Motorcycle specifications SuzukiGSX-8R 800 2026 The next deal for sportswomen

great, a new GSX-R. It's been a long time coming..... No, stop, you're not there at all. It's the GSX8-R. The consonance is deceptive, but it's all about the 8. The cubage, the positioning, the desire, the strength; the arsouille or the joviality?
Suzuki adds a sporty model to its catalog, with a displacement that no Gex has ever seen. With specific features derived from its mid-size roadster.

as you may have guessed, the GSX-8R is based on the GSX-8S. Kawasaki and Yamaha do the same with their Z 650 / Ninja 650 or MT-07 / R7 pairs. Apart from the cost logic involved, this makes it possible to vary pleasures without breaking the bank too much. Which is not to say that you'll necessarily get a similar result. The Yam is more radical, the Kawa more sporty. So, who will it be up against? Let's find out.

the look is undeniably sporty. With its pointed nose, cheek-hollowed gills and taut fairing, the GSX-8R could well be mistaken for a new-generation GSX-R. But there are a few clues. Except that certain clues are unmistakable: fairly high half-guidelines, Dunlop Roadsport 2 tires that are more road than sport, no aluminum perimeter frame - it's more like the GSX-F of old. In fact, one clue should have tipped us off right away. Suzuki's pure-bred sportbikes are called GSX-Rs, whereas this bike is called GSX-8R. It's a tiny logographic discrepancy that makes a lot of sense.

this Suzuk' is not a track bike. It's there to provide a visual thrill for those tempted by the GSX-8S layout but preferring a racier look. The design of the 8R is thus presented with the grafting of a skin, accompanied by a whole host of modifications.
Especially on the suspension side. The roadster's Kayaba is replaced by Showa components, including the SFF-BP big-piston fork. No adjustments are made, except for shock preload. But if the original equipment is good and well adjusted, no worries. Especially as the bike is not intended for pure riding.
The half-handlebars are made of forged aluminum, and allow the rider to tilt forward to better impress his intentions on the steering. The presence of the fairing and bubble adds a few km/h, style and a certain amount of protection. Once you've got the hang of it, it's the engine of the GSX-8S and V-Strom 800 that gets you going.

A twin-cylinder engine that Suzuki is careful to exploit to its full potential. It has to go everywhere. This latest-generation 776 cm3 may not be the most powerful in its class, but it's hard-working, willing and reassuring, and can be exploited without a second thought. It develops 83 hp at 8,500 rpm. Far from the figures of a Supersport (a category that has all but disappeared), but within the canon of a dynamic, unpretentious motorcycle. Although the design makes you want more. That's a good ten more grunts than the direct competition. On the other hand, don't go and provoke an Aprilia RS 660 - they're not in the same league.

apart from the suspension, the entire GSX-8R structure is shared with the S. A tubular steel structure where the engine contributes to rigidity, 310 mm front brake discs clamped by 4-piston Nissin shoes, a single piston for the rear and its 240 mm disc, a big 180 rear tire to flatter your behind, a 14-liter fuel tank and a double-decker seat.
And, of course, the S.I.R.S platform for on-board electronics. With 3 driving modes, traction control, Up&Down shifter, in-house Easy Start and Low RPM Assist solutions, ABS, and a 5-inch color TFT speedo.
Suzuki is sticking to its no-nonsense, efficient design policy, which doesn't break the budget and ultimately provides the same services for 90% of users.

contrary to what one might have thought, the GSX-8R is not going to throw down the gauntlet to the R7. Less radical, more sportivo-GT, it will instead taunt the Ninja 650. All those who have been waiting for an offspring of the SV-S 650 will find a legitimate contender here, with a little more watts and in a pseudo GSX-R guise. On the other hand, Gex fans won't find a continuation of the 600 or 750 GSX-R saga with the GSX-8R. We're in a different era, and so are the wheels.

M.B. - Manufacturer's photos