- Will be a fully faired sports bike
- Based on GSX-8S naked bike
- Additional A2 model under development
Suzuki has decided to make full use of its new 800cc parallel-twin platform. After having a street bike and an adventure bike in the line-up, the brand will soon launch the GSX-8R – a fully faired sports bike.
According to a report, the Japanese brand has filed for UN-ECE-type approvals – a process that needs to be done to sell bikes in Europe and the UK. These approval documents revealed quite a few things about this bike. Firstly, the bike is called the GSX-8R, where R means ‘Racing’. There’s also an A2 model under development, internally called the GSX-800U.
The engine on the GSX-8R will come from the GSX-8S, and that’s why the overall performance will remain the same at 82bhp at 8,500rpm and peak torque of 78Nm at 6,800rpm. The top speed of this sports bike is likely to be better due to better aerodynamics from the fairing.
In terms of dimensions, the overall width is narrower due to the narrow clip-on handlebars. However, the kerb weight has gone up by almost 3kg, thanks to the weight of the fairing. There’s no change in wheelbase or the overall length of the bike.
Suzuki will likely make the new GSX-8R public at the upcoming 2023 EICMA Show in Italy. This bike will be the most expensive in the 800 line-up as it will have more safety net. There have been rumours of Suzuki bringing in the 800DE to India, and if that does happen, the GSX-8R will also be introduced here as the bike is based on the same platform.
