suspension package which comes together to make the GSX an exciting but stable bike . Queensland ’ s backroads are a match for our own smaller roads in terms of poor surface and terrible holes and bumps . Great for us to see how the new bike will behave on our own crap roads . Most bikes feel great on smooth tar seal , but it ’ s how they deal with a bump or two that really matters . Even with mid-corner corner bumps that momentarily lift the wheels off the ground , the bike soaks it up and tracks true . Impressive for a non-adjustable budget sports naked . The stock Dunlop SportSmart 2 tyres help - they grip very well on the road and take a lot of abuse before they start to complain , especially when they ’ re warm .
ON TRACK This isn ’ t a bike that ’ s been designed for the track in any way , shape or form , but Suzuki wanted us to try the bike without having to worry about the overzealous , heavy-handed Aussie cops and their exorbitant fines . Happy days . The track , Lakeside International , is tight , sweeping , full of assorted cambers and very bumpy in places . It ’ s fast , with a higher average speed than Phillip Island ’ s MotoGP track . The staff were at pains to tell us how dangerous the track is . In fact , there ’ s a corner nicknamed ‘ Hungry ’... because it eats riders . There ’ s a camber change half way through the corner that unloads the suspension , leaving the tyres with nothing to grip to . With ‘ Hungry ’ in mind , I pointed the GSX-8S onto the start-finish straight . After a few laps to learn the circuit , I could get a feel for the bike rather than trying to remember where the track went . That 5000-7000rpm punch works really well out of flowing corners - those revs are exactly where the bike seems to be in the rev range . It doesn ’ t take long before the comfortably low pegs are skimming the track through most of the corners . This is a bumpy track , which compresses the rear suspension hard and at times digs the pegs into the track . Testament to the chassis , it just takes it in its stride and settles down again .
36 KIWI RIDER