Rennie Scaysbrook | May 10, 2022
Suzuki’s finally brought the revamped GSX-S1000 to America. The big question is, is it worth the wait?
We should have had this bike in 2021, but then, a lot of things should have happened in 2021. Like so many other bikes in the current market, the GSX-S1000 was delayed coming to the U.S., but we have it now, so enough of that.
This is the new $11,299 2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000, the successor to the most forgotten about naked bike on the road today.
VIDEO | 2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000
The previous-generation GSX-S came into life in 2015. It had a few nips and tucks in 2017—like slipper-clutch changes, black footpegs, clutch and brake levers—but aside from that it was largely the same bike. And hardly anyone knew about it.
You, or at least I, never saw them on the street. The odd modified one might pop up in my Instagram feed but that’s all I ever saw of the bike, which is a shame because it was a genuinely good machine.
A new dress has given the GSX-S a facelift but the changes are more than skin deep.
Photography by Kevin Wing
Given the GSX-S’s bones, along with the Katana and GSX-1000F ABS, were largely swiped from the machine that has been used more times to stud than any I can think of in the GSX-R1000K5, Suzuki knew they had a good base for their naked bike.
It’s a bit of a mystery as to why it did not seem to catch on with the buying public, but Suzuki came to the game at exactly the wrong time for a budget-conscious naked bike given the firepower emanating from Europe with the BMW S 1000 R, Aprilia Tuono V4, KTM 1290 Super Duke, etc.
But that was then, and in 2022, Suzuki may just have timed the market just right with the new GSX-S’s release because naked bikes with more horsepower than superbikes are starting to wear a bit thin on the buying public. A bit of sense and sensibility never goes astray.
The 2022 GSX-S is not an all-new machine, but it’s significantly revamped enough to think it is.
Zipping through Malibu canyons. The GSX-S may lack some electronic sophistication, but not by much.
Aside from the very obvious changes to the bodywork that includes a fancy new triple-stacked LED headlight system, and LED indicators swiped from the Katana, you get a new riding position and new ergonomics via a new seat and larger gas tank of five gallons, winglets that use the buzz term of “MotoGP-style” that are about as useless as teats on a bull, and a dash that makes an Atari Lynx look revolutionary and really is as useless as teats on a bull. More on that later.
It’s an aggressive new look for the GSX-S, which is a welcome sight because the first-generation machine lacked the anger and attitude in comparison to any of the European contingent, even if you could argue Suzuki was aiming at a different customer.
Suzuki MotoGP blue makes it go faster, right?
The Suzuki’s 999cc inline four-cylinder motor that first saw life as the all-conquering GSX-R1000K5 (one of the finest sportbikes of the 21st century), has been in service now for an incredible 19 years, with every iteration cleaner and slightly more refined than the last. Suzuki has absolutely got its money’s worth out of those four cylinders, and you really must wonder how many more miles they will get out of it before they put it out to pasture.
The triple-stacked headlight is a neat little design feature. We didn’t ride at night, however, so we don’t know if it’s any good at, you know, lighting.
The 2022 edition has had the proverbial book thrown at it in terms of mods: there’s new intake and exhaust cams, valve springs, cam chain and tensioner, crank mounting hardware, a new slipper clutch, clutch cover, the list goes on. And on.
Overall, the new motor delivers slightly less claimed peak torque, down a pound at 78 lb-ft at 9250 rpm, while it’s the opposite story for peak power, up two ponies to 149 horsepower at 11,000 rpm, which is 1000 rpm up from the 2020 model.
Those wheels look beautiful, and Suzuki has designed the exhaust so you can replace the muffler with an aftermarket one and not fall foul of noise or emissions regulations.
Suzuki is quick to assert the admittedly minor drop in torque has given a far more usable torque curve, and indeed from 4000-7000 rpm, the K5-derived lump pulls impeccably and has more than enough go on tap for any situation where keeping your license is of the highest priority. A case of old dog, new tricks, perhaps?
There’s three different engine modes and five possible traction-control modes available to the rider via the Suzuki Intelligent Ride System (S.I.R.S.) settings, but this is about where the electronic trickery ends for the GSX-S. This machine does not come with an IMU, so don’t go expecting variable Cornering ABS or lean-angle-sensitive traction control. There’s not even cruise control—or the option of it—despite having an electronic throttle and all the means to fit it. We’re not mad, Suzuki, just disappointed.
Brembo monoblocs mate to a non-cornering ABS system. Dunlop Roadsmart II tires complete the picture.
