Suzuki GSX-S1000GX Review: The Crossover That Finally Makes Sense

Suzuki has spent years building bikes that are better than the internet gives them credit for, and the GSX-S1000GX is the most Suzuki bike of the lot: a thoroughly sensible idea executed with a depth of engineering that only reveals itself once you stop reading the spec sheet and start riding. On paper it is a tall, fully-faired crossover spun off the GSX-S1000 naked. In practice it is one of the most complete road bikes the company has built in a decade, and the kind of machine that makes you wonder why it took the crossover class this long to get genuinely good.

The engine is the easy part

At the heart of the GX sits the 999cc inline-four that traces its lineage back to the legendary K5 GSX-R1000, retuned here for the street. It makes a claimed 150 hp at 11,000 rpm and 106 Nm of torque at 9,250 rpm, and it is glorious in the way only a big, smooth Japanese four can be. There is a creamy, endless midrange that makes overtakes a non-event, and then a hard, urgent rush at the top that reminds you exactly what this motor used to do for a living. Yet it is never intimidating. Roll on from low revs in a tall gear and it just digs in and pulls, no drama, no fuss.

The standard bidirectional quickshifter is slick, the cruise control is a genuine touring asset, and the ride-by-wire throttle is calibrated with a smoothness that flatters clumsy inputs. This is a powertrain that is simultaneously thrilling and unflappable.

Few engines manage to feel this fast and this relaxed at the same time. The GX's four is one of them.

Where the GX earns its money: the suspension

The reason to buy a GX over a cheaper sport-tourer is the Showa SAES semi-active suspension. It continuously adjusts damping to the road and your inputs, and on a genuinely rough British or Dutch back road the difference is not subtle. Hit a series of mid-corner ripples that would have an old-school sport-tourer pattering and skipping, and the GX simply absorbs them, keeping the chassis flat and the tyres planted. Firm it up for a fast, smooth A-road and it tightens into something properly sporting.

It is backed by a full six-axis IMU electronics suite: cornering ABS, lean-sensitive traction control, multiple ride modes and Suzuki's well-judged anti-lift and slope-dependent control logic. Braking is handled by Brembo radial four-piston calipers on twin 310mm discs, strong and feelsome. The trade-off for all this capability is mass: at a claimed 232 kg the GX is a heavy bike, and you notice it at walking pace and on the side stand, even if it melts away once you are moving.

Touring reality

The GX is built to cover ground, and it does. The riding position is upright and spacious, the seat is supportive over a full day, and the 19-litre tank gives a useful range. The cockpit is dominated by a crisp 6.5-inch TFT with smartphone connectivity. The honest weaknesses are the same two you find on a lot of crossovers: the 845mm seat is tall, and the relatively compact screen lets some wind buffeting through at motorway speed, so taller riders may want the accessory touring screen. Pack the optional luggage and the GX turns into a seriously capable two-up tourer.

Key specs

Spec	Detail
Engine	999cc liquid-cooled inline-four
Power	~150 hp @ 11,000 rpm
Torque	~106 Nm @ 9,250 rpm
Suspension	Showa SAES semi-active, front and rear
Brakes	Dual 310mm discs, Brembo radial 4-piston front
Electronics	6-axis IMU, cornering ABS, traction control, cruise, quickshifter
Seat height	845 mm
Weight	~232 kg
Tank	19 litres
Price	$18,499 (US) / £16,499 (UK)

Verdict

The GSX-S1000GX is Suzuki at its most quietly confident: a proven, characterful engine wrapped in a comfortable, electronically sophisticated crossover. It is heavy, and it is not cheap, but the semi-active suspension and standard kit justify the outlay, and the engine is a genuine joy. As a fast, refined, do-anything road bike it punches right up at the class leaders and undercuts a few of them on price. If you want one bike that can sport-ride on Sunday and tour in comfort all summer, the GX deserves a long, hard look.