[GoBlue]

Chapter 0 – Opening Monologue:

1. This is a review of a bike, written by a guy who loves driving cars, who bought a bike to experience what it's like. The audience is therefore humbly requested to have low expectations from the content that follows, as I am not a "biker" and am clueless as to the meaning of the term.
2. I would like to express gratitude for the support and friendship of BHPian nitrogary. He answered all of my questions (which were borderline naive at times) with supreme patience and spared precious time out of his busy life. I am grateful to have been at the receiving end of the wisdom, advice and suggestions shared by him. It is solely due to his support that I could make logical and informed decisions during the big-bike acquisition process.
3. Any and all humor is intended to tickle the funny areas of the brain and offense if any, is totally unintentional and should be forgiven/forgotten as quickly as possible.
4. The pictures are shot with a Nikon D5100, with an aim to provide maximum viewing pleasure. Please feel free to request me to re-take a picture if I've missed covering an angle or some part of the bike.
5. No animal, human, extra-terrestrial or artificially-intelligent being was harmed during the composition of this article.
6. I have devoured many motor-cycle ownership reviews during my time on Team-BHP. All of them have had a deep impact and have given joy. From a writer's perspective however, the following articles come to mind. Most notably CrAzY dRiVeR's review of the Interceptor 650 & sen2009's review of the Ducati Monster 821. A big thank you to all the contributors out there on Team-BHP whose articles have left a mark!

Chapter 1 – Adrenaline Injection

If you are bored of driving a car then this is why, you NEED to ride a bike -

Presenting, the 2019 Suzuki GSX-S750 in Pearl Glacier White:

Suzuki


GSX-S


750


2019 Suzuki GSX-S750



Chapter 2 – Appetizers

Likes -

• Sweet Inline-4 engine: it's butter-smooth when revved and the intake roar is just naughty fun!
• Slick 6-speed gearbox: arguably the smoothest-shifting gearbox in the sub-12 lac street-naked segment.
• Excellent brakes: more than adequate braking ability and feel.
• Amazing stock exhaust: sounds heavenly above 5k RPM, you feel like revving more!
• Confidence inspiring dynamics for new riders: linear power delivery, planted at highway speeds & sure-footed handling in the twisties.
• Super “cool” heat management: when ridden in 45 degree Pune heat, it failed to roast the legs.
• Unique design, aesthetic appeal & color scheme: a refreshing design makes for a rad looking machine!

Dislikes -

• Sporty riding position for a street naked: good business for the massage centers, but bad for a rider's lower back!
• Lack of a rear grab-rail: you need to learn wrestling to be able to move the bike around in the parking lot!
• Heavy wet-weight of 213 kg: wish Suzuki hired Triumph's chassis engineers and shed some, wait for it, weight.
• Extremely heavy stock clutch, minus reach adjustable clutch-lever: grabbing & pulling a clutch are gym-worthy activities, who knew!?
• Snatchy transition between OFF to ON throttle: this may be nit-picking, but Suzuki should have gotten this first-time-right.
• Severe wind-blast at highway speeds: only a car-guy would complain about wind-blast on a bike, right?

Chapter 3 – Drooling n’ Day-dreaming

As mentioned at the beginning of the review, I am primarily a car guy. We have two AT cars in the family, a Polo GT TSI and a Honda Brio. The Polo GT has been my daily driver for a to/fro commute of around 70 km and I was extremely happy with the car. It had done around 50k kilometers in an uneventful ownership of 4+ years and I was looking forward to the next 4 years.

However as it usually happens, most of us are always looking forward to the ‘what's-next’ with our rides, and I was no exception. And it was surprising that my heart was pulling me towards a bike, rather than a phasst car! I was not into MotoGP, had never watched or gotten to know the sport in the past. Neither of the friends in my circle owned a "big bike", which could have been the catalyst to have drawn me towards this world. It was totally inexplicable and out-of-the-blue. I had wild-ish dreams of riding to work on a "big bike" and the traffic jams would auto-part to let me pass. Kinda like this scene from the movie Bruce Almighty:

The mortal me, stuck in traffic in my slow everyday car, frustrated about the helplessness of it.


But voila! I now have a big badass bike that makes a lot of sound and scares the wits out of people. Please ignore the car in the pictures that follow and assume that it's an equally in-your-face-badass bike.


Now everyone knows whose path they are blocking at the stoplight, and begin to tremble with awe or unbeknownst admiration!?


They know in their trembling hearts that the road belongs to me and just move away - TO LET ME PASS.


