Once you get past the initial oversensitivity of the throttle, the GSX S1000 is as smooth and as satisfying as chocolate. You simply must have it. The engine – 999cc, liquid cooled, and inline four, borrowed from the GSX R1000 from 2005 – is the real gem here. It’s down on power compared to the old superbike (if 144bhp isn’t enough already!), but the potency and spread of the torque make it an absolute delight.
Those who like stunting, you’d love it for how easy it is to pick it up on one wheel. As for boring people like me who love short shifting, the GSX S1000 will let you amble around in 6th gear at as low as 50kmph; it’s great for the city. Even on the highway or twisties, one doesn’t need to go berserk with the revs just to make good progress or have fun. At 5,000rpm, the GSX comes alive. Hit 7,000rpm and it turns into a predator complete with a chilling snarl and neck-hurting pounce. Cross 10,000rpm and you better have strong arms and thighs to lock yourself onto the bike. The ferocity of the acceleration is so intense you would either have the bike’s front facing the skies or your butt on the ground watching the GSX disappear from under you. So pay attention when you turn that wrist. Plus, it has another 2,000rpm to go before it begins bouncing off the limiter, which in itself sounds really cool.
Things just keep getting better with this Suzuki. The engine on the GSX S1000 might be from 2005, but the chassis, the wheels, and the tyres are all from today. So, the moment one gets on the bike and starts rolling, the near 210kg kerb weight felt while picking up the bike from the side stand, cuts to half. Ride it for 15 minutes and the GSX feels as light as the 150cc Gixxer (OK, not really, but you get the point). And this is at slow city speeds.
Take it out, hit a long straight four-laned patch of tarmac and if not for the lack of wind protection, even 200kmph on this Suzuki would feel pedestrian. But the real fun starts when the road starts to wind. The feel, the balance, and the grip from this GSX S1000 is outstanding. You don’t need to work this bike at all; you think and it does. Turn in: quick, precise and effortless. Mid corner: stable, adjustable, and grippy. Corner exit: WILD! Gas it, and like Flash you are sitting on the horizon.