Suzuki Gs1100gk
SUZUKI GS1100GK
CYCLE WORLD TEST
No definition of touring bikes exists. Magazines have been written about touring motorcycles, along with books and even short movies. Lots of companies have produced machines sold as touring bikes and lots more businesses have been established to sell products to touring riders. Yet there’s still no definition. Looking around for other examples of touring machines brings some insight to the matter. Cruising sailboats, for example, are distinguished from other sailboats by their lack of speed and supposedly greater comfort of accommodation. Touring cars were similarly slower than other cars and originally had two cross seats, four doors and a folding top, again for greater comfort of the passengers. Add to this the basic definition of a tour, that is to return to a starting point, and one detects the need for reliability.
When motorcyclists began being called touring riders their mounts were often the bikes most likely to make it back to where they started, that characteristic not being shared by all motorcycles on the roads. And most non-touring motorcycles sacrificed all manner of comforts for greater speed or economy, these things being considered mutually exclusive.
About the time Honda began making four cylinder motorcycles this began getting a little confusing because all of a sudden there were fast motorcycles that would last and were also comfortable enough to get the job done. Because many of these sports bikes turned tourers were Honda 750s, Honda noticed this and created the Gold Wing, an astoundingly successful motorcycle that showed motorcyclists and more importantly other manufacturers that there was a market for comfy motorcycles that weren’t the fastest thing in their class.
End of history lesson and beginning of Suzuki test. Suzuki knows there are people out there buying touring bikes and touring equipment. Every year Suzuki offers more and more touring machinery. A long succession of Suzukis have worked perfectly well for traveling motorcyclists, from the X6 250 through the Titan 500 and the GT750, on to the GS750 and GS1000 and finally to the G series, the shaft drive models of the standard four cylinder Suzukis.
Suzuki has not gone into the touring business whole hog (Groan.) When Suzuki engineers decided to build a touring model, which meant shaft drive, they didn’t design a completely different package. Instead they took an enlarged version of the GS750 engine, a close adaptation of the GS1000 frame, built a shaft drive that would adapt to the engine and the frame and presto, the GS850. Then came the slightly larger version of that, the GS1000G, and now there’s the GSI 100G.
The 1 100G is not a shaft version of the 1100E. There are two very different Suzuki GS1100 models. The 1100E is the 16 valve, chain drive, astonishing fast machine that Byron Hines tunes and Terry Vance rides to all those drag race championships. The GSI 100G is not like that, at least not exactly. It only has eight valves and the head design is entirely different from the E-series. Where the faster E model uses forked cam follower levers to operate all those valves, the G model gets the simpler design with the cams pushing directly on inverted bucket followers that push the valves open. Combustion chamber shape is similarly different, with the newer design E model getting higher compression ratio and quicker burning.
Beyond the GS1100G there is the GSI 100GK, the same basic motorcycle equipped with frame mount fairing, custom seat, saddlebags, top box, engine case guards and a few mechanical changes such as a lower second gear and stiffer fork damping.
Most of the pieces deep inside the GS1100 engine cases are the same, whether they are in an E or a G model. Bore is 72mm, stroke is 66mm. Primary drive ratio is the same and most of the transmission is the same, excepting 2nd gear which is 1.777:1 in the E and G and 1.722 in the GK. Both bikes have four 34mm Mikuni CV carbs and the engines look very much alike. More important, both engines are powerful over a broad range of engine speeds and they run strongly from idle with no hesitation or flat spots.
So why make two engines? The 16 valve engine, the engine not in the 1 100GK, is a newer engine design. It has more expensive parts and puts out more peak power. This is most important on the sporty 1 100E. On the G peak power takes a back seat and it gets the leftover engine, though that’s hardly a stone.