And this wild dream-ride continued for a good part of the past two years. It wasn't even like I was in a mid-life crisis, as mid-life was yet to arrive. I simply could not explain why my heart was craving for a bike, and after a while, decided to accept it for what it was and started thinking about what kind of bike would suit my needs. Kind of like a newly-born vampire that’s in denial about it’s thirst for thick red juice (faint-hearted friendly jargon, this), but warms up to reality over time.
Racking the head about which kind of bike would suit my needs was a challenging enterprise in itself because who 'needs' a big bike, right!? But let's not go there, shall we. So over a period of about a year and a half, between mid-2017 to 2018-end I spent the time figuring out my big-bike fantasies (or as is referred to by sane folks, the requirements). So here they go:

• Riding pattern & style: I wanted a bike to get back into and enjoy motorcycling, and was not particularly looking forward to doing high speeds or enjoying the thrill associated with it. Riding at legal highway speeds with a good aural experience, calm and gentle riding in the corners without much leaning over, and the exemplary safety and stability were some of the aspects of premium motorcycles that interested me. I knew for a fact that I would never attempt to explore the capabilities of the bike itself, as I do not have the courage to ride at insane speeds.
• Should be un-intimidating to ride: having spent around 8 years riding a Pulsar 150 and the previous 4 riding a Honda Activa, I was under no illusion of the lack of skill that I had to overcome after the purchase. However, some bikes prove to be very easy to ride, whereas others require a certain skill to be acquired to become comfortable. I wanted one on which I was at home instantly.
• An Inline-4 cylinder engine would be preferable: There’s something about the deep burble of an Inline-4 at idle which makes me weak in the knees. Along with the way that burble transforms into a mad growl as the revvs climb. I was biased towards an Inline-4, however I did consider motorcycles which had twin/triple cylinder engines.
• Expected seating posture and comfort: For reference, I have a slim build, am 5'6" in height and 64 kg heavy. Should be able to get the feet on the deck, with an upright back and most importantly should not have weight on the wrists. The hunched-over-the-bars feeling was something that I wanted to avoid.
• A light clutch was preferable: I wanted to ride the bike to work for a day or two in the week, for short rides out of the city and also wanted to take it out within the city on the weekends. I was sure that I would not be doing long rides or any kind of touring on the bike. Ease of use of the clutch could thus elevate that short riding experience.
• Mileage, Service Costs: Mileage was not a factor in any way as I was going to use the bike for short distances (worst case monthly mileage of ~1000 km). Regarding the service costs, it wasn't something which I used as a data-point when deciding between different options, as I am a DIY-averse person.
• Brand affinity: I had absolutely zero pull towards any brand. Looking back, this served me well over time as it helped to make decisions based on product quality and suitability to requirements. I did not have much bias for or against any brand, with the following exceptions - cruiser bikes weren't my type, which eliminated Harley Davidson from the search and Royal Enfield was not considered as I do not connect with the brand/products.
• Budget: Had an open mind as far as the budget was concerned, with a consideration to get good/suitable riding gear.
• Type of bike: based on the above factors, it was clear that a naked motorcycle was the suitable segment to explore. ADV bikes are more suited to long/highway rides and hence were not considered. Faired motorcycles did appear very desirable, however weren't practical enough for my requirements and hence not considered.

Chapter 4 – The Usual Suspects

1. BMW R1200R:
This is my dream bike. If there's one machine that tugs at the heart, it's the 1200R. The bike's design is just timeless. It looks chunky, meaty and downright bad-ass. The beautiful Boxer engine, the crazy mass centralization and the goodies (or as BMW calls them, options) the bike comes with are stuff of dreams. This is simply the big daddy of roadsters and naked bikes.
However with the R1250R being launched internationally and the new model soon to be launched in India, it was not a great time to be shopping for new R1200R's. Moved on with a mental note to self that the R1250R should be the bike to upgrade to.

2. Ducati Monster 821:
I never got around to test riding this bike. It got eliminated on paper due to known engine heat reports which have been shared in reviews across the world. There are some reports regarding the front suspension being a little off as well. Plus, it seems that Ducati has now discontinued the 821 Monster model range itself. Let's hope that they build an even better motorcycle which would be an improvement over the older model.

3. Triumph Street Triple S:
This is a beautiful machine. Period. The best feature if one may say so, would be the lack of any dead weight! However when I was in the hunt for a bike, the Pune dealer had 5 month old bikes in stock. All of these were 2018 manufactured bikes and I was buying in March, 2019. Something seemed off and I did not feel like going ahead. But I must say, if there's any bike in this segment which can sell on looks alone, it has to be the Street Triple S in Red.

4. Kawasaki Z900:
The Z900 is a mighty machine in it's own right. I never really considered it seriously as it doesn't have traction control, which is a must for newer riders in my humble opinion. Although it's priced in the segment of a middleweight naked, it's actually a litre class bike! It seemed like over kill for my requirements/usage and hence I did not give it much thought. I suppose there is indeed something like "far-too-much-power".

