2015 Suzuki Gsx-S750
BMW S1000RR AT COTA -> YAMAHA FZ-07 FLAT TRACKER -> INSIDE WP
Ignition
2015 SUZUKI GSX-S750
An affordable new naked with Gixxer genes
Don Canet
GIXXER AT HEART: Based on the 2005 GSX-R750 engine, the heads have been changed to optimize torque output at the expense of peak performance.
BYTHE NUMBERS
49
ALL BUT ONE: Suzuki’s GSX-S750 will be sold in all US states except California, for emissions reasons.
72*46
OLD SCHOOL: Bore and stroke, in millimeters, of the new GSX-S750’s engine. That’s unchanged from the GSX-R750 of a decade ago.
I've owned and raced several Suzuki GSX-R models over the years (dating back to the original 750 introduced to the US in 1986), so I know all about the proper track-attack riding posture. But the older I get, the more I've come to appreciate sporting practicality where it exists. And with the new 2015 Suzuki GSX-S750, the added practicality extends beyond sit-up ergonomics and into the state of tune of this liquid-cooled 749CC inline-four.
Suzuki is quick to point out that the GSX-S engine is not a de-tuned GSX-R. Although it’s based on 2005 GSX-R750 engine architecture, the GSX-S powerplant employs unique valve timing and lift, plus reshaped intake and exhaust
ports. This, along with eight-hole finemist fuel injectors set at a different angle in the dual-valve throttle bodies, results in greater lowand midrange power delivery and a claimed 11-mpg improvement in fuel efficiency. As a matter of course, these gains come at the expense of peak power output, but it’s hard to argue against the benefits such a power shift brings to real-world street use.
Suzuki Motor of America’s press introduction for this new naked machine took place in Austin, Texas, where I enjoyed a rainy day’s ride on local back roads and highways. The S smoothly pulled away from standing stops with ease, and its abundant bottom-end torque made for short-shift serenity in
IGNITION
FIRST RIDE
TRIUMPH
STREET TRIPLE R
At $10,399, the cost of entry is higher with this Triumph, but the Street Triple R defines lightweight fun, and its three-cylinder engine has soul.
YAMAHA FZ-09
Yamaha has refined the fueling of the 847cc triple for 2015 and bumped the price of the bike to $8,190. No matter, the fun FZ-09 is still a bargain.
DUCATI 821 MONSTER
Will the new GSX-S750 make us forget the $10,995 821 Monster? Nope. This liquid-cooled naked has refined electronics and a playful attitude.
2015 SUZUKI GSX-S750
Liquid-cooled DGHC inline-4,16 val
DISPLACEMENT 749 cc
HJ.HiHHiH 32.1 in.
idlUWTYJUÏU 4.6 gal.
HWilliN.j.1:VViTO!ll 470 Ib.
BHB1 $7999
the city. While the clutch pull is on the firm side of what we’ve become accustomed to in recent years, the six-speed gearbox provides the trademark light, slick, and positive Gixxer action.
Without TC, drive modes, or ABS at play, the S750 is the raw definition of controllable linear power delivery. Throttle response is crisp, enough so that a hint of drivetrain lash can be felt in lower gears if you’re ham-fisted with the twist grip. But with good technique, there’s superb fluidity up or down through the gearbox. Top-gear freeway cruise produces little vibration below 6,000 rpm, at which point the GSX-S750 is showing 85 mph on its digital LCD speedometer.
While the wet conditions dictated a “bring the herd home” pace set by our tour guide, local GP hero Kevin Schwantz, it was impossible to get a good sport-riding assessment of the new GSX-S750. The Gixxer S chassis, for the record, forgoes alloy for steel,
its frame a twin spar/tube hybrid design. While the inverted KYB cartridge fork and single rear shock hit a price point by only offering spring-preload adjustability on the latter, the damping calibration felt sporting taut—perhaps overly so if overall ride comfort is priority one, but I suspect I’ll favor the firm damping rates when flogging
this new Suzuki on twisty roads back home.
Overall, as a guy who came up on GSX-R supersports, I like this new S variant. At $7,999 for Metallic Matte Black (and $150 more for the GSX-S750Z in a heritage Blue/White option), the S offers super savings, coming in $4,300 under its GSX-R sibling.
