SportRider’s take on the Suzuki GSX 1000 S

2015 SUZUKI GSX-S1000 NAKED BIKE

Suzuki’s forthcoming new liter-size naked bike was spied during a recent photo shoot for company promotional materials, and judging by this close-up shot, the new model’s designation will be GSX-S1000. Word had been

leaking out since last year that Suzuki had been working on a new big-bore naked bike, and utilizing the existing GSX-R1000 as a base platform was an easy assumption. This basically confirms those rumors, though a closer look reveals that the new GSX-S1000 is much more thanjust a stripped-down GSX-R with an upright handlebarand different styling.

Besides the conventional tubular handlebar and single halogen headlight, the ABS reluctor rings on both wheels (as well as the ABS logo on the front fender) are readily visible, signifying that ABS will be part of the new GSX-S1000, either as an option or standard. Having ABS sensors and infrastructure in place makes it easy to install a traction control system, and other photos show what appears to be the same handlebar-mounted control switch for TC as the 2014 V.Strom 1000 (the first Suzuki to come with TC standard), so it’s highly likely that the new GSX-S1000 will

have traction control. Suzuki has been slow tojoin the TC brigade, but our experience with the V-Strom 1000 shows that the company made sure its system was well refined before entering production.

While the swingarm looks identical to the GSX-R1000 unit, a close examination shows the frame is different. The frame spars on the new GSX-S are relatively flat, presumably for a slimmer midsection due to the different riding position; the GSX-R supersport model’s frame spars are much larger and bend outward much more for additional material and strength. It’s also highly likely that Suzuki engineers massaged the steering geometry numbers to provide additional stability due to the different riding position that puts less weight on the front end. The difference in weight distribution is also readily apparent in the larger rear brake disc that dwarfs any of the tiny GSX-R units.

It’s hard to discern much from looking at the engine externally, as although the engine case side covers are different, that has often changed through the generations without much internal modifications to show for it.

The clutch cover is smallerthan the GSX-R item, but it’s doubtful Suzuki would leave out the slipper clutch ramp system on a highperformance bike such as this. The exhaust is a 4-into-2-into-i under-engine chamber unit with a connector pipe between cylinders 2 and 4 header pipes, so there’s likely not majorchanges with the engine other than the usual “retuning for midrange”(here’s hoping it doesn’t).