5. 2019 Triumph Street Twin:
This to me was the perfect bike on paper. It matched most of my requirements to the T. However I had the shock of my life when I rode it. The steering seemed like it was asleep. It required a massive effort to muscle the bike into simple gaps in traffic and that handling characteristic was a deal-breaker for me. It could be the 18" front wheels contributing to the slow steering feel or the chassis itself. This put me off and I did not connect with the machine. Moreover, Triumph in all it’s wisdom, launched the 2019 model as a CBU (the 2016 model was a CKD). This elevated the price of the bike to an exorbitant level in the state of MH, which seemed overpriced to me for what the bike offers.

Note: the recently launched Speed Twin has 17” front wheels and is supposedly a better handler as per the reviews by various publications. The test-ride feedback of the Street Twin which I've shared above should be considered as a first-impression and prospective buyers of the Street Twin should rely on actual ownership reviews for decision making.

6. 2019 Honda CBR-650R:
I had considered this bike seriously enough to put down a booking amount with the Honda dealer in Pune. At the time of booking, the price of the bike was yet to be announced. A display or TD bike was not available at the showroom (knowing Honda’s pace/seriousness in India, I am aware it seems stupid to expect availability of a display bike when bookings have been opened).
However, one of the reasons I did not go ahead with the booking was the change in the riding posture from the 650F to the 650R. I had second thoughts about whether the lower and farther placed clip-ons would be comfortable. At a meet-up, I happened to speak with a rider (who owns a 2018 650F) who had seen the 2019 CBR-650R at an auto-show in Europe. His feedback was that the CBR-650R’s riding posture is more committed, and that the 650F’s posture cannot be used as a benchmark to consider the CBR-650R, as the change is significant. This feedback proved to be instrumental in my decision to not go ahead with the CBR-650R.

Note: had the 2019 CB-650R (the naked bike) been available in India, I would've considered it seriously. At 7.7 lacs, the CBR-650R has been priced a tad bit higher by Honda. But a 7-lac ex-showroom price tag for the naked CB-650R can open up choices even more in the street naked segment.

7. 2019 Suzuki GSX-S750:
This bike was always at the back of my mind. However I had never visited the Suzuki showroom in Pune to check the bike out in-person for one reason – its 820mm seat height. I had a feeling that it would be too high. During a discussion with BHPian nitrogary, he suggested to check out the bike. Walked into the Suzuki Dream Bikes dealership at MG Road one evening and chatted with the manager, a certain Mr. TK. They had a red/black colour (2018 MY paint-scheme, mechanically identical to 2019) bike for TD.
The first impressions of looking at the bike in-person were “yikes. It looks massive!”. However, the moment I sat on it, it’s amazing how the bulk disappeared and it felt compact. Most importantly, I could plant my feet on the ground. Albeit I couldn’t flatfoot, but it wasn’t uncomfortable either. The more I looked at the bike in the flesh, the more the looks grew on me. This was a bike that looked very different in the flesh as compared to the pictures, or in YouTube reviews. The engine note at idle was glorious, much better than the Z900. It was easy to ride with the weight disappearing when on the move, but making it’s presence felt during turns at slow speeds or u-turns. I connected instantly with the machine.
The magic concoction that seduced me into buying it would have to be the engine, the gearbox and the exhaust – and more importantly, how these three elements came together to provide a superb riding experience!
I booked the bike the same day and the journey of selecting the bike came to an end.


Chapter 5 – Main Course Ordered

The booking and pre-delivery experience was, for the lack of a better word, seamless. The Suzuki, Pune dealership is managed by Mr. Tikenderjit Singh and his team. It was a pleasure interacting with them and the entire experience from booking to delivery was managed with professionalism.
There was certainty about each and every step during the process and at no point was I left in the dark with a need to follow-up.
The price break-up of the bike came to be as follows:

Ex-showroom: 7,51,461
Road tax and registration: 1,05,000
Insurance: 27,800
Total OTR: 8,84,261

The bike was booked on 22nd March '19, by paying a booking amount of 50k and I was informed that delivery would be done either in the 3rd or 4th week of April – depending on when the bike reaches the showroom (the bikes are transported by road from Delhi). I was also informed that as it would be a 2019 model, the dealer would be able to bill the bike to Suzuki (in the system), in the first week of April, before which I need to complete the full payment. I was okay with all the terms in-principle.

One of the choices which had to be made during the booking period was the colour. There were two on offer – a glossy white and a matte black. I somehow don’t prefer matte colours. The white looked super with the contrast blue alloys and between the two options, seemed like the better choice.

Transferred full payment to the dealer on 3rd April, and the wait for the bike began. I have to say that the process followed by the dealership and Suzuki was like clock-work. The bike arrived at the dealership in a crate on the 16th of April – just as promised. I & BHPian nitrogary went to the dealership for the un-crating (pardon the lack of a better word) on the same day. The technicians assembled the handle-bar and the controls, put the battery in and we fired her up. That night, all I dreamed about was the sound of the I4 burbling to life and that magical purring as it idled away!

