2024 Suzuki GSX-8R

Based on the GSX-8S middleweight streetbike, but with higher-spec suspension and a full fairing, the GSX-8R is a reasonably priced sportbike that’s far less uncompromising than Suzuki’s GSX-R race-reps. But “less uncompromising” doesn’t equal “compromised.” A rewarding ride on street and track, the 8R does justice to its famous GSX lineage.

Japanese manufacturers have long built affordable, sensible sportbikes to sit alongside their purebred race-replicas. It made good sense in the ‘90 and ‘00s as sportbike popularity was at an all-time high. Suzuki alone filled showrooms with fully faired also-rans like the Katana and RF lineup. Using more modest materials and components and less than full-fat engines, to some, they felt both different-than and less-than the GSX-R lineup. While they may not have inspired the same kind of unbridled passion that comes with uncompromising performance, they had a real place in the marketplace.

These days, the popularity of sportbikes has significantly dwindled, which gives manufacturers the opportunity to flip the script on the category, which is exactly what Suzuki has done with the new-for-2024 GSX-8R, the fully faired version of its GSX-8S middleweight streetbike. It ditches clip-ons for bar risers, its lowish footpegs don’t lodge your heels in your glutes, its suspension is tuned for road-going braking forces and less-than-perfect road surfaces, and its torquey engine is fun without having to be bounced off the rev limiter. But rather than coming across as less than a GSX-R, it capitalizes on its manifest differences. It’s a twin, first of all, so everyday-fun can be had at everyday-rpm. Ultimately, it’s just not trying too hard to be something it’s not. Less focus means more versatility. So if you can label Suzuki’s GSX-8R as “sportbike-plus” rather than “sportbike-lite,” and approach it with an open mind, it’ll surprise you with its sport-riding and trackday capability.

In the January 1994 issue of Cycle World, we said of the RF600R: “Suzuki has built a well-priced machine that shows style and intelligence, understanding that not all 600-class buyers are 17 years old and set on being the next Kevin Schwantz. It’s a good motorcycle—a very good motorcycle—that deserves an audience.”

The same can be said of the new GSX-8R, but its capability also shows just how far technology has advanced in 30 years. Because if you are 17 (if only in your mind) and still want to be Kevin Schwantz, the 8R’s saddle is a legit place from which to dream. The thing can go around a track, that’s for sure. As proof, Suzuki has even homologated the GSX-8R to race in the MotoAmerica Twins Cup.

The GSX-8R is all-new for 2024, but heavily based on the GSX-8S. The 8R is available in three colors: Metallic Triton Blue, Pearl Ignite Yellow, and Metallic Matte Sword Silver.

The GSX-8R is available for $9,439—just $440 more than the 8S. Other than the obvious exterior differences between the 8S and the 8R, the most significant change is the suspension. The S model uses KYB units front and rear, while the R model harnesses a nonadjustable Showa SFF-BP (Separate Function Fork – Big Piston) fork with 41mm inner tubes and 5.1 inches of travel. At the rear, the 8R uses a preload-adjustable Showa shock. The 8R also ditches the naked bike’s one-piece handlebar for bars that mount to the top of the triple clamp.

The GSX-8R’s biggest competition is from Japan. First, Yamaha. Just as the 8R is based on a naked bike, Yamaha used its popular MT-07 as a starting point for the YZF-R7, which shares a name—and nothing else—from the ultra-trick homologation special from the ‘00s. Comparably priced at $9,199, the R7 uses a smaller-capacity 689cc parallel-twin engine paired with a slipper-assist clutch. While the R7 has the upper hand in the weight department, weighing a substantial 38 pounds less than the GSX-8R, it doesn’t have any electronic rider aids and a quickshifter doesn’t come standard.

Kawasaki’s Ninja 650 is available in ABS ($8,899) and non-ABS versions ($8,299–$8,499). The Ninja 650 has a TFT dash, available ABS, and traction control, but makes do with conventional fork and lacks some of the rider aids that set the GSX-8R apart (e.g., quickshifter and ride modes). The Ninja weighs in at a claimed 421–423 pounds which, like the Yamaha, is significantly lighter than the Suzuki, but it also has a smaller-capacity engine.

For $700 more than the GSX-8R, Honda’s CBR650R gets two additional cylinders. The only four-cylinder of the bunch, the CBR is also the most expensive. Like the Suzuki, it uses 41mm Showa SFF-BP (Separate Function Fork – Big Piston) units. With ABS and basic traction control, the Honda is on par with the Kawasaki in the electronics department, but lags slightly behind the Suzuki.

New from Triumph, the Daytona 660 uses a proven three-cylinder engine that produces a claimed 94 hp and 51 lb.-ft. of torque—a bit more ponies and a bit less torque than the Suzuki. The Daytona is equipped with a ride-by-wire throttle and has three ride modes that adjust throttle response, traction control, and ABS. Its dash employs a small TFT display set within a larger LCD gauge that’s a useful blend of state-of-the-art and affordability. Showa SFF-BP fork and a preload-adjustable Showa rear shock, similar equipment to what the Suzuki and Honda use, are appropriately paired to the bike’s intended use. At $9,195, it’s less expensive than the Suzuki, and carries a certain cachet that comes with the Triumph badge, which some riders will prize.

Aprilia’s RS 660 should be mentioned because it has friendly ergos and a parallel-twin engine like the Suzuki, Yamaha, and Kawasaki, but its higher price ($11,549–$13,499) elevates it into a different stratosphere—technically and on the road. Higher-spec components, more advanced electronics, and a more performance-oriented engine would give it an unfair advantage in this group. Lest we go too far down the rabbit hole, we’ll forgo mentioning the $15,495 Ducati SuperSport.

If the letters “GSX” are of special distinction to you, the 8R should have loads of appeal. Its supersweet engine and just-right blend of capability definitely make it a front-runner in this packed category.