It would make a good light sport tourer if it had cruise control and adaptive for luggage. I also kicked my MT07 to the curb for a ZX4RR. I'm not rally a fan for the sound of parallel twins except for retro's. The music of the in line 4's just adds to my ride now.
I'm currently on a FZ07 for a few years now. I've been debating adding another bike to the stable. I too am interested in the ZX4RR,and am curious why you chose it of the 6R?
My inseam is around 27" and I have owned a Triumph Street Triple before. I never used all the power in it as long as I had it. I had it for 5 years. The ZX6R just had more power then I would ever us and It is too tall for me. I love the looks of the all black ZX6R and actually thought of buying one. I sat on it and took pictures. It would probably get me into a lot of trouble. The ZX4RR is perfect for me and what I want it for. Back country roads with a lot of curves. I'll never go to a track. @@nclements79
If the MotoAmerica teams who run the RS660 (same class as the R7) truly keep several engines with them for backup, it's a testament how Aprilia needs to make sure the metallurgy improves, instead of stuffing rods through the side of their engines. I don't ever see Suzuki putting out a product that sends rods through the sides of blocks. Ever.
Also, when Suzuki beat Ducati in MotoGP they only had 4 bikes to run, and Ducati had an entire garage full. Suzuki doesn't even question if their bike is gonna break, because we all know it won't. Bomb proof. I've seen many GSXRs with well over 60k running like new when the ZX, Ducati and many others are falling apart.
@@jordanjoestar8839 I bought mine for exactly that reason! That and I always wanted one! 2016 GSX-S1000 I’m to old for the R model I like the S better now I can ride it all day and it still has liter bike power and handling!
By the videos of it being tested on track, seems like a winner so far even without suspension hardware changes. Certainly the RS660 would outgun it at max RPM but with a little tuning help this bike gains like 10 easy horsepower and about just as much torque (typically unheard of). If it has some power advantage, the extra weight compared to the R7 and RS660 will level the playing field my guess. Will be interesting to see it out battling with the others. I have to look into the MotoAmerica rules to see what mods are allowed, but last I was in there, the impression is quite a lot can be adjusted and changed for racing teams.
@@chiefyy710 Sweet! Definitely gonna order one. I owned 6 different motorcycles and I never had a windshield so I’m really curious about trying one out and seeing how much it helps on longer rides.
Thank you for doing this review! I have a 2023 8S with a little over 4,000 miles on it so far that I purchased last June. I am a middle aged rider and for my purposes, the powerplant has been perfect for my real world riding. I have often told my dad (80 and still riding!) that the 8S was a 10/10 for my purposes with the engine/transmission/usability and a 7/10 on looks. It is fine looking at some angles - but not my favorite at others. I typically forget any issues with looks though when I twist the throttle. :-) For my purposes it is wonderful in A mode with a little traction control. 6 months in and 4,100 miles later I still love it and it puts a grin on my face. Here is my question..... I'm super interested in the 8R because it looks much better to my eye. I just wanted to confirm what you said about the clip-ons. They don't change the ride angle significantly? I have never seen one in person but if the riding position is the same I may be huntiing an 8R to replace my 8S. For my longer rides or multi-day rides, comfort is important to me and the 8S is fine. Thoughts? Thanks again!
Suzuki has chosen a design language for the GSX bikes, it's pretty good looking. This 8R has nice curves and smooth surfaces. I'm frankly tired of the anime robot insect look by now and glad to see a more conservative design coming out. It'll age much better.
Integrated lights from a distance have no distinguished obvious signaling to other motorists. Tap the bake light, hit a signal, do a combo of each, it's all glaring blobs of light barely inches from each other, blending colors. Consider too that a lot of people with imperfect bad vision use the roadway who claim they don't see motorcyclists after they plow into them, cut across their right of way, turn across their lane, whatever. The whole idea of having lights is to show clear intention to other motorists, not to have a lighted casino exhibition piece. Legally, there's supposed to be a certain distance spacing between signals, legally there's supposed to be a minimum size of visible light that illuminates the instant a signal lights up. Legally there's a required signal blinking rate. People fancy ripping off OEM lights, and I get it, they are often hideous and ugly and merely bureaucratic compliance pieces. But the replacements also are often far worse by way of making a rider's life actually safe on a road way, telling other motorists what is intended. Companies design the showpieces and have to write fineprint to be able to sell the stuff legally and not be sued. And riders buy the stuff knowing it isn't legal (written on the product page and packaging) and ride it on public roadways ANYWAY. Aren't we all just the most interesting bunch. It's like the fun-havers removing their mirrors so they can get an extra 3 mph faster than their buddy roll racing down the interstate at 197 mph.
