2024 Suzuki GSX-8R First Ride Review | Ultimate Motorcycling

We ride the new 2024 Suzuki GSX-8R! Suzuki's latest parallel-twin-powered motorcycle joins an exciting segment of middleweight twin-cylinder sportbikes that are helping reshape the sport segement. The Japanese firm's GSX-8R, along with the likes of the Aprilia RS 660, Triumph Daytona 660, and Yamaha YZF-R7 provide an answer to the uncompromising supersport and superbike segments, offering motorcycles fit for real-world use with respect to their performance and ergonomics.

The GSX-8R is the sportier sibling of the naked GSX-8S model released in 2023. The list of differences between them is short, but quite significant with the GSX-8R model utilizing a full-fairing for better wind protection, combined with revamped Showa suspension and a more aggressive riding position to create a do-it-all sportbike reminiscent of what Suzuki's legendary SV650 achieved. Trackdays, sport riding, commuting and touring all color well within the GSX-8R's lines and its $9,439 MSRP.

We sent Senior Editor Nic de Sena to the North American launch GSX-8R launch, where he spent two full days with the new Suzuki on the streets and track.

[davidbarton]

Thanks for the review and great job communicating your experience riding this Suzuki, this may well be my next bike as I love it in the blue, sounds like it can be comfortable for most riders and moving up from a 400cc Honda to a near 800cc appeals a lot to me.

[ragerider]

Nice review. I really like the bike. It's not much on the spec sheet but it seems to be a great, fun & really well balanced all-round package for a pretty good price.

[blipco]

A downside for me is that for a street bike, there is absolutely no room for carrying anything. (I carry a tire pump and patch kit, hat, water bottle, maps, phone).There should be mounts for at least a small rack. A tank bag is confining and a tail bag will cramp the riding position. I’m sure the aftermarket will come up with something hokey but the manufacturers should take into account that sometimes riders carry things.

[PrincipePredilecto]

Tuono 660 vs 8R... Which do you prefer?

[chazlyle]

I know it’s nothing like it at all but this bike gives me VFR 800 vibes, in that it would look mean and clean in white paint and bronze wheels ha.

[Mr_Glenn]

They're 11k in euros. That sucks. Why is everything so cheap in the US? 😂

[gsxrtwinn]

10000 for a parallel twin heck no I won't be buying no bike like that