is there ’ s not a lot on the face of it that I don ’ t like . This might be a difficult task . Let ’ s get really nit-picky here . I ’ m not a fan of the location of the keyhole to release the pillion seat . That could have been hidden a little better . I ’ m not overly stoked about the 14-litre fuel tank . I ’ ve been getting around 250km per tank before the fuel light starts flashing at me . When I fill it , it only takes 11L , costing about $ 35 . This means the fuel light is tuned to leave a buffer of around 3L . 250km per tank means I have to fill up a minimum of once a week , often twice , and I hate stopping for fuel . I ’ m picking on the open road , I could stretch this out to somewhere around 300km per tank . From the factory , the suspension is very good , but it is not adjustable . You may not need to adjust it , as it works very well , but if you are the kind of rider who likes to fettle and tune their setup for the perfect ride or track experience , you ’ re going to need to upgrade the shock and forks . If I were to buy this bike , that is something I might want to look at after a while . I wish it had cruise control too . Some people hate it , but I love it and yes , I know this is not a tourer , and manufacturers need to make savings where they can to build a bike to a budget ( and the current price of less than $ 14k is certainly at the value end of things ). But , if it had cruise control it would be a complete package . I ’ d even pay extra for it .
IN REALITY As far as things not to like about a motorcycle , those are all pretty minor . Let ’ s balance this out with some of the things I do like . I love the engine . The rider ergonomics fit me like a glove . Not just the seat , pegs , tank etc , but the grips , location of the levers , and switch gear . It ’ s as if it was made with a normal-sized Kiwi human in mind , rather than a tiny Japanese test pilot . I can comfortably rest my hand on the throttle , with my middle finger over the brake , ready to bring me to a stop . These are the kind of ergonomics I want from every bike . I do wear a size-large glove , so they may not fit everyone , but I think they will be close enough . Being a naked-sport bike , it ’ s narrow , and able to squeeze through traffic with ease . This is important to a motorcycle commuter , along with a bit of power on tap to get yourself out of a tricky situation if required . The GSX-8S feels lively , free and easy . It ’ s agile , light and flickable . It feels amazing in the twisties and lays waste to pretty much anything away from the lights ( it ’ s still a race if they don ’ t know you ’ re racing , right ?). I can say emphatically that we can tick the commuting box . It ’ s a great commuter . Once it ’ s clocked up a few more kilometres it will be time to think about some light modifications / additions , then I ’ ll be taking it on a road trip . Keep an eye out and I ’ ll update you in the next mag .
72 KIWI RIDER