Bike Reviews in India

Suzuki launches its flagship GSX-R1000 in India. Just another insane litre class machine or does it really make sense?

The next three corners, left-right-left, are clear and show no sign of traffic. Not a single soul. The speedometer is reading just above 120km/h in the third gear. The first left-hander arrives, downshift, throttle rolled, a bit of counter steer, weight transferred, on the gas again and within no time, the bike is exiting the left and getting ready for the right. By the end of the three-corner complex, something has changed in my life. Though its strictly not recommended, I am reading the speedo at the exit of the second left-hander. It still reads speeds above 120km/h. Images of the speed limit boards flash in my memory. I was not supposed to do what I had just done. It was a temptation very hard to suppress, but it had just created a new memory for me. My first knee scraping act on a litre bike, or rather a supersports/superbike, had been executed. And it meant a lot more than just that, because it had come on a bike that is not exactly regarded as rider friendly or a rather forgiving machine. I had just about put 60 to 70km on the Gixxer so far and I was already pretty comfortable on it. I had not expected the GSX-R to be so fantastic before I first got on to it. Litre bikes are no fun, especially in a country like India. But this one was pure joy for which there are quite a lot of reasons. The GSX-R1000 K10 is an all-new bike. This is the first real all-new upgrade to the bike since its launch in 2001. The all-new implies the engine, chassis, suspension, swingarm, electronics and absolutely everything that would matter in a bike of its class. The cosmetics of the bike have been more or less the same ever since the Gixxer 1000 made it to the market. The one that we had for test here comes from Europe. Clad in white and blue, the GSX-R is nothing less than a seduction. The blue from the body panels flows on to the chassis and swingarm as well, in matte, and looks more than stunning. Sharp edges at the front flow and gel seamlessly with the razor sharp tail. The only curvature that you find on the bike comes in the form of the slightly arched twin exhausts. Special efforts towards attaining superb aerodynamics are clearly visible. Suzuki’s trademark stacked headlamps add to the aggression of the already menacing front end while the LED tail lamps are the final signature of the Gixxer’s new age style statement. The real deal, however, starts with the engine of the GSX-R. The new over-square, short stroke engine ensures free and high revving. Titanium valves for intake and exhaust come with two springs that ensure all the extreme demands from the engine are comfortably taken care of. The 999cc motor powering the Gixxer is not exactly refined. It has a grunt, a growl, which notifies us of its no-nonsense performance. The point to be noted here is that the engine does feel a bit lethargic low down at around 3000 revs. However, don’t mistake this as a negative. The beauty of this behaviour is that it makes the bike pretty rideable in city traffic since the jerky on-off power delivery is absent (a lot of credit for this also goes to the improved fuel injection) and the engine doesn’t ask for continuous toggling between the cogs in slow moving traffic. Nonetheless, past 5000 revs, under heavy wrist wringing action, the front rubber starts repelling the tarmac (yeah, I love that) and the floating front is a complete delight.

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Once in those higher revs, the Suzuki turns into a wild beast that is ready to pounce at every goddamn thing that comes in its path. With 180 available horses at crank, it has immense outright power. That, from a bike weighing 205 kilos (kerb), is very close to 0.9:1 power-to-weight ratio. Terrific! The peak power is available at 12000 revs, which is 1800rpm shy of the redline. However, anything beyond 8000 revs is nothing less than violence. The ferociously fast Gixxer is a dream come true for a man who wants more power than what he can imagine of handling. The sheer aggression with which the Suzuki delivers power to the rear wheel is a different story altogether. Beat this: you can read 161km/h on the speedo if you have the balls of pulling the first gear of the Gixxer all the way to the redline. Orgasmic, isn’t it? A superb throttle response and most importantly, a very good feedback to the rider is something that differentiates the Suzuki from most other litre class motorcycles that I have managed to ride till date. Brutal acceleration in the first three gears assures wheelies. It might do so in the fourth as well, however, we didn’t really get the opportunity to try that. I won’t really be surprised if anyone comes up to me and tells me that he/she pulled a wheelie in fourth, cause its damn possible. Talking of gears, the transmission and clutch is worth more than just a mention here. The shifts through the gears are highly precise and I love the cable-operated clutch (hydraulics don’t really give the same feedback like good ol’ cables, do they?). What impresses me the most is the slipper clutch though. It is something that is not completely new, but it was the first time I got an opportunity to try it out thoroughly and without a doubt, it left me awestruck. The way the GSX-R’s rear would stay in line under quick downshifts without losing composure is phenomenal. Okay, so we have a lot of power that is being produced at the crank and we also know that most of it is being delivered to the rear wheel. However, what is the point in having all this power if it cannot be tamed, if it cannot by utilized and if it can be only experienced in straight line acceleration? The Suzuki GSX-R1000 continued to impress further as I tried to find the answers to these questions. Let’s go back to where we started. The knee dragging experience was still very fresh in my mind. This was possible because of two good reasons – impeccable handling and flawless rider-motorcycle connection. Most of the credit for the spot on handling has to be given to the Showa Big Piston Fork (BPF). This new suspension comprises of bigger, lighter forks that have a very simple internal construction. A single internal piston in each fork takes care of rebound and compression damping. The most important and crucial benefit of the Showa BPF front end suspension is that it gives a fantastic feedback to the rider. Under hard braking and turning into a corner, the sudden dive is absent. Instead, a smooth and gradual dive gives you utter confidence to push harder and most importantly, the immaculate handling. Overall, the chassis and suspension of the Gixxer has been completely updated that features a longer swingarm (helps in better traction during exiting corners) yet shorter wheelbase (for sharp and precise handling). Sounds like the perfect compromise? It ought to be. The kind of stability and planted feel of the GSX-R in corners is a complete confidence booster.