The box of goodies!


Goodies out of the box! Note the ugly looking number plate at the front. It was an eye-sore and I requested for it to be removed before delivery. The saree-guard was removed as well. It should be noted that both uglies were removed only after the RTO inspector approved the registration.


3 government holidays and the LS elections in Pune resulted in a delay in the registration as the RTO officers were either on holiday or unavailable. The registration was finally done on 22nd April and I took delivery on the same day.

Blue carpet rolled out for her majesty.


The ride home was incredible. The joy of finally being able to ride, coupled with the trauma of having to ride a 213 kg machine for the first time in jam packed traffic, evoked mixed feelings. I somehow managed to keep the nerves in check and brought her home without incident. I was drenched in sweat as nerves pushed the heartbeats northward and the dreadful Pune summer made things worse.

Home, sweet home.



Chapter 6 – The Apex Predator

I never could understand why Suzuki had given this tagline to the bike until I saw it in the flesh. The design is extremely sharp with chiseled looks. It makes the bike look aggressive, like a cheetah waiting to pounce on it’s prey.

The side fairing makes the front look chiseled, chunky and mean.


A closer look of the front. Note the GSX-S stickering flowing in opposite directions on both sides of the fairing.


Another look at the front.


The beautiful rear, accentuated by the chubby stock exhaust.


The gorgeous side profile.


The other side. Note how uncomfortably high the rear seat is!


The exhaust flowing in swooping lines with the tail-end of the frame.


A look at the 16-litre tank and the handlebar/controls.


A look from the rider's POV. The tank is quite wide near the seat area and the rider sits with legs slightly spread out.
Also note the sticker which mentions a fuel requirement of 95RON or above. However this is not mandatory as informed by the dealer and normal 91RON fuel works just fine. With all the Busas running reliably on normal 91RON, it's not a factor that I'm too worried about.


The mirrors are placed perfectly and offer good visibility.


A look at the fairing on the tank, it's matte black.


The LCD with the ignition OFF. Note the "km" label marked statically. Wonder why this is so, when the rest of the labels are rendered dynamically by the LCD.


The LCD with the ignition ON. It offers clear visibility even under direct sunlight and shows a lot of information!


The right side handlebar controls. Starter button, Hazard button and engine off switch. Note that the engine can be switched off using either the engine OFF switch or the ignition itself - the manual does not recommend only one of the approaches.


The left side handlebar controls. The settings for the Traction Control and the LCD, the horn and the turn indicators. The setting for the headlight high-beam is on the rear side.


The right side handlebar. Brake lever is adjustable for reach.


The left side handlebar. Headlight high-beam ON/Flash switch. Note the easy-clutch system from Pro-spec. Also note that the stock clutch lever is not adjustable for reach. I am not happy with this omission. Aftermarket adjustable levers are available in spades for the bike, but this kind of cost-cutting is not expected.


Note the 30mm bar risers from Voigt, Germany. The riding posture is now extremely comfortable/upright, and a much needed improvement over the stock ergonomics.

[GoBlue]

Continued..

The beautiful 4*1 exhaust pipes. Also note the radiator guard from Evotech Performance. The belly fairing protrudes quite far ahead from the exhaust headers.



The ground clearance is 135 mm as per the spec. I have not scraped any breaker or pot hole while riding so far. So I feel compelled to give a thumbs up on this aspect. However, I haven't yet had a pillion riding with me, so whether the ground clearance suffices with a pillion remains to be assessed.



A look at both the rider and pillion seats. The rider seat is well cushioned and very comfortable. The pillion seat is also pretty comfortable, although it looks small, but doesn't feel small after being sat on. What I cannot digest however, is the lack of any kind of grab-rail for the pillion! I cannot fathom why Suzuki hasn't considered this in the design of the bike! Wonder how this design decision (or the lack of it) passed scrutiny! Due to the absence of a grab-rail, I don't think anyone would have the courage to sit on the pillion seat! However, those considering this bike should not take this as a negative as Renntech makes a super quality grab-rail for the S750. For those who need it, an aftermarket option is available.
Note the tapered finishing of the tail end, it looks very nice in the flesh.



Another look at the pillion seat. Note the lock which lets the pillion seat-base be detached. A small compartment lies beneath which can be used to store the user manual, a basic toolkit and the bike's papers. The ignition key is required to open this lock.



A look at the front wheel. The beautiful blue alloys with clean welds. They alloys look amazing and lend a refreshing personality to the bike, which is totally unique from anything on the road! Have fitted Puig front axle sliders. Also note the Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport S21 120/70ZR17M/C (58W). The recommended pressure is 36 PSI.