@@exothermal.sprocket You make some interesting points, a lot of which are true. But I have an issue with the fender on this bike in particular. I live in NYC and ride my bike mostly on local streets. Drivers tend to tail gate a lot, which is unfortunate but is the reality of it. This fender is set much lower and further behind the frame, which is an advantage on the highway, when vehicles are usually a car length or two away. But in my scenario, I’m nearly rear ended on a daily bases because they can’t tell that I’m braking. The brake light isn’t in their view, especially if they’re in an elevated vehicle like an SUV. I’ve had to resort to filtering as much as possible (which is illegal in New York) and putting myself at greater risk of an accident, just to decrease the chances of being rear ended for someone not giving enough distance between me and their vehicle… It’s unfortunate, but these are the things some people have to resort to for their safety. And, like I mentioned before, it makes the bike look way cooler. 😎
@@MrDito1209 Suzuki could have done a better job with the tail light, and still complied with the fender reaching the rear of the tire (compliance requirements). Thankfully there are better solutions so far. Another brand I've found is Evotech Performance. I still recommend keeping your signals on stalks, even if you change those to LED. It helps to see which side is lit up relative to the position of the brake/tail light. Also make sure the signal relay understands how to run LED signal lights, rather than flashing a thousand times per minute. There's a product for the back of a rider's helmet that acts like a high mount brake light. Not for everyone, and not for every helmet but it's an idea. I had an FZ1 years ago where I installed a module and LED tail, which strobed a few quick bursts before staying steady-on. That was attention grabbing and very bright. I don't think it was legal due to the mimicking of a patrol car flash rate, but I highly doubt any policeman would have complained because it was red in color and better than OEM. I still kept the standard signal stalks.
@@exothermal.sprocket you drive many good points, and I like how you packaged up the post in us riders being an interesting bunch. I agree with all you have said but i do want to clarify our stance on the subject. We cannot change what people want, or what they will end up opting for. We also believe that the choice should be made by the customer because choice is freedom. I have seen bikes built for shows only, and get trailered to and from shows. The owners of those definitely go for style and compromise visibility. Then there are those who use aftermarket equipment on the roads and take responsibility for the modifications on themselves. Those people should be focusing on visibility in my opinion. So our approach to being fair to multitude of demographics is to create a modular system capable of being customized to many needs. We offer integrated tail lights, external signal lamps, and combination lamps capable of signal/run/brake function (like our Quadrix-D). We round out the offerings with harnesses that connect everything plug-and-play style, Y-splitter harnesses that enable the use of integrated tail lights in conjunction with external signal or combo lamps, and physical mounting systems that take care of attaching the lamps to the bike. This way there are many combinations of setup that are achievable. Some examples are as follows: one of our tail lights with it's signals connected in parallel with external signal/combo lamps, one of our tail lights used as running/brake only with external signal or combo lamps in parallel, OE tail light with our signal or combo lamps replacing the OE signal lamps, any combo of OE signal lamps with pur tail light, and so on. Our product line gives the customer flexibility to choose and configure the system to their desire. The responsibility of choosing what is right and proper also rests with the customer, but that is given for any freedom that we still have.
As an R7 owner I can appreciate the dash and the features, especially for only $200 more. However I like the aggressive feel, seating position, and looks of the R7 wayyyy better. If I really wanted to be comfortable than I probably would’ve bought an MT07 😂
You guys should develop lower yolk mounted clips ons, same mount as the stock ones but lower with adjustments. I prefer to be a little more leaned forward, the Daytona 660 interests me as it’s more leaned forward then this and a slightly more leaned forward then the CBR650R.
I am a fan of Suzuki but I felt, as you did, that they were asleep in the R&D department. This bike looks really appealing to me. I have been riding street bikes for about 40 years and have had over a dozen different bikes over the years. Cruisers are not my thing. This bike may be the answer. I might trade my MT07 in on one.
Was looking to upgrade from my XSR 125, and fell in love with the CBR500R, seemed like the prefect bike for me. Until this one came along. At almost 50, speed no longer being a decisive factor, I really should stick to the CBR. But hot damn, that torque! Gonna be a tough choice but already leaning towards the GSX8R as my new found love.
They are such a subtle drop from the 8S, but i ended up choosing the 8S over the 8R as im not getting any younger and that slight increase in bending over was enough to notice after 15 minutes.
I test ride one today. I was very skeptical of twins (my first bike was a 750 2 stroke, 😂). But this bike was a ton of fun! Exceeded all expectations. No more 10k rpms and laying over a tank! It’s not a super sport so stop trying to compare it to one.