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So there is immense power and also the ability to utilize it. That should be enough to impress a hardcore biker. But there is more to the Gixxer than just the power and handling. The electronic equipment level is not too high but sufficient for a road bike. The power delivery comes through three modes A, B and C, which can be toggled through with the help of a switch that hides under the switchgear on the left clip-on. Brilliantly tucked in and easily accessible, the modes give you an option of response form the throttle body. A is the default mode which is full blown power delivery. Madness. B reduces the throttle response a bit and the C mode turns the bike into an obedient machine. The foot pegs are three-way adjustable and they manage to give a very good handlebar-footpeg-seat geometry, mind you, for aggressive riding only. Another good thing about the GSX-R1000 is that it comes with a standard steering damper, which really takes care of the insane tankslappers under full throttle acceleration. The sitting posture is radical and can get on your nerves in the city. Talking of that, the stiff suspension (once again, its fantastic in the corners) also becomes a problem on bumpy surfaces, especially cement roads and manages to transfer the slightest of undulations on the road surface to your spine. After spending about 300km with the GSX-R1000, I was actually in a confused state of mind. I hadn’t expected things to be the way they turned out. One, because as I mentioned earlier, it is an established belief that litre bikes are no fun in a country like India and two, because racebred machines are the worst option considering hardly any Indian customer is actually going to ride hard on a racetrack. But I was in for a surprise. The GSX-R is not all that bad in the city (except for the radical sitting posture) and with its good handling and immense amount of power, it makes for a very good bike for the weekend twisties session as well. Moreover, the Gixxer has killer looks. Maximum attention guaranteed! What else can you want? Probably, a cheaper price tag. At Rs 14.03 lakh (on-road, Pune), the GSX-R is more expensive than its elder brother, the Hayabusa. And for those who can’t really take the massive aggression of the Gixxer, Suzuki has also brought in the Bandit 1250S. Jump to page 68 as Bunny takes one out on a rainy ride to Mahabaleshwar and beyond!

 

Photography: Sanjay Raikar

Suzuki’s big bore, mile munching Bandit sets a new benchmark for value and comfort in the Indian superbike market reckons Bunny Punia

Photography Sanjay Raikar

It was way back during the 1998 (or was it 2000?) Auto Expo in New Delhi when my brother got a brochure of the Suzuki Bandit from Maruti’s hall. The next few days were spent trying to gather as much information as possible on the bike from my utterly slow and unreliable dial-up internet connection. Years passed by and as my secret love for this bike grew, the machine itself got positive upgrades. Carburetion was replaced with fuel injection, the engine got another 98cc and another cog was added to the gearbox. However, what remained the same (well almost) was the Bandit’s sticker price making it one of the best deals on two wheels in the big bike market. Why Suzuki decided to skip this model for India often surprised me to no end. However, some say, the wait is always worth it. Was it?

Motorcycle earplugs are made and recommended for a reason. Cruising towards Belgaum a day after the photo-shoot at an indicated 120km/h on the digital speedometer, the Bandit’s 1255cc motor lazed at just 4000rpm. However even with a relatively high visor, the wind buffeting and the inadequacy of my helmet to stop air from getting in meant all I could hear was the wind roar hitting my face and the occasional horn that I had to use. I had covered the last 90km from Kolhapur in under an hour including slowing down for two toll booths without having to push either the bike or myself. In all, these 330km from Pune were banished with utter ease in four hours including grabbing a quick bite enroute. The last time I covered such a long distance on a big bike was yet another Suzuki – the mighty Hayabusa. The difference here was that neither did I have aching forearms nor a broken back. If time permitted, my destination for the night would have been Bangalore, another 500 odd kilometres away.

The history of the Bandit goes back to the ‘90s. When launched, it came with a detuned 1100cc engine from the Suzuki GSX-R1100 in a simple tubular-steel frame, bargain-bin suspension and brakes. It still proved to be a hit and a hooligan. Most people who bought one, often rode on one wheel – blame the torque for that. However over the years, the Bandit, if I may say, matured. Today, it sells in both the naked and the faired (the ‘S’) version and is regarded as a purchase as good as stealing.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the Bandit will fare at the bottom of the current breed of superbikes in India when it comes to looks. However, the half-fairing exposes the huge lump of metal nestling below the fuel tank and this, along with the chunky and fat exhaust are what lend the Bandit its character. Further, the four huge exhaust pipes exiting from the cylinder heads look mean. Up front, the half-fairing is neatly mounted, fully-lined and is no wider than the tank. It does its job of keeping the elements off an average built rider’s torso with no fuss or flapping. The rear of the Bandit again does with subtle styling, though I personally loved the short ending mudguard, exposing the wide 180mm section tyre. India gets two colour options – black and grey. The twin-pod speedometer console is chrome-bezeled in the 1970’s style and as expected, the design is nothing to rave about. That said, it is simple and quite legible. The left has an analogue tachometer with the right one housing a small digital display for speed, fuel, distance and time.

