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.
