Fresh for the 2022 model year is Suzuki’s GSX-S1000GT+. Positioned as a classic sport-touring motorcycle, Suzuki stays true to its sportbike roots with a competitive, yet value-conscious touring bike that favors sporty handling versus other new motorcycles in this segment.
The GSX-S1000GT+ is based on the overhauled 2022 GSX-S1000 naked bike which we tested earlier during the 2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000 Review. This particular model is designed for sport-touring. Think touring two-up, with a passenger and limited luggage space. This motorcycle is powered by Suzuki’s tried-and-true 999cc inline-four. The architecture of this engine configuration is based on the 2005 and ‘06 GSX-R1000. The actual cases, the pistons, and all of the internals have been tweaked and benefit from new manufacturing techniques. So it’s not like Suzuki just went back 17 years and pulled engines out of those models and put them in this one.
The engines benefit from enhanced durability engineering that manufacturers learn after having built something for nearly two decades. The thing we like about this engine is just how much character it has. It’s a hoot to ride. It employs a pleasing air induction howl when you’re giving it a heavy dose of throttle. The exhaust note is nice and crisp, sounding pleasant, yet it’s not overly loud where it’s going to annoy your neighbors or other people in vehicles next to you.
This GSX-S continues to use Suzuki’s SDM-S combined engine power and throttle response maps, with ride-by-wire. A is the most aggressive, B is a little bit less than that, and C is the lowest power setting. Each letter represents a different throttle and/or engine power character.
Related: 2023 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT First Look Preview
If you were a new rider and this was your first bike and you wanted to get it up to speed on this bike, you’d ride it in power mode C and the thing isn’t going to get away from you. Conversely, if you’re a seasoned pro and you desire maximum power, A mode is the best. Paired with the ride-by-wire throttle is Suzuki’s traction control. Suzuki offers five levels of traction control adjustment, plus “off.” One gripe is it’s older in terms of its engineering profile. This vehicle nor does any Suzuki vehicle benefit from an IMU when it comes to powering both traction control and ABS programming.
Speaking of brakes, this thing features a potent set of triple disc hydraulic brakes. The brakes do a really nice job of keeping speed in check. Even though it doesn’t employ a modern radial-type master cylinder, the braking package on this motorcycle works well. Again, it doesn’t include cornering ABS (you need an IMU chip; it’s the same type of chip inside your Apple smartphone that gives it positional awareness). Still, it does include fixed always-on ABS and it works well. We wouldn’t see a need for having cornering ABS just because this motorcycle works so well with its conventional ABS.
One of the hallmark features of Suzuki sportbikes is how comfortable they are. We really like how we fit on this streetbike. The windscreen is nice and tall and the front fairing is broad and does a good job of pushing air up and around us. It would have been nice if the windscreen offered height adjustment, but it’s really not a big deal. If you’re a really tall rider, you can always opt for Suzuki’s optional touring windscreen ($170 upcharge). Another accessory we would fit are the $450 heated grips. Yes, we wish it came equipped already with heated grips but that’s just going to push up the MSRP. We would definitely spend the $450 on that accessory.
Styling on this motorcycle looks very similar to a certain Japanese manufacturer’s supercharged motorcycles. We value the angular bodywork and LED headlights. These headlamps function better during night rides than the stacked light setup on the GSX-S1000 naked.
Suzuki finally stepped up to the big leagues and is running a 6.5-inch color TFT screen. It looks sharp and is easy to use. The switch gear is simple and we appreciate “dark mode” which features white numbers on a black background.
Suzuki also introduces its My Spin app which gives turn-by-turn navigation on display. It’s very similar to what BMW Motorrad offers with its Connected app, which is fantastic. We also like this USB charging port located inside the front fairing. Some motorcycles still come with 12-volt charging ports which is cool, but realistically, we’re in the USB age now, so everything should be USB.
Despite weighing 40 pounds more than GSX-S1000 naked, the 520-pound GSX-S1000GT+, dances well. We like the support of the inverted fork with triple adjustment (spring preload, compression damping, and rebound damping). The shock also feels nice and offers good support when hard on the throttle. This is a very nice motorcycle for someone who wants a balance between comfort on bumpy roads and sport aptitude in the twisties. A lot of the sport-tourers nowadays are becoming more upright, almost more adventure-sport touring bikes. But Suzuki sticks to the script with its GSX-S1000GT+. A 5-gallon fuel tank ensures that you have some decent range on this motorcycle. We average right around 36–37 mpg. If you’re a little bit more mellow on the throttle, you could get around 40 mpg.
Suzuki motorcycles are renowned for their durability. After the initial oil change, this motorcycle goes 7,500 miles between engine oil changes. And 15,000 miles for engine oil filters. The valve adjustment interval, according to the manual, is 15,000 miles. Which is a little bit short, especially compared to the Tuning Fork brand’s equipment. But in our experience, these motorcycles, even when we do check the valves at 15,000 miles, they’re always spot on. So you know you’re getting a quality product with this Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+.
There’s a lot to like about this motorcycle. The engine has a lot of power, to the tune of almost 137 hp, with 60 lb.-ft. of torque north of 4,000 rpm. It has good character and decent fuel mileage. We love the OE-fitted and paint-matched hard cases. They’re easy to take off the motorcycle and swallow nearly 7 gallons of cargo in each bag. The only gripe is when you close them you have to have the key in, open it, close it, and pull the key out. I wish you could have the key out and still open and close it. But it’s almost like a safety feature so you don’t leave the bag open when you’re riding. Yeah, it doesn’t have cornering ABS, but realistically it doesn’t really need it. Overall, if you’re looking for a very exhilarating and fun-to-ride and capable OG sport-touring rig, this GSX-S1000 GT+ checks a lot of boxes for us. And if my money was on the line, I would absolutely consider this bike versus some of its more upright adventure-sport touring competition.
Gear Box
Helmet: Arai Quantum-X
Jacket: Rev’It Blackwater
Gloves: Rev’It Kinetic
Pant: Rev’It Piston
Boots: TCX Rush 2 Air
2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+ Technical Specifications and Price
| PRICE | $13,799 as tested |
|---|---|
| ENGINE | 999cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled inline-four; 16-valve |
| BORE x STROKE | 73.4 x 59.0mm |
| COMPRESSION RATIO | 12.2:1 |
| FUEL DELIVERY | Fuel injection w/ 40mm throttle bodies |
| CLUTCH | Wet, multiplate slipper; cable actuation |
| TRANSMISSION/FINAL DRIVE | 6-speed/chain |
| FRAME | Twin-spar aluminum |
| FRONT SUSPENSION | KYB 43mm inverted fork, fully adjustable; 4.7 in. travel |
| REAR SUSPENSION | KYB shock, spring preload and rebound damping adjustable; 5.1 in. travel |
| FRONT BRAKES | Radial-mount Brembo calipers, 310mm disc w/ ABS |
| REAR BRAKE | 1-piston Nissin caliper, 220mm disc w/ ABS |
| WHEELS, FRONT/REAR | Die-cast aluminum; 17 x 3.5 in. / 17 x 5.0 in. |
| TIRES, FRONT/REAR | Dunlop Roadsport 2; 120/70-17 / 190/50-17 |
| RAKE/TRAIL | 25.0°/3.5 in. |
| WHEELBASE | 57.5 in. |
| SEAT HEIGHT | 31.9 in. |
| FUEL CAPACITY | 5.0 gal. |
| CURB WEIGHT | 498 lb. |
| WARRANTY | 1 year |
| AVAILABLE | Now |
| CONTACT | suzukicycles.com |
Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com