Love it or hate it, the era of inline-four middleweight sport bikes is ever closer to its demise. All leading bikemakers have jumped ship to twins and Suzuki remains the only Japanese giant without a twin-cylinder sport bike. But that could change soon. It appears the Hamamatsu-based company is readying such an offering, as claimed by our buddies at Young Machine (a reputable two-wheeler publication in Suzuki’s home). The idea also explains the company’s lack of focus on the GSX-R600 and GSX-R750, both of which have had no significant updates in over a decade. Let’s dive in.
Suzuki Might Whip Up A GSX-8F, Alongside The GSX-8R
According to the Japanese site, Suzuki has already filed trademarks for a ‘GSX-F’ in Europe. The new fully faired sport bike would serve duty as an arch-rival to the new breed of versatile supersports such as the Kawasaki Ninja 650. Before you call us crazy, let’s not forget the GSX-F moniker previously gave us the GSX-650F–Suzuki’s inline-four sport bike that could do it all. So the GSX-8F won’t exactly be an anomaly in its history.
But what’s even more interesting is Young Machine’s claim of a sportier GSX-8R. It would be Suzuki’s sole full-blown sport bike, filling the hole left by the company’s non-existent Gixxer lineup. The GSX-R1000, 600, and 750 are not on sale in several leading countries, leaving only the GSX-1300R i.e. the Hayabusa. And that’s definitely not a motorcycle you buy to upgrade from a small KTM or Kawasaki. Plus, the Yamaha R7 and Aprilia RS 660 are proof there’s a market for aggressive twin-cylinder middleweights, only to make the idea of the Gixxer 800 more substantial.
The Suzuki GSX-8R Will Take Inspiration From The GSX-8S
So what can you expect from the new Gixxers? Well, the most obvious bit is Suzuki’s new 776cc, parallel-twin engine found on the GSX-8S. In fact, the company’s trademarks in Europe mention a new variant of this very engine. While the details are unclear, more power, a different engine map, and a higher peak RPM are the probable updates. For instance, the RS 660 has 100 horsepower and the GSX-8S has 83 ponies, so the Gixxer 800 will likely slot right in between.
Like the engine, the GSX-8R will share its underpinnings with the naked. The steel trellis-type chassis, upside-down forks, and monoshock will all be there on the Gixxer, in addition to 17-inch alloy wheels. However, we expect the suspension to be fully adjustable and the brakes to feature Brembos in place of Nissins. The latter would counter the added weight from the extra bodywork.
When Can You Expect The Suzuki GSX-8R and GSX-8F?
Get ready for your heart to sink because there’s sadly no confirmation or sighting of these motorcycles. Yes, Young Machine speculations have been pretty solid always, but we’ll still suggest you take all this with a pinch of salt. Anyway, if the Gixxers are indeed coming, watch out for the 2023 EICMA–a venue where the bikemaker revealed its new 776cc platform there last year.