A considerable task is faced by this engine, because the 1 100GK weighs 680 lb. Even without the large fairing, the adequate saddlebags and the removable top box the G is heavier than the E because of the shaft drive, the bigger gas tank and a few other details. To make life easier on the G model’s engine, Suzuki has seen fit to install lower gearing on the G than on the E, probably due as much to convenience as anything else. The chain drive E comes with a final drive ratio of 2.8:1, which can be changed by switching sprockets. The G gets a 3:1 final drive because that’s what the original Suzuki shaft developed for the GS850 had and all Suzuki shaft drive bikes use this shaft. Linking the transmission to the shaft are bevel gears with a 0.941 ratio, the same as the GS1000.
This lower gearing on the shaft drive 1 100 makes for effortless power even with two-up and lots of luggage. This also means that the 1100GK is a frantic motorcycle, feeling as though it is always in a hurry, even cruising at 60 mph. While a matter as small as gearing may sound slight, it is a most important part of the G’s character and is what ultimately makes the bike fun to ride or uncomfortable, depending on the point of view.
Again comparing E and G models, the chain drive bike cruises at 381 1 rpm at 60 mph, while the shaft drive bike is spinning 4089 rpm. Inline Fours certainly don’t pound like big Singles or Twins, but there is considerable high frequency vibration in Fours, particularly large Fours solidly mounted in a motorcycle frame. The G has an above average amount of vibration, particularly at engine speeds commonly used. Most highway riding is done with the bike running from 4000 to 5000 rpm and this is precisely where the Suzuki’s engine vibrates the most. Speed up to 75 mph and the vibration magically disappears, everything becoming smooth and calm. Unfortunately one must eventually slow down and as soon as speed drops below 75 mph the vibration is immediate and obtrusive. The vibration comes through the pegs and through the seat and through the handlebars. It’s annoying and it compromises an otherwise wonderful touring machine.
Like any compromise, things balance out when enough factors are considered, and in the GK, the good point is power; hard, strong immediate arm-wrenching power. No full dress motorcycle is going to stack up well against stripped bikes in quarter mile performance or top speed because of the great wind resistance of the big fairing and other accessories. This makes the GK a 12 sec. quarter mile machine, instead of an 1 1 sec. machine. How it gets up to high speeds is another matter. Sensations of speed and power may be greater on the full dress G model than on the simpler E model because of the higher center of gravity. Take off hard with the dresser and the front tire is likely to levitate. Or just as easily, the back tire could suddenly start spinning. Depending on road surface, loading and suspension settings fast starts on the GK could be exciting in several different ways.
Suzuki Thinks a Full-Dress Touring Bike Should Go Fast and Handle Well.
Higher gearing could help the Suzuki in more ways than smoothing the engine on the highway. It also could improve the mileage of the bike. This is a 40 mpg motorcycle. That’s what it gets on the highway when ridden at moderate speeds though it doesn’t drop from that figure without provocation. Even with the large gas tank that means the Suzuki goes on reserve at about 180 mi. That isn’t bad mileage. It’s about what most of the Suzuki’s competition gets. But it could be better.
Of course higher gearing would hurt top gear acceleration, which is very good on the G. It would also exacerbate the detonation problem of this engine. Even though the eight valve GS1100 has an 8.8:1 compression ratio and the 16 valve engine has a 9.5:1 compression ratio, the higher compression engine can run fine at all engine speeds without any pinging, while the G motor pings easily at low engine speeds whatever fuel is used. Combustion chamber design on the G results in slower flame travel, requiring more ignition advance and resulting in low speed detonation.
Despite a few flaws in the GK’s drivetrain, the entire package manages to be a pleasant bike to ride and it has several excellent features for a touring bike. This is a big motorcycle, with lots of weight up high, a long wheelbase, a high seat and wide handlebars. No one is going to feel cramped on the 1100GK. The split-level seat is well padded and shaped so the rider and passenger can be comfortable for long stretches in the saddle. It’s a big saddle, with lots of room, but parts of it don’t get in the way, as some large saddles do. All the controls work easily, with little effort yet good control. The clutch may even have a lighter pull than that on several smaller Suzukis, and the brakes are typically Suzuki with a gentle pull and lots of stopping power. Shifting is particularly direct and easy, with moderate travel and a light lever pressure.
