Suzuki GSX-S750 Track Test Review

Design and Styling if Suzuki GSX-S750

As I got to look at the new Suzuki GSX-S750 parked in the pit lane of the Buddha International Circuit (BIC), the calmness of my exterior did not do justice to the child screaming with excitement within me. The new GSX-S750 is a naked street fighter with some mean looking muscles. The wide tank gives a very bold and brawny look to it. The headlamp and tail lamp units look decent but it is the side profile that gets you all excited. The rising accent lines running from front to back look stylish and give the bike great aerodynamic character. While the rear gets an LED lamp, the front has none of it. The bike is available in two colour schemes, Metallic Triton Blue and Candy Daring Red. I was lucky enough to get the blue one because in my opinion that looks better.

The tapered handlebar gets few controls that are neatly laid out. There is an easy to use and really handy toggle for changing the traction control mode that you can operate on the fly. The LCD meter console is borrowed from the GSX-S1000 and displays things like the speedometer, tachometer, time, fuel level, range, traction control mode, gear position, dual trip meters and an odometer. Needless to say, the instrument panel is easily readable and functional.

Engine and Performance of Suzuki GSX-S750

Suzuki built the GSX-S750 to be a stepping stone for riders who want to move to higher segment bikes. Thus the GSX-S750 is meant to be rider friendly which had me bothered a bit. I was expecting a sober performance and the fact that we were riding it on the BIC seemed like a puzzling choice. With that doubt I started the bike and got out of the pit lane. The moment I reached the back straight I went all out to test how good the bike was and was instantly surprised at how fast it climbed to triple digit speeds.

After a couple of laps when I was more comfortable with the bike, I was easily able to take it up to even 220kmph. The bike could have gone faster but since this is a naked bike you do have to consider the amount of wind blast you face at such speeds. Despite the heavy kerb weight of 215kgs, the bike pulls neatly and is happy to do a steady 150kmph if you can get that sort of road anywhere. The 749cc in-line 4 cylinder engine has been taken from the 2005 GSX-R750 as it is a more vertical unit. This allowed Suzuki to reduce the wheelbase which is already quite long at 1455mm. While peak power of 112.6hp and torque of 81Nm come at 10,500 and 9,000rpm respectively, it does respond quite well to the throttle inputs at lower revs.

With all this power at your disposal it is quite easy to lose track (literally, in my case) and get off your course and into a hospital bed. There are big 310mm dual disc brakes at the front and a disc in the rear as well. ABS is standard and as such there is no wheel lockup even in panic braking situations making the brakes a godsend. I can even go on to say that the brakes are my favourite part of this bike. The nice and stiff suspension setup is provided by Kayaba and it felt quite great for the track.

On the road, however, it might not be the most pothole friendly. Both, the 41mm USD forks at the front and the rear monoshock are preload adjustable. The tyres Battleax Hypersport S21 tyres are provided by Bridgestone and are tuned specifically for the bike. They felt at home on the track and my guess is that they will be great on the city roads as well. At no point during my blazing run full of sharp and quick turns did I feel that I would lose grip. In fact, that thought was so passive that it did not even linger in my head for most of the ride. At your disposal are three levels of traction control and also the ability to completely switch it off. The three level traction control will be of great help to new riders who are just getting a taste of such power. What I did miss however, was a slipper clutch partially due to the fact that we were on a track. When you are out on city streets the urge for clutchless downshifts might not be so apparent. Otherwise the 6-speed transmission works well with the clutch being quite light. Another small gripe I have is with the seat cushion which while not being bad, is not the best in the business.

The new GSX-S750 from Suzuki is no doubt a fantastic street fighter that is definitely going to up the ante for other competitors in the segment. It has a beast of an engine driving its strong frame clad with sharp looks. The bike is happy to hug close to the asphalt as you lean in for a corner and stop at with a surefootedness that can make you fall in love with it

Verdict

Though the new Suzuki GSX-S750 has a few shortcomings here and there, these are offset by the fantastic price of Rs 7.45 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), making it one of the most affordable bikes in the segment. Suzuki was not kidding when they said that they wanted a bike that would be welcoming to new riders who have not tasted such power yet. Not only does the GSX-S750 achieve that goal by being rider friendly but it also offers to be a pocket friendly choice.