Since most controls get replaced for racing purposes, there is no need to make the bike supersport like from the factory. The appeal then reaches a broader demographic, and lowers the cost of the bike. The minority that will be converting to track use will get clipons low on there, bust out the bodywork to accommodata that, and get the rearset positions higher and more back. For the majority of customers this bike offers a really nice middle of the road balance with race bike styling. -BR
This just looks like a ninja 650 with more displacement. The riding style is straight up? No where close to the R7 which had some what r6 abrasive position? Please explain?
Very cool. First 8R first ride review that's appearerd in my feed. Congrats and well done. What is the exhaust? Is it a full system or a slip on? Is a slip on even possible with the GSX 8 platform??
I own an RS660 and I love how it handles and the features it has however the performance is lacking a little for me. I was hoping with over 100 extra cc’s this 8R might have that extra grunt I was hoping for. With the HP figures you gave now I’m not sure. Hopefully you guys can get your hands on the new Daytona 660 and review that. A modified 2009 was probably my favorite bike and I have had quite a few from Ducs to Hondas. Great review thank you guys 🤘
If you take a look at our GSX8R stock dyno video you will notice that the results from the 8R are competitive with the RS660. The Italian machine puts down approximately 6-8 more ponies at the rear wheel peak, while the 8R outperforms the RS in peak torque by about 10 ft lb. The two biks would have to be ridden differently but can potentially achieve similar lap times, or felt performance. I think the Japanese bike is a bit more street friendly with the low end response, and also promises to have fewer technical problems. The 8R is also neutered in the ECU. You can unleash much more potential with simple bolt ons and tuning. On the S model we have been doing R&D with we have already crossed the 90HP and 62 foot pound barrier. Now where I think the Itallian outshines the Suzuki at the moment is the chassis and suspension departments. But once aftermarket catches up I do believe they will be pretty equivalent, but with drastically differing price points. -BR
That same tail light is also used on gsxr600 and 750 since 2011. On this bike they mounted it in the fender so it's extra in-your-face. We had to do something with that.
Hey Mark, great looking bike by Suzuki! Did I hear you say $7500 dollars for the tail light unit? 😂😂😉 When is Legend Bart gonna get his hands dirty on this bad boy?😎 Cheers 👌
I have not ridden either the s nor the r but I'd probably go with the gsxs1000 naked just because I want better 0-80 acceleration, and 100+ mph buffeting would deter me from doing that because I'm not going to take it to the track, very good review though
Hold on... is that white f150 your camera car or do you use two 360 X3's? This video is so seamless its insane. How do you do it? I'm in the Tampa area... might have to make a ride north on the SDR... hmm
We currently have an aftermarket set-up on it with aftermarket clip-ons. We have a loose plan of doing a video showcasing the front assembly and the nuances of what we've done.
I'm holding back on major mods on my 8S waiting to see if Suzuki busts out a version of this like the SV1000 GT. If not there are some bags from SW Motech, Suzuki, and problaze that all look like the exact same bag.
Excellent review, again! I tried this model too. Coming from a Honda NC 750S, I found the driving posture quite similar, however with the hands lower but nearer to my body. Very agile and comfortable. Aerodynamics surprisingly good, not much wind noise. More comfortable seating position than the RS660, but the RS has better aerodynamics. The refinement of the machinery of the RS is higher. In Europe, the RS is just a couple of hundreds more expensive, but being 52, it's seating position is too uncomfortable for me. Therefore the Suzuki would be my choice. Oh, the Yamaha R7 is out of the question... way too high and far to the front peg positions!
That is pretty much exactly how I felt with the R7 as well! If I remember correctly the RS660 felt a little better than the R7 but not nearly as comfortable as this platform. A solid offering from Suzuki!
Between M4, Arrow, and Akrapovic, it's 7 to 7.4 lb weight savings with full systems. Maybe SC Project or Graves or someone else will make a full Ti system.
I see an Akra pipe on your 8R. Depending on where you look online, the 8R isn’t listed as an application much as of yet in some exhaust brands. Am I correct that the 8S and 8R are identical in pipe routing and the belly pan is not an obstruction? In other words, you can buy an 8S exhaust for an 8R? I have a Yellow 8R arriving in April. I agree it’s been a while since Suzuki came out with something even mildly different and interesting. I owned a Suzuki TL1000R for almost 20 years. Your 8R sounds just like it. That’s a big plus! I’m a little older now so the less extreme ergos of the 8R will keep my body happy. Tell us more about what you have coming for the engine. Take my money!😊
Yes the Akra for the 8S will fit the 8R with no issues on clearance or mounting! We're also testing 3 others exhausts to verify fitment but will be stocking the Akrapovic options on our website.
