The GT on the end of Suzuki GSX-S1000GT and Yamaha Tracer 9GT stands for Grand Turismo, or “Grand Touring.”
Although the person who first came up with the phrase has been lost to history, the definition is clear: A GT fits between sports and luxury. A GT should have a big engine, a comfortable and luxurious ride and be adorned with elegant bodywork.
Just being fast doesn’t make it. A GT needs the ability to handle like a sports bike when the situation arises but also crack through the miles in comfort. A motorcycle that can cross a continent at high speed just as easily as it can tackle the B500, the Grossglockner or the Scottish back roads. That is what makes a GT.
All of which leads me neatly to why we are parked outside Suzuki’s HQ in Milton Keynes, lusting over the new Suzuki GSX-S1000GT.
Not Scotland
Now before people start telling me, there is nothing wrong with Scotland, that isn’t the point. If Suzuki had said we could only cover 100 miles on their new GT, then I would have asked to collect the bike in Dunoon and ride the motorcycle around Loch Fyne to Oban. You can find the route in our library – Day Two of Coast to Coast
But as this is a Grand Tourer, something more ambitious was needed. Something that will stretch the GSX-S1000GT’s legs, rather than another tour of Scotland, Wales, the Dales, or in my case, numerous back road rides across the Lincolnshire Wolds.
Riding to Portimão and back, along with a couple of days off in the middle to catch up with Roger on a track day weekend – sounds like a much better idea. A 3,000-mile grand tour in twelve days, on backroads. Perfect.
Not The Best Start
Or it would have been perfect if the ferry had not been delayed 24 hours, which chucked a spanner in the detailed plans. A few hours adjusting hotel bookings and trying to fit everything into one day less wasn’t the start we were looking for.
The other disappointment was the weather. The Sunday we were due to depart was warm, and the roads were dry. The forecast for Monday didn’t favour the Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 tyres the GSX-S1000GT is wearing. It is a good tyre, but the cut slick tread pattern wouldn’t be my first choice for a wet A34.
Thankfully, and hopefully, a sign that everything that could go wrong had now gone wrong, the rain stayed away, and other than two hours in a queue to get checked in and on board, we are finally heading to Spain.
GSX-S1000GT – Initial Impressions
Carle is riding the Suzuki, while I’ll spend most of my time on the Yamaha Tracer 9GT. While waiting in the check-in queue, I quizzed Carle on his initial impressions.
“It is easy to push when it’s loaded”, a reference to the fact that it was easier to wheel the bikes forward in the queue than leave the engine running. After four hours on fast A-roads and 30 miles on motorways, the Suzuki’s fans were running full chat, even after a few gentle miles through town in the cool evening air.
On the fast A-roads, the Suzuki just floats. An indicated 70-80mph isn’t taxing the 999cc across the frame four. Although the footpegs are mounted slightly higher than those on the Yamaha, reflecting the sportier side of the GSX-S, the riding position is comfortable for high-speed mile-munching.
At motorway speeds, the mirrors are clear, and the bars and footpegs are vibration-free. There is a slight buzz if you tuck your feet in tight to the frame, but it isn’t intrusive and to avoid it, just move your feet slightly. Overall the motor is highly tractable and will pull cleanly from stupidly slow speeds in 6th, reinforcing the Suzuki’s GT credentials.
Perhaps the most immediately noticeable feature is the excellent headlight that adds to the GSX-S’s overall road presence. Even the most zoned out of road users appeared to react to the Suzuki’s arrival in their rear-view mirror.
As the light faded, picking the GSX-S out in traffic was easy. Just look in your mirror for the single headlight catching you, and that was Carle on the GSX-S1000GT.
What Next?
Twenty-eight hours on a boat awaits us before arriving in Spain and heading for any road that isn’t a motorway. After that, we have three days to find our way to Portimao and join up with our colleagues.
If we had doubted the wisdom of collecting the GSX-S1000GT and heading out on a 3,000-mile trip, these were dispelled on the ride to Portsmouth. It is now a case of wishing the ferry would get to Spain as quickly as possible.
There are motorcycles to ride.