Undoubtedly, in the case of the Bandit, the real beauty lies below the skin and it is the refinement that runs through and through the motorcycle. Apart from the engine’s known ageless reliability, what really impressed me was the absence of vibrations and harshness across the rev range. Be it commuting in city traffic or scaring the living daylights out of fast moving cars on the highway, the liquid-cooled four cylinder engine feels remarkably smooth. Suzuki claims the reason for this is due to various features like a central cam chain, staggered transmission shafts, tighter spacing between the pairs of cylinders and a secondary balancer shaft.

With motorcycles close to 200 horsepower already on sale in India, the Bandit’s 96bhp motor seems pale in comparison. However, as the age- old saying goes, there is no replacement for displacement and of course for torque. The engine churns out an impressive 107Nm of torque and the beauty lies in the way it is developed – at just 3700rpm. Compare this to say 100Nm of the Honda CB1000R at 8000rpm and you realize just how punchy this motor is. The roll-on figures in the fourth, fifth and sixth cogs speak the same story, bettering even the 186PS GSX-R1000’s timings for the 40-60km/h and 60-80km/h sprint. Beat that! The strong low and midrange also mean that puttering in slow moving traffic is easy for this 250 kilo machine. Once past crawling speeds, the Bandit manages to hide its porky weight rather well and with the humongous amount of torque on avail right from idling, it’s rather easy to zip past traffic by making full use of small openings between vehicles.

 

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Infact, the Bandit pulls cleanly without any hiccups from the chain or the engine from as low as 1000rpm in the sixth cog, at which point the speedometer reads just around 30km/h! This is one of very few motorcycles that can boast of going from 30km/h, all the way upto an indicated 250km/h in its topmost gear. The fantastic throttle response is also due to the optimized dual throttle valve fuel injection system which features 36mm throttle bodies. Give the bike some stick and it will fly past the 60km/h mark from naught in a shade over 2 seconds. The 0-100km/h sprint is achieved in just 4.35 seconds, remarkable for a bike with less than a hundred ponnies and quarter of a ton to lug around.

The strong midrange also comes in handy while touring – another forte of the Bandit. At 120km/h, the engine is spinning at just 4000 revs with oodles of punch in reserve for keeping up or making other fast moving sedans eat dust. You hardly ever need to downshift and the tall sixth gear makes the bike guzzle less gas at highway speeds. The 19-litre tank is good for over 250km with ease.

If you are the kind of biker who doesn’t like the knees-in-the-mouth riding posture, the Bandit is the bike to have for sure. I don’t remember the
last time I felt so comfortable on a large capacity motorcycle (Harley-Davidson bikes are a different breed) over a long distance. At the same time, if your height is less than 5’6”, stop reading further as the saddle literally gives you the feeling of riding on top of the world. The seat is adjustable by 20mm but even then, some of my colleagues who stand at 5’10” had a tough time keeping both their feet firmly on the ground. There is enough room for two large sized adults and the huge grabrail is a handy addition.

The upright seating position combined with a supple suspension makes the Bandit quite comfortable over undulations. True, this is a no-frills basic superbike with basic suspension and braking components, but for daily usage, the bike shines and how! Small speedbreakers and potholes, even at speeds, are dismissed off with ease. In fact, so confident was the bike off the road that I couldn’t stop myself from indulging in a few riding-on-the-pegs antics. The only hindrance was its weight, giving my thighs and forearms a good workout. The Bandit was never meant to be a track bike, and it isn’t. That said, you can easily throw it into flowing corners with the grip from the tyres never giving you a reason to feel insecure and back off.

With our unfair government policies trying to protect the non-existent locally manufactured big bike market with ridiculously high import duties, imported superbikes are never going to be pocket friendly in our country. However, with the Bandit, Suzuki has managed to set a benchmark for performance per rupee – Rs 8.5 lakh (ex-showroom) for a 1255cc CBU import is a fantastic sticker price. It even undercuts the only other in-line four cylinder street superbike on offer in India, the Honda CB1000R by a good fifty grand. The Bandit is a very practical no-nonsense superbike, capable of playing multiple roles. It’s one of those rare motorcycles that has the ability to do everything well, or at least well enough to satisfy you and justify its price tag. I’ve lost count of the amount of times over
the past week that I’ve looked at the Bandit and felt underwhelmed, only to take it for a spin and remember what a really great all-rounder it is. Don’t buy this bike if you expecting to set lap records, scrape knees or smoke your buddy’s Hayabusa at the traffic lights. Buy this bike if you want a really truly, good and honest, all-round capable machine that will provide you with all the motorcycling fun you can handle.