The rear brake system. Note the rear tyre – Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport S21 180/55ZR17M/C (73W). The tyres provide good grip and confidence. Recommended tyre pressure is 42 PSI.



Tread pattern on the rear tyre. The double sided swing-arm can be seen, along with the Puig rear axle-sliders.



The protective plate on the exhaust and the rear foot-rest. All parts on the bike are of good quality.



Suzuki has provided a tyre-hugger for the rear wheel. This helps to reduce the amount of mud/grime which gets splattered on the underside of the tail section.



Low-beam in action, it is always ON. Halogen bulb is not very effective at night. Need to think of some workaround for this. Note the pair of parking lights. I'm not sure of their purpose. Suzuki should've prioritized to provide all-LED lighting to the headlamp and turn indicators instead of wasting energy on these cosmetic bits.



High-beam in action. Halogen bulb provides decent illumination and has a good throw.



Rear stop-lamp when the low-beam is on.



Rear stop-lamp when brakes are applied. It is full LED and looks beautiful in the dark.



The engine coolant tank mounted at the bottom, behind the side stand. When I first saw this arrangement I was in shock, as it appears to be prone to leakage if the underside scrapes. I was informed that it's not an area of concern as the belly-pan and the exhaust headers would be the first point of contact, in case of a hit.



The rear suspension.




The front suspension. 41mm Kayaba USD forks.



The Puig frame sliders. They are of excellent quality and totally worth the investment.



Another look at that gorgeous rear end!




Chapter 7 – The Ride

Now for the actual riding experience.

Engine:
The engine is inherited from the 2005 GSX-R750 super-sport. It is a four-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 749cc inline-four engine which puts out 112.6 HP @ 10,500 RPM and a max torque of 81 NM @ 9,000 RPM. The torque peaks very high up in the RPM range which results in a very predictable and linear power delivery. However, the power delivery is totally dependent on the traction control system, which is the star of the show. Suzuki has implemented a rather advanced traction control system – it has 4 levels – OFF, 1, 2 & 3. Level 3 has maximum intervention. The system can also be switched OFF completely. The best part however is the way in which the intervention happens, the rider simply doesn’t realize that the power has been cut off! It is very seamless and this actually allows the throttle to be held wide open without worrying about the consequences. I have kept it on 2 which is like a ‘Road mode’ with medium intervention. In 2nd gear with the throttle open, the bike accelerates in a very predictable manner. The mode 2 prevents the front wheel from leaving the earth and it also prevents power wheelies. For hooligan riding one can always switch the TC off, however I don’t think I would be trying out this mode.

The engine has 3 inlets for the air intake and the resulting induction roar is to die for. This induction roar coupled with the exhaust note, makes the bike sound like a Formula 1 car taking off. It definitely turns heads when revved.

Suzuki has provided a feature called Low RPM Assist. It monitors the engine RPM and also controls it to maintain a certain threshold. This enables smooth roll-offs from standstill when the clutch is engaged without any need to open the throttle. I have found this feature very helpful when riding in traffic jams as it reduces the rider involvement required and one can focus on navigating the bike.

There’s another feature called Easy Start Assist. One just has to push the starter button and then release it. The ECU manages the rest of the process until the engine fires up. This doesn’t have much utility and seems gimmicky, but is a good to have. It needs to be seen how this behaves in the winter season during cold starts.

What's it like to ride in the city?
Well in a word, very manageable. It's nimble and one can deal with traffic with ease. It took me a while to get used to the weight of the bike, but I feel pretty comfortable now. The engine is calm and relaxed below 4k RPM. 2nd & 3rd gear is pretty much all that's needed in the city. The bike can roll off from a standstill in 2nd gear as well, but I've read that it's not good for the engine, so I prefer to use the 1st.
In 2nd, the bike can do anywhere between 15 - 100 kph. It's fun to ride the bike in 2nd in the city, with the exhaust howling. The intake & exhaust note above 5k RPM results in giggles of joy inside the helmet. Whoever must have tuned the exhaust and intake must know some black magic. No other bike in this segment sounds as good, and that's saying something considering the brilliant competitors of the Suzuki!

