Quick Ride

Quick Ride

SUZUKI GSX1400 Bigger is better

REMEMBER WHEN 750s were considered big tbikes? Then came Open-classers and 750s were relegated to middleweight status. Now, with the advent of 1300cc hyperbikes, it’s not a question of how big can they get, but will they ever stop growing?

The latest entry in the nothing-succecds-like-excess sweep-stakes is Suzuki’s GSX 1400. Just because it’s big, though, doesn’t mean it’s the son of Hayabusa. That flagship sportbike is all about peak power and top speed, whereas the GSX is more laid-back—if a motorcycle that displaces 1402cc can be called laid-back. Besides, the GSX isn’t based on the Hayabusa’s liquid-cooled inline-Four. Instead, it’s a bored and stroked (81 x 68mm vs. 79 x 50mm) version of the tried-and-true air/oil-cooled Bandit 1200 motor.

Rather than focus on maximum horsepower, the GSX emphasizes torque, some 95 foot-pounds of it at the rear wheel. That’s only 4 ft.-lbs. less than Honda’s King Kong cruis-

er, the VTX1800. And not unlike the VTX, the GSX’s torque peak comes at a relatively subterranean 5200 rpm. In fact, by 7000 rpm, it’s all over for the GSX. The engine will happily rev to its 9000-rpm redline, but horsepower peaks at 105 bhp at 6750 rpm. As a result, you end up short-shifting the GSX like you would a big-block Chevy. Suddenly, 6000 rpm seems excessive, especially when you can leave most wheeled vehicles behind by simply changing up at 4000 rpm.

The GSX’s engine can trace its roots back to the original GSX-R750, but the running gear is thoroughly modern. The fork has massive 46mm stanchions and is adjustable for spring preload as well as compression and rebound damping. The six-piston front brakes were liberated from the GSX-R1000, and the rear tire is a meaty 190/50ZR17 (the front is a 120/70ZR18). Stars of the show, however, are the twin rear shocks. Not only do they have piggyback reservoirs with damping adjustments, but each is equipped with a hydraulic preload adjuster. No more skinning your knuckles when trying to accommodate a passenger.

The chassis is quite capable, up until the point you are reminded you’re riding a 503pound motorcycle, that is. The GSX isn’t a lithe sportbike, and it can’t be tossed into a corner like one. That said, steering is uncannily light, requiring little effort to change directions despite the longish 59.8-inch wheelbase. But the GSX’s greatest merits are its fit and finish. In fact, the lustrous paint and tidy welds put the bike nearly on par with Kawasaki’s ZRX1200.

Will Suzuki bring the GSX1400 to the U.S.? Not likely. The main objection is that it might cannibalize Bandit sales. As well it should. The GSX 1400 is a huge step forward from the Bandit 1200, both in terms of build quality and performance. In fact, it might be the best retro naked-bike yet. David Booth