Little touches add to the convenience of the Suzuki. One control lever operates the self cancelling turn signals and the headlight beam control, working easily > without confusing the rider. Above the simple and clean instruments is a shield that keeps light from reflecting on the windshield of the fairing. These are little things, but they make the Suzuki easy to live with over a long period of time.
Under all this motorcycle is a stable platform of a chassis. The frame is the same as that on the 850, so it’s big and has lots of room to hang accessories. Suspension consists of air assist forks and shocks with air assist and adjustable damping. Basic spring rates are a bit soft for the full dresser but would be reasonable for a motorcycle without fairing and saddlebags. Fortunately it’s easy enough to add air pressure to both ends, increasing the spring rate. Damping can be increased in front with thicker fork oil and in back by twisting small discs at the top of the shocks. There are no crossover tubes linking fork tubes or shocks, so it requires a little care to equalize pressure in the suspension. Standard settings for the suspension are 10 psi in the front, 14 psi in back and the shocks set on the third damping position. With these settings the Suzuki wouldn’t bottom under any normal riding, even with a passenger aboard, but the machine did tend to wallow in corners. Between the many warning and caution notes in the owners manual are recommended suspension settings. Unfortunately after reading that the standard settings are fine for unloaded conditions but should be changed for higher loads according to the chart, the chart tells the reader that the standard settings are the same as the maximum load settings except for the damping that should be set on either three or four. This is ridiculous.
Maximum air pressure is 36 psi at either end. Increasing fork air pressure to 20 psi decreased fork dive during braking with no noticeable loss in comfort. Less noticeable was any change from rear suspension adjustment. Moving the damping from the first position to the fourth and highest position made a noticeable increase in stiffness, though the change couldn’t be called dramatic. Between these adjustments the changes were too slight to be felt. Because of the additional weight on the front of the GK, this model gets stiffer damping and stock air pressure settings than the standard G. Recommended air pressure on the G is slightly less at 8.5 psi. Fork oil volume goes from 255 ml. to 363 ml. when the accessories get piled on.
Never does the 1100GK Suzuki feel hard or firm, even when the suspension is set on the firmest settings. The range of adjustment could be greater. Because the bike worked better for load carrying and passenger use with the settings on the firmest positions, it remained that way during most of the test. There was no loss of comfort at these settings.
Handling is generally flawless, distinguished only by the great amount of cornering clearance available on such a large motorcycle. A little extra air pressure in both ends keeps this clearance at a surprising level, even with two aboard. Never did we encounter any wiggles or wobbles while scraping sidestand or centerstand, though we had to work harder than anticipated to find the cornering limits of this bike. Because of the wide handlebars, steering requires a light touch but considerable movement, a combination that takes some getting used to after a rider has been riding smaller motorcycles.
Onto this plush, plump frame are hung Suzuki’s own fairing, saddlebags and top box. Suzuki has in the past bought fairings from various aftermarket manufacturers, plus saddlebags and other accessories. This is the first time Suzuki is offering accessories not like something available through any dealer. The fairing most closely resembles the Honda Interstate fairing, though there are recognizable differences. It mounts solidly to the frame, has openings formed for speakers or radios, and has small pockets on both sides behind lockable covers. There’s also a small pouch in the righthand side of the fairing, behind a small hinged door. All the storage areas are convenient to use, but small. For a fairing the size of the Suzuki’s, there should at least be room to carry a camera or a rainsuit, and if the inner panels of the storage areas were removed, there would be. The broad, medium height windshield bolts to the fairing with easily accessible bolts, the ends of the windshield being held on with the fairing-mounted mirrors. Mirrors on a fairing are a bad idea. They are so far from the rider that the field of view becomes too small. On the Suzuki they are susceptible to vibration so nothing is visible through the mirrors at most highway speeds. If there had been some visibility possible we would have been offended by the mirror mounts that were so loose the mirrors wouldn’t hold adjustment, but since they were useless anyway, it wasn’t as much of a problem.
