As it stands, traveling on a motorcycle has never been more popular. Going for a long ride is a great way to reduce stress, but buying the wrong bike is also a great way to increase stress. Touring bikes come in all shapes and sizes these days, from budget-friendly middleweights all the way up to full-dressers that can cost a small fortune. But, if you are after more bang for your buck, an inline-four sport tourer should be on your radar.
Inline-Fours Promise Smooth Power
While other engine configurations have their charms, inline-four engines offer a balance between performance and smooth power delivery, which is desirable for sport tourers. Most of the inline-four tourers currently on the market make use of reworked superbike engines. This means the manufacturers save on development costs, and are able to price these bikes more aggressively than some other newer platforms.
The balance between performance, features, comfort, and value is very hard to beat. But, when it comes to value, one brand really stands out. Suzuki are experts when it comes to extracting the most value out of an old platform, but the bike in question doesn’t make use of any old engine. At the heart of this tourer lies a legendary superbike engine which still has a lot of life left in it thanks to a few minor revisions, and some electronic additions.
The Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+ Is Built For Long Rides
MSRP: $14,599
The GSX-S1000GT+ is, by no stretch of the imagination, a cheap motorcycle, but when you look at some of the bikes it is competing with, it certainly looks affordable. Other tourers that offer a similar level of performance can cost up to twice as much. Admittedly, those bikes are more sophisticated and more comfortable, but they are also an exhibition of excess, whereas the Suzuki is a lesson in moderation. It will still handle 500-mile days without a fuss, and it certainly won’t let you down thanks to its proven powertrain.
An Old GSX-R Engine Delivers Sport Bike Performance
Power: 150 Horsepower
Over two decades ago, this was the engine developed for the K5 GSX-R1000, one of the most incredible superbikes of the analog era. It was a product of years of development, and back then, was an all-new lump capable of making as much as 180 horsepower. In an effort to optimize midrange performance, improve long-term reliability, and to meet modern emissions standards, that figure has dropped to 150 horsepower. Which is still nothing to sniff at.
It still has more than enough get-up-and-go to make a modern supersport look rather silly both in a straight line, and on a canyon road. Over the years it has been in production, it has also been refined and updated several times and now comes with a ride-by-wire throttle which allows for the inclusion of several modern electronics that have almost become mandatory at this price point.
The GSX-S1000GT+ Offers A Host Of Great Touring Features
There will be those that dismiss this model out of hand, saying it is nothing more than a lightly modified GSX-S1000. While there is some truth to that in the sense that the two bikes run on exactly the same platform, there is most certainly more to the GSX-S1000GT+ than just a pair of saddlebags. In addition to those color-matched saddlebags, the added wind protection makes a discernible difference, reducing fatigue, and improving overall comfort.
While there is no IMU in sight here, you do get ride modes, traction control, ABS, cruise control, a quickshifter, and a TFT dash with smartphone connectivity. The lack of lean-sensitive electronics might mean something to some riders, but pretty much everything else you could ever wish for is present and accounted for. At the end of the day, this is not a luxury touring bike, but rather a sport tourer, with a heavy emphasis on “sport.”
The bike will come into its own on a decent canyon road thanks to its twin-spar aluminum chassis which is complemented by a fully adjustable suspension. Compared to some of the other inline-four tourers, it is also pretty light, with a wet weight of under 500 pounds (without the saddlebags fitted) and promises the kind of dynamic performance that belies its price tag.
Repurposing The Right Way Adds Value
What Suzuki does with models like the GSX-R1000GT+ is something of a double-edged sword. Repurposing an old superbike platform like this is not a new idea, and it allows them to build a tourer that offers amazing bang for our buck, but it also makes it difficult for the brand to develop newer, more updated motorcycles. We are already seeing this with the 800 platform. Instead of rolling out a middleweight tourer featuring that powertrain, Suzuki made the decision to rather utilize the old 650 V-twin (which has also been around for decades now) in an effort to keep the model below a certain price point. It is clear that while this approach works very well in the short term, the fact that an older engine was preferred to that 800 platform should be sounding alarm bells within the organization.
From a customer perspective, getting a fun, fast motorcycle like the GSX-S1000GT+ at this price is quite incredible. It is quite literally impossible to ignore the value proposition on offer, but there is always a catch. In the case of this tourer, and pretty much any of these repurposed models, it is just the fact that you will constantly be reminded that you chose a budget-friendly model as opposed to something more exclusive. Little things like the quality of the plastics, switchgear, and the omission of certain luxury features other models have will become far more obvious once you own the bike.
In our opinion, the benefits most certainly outweigh this rather small issue. What you get here is a bike that delivers in virtually every other respect. While fully capable of handling trips across the country, at a twist of your right wrist you have access to proper superbike performance.
Source: Suzuki Cycles
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