2023 Suzuki GSX-8S First Look

[Admin]

The 2023 Suzuki GSX-8S in action. (Suzuki/)

All-new Suzukis don’t come along too often, so the introduction of a naked middleweight designed from a clean sheet is a huge step for the company. The GSX-8S is a step it’s been preparing to take for the better part of a decade.

First hinted at with the turbocharged 588cc parallel-twin-powered Recursion concept shown back in 2013, we then got a real glimpse of the upcoming engine design in 2015. At the time, still wearing a turbo and sitting in a glass box at the Tokyo Motor Show, the XE7 prototype motor already looked a lot like the new 776cc engine that’s hitting showrooms next year in the GSX-8S and its sister model the V-Strom 800DE. Over the intervening years, Suzuki has published dozens of patent applications around both the engine and the bikes set to carry it, and now the long wait has culminated in their official unveiling.

Suzuki doesn’t create all-new platforms very often, but for 2023 we get the GSX-8S naked. (Suzuki/)

The GSX-8S might not have the turbo of the original XE7 concept engine, but it’s still a huge leap forward. Remember, Suzuki’s current middleweight naked, the SV650, can trace its roots very clearly back to a predecessor that debuted a quarter of a century ago. Taking the parallel-twin route rather than sticking with the V-twin design makes sense; in terms of both manufacturing costs and in-bike packaging, parallel twins have substantial benefits over vee engines. There are fewer components, one cylinder head, one set of camshafts, and a simpler valve train, and the compact size and the position of intakes and exhausts means the parallel twin is far easier to slot into a frame without having to compromise elsewhere.

The GSX-8S features styling similar to its big sibling, the GSX-S1000. (Suzuki/)

We’ve already seen manufacturers take the parallel-twin route, notably in the form of the hugely successful Yamaha MT-07 and its spinoffs and more recently in Honda’s CB750 Hornet. As with those bikes, Suzuki has opted for a 270-degree crankshaft to replicate the firing interval of a 90-degree V-twin, providing more character and better traction than with a “flat” 180-degree crank. A patented twin-balancer shaft system, with one ahead of the crankshaft and the other below, combats the vibes that the layout introduces.

The cockpit view shows off the brand-new 5-inch TFT display. (Suzuki/)

Suzuki hasn’t quoted performance figures for the US-bound version of the bike, but the European-spec machine revealed at EICMA in Milan is good for 82 hp and 57.5 lb.-ft. of torque, which arrive at 8,500 rpm and 6,800 rpm respectively. The redline is 9,250 rpm. Those numbers put it a step above the likes of the old SV650, as you’d expect given the GSX-8S’s capacity advantage, but lag behind the 91.5 hp of the fractionally smaller, 755cc Honda CB750 Hornet that’s clearly its close rival. Where Honda has opted for a short-stroke, high-revving parallel twin, Suzuki’s solution is a longer-stroke motor that should compensate for its slightly lower peak power with a fatter midrange.

The new parallel-twin engine features twin balance shafts, one ahead of the crankshaft and one below. (Suzuki/)

The engine uses ride-by-wire, while 42mm throttle bodies feed the engine from an unusually placed underseat airbox that helps with the bike’s packaging by leaving more space for the 3.7-gallon fuel tank; the exhaust is a belly-mounted system. There’s the expected array of electronic gizmos, including the S-DMS riding mode selector, three-mode traction control, and a bidirectional quickshifter, and ABS is standard.

Here is the Suzuki GSX-8S stripped of its bodywork. (Suzuki/)

All that is mounted in a steel frame using a tubular front section and welded pressings around the swingarm pivot. A bolt-on subframe, again tubular steel, suggests that future models could be spun off using the same main frame but a different rear end. The swingarm is alloy, bolted to a KYB shock with mechanical preload adjustment; KYB also provides an inverted fork with 130mm of travel. Radial-mounted Nissin four-piston calipers grip dual 310mm rotors at the front, allied to a single 240mm rear disc with a single-piston caliper. Cast-aluminum wheels, 17 inches in diameter and wearing 120/70-17 rubber at the front and 180/55-17 at the rear, complete the chassis setup.

The rider’s view is dominated by a 5-inch TFT dash, with a choice of day or night modes and an adjustable gear-change indicator, with bar-mounted controls to access the menus and settings. At 31.9 inches, the seat height should make the GSX-8S accessible to a wide variety of riders.

Up front is an inverted KYB fork, and a pair of four-piston Nissin calipers. (Suzuki/)
Out back is a preload-adjustable shock, while a twin-piston Nissin caliper handles braking. (Suzuki/)

The bike’s styling is clearly influenced by the latest-generation GSX-S1000, with similar stacked LED headlights and bold, angular styling for the tank and minimalist tail unit. Three colors, white, blue, or black, are the 2023 options; the former pair are combined with blue wheels and seat subframes while the black version is color-matched throughout. Suzuki’s confidence in the styling is reflected by the relative lack of graphics, simply a Suzuki badge and a simple “8S” logo.

Of course there’s a wide range of options including a small wind deflector, belly cowl, and passenger seat cover, as well as luggage, protection parts and heated grips. Prices, which will be key in this competitive section of the market, have yet to be announced, as bikes aren’t expected to reach dealers until Spring 2023.

A closer look at the new TFT display. (Suzuki/)
Seat height is a reasonable 31.9 inches. (Suzuki/)
The 2023 Suzuki GSX-8S in white. (Suzuki/)
And in black. (Suzuki/)
A top view of the 2023 Suzuki GSX-8S. (Suzuki/)
More 2023 Suzuki GSX-8S in action. (Suzuki/)
The 2023 Suzuki GSX-8S should compete against the Yamaha MT-07 and MT-09. (Suzuki/)
2023 Suzuki GSX–8S styline. (Suzuki/)
View of the left handlebar switches to control the dash. (Suzuki/)

2023 Suzuki GSX-8S Specs

MSRP:	TBA
Engine:	DOHC, liquid-cooled parallel twin; 4 valves/cyl.
Displacement:	776cc
Bore x Stroke:	84.0 x 70mm
Compression Ratio:	12.8:1
Transmission/Final Drive:	6-speed/chain
Claimed Horsepower:	82.0 hp @ 8,500 rpm
Claimed Torque:	57.5 lb.-ft. @ 6,800 rpm
Fuel System:	EFI
Clutch:	Wet, multiplate
Engine Management/Ignition:	Electronic
Frame:	Steel backbone style
Front Suspension:	KYB inverted fork; 5.1 in. travel
Rear Suspension:	KYB shock, preload adjustable
Front Brake:	Nissin radial-mount 4-piston calipers, 310mm discs w/ ABS
Rear Brake:	Nissin 1-piston caliper, 240mm disc w/ ABS
Wheels, Front/Rear:	Cast-aluminum alloy; 17 in. / 17 in.
Tires, Front/Rear:	120/70-17 / 180/55-17
Rake/Trail:	25.0°/4.1 in.
Wheelbase:	57.7 in.
Ground Clearance:	5.7 in.
Seat Height:	31.9 in.
Fuel Capacity:	3.7 gal.
Claimed Wet Weight:	445 lb.
Contact:	suzukicycles.com

View the full article