2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT Review [14 Fast Facts]

August 29, 2022

There are two major schools of thought concerning sporting motorcycles. From hallowed halls, Superbikes come with full fairings and uncompromising riding positions, with handling and horsepower to match. At the opposite end of the campus sits naked bikes, liberating themselves of plastics and adding welcoming ergonomics, while repurposing the engine and chassis from a race-replica for street living. Life isn’t black-and-white, and the sport-touring segment has always explored the color palette, highlighting sport, touring, or a combination of attributes. Such is the case with the 2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT—underlining the sport side of things, while retaining creature comforts.

The 2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT is mechanically identical to the dyed-in-the-wool sport-touring GSX-S1000GT+, which features color-matched side cases. And there lies the difference—the GT saves $650 compared to the touring-capable brother, as well as 23 pounds hanging out on the tail. Other than that, they’re two sides of the same K5 inline-four-powered coin.

We were curious to see how the 2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT reacts when treated as a sporting machine, albeit one equipped with the finer things in motorcycling life—you know, like wind protection and reasonable rider triangles. Without further ado, we’ll hit you with the Fast Facts.

Suzuki’s faithful GSX-R1000 K5 inline-four powerplant shows its versatility once again. The 999cc long-stroke K5 architecture is revamped for a new era, receiving the works—fresh cams, cylinder heads, throttle bodies, airbox, and more, bring it up to modern muster. While an engineering revitalization brings it forward, that 150 horsepower at 11,000 rpm and 78 ft-lbs of torque at 9250 rpm still know how to boogie like the old days. The K5 pulls as hard as the days are long, providing good shove around town and classic high-rpm thrills that the Gixxer 1000 model made its bones on.

Three selectable ride modes cover all the bases. Suzuki is taking a simplistic approach that extends to its electronics, beginning with its ride-by-wire throttle maps, A (Active), B (Basic), and C (Comfort). Twisting the grip offers a sublime connection without a hint of snatch anywhere, while the three modes run the aggression gamut. Mode A lives up to its alpha status, ramping up with superbike-like energy that can be a handful in slower, technical riding settings. Meanwhile, B matches the versatile Sport-Touring application perfectly, and C chills things to a calm state.

The rider aids don’t stop there—ABS, traction control, and cruise control are standard. On deck, we have five-level traction control, non-adjustable ABS, and CC that uses wheel-speed sensors in lieu of a costly IMU. Impressively, the Hamamatsu engineers managed to make the GT’s TC function as we’d hoped—stepping in only when necessary and doing so gracefully. ABS never faltered, and CC is a gift to those doing highway slogs.

Transmission updates and a faultless up/down quickshifter shine on the GT. Several internal tweaks have set the stage for a sweet-shifting experience aboard the Suzuki, and the up/down quickshifter is deserving of extra praise here. Rowing through the gearbox during corner entry or exit is incredibly rewarding. The quickshift system genuinely shames what’s available on certain high-dollar European offerings—a significant accomplishment, indeed.

GSX-R chassis DNA pays off when the road gets twisty. Sitting at a claimed 498 pounds with the five-gallon tank full of premium, the 2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT is no featherweight. Still, it manages to glean quite a few characteristics that made its sportier brethren legends at the racetrack. The twin-spar aluminum frame, swingarm, and geometry wouldn’t make you think twice if it were found on an R machine. The GT gives us a stout front-end feeling that enjoys carving up corners with the best of them—without the aching wrists, mind you. While lighter steeds will surely tack their way through tight stuff with greater ease, you can’t beat the security felt at each end of the GT.

Adjustable KYB suspenders can take whatever the road throws at them. Fancy semi-active suspension is a welcome nicety, but well-sprung and damped bits do the trick nicely. A fully adjustable fork and semi-adjustable shock mean you’ll need to reach for a couple of tools when fiddling. That’s no matter, as the KYB kit is suited for any road-going job, maintaining composure when the pace wicks up, or simply negotiating your everyday rough tarmac. A couple of clicks here and there were all I needed to hit the sweet spot.

Brembo and Nissin team up in the braking department once again. Now, there’s nothing new regarding the 310mm discs and Brembo four-piston calipers seen on other Suzuki models. Squeezing the lever reveals a soft initial bite and flat feel while pawing at the stoppers. Power is there, yet I’d like more attack out of the binders, mainly since one can hustle nicely as the 2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT. The rear 240mm disc and Nissin single-piston caliper combo doesn’t pull any punches.

