2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT revealed
There is a new sports tourer from Japan that is making some news - the Suzuki GSX-S1000GT. As the name suggests, it is based on the Suzuki GSX-S1000 that was recently updated and will replace the erstwhile Suzuki GSX-S1000F. It continues to go up against the Kawasaki Ninja 1000 SX, but this time the economical Kawacker sports tourer has some reason to be worried.
Primarily because the GSX-S1000GT looks a lot sportier, meaner and appealing than the GSX-S1000F that it replaces, though it is still quite quirky with its very Yamaha like protector lamps, LED eyebrows and blue livery. As before, ride comfort takes precedence for this bike even though it's a sportier alternative to the V-Strom 1050 XT. The GT gets a new design for the seats and grab rails, and the bike emphasises pillion comfort as much as the rider. It uses the same 19l tank as its naked sibling but has a large screen and full fairing for enhanced weather protection and highway comfort. To that effect, the bodywork has improved aerodynamic efficiency than before and the handlebars and footrests have added damping to reduce vibration.
Like its rivals, the GT features a TFT dash and Bluetooth connectivity for pairing the smartphone and up to two helmets for navigation, rider assistance, music streaming, tracking, route sharing, and weather information services using the Suzuki mySPIN app.
The GT is suspended from 43mm upside-down manually adjustable forks and a preload and rebound adjustable rear shock. Braking duty is carried out by the Brembo brakes with two 310mm discs up front and a 240mm disc at the rear. Motivation comes from the iconic K5 999cc in-line four-cylinder engine that puts out 150PS and 106 Nm but is a bit peaky for a tourer - especially when compared to the lighter Ninja 1000 SX. Both the motorcycles are heavyweights but the lower seat height of the GSX-S GT could make it a bit more manageable.
Like its Kawasaki rival, the GSX-S1000GT has touring accessories like a larger windscreen and colour coordinated panniers as a part of the catalogue.
The more important question however is - will Suzuki bring the GSX-S1000GT to India? Well, the previous GSX-S1000 series didn't do too well for the brand, but its arch-rival, the Kawasaki 1000 SX is bringing in some big numbers - so ideally, Suzuki should consider the GT for our market too. If launched, expect a pricing of around Rs 12 lakh ex-showroom.