Suzuki Gixxer SF First Ride Review

Suzuki Motorcycles India wants to ride the Gixxer wave. And rightly so, it is after all their best product yet. Say hello then to the next chapter in the Suzuki Gixxer saga… the Gixxer SF. It is a fully faired motorcycle for enthusiasts who want a sportier looking bike, albeit one with a comfortable touring and commuting edge to it. And lest we forget, the SF stands for Sport Fairing, by the way. The biggest distinguishing factor between the two Gixxers then, is that fairing. Now, the fuel tank, the side panels and the tail piece along with those split grab rails on the Gixxer SF have been carried over from the naked Gixxer. In fact, the seat, the handlebar and the overall seating ergonomics are the same as the latter too. But, as is visible, the Gixxer SF sports a new full front fairing. This faring is a two piece design to aid both servicing as well as reduce the cost of replacement in case of a crash. Good thought.

The handlebar clamp is new too, and it is stiffer to improve steering. Finally, the exhaust end cap is a new design as well; it is an aluminium piece shaped to look sportier than the one on the Gixxer. It doesn't improve the sound in case you were wondering, but it does give the Gixxer SF a more premium look.

As with the majority of the body panels, the engine, the gearbox and the cycle parts are exactly the same as the naked Gixxer. So, the Gixxer SF gets a refined, nice sounding and peppy 14.8PS, 155cc single cylinder engine that is mated to a 5-speed gearbox. It’s a nice combo but the gearbox could do with slightly crisper shifts. The cycle parts meanwhile – the communicative and light chassis, the well damped suspension, the grippy MRF tyres and the feedback rich brakes – continue unchanged as well on the Gixxer SF. And as with the naked, these work brilliantly.

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Now, apart from that large front fairing, the only other big difference between the naked and the faired Gixxer SF, is the weight. The Gixxer SF weighs nearly 5kg more. Needless to say, it trails the naked version a bit when it comes to acceleration from a standstill. But in terms of rideability, the difference between the two bikes is marginal. But that full fairing on the Gixxer SF does give it one big advantage – a higher top speed. Thanks to better aerodynamics courtesy the full fairing design having been honed in the same wind tunnel as the Hayabusa and in fact Suzuki’s MotoGP contender, the GSX-RR, its slipperier nature lends the Gixxer SF a three per cent higher top speed.

This roughly translates to over 125kmph. We were however hitting 131kmph consistently on the company’s proving ground in Japan. Now this increase in speed might not seem much to some, but for a regular, air cooled and carbureted 150cc motorcycle (we really have narrowed this one down, haven’t we!), it isn’t just commendable, it’s a first! That you’d need a really long stretch to achieve this speed goes without saying, of course.

So, the new Suzuki Gixxer SF will go up against the 150cc Yamaha Fazer. And because the Gixxer SF will be cheaper, lighter and in fact, more fuel efficient, there’s a good chance it will bring in heathy sales numbers. That it will also have a higher top speed, only strengthens its case.