In my opinion, Suzuki hit a home run with its new for 2022 GSX-S1000GT and GT+. Seeing a market that was slowly shifting towards adventure bikes pulling double duty as tourers, Suzuki sought to revitalize the sport-touring segment for those who prefer 17-inch wheels and strafing twisties. The result is what you’d expect from the company some tout as building the first “real” sportbike in the GSX-R750.
Yes, the GSX-R DNA is all over this new GSX-S, but nowhere is it more obvious than the engine. Here we find a 999cc four-cylinder that can trace its roots back 17 years to the K5 GSX-R1000 sportbike. Despite the fact that sportbikes have come a long way since 2005, that generation GSX-R is still regarded as one of the best motorcycles Suzuki has ever made. So it’s no wonder the folks at Hamamatsu have kept the engine alive and re-tooled it for sport-touring duty.
Fortunately for us, a once glorious sportbike engine now makes for a glorious sport-touring engine, as the shift in the four cylinder’s powerband delivers an amazing rush of real-world power – and it does so smoothly. Upright bars mean there’s no need to crouch over like on a sportbike, and of course, the rider is surrounded by wind tunnel-derived bodywork to help place them in a comfortable pocket of air as they’re flying down the road. Tack on some 36-liter saddlebags (on the GT+), traction control, ABS, and the all-important cruise control, and you’ve got a recipe for a great sport-touring machine.
But you didn’t come here to read words. You can read my written review for that. No, what you came to see is me jabbering on about Suzuki’s latest and greatest sport-touring model. Click the video above and you can see the GSX-S1000GT+ in action along some of central California’s greatest roads and twisties.
We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works.
Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here.
The post 2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+ First Ride – Video appeared first on Motorcycle.com.