Suzuki 2008 GSX650F ridden in France
November 14, 2007 - Alan Dowds
SuperBike rides the new Suzuki GSX650F at the European launch in France ... Scroll down for the full story
Suzuki's launching its new entry-level sports bike, the GSX650F in France just now. Alan's our man on the spot, and here's what he reckons to the new bike.
“If you just look at the spec sheet, Suzuki's new GSX650F is, essentially, a Bandit 650 in a party frock. But it's actually much better than that might suggest. OK, the motor is similar to the Bandit's lump, with revised fuel injection adding a bit more shove. And the chassis isn't a million miles away from the Bandit either, bodywork aside. But the way the GSX works as a package is pretty impressive.
Charging round the incredible roads near Beziers, the little 650 has been a real treat. In a similar way to Yamaha's original Fazer 600, it has a spunky, torquey motor in a capable road chassis. There's enough performance for experienced riders to have a ball on, while remaining manageable for novices. Indeed, pushing the GSX towards its limits on the roads we've been on today has been more satisfying in some ways than a proper sportsbike would have been.
“Best of all, the GSX is a cheap pleasure: £4,999 of your English pounds is the list price, and that's a pretty impressive pounds/laughs ratio.”
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