I am thinking that I would love this bike. However, I want to test ride it first and here in the Virginia Beach area none of the dealers offer test rides. I think Suzuki should just donate a bike for us to try out in this area if they want to sell to this area.
Coming from the GSXR750 back in the day, I don't get it. Even way back in the 80s the R750 produced 120hp with an exhaust and revved 14k and like 20kg weight diff. A bike with 8R performance and handlebar position would have been a touring bike. Earning the R badge used to mean something and meant the bike was vastly different, it wasn't for everyone.
That's one of the most common things about motorcycles under 12-14 grand. Suspension just typically isn't where all the money is going to go. What I do look for, however, is that the bones are good enough to swap a set of fork cartridges into, and a good 3-way shock, both with springs for my body weight.
@@ganuvien R7 suspension is not garbage, and neither is it remotely the same as the MT-07. It's not going to be high end Ohlins, but it's not MT-like either.
Honestly it seems like a great bike and tuners are already getting close to 90hp/60ish TQ (2 Wheel Dynoworks) out of these bikes. I'd almost say it's like a Japanese Tuono with the way it looks but better reliability I bet. Definitely looking forward to this bike getting some aftermarket love because it just might be a perfect daily rider.
I have an sv but unfortunately I’m not digging this you look awkward riding it? I’m disappointed not with TST version but the look of the bike out on the road maybe it’s the clip ons? Good review though. It may grow on me in a way it reminds me of an 80s Katana
Other than the shocks and fairings, that bike is identical to the 8s. I'm wondering if I can just order the fairing kit to help cut the wind. The interstate is hell on wind at 70 after a while, plus the wind blowing you side to side.
You would need the front upper fairing mount in the least to make that work. The headlight is also different so I think the "swap" might end up costing you a several hundred or more.
Although part of me wishes I waited for the 8R to come out before I got my 8S. I think I prefer the look of my bike just a litttttle bit more. I still want a fully faired bike, but a true supersport and middle weight naked bike stable sounds better haha.
Those are the most handle bar clip-ons I have ever seen lol, might as well not even call it a clip-on. I think it looks solid just wish they had made it a little more sporty like the R7 and RS660, it almost doesnt justify its existence being so similar to the GSX8S
We get the yellow model as well in addition to this one and a blue model. My personal favorite is the yellow but we completely get that looks are subjective.
Great review. But i dont know the sense of this bike. It's the standard bike with only some covers... The engine has a lack of cv... It has not the mood of the old gsxr 750....
Even if it comes to the USA we currently aren't inclined to buy one. We will wait until someone in our circle gets one and then we will do our r&d and videos.
@@TSTindustries I just bought my 8R I wish you guys would do a video on an install of full exhaust and how to remove the ECU, in which we can ship the ecu to you guys to tune??In your opinion is the full exhaust and tune wake the bike up any?
@@MotoFlows we have the video of ecu removal on the 8S, which is exactly the same process on the 8R. The bike wakes up really nicely with exhaust and tune. Your butt dyno will notice it big time. Here is the link to the ecu removal ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-W5SSPrZY50M.htmlsi=C-bttcw6Q8SfLYM3 -BR
Those products will be available on our website later this year. You can view our current product offerings at the link below including our current fender eliminator and rear light kit. -Mark tstindustries.com/suzuki-gsx-8r-2024/
You don't have to keep saying it's just like the 8S, most people watching this vid haven't ridden either one and only ever going to buy one bike. Just offering a self contained, fresh take on this bike as it stands would make a more useful video
I appreciate the feedback and you're not wrong at all. Our approach was mainly to make sure we weren't essentially repeating the same thing for the viewers that had watched that video.
It depends what sort of parts you are after. No one brand makes all the different types of aftermarket parts that people typically like to install. Our company, TST Industries has a rapidly growing catalog of parts for the S and R versions of this bike. We offer many types of components and services; from cosmetic upgrades, to performance enhancements, and even race technology. Perhaps you can follow the link in the description of this video and take a look at what we currently offer. I bet you will find some interesting upgrades for your ride. -BR
@@exothermal.sprocket we typically use Andreani for fork cartridges. They are in the works and should be available soon. A nice Nitron shock is already available.
@@exothermal.sprocket we have been using Andreani for many years in our race bike builds. We actually are a dealer of their parts and we will attest to their quality and performance. -BR
How much is it? As far as I can tell, my, my Indian FTR 1200 Sport would eat it's lunch and all with a badass v-twin! Not talking a baby drag but canyon carving and anywhere you dare challenge..
FTR 1200 - $12.5k / 1200cc / 120hp / 514lbs GSX-8R - $9.6k. / 800cc / 83hp / 452lbs Riding styles are fairly different but both can potentially pack a punch. Obviously, the rider makes the biggest difference. - Mark
