Suzuki Gixxer SF review

There are no dearth of choices if you’re in the Indian motorcycle market looking for a 150cc capacity motorcycle. Naked sportsbike? Check. Commuter? Check. Track oriented corner carver? Check. Tourer? Check again. A segment that was born with the likes of Hero Honda CBZ and the Bajaj Pulsar has now grown into a hotly contested space with manufacturers often betting on more than one product to take a piece of the pie. Its in this segment that Suzuki gave us the naked Suzuki Gixxer and followed it up with the fully faired Suzuki Gixxer SF. Quite an interesting proposition, this. Let’s have a look.

Engine and Performance

The Suzuki Gixxer SF is powered by a 4 stroke, single cylinder engine that develops a maximum power output of 14.8 PS @ 8000 RPM while maximum torque is 14 Nm @ 6000 RPM. Keen readers will note this is the exact same engine on offer in the naked Gixxer. Which is quite a good thing, actually. We were quite satisfied with the engine back then and our opinion still stands. What did take us by surprise, though, was the better top speed posted by the Suzuki Gixxer SF over its naked sibling, 131 kmph vs 119 kmph (speedo indicated). The fairing’s aerodynamics really helps here, since the 0 – 100 timing posted by both are pretty much the same. The peppy nature of the engine makes it good fun in the city, specially with Suzuki having got the gearing spot-on that gives a very even spread of torque and power over the entire rev range. The gearbox has ratios very well matched and is typical Suzuki in nature, smooth and slick. Overtaking at city speeds is not much of an effort since the mid range packs quite a punch. Out on the highway, however, things are decidedly lukewarm since the fizz tapers off above 100kmph. Despite being air cooled surrounded by a full fairing, we faced no overheating issues. Mileage returned stood at 43 kmpl for the Suzuki Gixxer SF.

Look and Feel and Build Quality

If there is one USP of this motorcycle, it has to be in its looks’ department. Suzuki really has pulled an absolute stunner from the bag which never fails to grab your attention no matter which angle you’re looking at it from. The front is unmistakably a Suzuki, with headlights quite reminiscent of the big daddy, the ‘Busa! With the fairing blending neatly with the rest of the motorcycle, the Gixxer SF can easily be mistaken for a much bigger motorcycle than it actually is! The rear of the motorcycle looks pretty much the same as the naked Gixxer, with the exception of the aluminium muffler cover. We particularly liked the grab rails that integrated perfectly with the body while remaining functional. The riding position is quite upright, however, which feels a bit odd when you remember this is a fully faired motorcycle. On the flip side, it’s a very comfortable riding position which is marred only slightly by the narrow and a tad-bit-too-hard seat. The build quality all around is top notch and even with a plethora of fairing bits, there was hardly any vibes or rattles at any speed. Also we must say that it is quite commendable that there is only a 4 kg increase in weight over the naked Gixxer.

Handling and Braking

The Suzuki Gixxer SF carries forward the handling capabilities of its naked sibling. Even with the addition of a full fairing, the motorcycle remains light. It remains a motorcycle that is easy to flick in and out of the gaps in traffic and maneuver the narrow lanes. The aerodynamic fairing further helps in stabilizing the front end during high speed sprints. The motorcycle belies its visual bulk, as getting it to dip into a corner is a fairly simple task. Along the curves, it holds its line in a surefooted manner and there were no scary moments no matter how hard we pushed. Light and easy handling ensures you have oodles of fun wringing this motorcycle through the twisties and come out hardly exhausted. As much fun as the handling of Gixxer SF is, the stiff suspension makes sure you feel every bump along the road. The suspensions are stiffly sprung and while it may not exactly feel you’re riding on a bed of clouds, it helps when you have a pillion on board. Braking is handled by a single disc up front and a drum brake at the rear which do their job without any issues. We would have liked to see discs at the back as well, though there was never any situation where we felt we had to have it.

Key features & VFM

The Suzuki Gixxer SF carries forward the goodies from the Gixxer, which included the neatly laid out and very informative speedo console. The console reads out everything you’d come to expect from a motorcycle of this segment, digital clock, gear position readout, two trip meters etc and we specially liked the clarity of the information laid out. The headlights are quite decent and do their job well while the pilot light that sits just below it looks quite stylish! Basically it is the same headlight unit from the naked. At the rear, the Suzuki Gixxer SF comes equipped with LED taillights that is indeed a good value addition. There is also a kickstart lever which does look a little out of place, but when the chips are down, quite literally, it would prove to be indispensable. The Gixxer SF is also now the cheapest fully faired motorcycle in the market today and has all the bells and whistles you’d come to expect from it. That, in our books, is a very good VFM proposition.

Verdict

Suzuki had already proved with the Gixxer that they can play the game as good as any manufacturer and with the Suzuki Gixxer SF, they have only made their case stronger. The SF has all the ingredients of the very popular Gixxer and some! The fairing does indeed elevate the appeal of the motorcycle at a very pocket friendly price tag. Although the Suzuki Gixxer SF enters a crowded segment of 150cc capacity motorcycles, it surely will manage to carve a niche for itself. It looks fantastic, it goes fast, it handles nicely and tackles the urban traffic duties with aplomb. There is nothing really we could fault the motorcycle with and walked away from it suitably impressed. The Suzuki Gixxer SF is therefore, in our opinion, as good as it gets!

Suzuki Gixxer SF technical specifications

ENGINE

CHASSIS