightly higher price of $19,499. Then you have the BMW S 1000 XR at a similar price of $18,825. The price can climb quickly once you start adding options to match the Suzuki kit, though. Honda, meanwhile, brings the automatic convenience with the NT1100 DCT at a budget-friendly $11,999, but lacks the outright power and sophisticated equipment.
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The GSX-R-Derived Inline-Four Tuned For Long-Hauls
The GSX-S1000GX+ shares its bulletproof liquid-cooled 999 cc inline-four engine with the GT+, which also traces its lineage directly back to the championship-winning GSX-R1000 K5. However, Suzuki has retuned the motor for real-world touring needs, delivering strong midrange torque instead of high-revving horsepower. It has a long stroke configuration with a 2.89-inch bore and 2.32-inch stroke. Further, Suzuki’s Twin Swirl Combustion Chamber design gives it a 12.2:1 compression ratio and ensures power across the rev range.
Touring Power With Sports Bike Performance
Output sits at roughly 150 hp and an impressive 78.2 lb-ft, peaking at 11,000 RPM and 9,250 RPM, respectively. Suzuki also equips the GX+ with low-RPM assist to keep the takeoff smooth. Moreover, once you are out on the open stretch of freeway, the bike pulls harder and shows its superbike character. Power flows smoothly through the final chain drive and six-speed manual transmission with an assist and slipper clutch. Meanwhile, for clutchless gear changes, you also get a bidirectional quickshifter.
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Sporty Underpinnings Without Sacrificing Touring Comfort
Suspension is where GX+ really shines. It debuts the Suzuki Advanced Electronic Suspension (SAES) system, combining a Showa upside-down front with a monoshock at the rear. Then, with nearly six inches of travel at both ends, the setup ensures better bump absorption during long hauls. Further, both ends are also electronically adjustable with four modes to choose from. In addition, the Suzuki Road Adaptive Stabilization (SRAS) system works in the background, ironing out imperfections automatically with the help of sensors and the IMU.
The GX+ also borrows superbike brakes, handled by dual 310-millimeter front discs clamped by four-piston Brembo radial-mount calipers and a 240 mm single rear disc paired with a single-piston Nissin caliper. The safety is further enhanced by Suzuki’s Motion Track Brake System, which brings lean-angle-sensitive ABS, so hard braking mid-corner stays stable. Completing the package are 17‑inch cast aluminum rims wrapped in radial tires.
The GX Weighs Just Over 510 Pounds
The twin‑spar aluminum frame, derived from the GSX‑R architecture, is the backbone of the GSX‑S1000GX+ and gives it the balance between sport and touring. Alongside, you have a 57.9-inch wheelbase for stability and a tall seat height of 33.3 inches for a commanding view. At the same time, the bike tips the scales at about 511 pounds wet without side bags and offers 6.1-inch ground clearance. This means it is roughly 13 pounds heavier and sits 0.6 inches higher off the ground than the GT+.
The Suzuki Touring Bike That Sets The Standard For Reliability
The GSX-S1000GT+ isn’t flashy, it’s the touring buddy that just keeps going, mile after mile, without any drama. Reliable? Absolutely.
GSX Sport Looks With Advanced Touring Tech
In the looks department, the GSX-S1000GX+ has a familiar new-gen GSX-S design language, but with more aggressive elements to set it apart. You have a big vertically stacked LED headlight wrapped around a muscular fairing, adjustable windscreen, and wider handlebars. The six‑spoke alloy wheels are color‑matched, as are the hand guards, while a rear luggage rack comes standard.
Almost All Touring Ready Bells And Whistles
At a price north of $18,000, as expected, the GX+ comes loaded with tech. You get all the modern rider aids wrapped under the Suzuki Intelligent Ride System (S.I.R.S.), backed by ride-by-wire throttle and six-axis IMU. The package includes the Suzuki Drive Mode Selector Alpha (SDMS-α), giving you selectable power modes, ride modes, traction control, wheelie control, and engine braking settings.
Suzuki also adds its Exhaust Tuning Valve to optimize torque delivery, and Smart Cruise Control, which won’t disengage even if you shift gears. All of this is accessible through a 6.5-inch TFT display. You can also connect your smartphone via Suzuki’s mySPIN app to display navigation, calls, and music. Put it all together, and what Suzuki has built with the GSX-S1000GX+ is a sport tourer that does not ask you to compromise on comfort, stability, or power.
Sources: Suzuki Cycles