What we are mad at is the horrendous dash that Suzuki has fitted to the GSX-S. It’s nearly impossible to read at a glance, and if there’s direct sunlight on either your back, face, or on either side, you’ll find a hard time seeing the information you want. Only when the light of day subsided in the late afternoon did I easily make out what I wanted from the dash, be it rpm, speed, gear position or traction control number. I’d say the dash was as easy to read as a gen 1 Gameboy under the bed covers as a 10-year-old, but that’d be doing the Gameboy a disservice. Okay, I’ve had my rant. Let’s move on.
I can assure you, this is the best possible view you’ll get of the dash. It’s near impossible to read while riding.
Like the three riding modes, there’s a definite step between each of the five traction-control modes when you scroll through them and go for a ride to feel the difference. I quite like this because there’s too much choice these days in IMU-assisted TC modes that half the time you can’t tell if you’re in level three or level six. I settled for level one, when not turning the system off to pull wheelies which, I might add, the GSX-S does stupendously.
The front brakes are a bit wooden feeling but do the job well enough.
On the throttle map, I settled on B as I felt the initial torque hit in A was too abrupt and C was just not hard enough. Each mode delivers full power so it’s just a matter of how fast you want the drive to come in or, to put it another way, how close a connection you want between your wrist and what happens at the rear wheel.
I will say Suzuki has done a marvelous job with the quickshifter. They were at pains at the launch to point out they spent many a development hour trying to make one of the best up-and-down quickshifters on the market today, and the result is an ultra-smooth, light but not too light, gearshift that many other manufacturers would do well to try and copy.
Suzuki will be aiming for buyers of the Kawasaki Z900 with new GSX-S.
Overall, the GSX-S is a compact motorcycle. With a seat height of 31.9 inches, it’s not an overly tall machine but when you’re slotted on, everything is a little on the cramped side for my 6’1” frame.
I’d have liked the handlebar to be half an inch wider either side, but given my gripes, overall comfort is quite good. The seat doesn’t become a plank after an hour onboard and it is tall enough that it makes for easy stretching on the freeway.
Get off the freeway and into the twisties and the Suzuki’s superbike genes begin to shine through. There’s no electronically operated suspension with the GSX-S, but that doesn’t matter, as the KYB fork is nicely damped and offers a ride just on the right side of firm for having a bit of side-of-the-tire fun.
If you’re over six-feet tall you may find the chassis a little cramped.
Mid-corner behavior is superb on the GSX-S. The swingarm is taken straight from the GSX-R1000R and so you can feel exactly what the bike’s doing under acceleration. Up through Malibu’s canyons, the GSX-S was in its element, the nimble and agile chassis perfectly complementing the 150-odd horsepower on tap.
Here, you don’t miss the IMU-assisted TC or cornering ABS because at its base the GSX-S is a very well-constructed motorcycle that just loves to have a play.
Given the fact this motorcycle, this 1000cc naked bike, costs less than $12,000 in today’s money should be appreciated. Yes, there are some obvious flaws—mainly in the electronic department—but the 2022 GSX-S1000 is a decent bike for the price.
I would think in the coming years Suzuki will at least give the option of having cruise control (although they really should just give this to the customer for free), but that dash is another story. CN
2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000 Specifications
| MSRP: |
$11,299 |
| Engine: |
Engine: Four-stroke, 4-cylinder, DOHC |
| Valvetrain: |
DOHC |
| Cooling System: |
Liquid |
| Power (claimed): |
149 hp at 11,000 rpm |
| Torque (claimed): |
78 lb-ft at 9250 rpm |
| Displacement: |
999cc |
| Bore x stroke: |
73.4 x 59mm |
| Compression ratio: |
12.2:1 |
| Fuel system: |
EFI, 4 x 40mm throttle bodies |
| Exhaust: |
4-2-1 |
| Transmission: |
6-speed |
| Chassis: |
Aluminum twin-spar |
| Front suspension: |
KYB fork, fully adjustable |
| Rear suspension: |
KYB shock, adjustable rebound damping, preload |
| Front brake: |
Brembo Monobloc 4-piston, radially mounted caliper, 310mm disc, ABS |
| Rear brake: |
Nissin 2-piston, fixed caliper, 240mm disc, ABS |
| Front tire: |
120/70 ZR17 in. |
| Rear tire: |
190/50 ZR17 in. |
| Wheelbase: |
57.5 in |
| Seat height: |
31.9 in. |
| Fuel capacity: |
5.0 gal. |
| Weight (curb, claimed): |
472 lbs. |
| Color: |
Metallic Triton Blue/Metallic Matte Mechanical Gray |