Protection from the elements is excellent behind the Suzuki’s fairing. A room of still air envelops the rider and passenger without troubling drafts running various directions. Lowers on the fairing have small vents, but conduct a river of warm air from the engine onto the rider’s legs. This warmth is pleasant on cool days but on warm days the lowers would be better off back in the garage. Too bad they aren’t more easily removable. Another change the owner might want to make is to cut off a little of the windshield.
Again copying Honda’s formula for touring accessories, the Suzuki sad-
dlebags mount solidly to the motorcycle and are not quickly detachable. This enables the mounts to be sturdy and the bags to fit tightly to the motorcycle. Openings on the saddlebags aren’t conventional, but are wrap-around covers at the top and outside of the saddlebags. This makes loading the bags convenient for most items, though really big things won’t fit in the Suzuki bags. For those, there’s the top box. This is another gently rounded compartment, with a lid that includes most of the back of the box for a larger opening. This is the only carrying device on the Suzuki large enough to carry a helmet, for instance. It is also detachable, leaving a good sized rack available for carrying bulky items like sleeping bags and tents. On the front of the top box is a large padded backrest. It’s shaped so passengers appreciate it, offering support without interference.
All the Suzuki accessories are well made, with a smooth finish and nice black paint that matches the motorcycle. One key operates everything on the motorcycle, all the latches and the ignition. The lids have well routed weatherstripping
that manages to keep water out. Latches can be closed without locking them, another small touch that makes for greater convenience.
In addition to the basic package of accessories, the 1100GK has other bits and pieces of trim worth note. The front fender is longer than most Suzuki fenders, helping keep the engine cleaner in the rain, as well as keeping the rider dryer. Even the rear fender gets an added length of plastic, making it of some use. Motorcycle fenders are generally too short to be of much good in rainy weather,
so we’re delighted to see a little extra length in the right places. On the ends of the not-quite-mile-wide handlebars are small chromed tips screwing into the handlebars. These aren’t useful as handlebars, but might protect the levers if the Suzuki ever fell down. Then again, unless you have some very strong friends, you might never get this bike back on its wheels if it ever fell over.
From handlebar tip to handlebar tip is just a little over 35 in. This is the widest part of the Suzuki, the fairing and the bags both being about 33 in. wide at the > widest part. This is about par for the big touring bikes. The 680 lb. weight is also about average, unfortunately. Load capacity is ample due to the 1 105 lb. gross vehicle weight rating.
Obviously the GK Suzuki is very like the Honda GL1100 Interstate. The Suzuki fairing is the closest looking copy of the Interstate fairing anybody has dared make. The general seating position and suspension are about the same. Yet there are important differences that distinguish the Suzuki from the Honda. It is a faster, quicker bike, with more noticeable power. It has lots more cornering clearance and is happier going around corners than is the Honda. What the Suzuki doesn’t do is so completely isolate the rider from the machine. The Suzuki rider feels more vibration and hears more sound. And while the Honda is heavier and less able to go around corners, it has its weight lower, making slow-speed handling easier.
As for durability and maintenance, the Suzuki engine is a strong, durable powerplant, but it doesn’t have the Honda’s reputation for extraordinary longevity. It also has valves that are not easy to adjust. Changing a rear tire on the Suzuki couldn’t be much more difficult, but few bikes besides BMWs have much thought given to serviceability. The 16 in. rear tire on the Suzuki may last longer than the previous l 7 in., at this point it’s hard to be precise.
What the GK Suzuki is, is a high performance touring bike. Its ability to go fast cither in a straight line or along a crooked highway is unmatched by the other touring behemoths. Along with all this power and cornering clearance there is excellent comfort provided by the seat and suspension and first-class accessories draped over the motorcycle. For all this the rider pays a reasonable (in this day of $10,000 Volkswagens) $4995 for the complete machine and suffers a little high frequency vibration. If that strikes you as a good deal, the G K is your kind of motorcycle. S
SUZUKI
GS1100GK
$4999