What's it like to ride on the highway?
The highway is where this bike belongs. The engine feels a little constrained in the city, as if it's not happy playing around in the lower end of the RPM range. But the moment the roads open up, one can explore the 3rd, 4th and 5th gears.
The 3rd gear is like a rocket taking off from the pad! 4th & 5th is where the meaty mid-range lies and 6th has the top-end. The 6th is meant for highway cruising.
One can open the throttle without feeling scared on this bike - the front wheel does not feel light at all. Roll-on acceleration from 40kph to legal highway speeds is brutal. One can apply the brake, open the throttle, brake for an obstacle and repeat. The world goes by in a flash. It's effortless to ride this bike fast and overtake slow moving traffic, but it takes a lot of effort to ride it responsibly.
One of the things I’ve noticed about the gear ratios is that they are quite distinct from each other and not closely defined. For example, one cannot ride at 30 kmph in 6th. The engine lets you know that it’s not happy and a downshift is needed. Similarly, you can’t ride comfortably at 100 kmph in 3rd when cruising on the highway, as the engine braking is very strong and there will be noticeable jerks upon closing the throttle. The way this bike is geared is perhaps the biggest difference between the Suzuki S750 I-4 and the Kawasaki Z900 I-4. In comparison, the Kawa Z900 I-4 feels like an automatic transmission in any gear as the gear ratios are very close and it makes a lot of torque lower in the RPM range.

How does she handle in the corners?
A gentle push on one end of the bars and down she goes! It's ridiculously easy to get this bike to lean, so easy in fact that I'm taking it cautiously. In the hands of an experienced rider, this machine can be a corner-carving weapon. One of the things that I like about it is that it's not nervous or jittery going into a corner, it's extremely planted and very easy to maintain a line once you've taken the corner.

How does the suspension feel?
The Kayaba rear suspension is adjustable for pre-load only. I haven't played around with the stock setting yet. It's supple and plush on good roads. However the moment bad roads appear, I feel the need to slow down, as the suspension doesn't like bad roads. You feel the undulations at all times. It seems like it's not really tuned for Indian roads, but for the smooth tarmac in developed countries. Which is to be expected as I read somewhere that Suzuki imports all the parts from Japan and just assembles them here. None of the components are sourced locally. I could be wrong with this understanding and am open to stand corrected if this is not so.
The Kayaba upside down front suspension is adjustable for pre-load only. The front is the same story as the rear. Great on good roads, harsh on the bad stuff. Depending on the brake pressure applied to the front brake, there is quite a bit of dive at the front when the bike comes to a halt. Makes one appreciate the BMW tele-lever every time this happens. I may be exaggerating with this suspension dive thing as I have an OCD with the BMW suspension, and comparing a 41 mm Kayaba USD with that may be a silly thing to do.
However, the front suspension is great at highway speed and in the corners. Gives the bike a planted feel. Especially on the uneven joints that are found on flyovers, the bike feels very stable.

How are the ergonomics?
The stock ergos were quite sporty for my comfort level. After installing a 30mm riser, they have become perfect. However, the wind-blast bothers me and I am unable unable to ride comfortably at highway speeds due to the feeling of the wind gushing by. This could be because I’m used to the insulation offered by a car, and it may be just a case of getting used to.

How are the brakes?
The front has radially mounted opposed Nissin callipers with 310mm petal-type discs. The front brakes are superbly progressive in feel and have strong bite, they aren't grabby at all. A simple 2-finger pull is all it takes to get the beast to behave. The rear brake is okay, nothing to write about. I use both rear + front brake in the city (at slower speeds), and only the front on the highway.

How did you run it in?
The running-in period was for a month (or 1000 km) and I had to keep her below 5k RPM. Once the first service was done (1 month/1000 km), it felt as if it’d become a different machine. It has so much character in different RPM ranges that I'm yet to get to know her fully. Currently targeting to cautiously explore the 5k-7k RPM range whenever an opportunity presents itself.

What are the service intervals?
The service intervals are 6 months/6000 km. Given my anticipated low mileage, I'm sure I'd be doing the service once every 6 months.

Kitna deti hai?
16-18 kpl if ridden aggressively in the city in say, the 2nd gear all the time. On the highway she can be very economical - I once saw 28 kpl on the display, but this was at a constant legal highway speed. I'm sure that figure would drop as the speed increases.
I would like to mention that I am not really keen on checking/thinking about the fuel consumption as it's a 750cc machine, which has been purchased for riding pleasure, above anything else.

And with that, in true Japanese style, I would like to conclude by saying "arigato gozaimashta" for having spared your time to read this write-up!

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[RajeevSharma]

Amazing review and congratulations on purchasing a great ride. It looks stunning in white. Your choice of colour is spot on.

I have a dream to ride again but becoming more and more distant with passing time. I am glad that you are able to live yours.

[neil.jericho]

Congratulations on an excellent choice GoBlue, the GSX S750 is one of the more underappreciated big bikes in our country. Your thread will help other potential buyers make an informed choice and look beyond the usual suspects. I like how you went through all the options and made a sensible choice even though you are not an out and out motorcycle enthusiast. Most people in your place would have gone with suggestions from their friends and family instead.

Do pick up a good windscreen, there are options available for all these naked bikes that do a good job. Once you get it, you will wonder how you were riding for so long without one! You might have to sacrifice some of the aesthetic value for a more functional screen but pick one depending on your usage.

