Suzuki has taken the wraps off of the 2021 GSX-S1000 and it’s a fresh take on the company’s litre-class naked bike. Like with the new, third-gen Hayabusa, Suzuki haven’t put out an all-new bike but have rather decided to heavily rework the current bike that we know and love. The most distinct change is in the styling department followed by a comprehensive electronics overhaul and a reworked engine which is now Euro5-compliant.
The bodywork on the 2021 GSX-S1000 has gone under the scalpel and the result of which is a much sharper and sleeker design. The faring now also sports MotoGP style winglets keeping it in line with the new generation of supernakeds. The GSX-S1000 gets a bunch of body panels and shrouds with a camo pattern which Suzuki claims gives it a more urban look. Apart from this, the bike features LED lighting on both ends and the entire front end has been redesigned with two hexagonal LED units stacked on top of each other with a position light to complete the look. This new setup strikes a strong resemblance to Yamaha’s 2021 MT-09. The 2021 GSX-S1000 will be available in three different colour schemes.
The 2021 GSX-S1000 features a heavily reworked version of the engine found on the previous S1000. The engine is now Euro5-compliant and makes marginally more power than before. Power outputs now stand at 150bhp at 11000rpm and 106Nm at 9250rpm. Meaning that Suzuki clearly isn’t fighting the horsepower fight, but trying to deliver a more usable bike. Changes to the engine include a new intake and exhaust camshaft, new valve springs, a new clutch and a new exhaust. Suzuki claims that they have improved the power and torque spread of the engine across the range to deliver a much more potent low and midrange but at the same time it should have a punchy top-end as well.
The bike sees quite a few updates in this department as well. To begin with it gets a swingarm from the 2016 GSX-R1000 to aid sharper handling. The handle bar is also now 23mm wider and 20mm closer to the rider for better leverage. Suspension comes courtesy of KYB with a fully adjustable USD setup in the front and a preload and rebound damping adjustable monoshock at the rear. The bike also gets Brembo monoblocs to aid dropping anchor. The GSX gets bespoke Dunlop Roadsport 2 rubber. Other changes include a new seat which is 810mm tall and a larger 19-litre fuel tank. The whole package fully fueled now tips the scales at 214kg.
The electronics on the new bike have received a thorough overhaul. It gets SIRS (Suzuki Intelligent Ride System) which includes a new ride-by-wire system which works in tandem with SDMS (Suzuki Drive Mode Selector) for power modes, three to be specific. The bike also features a bi-directional quickshifter now. One thing that the bike misses out on however is an IMU unit, so, no lean sensitive ABS or traction control here. All of the new electronics can be controlled via a new instrument cluster that has been picked off of the GSX-R1000R.
The 2021 GSX doesn’t have any rivals in the litre-class per se considering all the new naked bikes make north of 180bhp. But all the changes should result in a much better bike than before but we can verify that only after we get our hands on the bike. Speaking of which, the new GSX-S1000 should ideally make it to India considering our appetite for naked bikes and the fact that we did get the last generation GSX-S1000, but it remains to be seen.