Suzuki GSX-S750: PH2

Suzuki's new middleweight isn't just a rebadged GSR750 - honest...

You can't help but feel that Suzuki really is trying its very hardest to turn the tide of misfortune (or lack of invention) that has beset the company of late. Rather like an oil tanker, getting the momentum to swing in its favour has been a fairly lengthy battle. There is light at the end of the tunnel however! The new 2017 GSX-R1000R has been received very positively (PH2 is hoping to swing a leg over one very soon), the price of the new GSX250R has been announced at a very competitive £4,299 and the GSX-S750 is arriving at dealerships very soon. But has it been worth the wait?

New electronics, new wheels, new forks...

A new lease of life
Despite its name, the GSX-S750 far closer related the outgoing GSR750 than the current GSX-S1000. The bikes share essentially the same retuned GSX-R750 K5 motor with the GSX featuring a revised air box, bit of internal tweaking to free an extra 8hp and a one-tooth larger rear sprocket to boost its acceleration when compared to the GSR. To this engine is added a new electronics package with three-stage traction control and it is then housed in the GSR's chassis with a new swing arm, new inverted forks, 10-spoke wheels and radial brakes. Its styling has been updated to mimic the larger GSX-S1000's lines and it also pinches the bigger bike's LCD dash. The cost of all these updates? The GSX-S750 will set you back £7,599, which is a tad lower than the competition, but not by a great deal. And that's the issue...

Hard to fault, trickier to love
To ride, the GSX-S750 is a really pleasant machine. The seating position is typically naked bike comfortable; as long as you aren't going at a speed where the windblast comes into play it's all good. The inline four engine has a nice throttle response and it is certainly far peppier than the lacklustre GSR750, which I have to admit I was no fan of. It's nowhere near as barking at the MT-09, but it can certainly get a shift on and the air box now has that signature GSX-R rasp. If you go exploring the top end of the rev range there is a bit of zing at the upper reaches, which I like, and it has a good if not outstanding mid-range for when you want to be lazy. All in all it's good, just not remarkable or outstanding. And the same is true for its handling.

... not all that amazing on the road though

Show the GSX-S750 a set of bends and it happily carves through them. It may be lacking fully-adjustable suspension (you get only get pre-load front and back to play with) but it is set very nicely with a good balance between sports and comfort. Suzuki's waffle described it as an 'apex predator' which I feel is a little optimistic; it's not top of the crop, but it is certainly more than competent. And the same is true for the new radial brakes, which are fine, but have that lack of initial bite so typical to Suzuki. A new set of pads would hopefully cure this. The ABS or the new traction control can't be faulted though, with settings that can be adjusted and even turned off while on the go like the GSX-S1000, which I like. So why, after a day on the GSX-S750, aren't I feeling more pumped up about the bike? It's all down to the competition.

Stuck in the middle
This year is set to see a fairly serious battle in what I'd call the premium middleweights class. Yamaha has released the updated MT-09 (£7,799), Kawasaki has the new Z900 (£8,249) and Triumph the all-new Street Triple range its 765cc engines (£8,000 for the S, £8,900 for the R and £9,900 for the RS). The problem that the £7,599 GSX-S750 has is that while it is a hard bike to fault, it ends up sitting in the middle ground and I fear will be overlooked. It's not the most powerful, it's not the lightest, it's not the most outrageously styled, it's just...well, it's just a good inline four naked bike that is a few quid less than the rest. Sadly for Suzuki, I worry that just being good and a bit cheaper won't be enough to encourage riders to give the brand a go again after the likes of the MT-09 and Street Triple stole its thunder. If you like the look of the GSX-S750 and want a relaxed inline four that does everything very competently and has a bit of a raw edge, it's a very good bike. But in this class it is up against some really great bikes which it can't quite match.

2017 SUZUKI GSX-S750
Engine: 749cc DOHC inline four, water-cooled, 16v
Power (hp): 115@10,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 60@9,000rpm
Top speed: 130mph (est.)
Weight: 213kg (dry)
MPG: 50mpg (est)
Price: £7,599 (Z version £7,799 in black paint scheme)