Also since your riding will be less, you probably wont have to worry about the lack of 95 RON fuel and its long term impacts but if its available, do give your bike a tankful of the good stuff once in a while. I know that the Z900 and new V1000 from Kawasaki have some issues with regular fuel, the Z900 issues are on Xbhp and the local Kawasaki dealer here confirmed it to me as well. Ironically before I brought it up to them, they were telling me that everyone is using the Z900 and 10R with regular fuel that we get in Kerala

Hope you have invested in good riding gear and have a solid bunch of fellow riders to share your rides with. Ride safe !

[PapaBravo]

Great review. Very detailed. Congratulation on your acquisition. The bike looks smashing !!

The LCD with the ignition OFF. Note the "km" label marked statically. Wonder why this is so, when the rest of the labels are rendered dynamically by the LCD.

Probably to differentiate between the km unit & miles unit during assembly.

The pillion seat is also pretty comfortable, although it looks small, but doesn't feel small after being sat on. What I cannot digest however, is the lack of any kind of grab-rail for the pillion! I cannot fathom why Suzuki hasn't considered this in the design of the bike! Wonder how this design decision (or the lack of it) passed scrutiny! Due to the absence of a grab-rail, I don't think anyone would have the courage to sit on the pillion seat!

Looks dangerous. Would be difficult to sit as a pillion. They probably did it to make the rear look more sleek. What is that strap on the rear seat ? Does it act as a grab strap for rear pillion in the absence of grab rail ?

Cheers,

Pawan

[aabhimanyu04]

Congrats GoBlue!! Every bit of this bike looks like built to last. If you are planning highway rides look for retrofitting a nice clear visor (I know it will be a tough ask, may not look stylish anymore).
130mm of GC is not great, I ride a motorcycle with 160MM of GC and I end up scraping those killer breakers of Bangalore when riding with a pillion. So, be very careful or else you will hear a different sound from your exhaust

[bigron]

Looking good!! Always happy to see a biker get his new ride.
I wanted to read the entire post but I have an attention span of a gold fish. I will jump ahead and say that by the end of it you are happy with what you got.
IMO, 750 cc is the perfect category that balances the fine line of performance and practicality. You can comfortably stay ahead of the 80-120 kmph moving traffic on the highways and still putter around town at 60 in 4th maybe even 5th.

Coming to the s750, it is a wonderful machine that will give you years and years of riding pleasure. The engine has a lovely spread of torque and the stock brakes are very good. Of course reliability is its middle name. Dont think to much about the weight, it vanishes once the needle starts climbing. It is heavy because the frame is steel instead of aluminum. It looks good and those rims are indeed very nicely done. Also has the new Suzuki Low rpm assist feature from the 1000 that increases the rpm by a few 100s when the clutch is engaged to prevent stalling.
You are going to have a good time with this. Enjoy her!

[GoBlue]

Originally Posted by RajeevSharma

Amazing review and congratulations on purchasing a great ride. It looks stunning in white. Your choice of colour is spot on.

I have a dream to ride again but becoming more and more distant with passing time. I am glad that you are able to live yours.

Thanks, Rajeev!

Hope you get to live your dream too some day.

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Congratulations on an excellent choice GoBlue, the GSX S750 is one of the more underappreciated big bikes in our country. Your thread will help other potential buyers make an informed choice and look beyond the usual suspects. I like how you went through all the options and made a sensible choice even though you are not an out and out motorcycle enthusiast. Most people in your place would have gone with suggestions from their friends and family instead.

Thanks, Neil.

Yes, it surely is underappreciated. Once I began riding, it blew me away with it's finesse, capability and build quality. It is a lot of bike for the money, and considering it's a Suzuki, the reliability should be top-notch as well.

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Do pick up a good windscreen, there are options available for all these naked bikes that do a good job. Once you get it, you will wonder how you were riding for so long without one! You might have to sacrifice some of the aesthetic value for a more functional screen but pick one depending on your usage.

You are right, it is a must-have for me. Presently unable to ride beyond a certain speed range due to the discomfort caused by the wind-blast. I am fully prepared to sacrifice the looks. Better to enjoy the engine and the ride than the looks themselves.

Looking at windscreens from Puig, they have two options, a street oriented one and a touring one - I'm guessing the touring one (which is also bigger in size) would offer the best protection.

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Also since your riding will be less, you probably wont have to worry about the lack of 95 RON fuel and its long term impacts but if its available, do give your bike a tankful of the good stuff once in a while. I know that the Z900 and new V1000 from Kawasaki have some issues with regular fuel, the Z900 issues are on Xbhp and the local Kawasaki dealer here confirmed it to me as well. Ironically before I brought it up to them, they were telling me that everyone is using the Z900 and 10R with regular fuel that we get in Kerala

Haha! You make a good point.
I was told by the dealership folks that interchanging fuel cause issues with the engine's longevity. They told me to fill either 95+ RON or 91 RON, but to not keep switching between the two.
Do let me know if there is any technical validity to their claim or it's perfectly fine to do this.

