Almost all die-hard superbike fanatics hail the GSX-1000R, or simply the Gixxer, as the holiest of them all. Not without reason, given how brutal the Gixxer has been right from the time it was first unleashed upon an unsuspecting world. At a time when the world was tilting towards anorexia, Suzuki rolled out a Gixxer thou with twin exhausts – a sign of how confident it was of its flagship’s charm.
Building on that legacy, Suzuki introduced two new models built around its manic 1-litre in-line four-cylinder engine – the GSX-S1000 and the GSX-S1000F. The former is a naked streetfighter while the latter is a faired, aggressive take on it. Both still let the big GSX-1000R take the top slot on the podium and both are equally difficult to say without sounding all tongue-twisted.
Apart from inheriting the legendary motor from the Gixxer, these new roadsters also feature an advanced, lightweight chassis, switchable 3-mode traction control system, 43mm inverted forks, radial-mounted Brembo brakes and a comprehensive information display cluster.
The word in the air is, both bikes are absolutely fun to ride, retaining Suzuki’s typical qualities of being punchy, as close to raw as possible, and with exceptional build quality. Not to mention, fast. The new GSX’ are a direct threat primarily to Kawasaki’s 1000cc line-up, namely the Z1000 and the Ninja 1000, but will also take on other challengers from Honda and Yamaha in the future. Triumph and Benelli, too, have a lot to worry about, especially with regards to the S1000.
Prices for the new roadsters from Suzuki are as follows:
GSX-S1000: Rs 12.25 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi)
GSX-S1000F Rs 12.70 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi)
