Ever since its launch last year, the Suzuki GSX-8S has been on my radar as one of my potential next bikes. As a big fan of the 650cc to 900cc naked bike segment, this thing ticked all the boxes when it came to an all-around fun-to-ride machine.
Designed as the spiritual successor to the decades-old SV650, the GSX-8S was quite a big deal for Suzuki. It marked a quantum leap forward for the brand when it came to tech, and proved that Suzuki indeed had what it took to innovate.
The 8S seemed like the perfect balance between tech and raw performance, and its aggressive styling which was clearly modeled after its bigger sibling, the GSX-S1000, was pretty cool, too.
Naturally, a bike like this would have some seriously big shoes to fill. Being a naked bike meant it had to be versatile—sporty enough for spirited riders, all while being practical enough for tourers and commuters alike.
And indeed, Suzuki Italy is leveraging the bike’s sporty side with the launch of the GSX-8S Team Suzuki Edition, and while this thing isn’t likely to be made available outside of Italy, it could serve as a neat inspiration for folks looking to set their bikes up for sportier, perhaps even track-oriented riding.
Out of the box, the Suzuki GSX-8S seems like it’s ready for some sporty riding. But Suzuki Italia has slapped on a bunch of accessories that pretty much make this thing a track-ready naked bike. For starters, a rear seat cowl transforms this thing into a single-seater, and a tiny flyscreen which doubles as an instrument cluster protector just might give you that extra aero in a full-tuck position. Of course, there’s also a lower engine guard—but let’s be real—this thing’s more for show than it is for function.
Now, if I had this bike, I’d lean in even further on its sporty looks. I’d take the stock tail section off and install a tail tidy—perhaps even one of those with a tucked plate (who cares about legality, when you can get super sleek looks, right?). I’d also delete the passenger pegs and swap out the stock mirrors for a set of low-profile bar-ends, and of course, I’d fit an aftermarket exhaust system to let that 270-degree parallel-twin sing its glorious song.
On track days, it’ll be easy to take the mirrors off and tape up the headlight and just hit the track lap after lap. And when the day’s finished, simply reattach the mirrors, take off the tape covering the lights, and ride back home. Perfect, isn’t it?
Best of all, for folks living in Italy, Suzuki’s offering a special promo on this bike where you can take it home—sporty accessories and race-inspired livery included—for just 8,600 Euros ($9,295 USD). According to Suzuki Italia’s website, this is even cheaper than the regular GSX-8S which retails for 8,900 Euros ($9,620 USD). So yeah, you’d be stupid to miss out on this deal.
As for me, I currently do not have a GSX-8S sitting in my garage—but I sure wish I did. Until then, I'll daydream of thrilling trackdays aboard a torquey, flickable naked sportbike.
Source: Suzuki Italia