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Hope you have invested in good riding gear and have a solid bunch of fellow riders to share your rides with. Ride safe !

Yep, have good riding gear. I wear gear every time I take the bike out.
The Suzuki community in Pune is fantastic, there are a lot of riders and rides keep happening every weekend. I'm still not used to waking up early in the morning so it's up to me to ensure the bike gets a ride.

Originally Posted by PapaBravo

Great review. Very detailed. Congratulation on your acquisition. The bike looks smashing !!

Thanks, Pawan!

Originally Posted by PapaBravo

Probably to differentiate between the km unit & miles unit during assembly.

Now that makes sense! Thanks for clarifying.

Originally Posted by PapaBravo

What is that strap on the rear seat ? Does it act as a grab strap for rear pillion in the absence of grab rail ?

It does, it acts as a grab strap for the pillion to hold on to, as well as something which the rider can take leverage of when maneuvering the bike in the parking. It is an ergonomic disaster.

Originally Posted by aabhimanyu04

Congrats GoBlue!! Every bit of this bike looks like built to last.

Thanks, Abhimanyu.
Yes, the build quality is great. A stark contrast with some of the cars that the company makes.

Originally Posted by aabhimanyu04

If you are planning highway rides look for retrofitting a nice clear visor (I know it will be a tough ask, may not look stylish anymore).

Yep, as I mentioned above in this post, definitely thinking of getting one.

Originally Posted by aabhimanyu04

130mm of GC is not great, I ride a motorcycle with 160MM of GC and I end up scraping those killer breakers of Bangalore when riding with a pillion. So, be very careful or else you will hear a different sound from your exhaust

I think the bike's ground clearance is pretty good, and this has more to do with the pre-load of the suspension and the basic stiffness. The rear and front both are rather stiff - this must be why I havent scraped.

We in Pune are blessed with rather manageable breakers as compared to you Bengaluru folks. You should try riding your bike in Pune.

[DriverNo.420]

Let me congratulate you, Sir for your sweet new beast. Definitely one of the best middle-class motorcycles currently available in the Indian market. Do plan some trips on her with your friends in the future, as riding is all about brotherhood. Also, she is a mile muncher and will give terrific fuel effeciency on highway. Though the stock exhaust is really sweet and refined, if you wish, there are various aftermarket exhausts available for this beast to transform her character.

[createrkid]

Does the bike have an electronic steering damper? You know, in case of tankslappers. Those always freak me out.

[boniver]

Congratulations on your new beast! With the kind of traffic in our cities these days, commuting by bike is the way to go. Wish you many happy miles, and always remember, ATGATT

, but believe me, the Zomato guy who came to deliver my dinner a couple of weeks back came on a GSX-S750. I fell in love with the exhaust note, although I believe it was an aftermarket unit. The bike was running on temp plates, and the dude said he had been saving up for ages to buy a big bike. He did mention that it wasn't economical to use the bike for deliveries, and that he was only using it for a couple of days to run it in (he has some other commuter bike too).

[bigron]

You can alter between regular and 97 RON for as long as you want. The only thing you need to ensure is that its from a quality bunk.

[shan_ned]

Congratulations for getting this wonderful motorcycle.

Regarding the gear ratios, I see that GSX S750 has tall gearing ratios across the gear range. This is the reason why you feel the motorcycle a bit lazy while riding inside the city.

Most of the motorcycles will definetly struggle doing 30 kmph in 6th gear (and also even in 5th gear). I doubt even if Z900 can do that (I haven’t ridden it though). Other than the engine cubic capacity, there is a big difference between S750 and Z900 in terms of Bore to Stroke ratio. That is, S750 has a relatively very high bore/stroke ratio (over square engine) for a street bike and this will not help for riding inside the city. As you mentioned, this can be a very good highway bike with taller gear ratios.

Among all the inline-4 street bikes, S759 has the best stock exhaust sound. Once again, congratulations !!!

[simeonovitch]

Originally Posted by GoBlue

Chapter 4 – The Usual Suspects

Congrats on the ride! She's a stunner.

BTW, any reason why you didnt consider the Kawasaki Z650?
Not special enough?
Because you could have saved some serious cash, if you did.

Originally Posted by boniver

, but believe me, the Zomato guy who came to deliver my dinner a couple of weeks back came on a GSX-S750. I fell in love with the exhaust note, although I believe it was an aftermarket unit.

Thats something that I would do as well. (I wouldnt be able to afford a superbike if I didnt)