All-day ergonomics broaden the riding possibilities. This class has some staple features, and nailing the ergonomics is crucial. To that end, a comfy, upright riding position is in store, with wide handlebars giving all the leverage one could ask for when trawling a parking lot or enjoying the curves. Suzuki smartly damped nearly everything with counterweights or rubber to keep most of the buzz at bay. My only personal gripe is the firm seat foam that can become taxing after a full day in the saddle.

We have an approachable sub-32-inch seat height. It allows riders on the shorter end of the spectrum to hop in the saddle—it’s over a half-inch lower than the GSX-R1000. The trade-off is an athletic seat-to-peg distance that does pay off in the exciting sections of the road and isn’t too bad while clicking off those commuter miles.

Wind protection? You’ve got it. Those living on the sporting side of the fence might not grasp the appeal of a full-fairing and windscreen. When your elbows are out, creature comforts tend to fall by the wayside, which is why hooligans might gravitate towards the fairing-free GSX-S1000. However, sometimes naked machines aren’t all that they’re cracked up to be, and the GT generates a comfy pocket. One glaring omission is the lack of windscreen adjustability. Taller riders will have to spring for the Suzuki accessory Touring windscreen.

A new 6.5-inch full-color TFT display boasts quite a bit of functionality. The layout is straightforward, though I question why so much real estate is dedicated to your ride mode, TC, and QS settings, while the fuel gauge doesn’t receive the same prominence. That minor observation aside, this dash has the naked GSX-S1000 and GSX-R1000 superbike seething with jealousy due to their antiquated LCD instrumental panels.

Following the trends, Suzuki offers its mySPIN app and a USB charging port for your smartphone. Regarding the app, your experience will vary with your device, and virtually all manufacturers have yet to master Bluetooth pairing with phones and headsets.

Cases or no cases, that is the question. While we’ve outlined the $650 difference on the showroom floor, there is more to it than that—you’ll want to commit to your light-packing ways at the point of sale. The standard GT can be equipped with the GT+’s luggage, but it will cost you over $1000 to do so after the fact. To convert the GT+ to the GT, you simply remove the bags. If you want a cleaner look on the case-free GT+, buy and install Suzuki’s pair of covers for the case mounts, which are standard on the GT.

The 2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT satisfies the sporting itch while ensuring that everyday riding isn’t out of reach. Sure, if you’re a tongue-wagging, eye-brow-furrowed rider who absolutely needs an inline-four-powered sportbike, the GSX-S1000 is going to be your match. And Suzuki’s formula of evolving the GSX-S platforms is not only effective, but quite attractive to the wallet. The downsides are minor; an adjustable windscreen, an IMU, and more bite on the binders round out the complaints. Many owners enjoy the possibility of versatility, and that’s precisely what a faired GSX-S1000GT set out to achieve. Rip through the canyons, commute, or tour—a comfy sport machine, it is.

Photography by Don Williams

RIDING STYLE

Helmet: Arai Corsair-X
Jacket: Alpinestars GP Plus R V3
Gloves: Alpinestars GP Pro R3
Jeans: Alpinestars Crank
Shoes: Alpinestars Faster 3

2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT Specs

ENGINE

Type: Inline-4
Displacement: 999cc
Bore x stroke: 73.4 mm x 59.0mm
Compression ratio: 12.2:1
Valvetrain: DOHC, 4 vpc
Exhaust: 4-2-1
Cooling: Liquid
Transmission: 6-speed w/ quickshifter
Clutch: Wet multi-plate w/ assist and slipper functions
Final drive: 525 RK O-ring chain

CHASSIS

Frame: Aluminum twin-spar
Front suspension; travel: Fully adjustable KYB 43mm inverted fork; 4.7 inches
Rear suspension; travel: Linkage-assisted spring-preload and rebound-damping adjustable KYB shock; 5.1 inches
Wheels: 6-spoke cast aluminum
Tires: Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2
Front tire: 120/70 x 17
Rear tire: 190/50 x 17
Front brakes: 310mm floating discs w/ Brembo monoblock 4-piston calipers
Rear brake: 240mm disc w/ Nissin single-piston caliper
ABS: Standard

DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES