Double test Suzuki GSX 600 F-GSX 750 F

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Double test Suzuki GSX 600 F / GSX 750 F

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If you want to be faster, you pay more: For an additional 800 marks, Suzuki’s GSX-F is now also available with 750 instead of 600 cubic meters.

With the best will in the world, the Suzuki marketing people cannot be said to have courage to take the gap. On the contrary: every niche in the model range – even if it cannot be seen straight away with the naked eye – is rigorously stuffed. The air / oil-cooled inline four-cylinder has proven to be the perfect, because it is inexpensive, filler. Whether as a mainspring for retro, fun or touring bikes, whether with 600, 750 or 1200 cubic meters – the SACS (Suzuki Advances Cooling System) engines, launched as super-sporty engines as long ago as possible, have the best chance of surviving the next millennium Wind blowing around the cooling fins.
For example in the pair of sports tourers, the GSX 600/750 F – the latest example of the model-enhancing effect of the Suzuki modular motorcycle system. As in the automotive industry, where the customer traditionally has the choice of different motorisation levels, the option is offered here to order a bread-and-butter base with a spread of different thicknesses.
Whereby the rating “bread and butter” is not meant derogatory, but only takes into account the fact that Suzuki cannot work miracles in the 12,000 to 13,000 mark category either – although the existence of two fully equipped four-cylinder sports tourers in this price range does border on the wonderful. Whatever the case: The F models may look well-made and properly processed, but you won’t find any highlights that captivate the eye and warm the heart of the technology freak.
So it is no loss that the disguise thwarts curious glimpses of the inner values. The frame of the GSX-F, a mixture of steel square profiles and deep-drawn parts, is just as little a feast for the eyes as the tangling of cables and hoses, which is casually arranged around the chassis. The only undesirable side effect of the invisibility cap: refilling oil is only possible after removing a cover and using a funnel.
A relaxed arrangement of upper body and limbs allows the design of the workplace on board the GSX-F. A slight bend in the torso is enough to let your hands fall casually on the handlebars, while a moderate bend in your knees raises your feet to rest level. The whole thing could be called combined sportiness with a decent amount of space. There is also a reasonable livelihood in the back rows: a sufficiently sized seat and well-positioned passenger pegs promote mobile togetherness. Overall, the range of accommodation is well-rounded – just as the shape of the machine suggests.
The cockpit of the F models convinces with sober objectivity. The pointer instruments are sufficiently large and easy to read, and the indicator lights are clearly visible even in direct sunlight. The fact that only the brake lever can be adjusted in its range is not a real handicap: The clutch is extremely easy to move, so that its lever – as it is – can be easily gripped even by a delicate hand.
The starting behavior is also problem-free. Regardless of whether in the 600 or 750 cubic version, the four-cylinder engine starts up without further ado, even after prolonged exposure to the cold, can be adjusted to a stable pulse frequency by means of mixture enrichment and runs without choke support after a short journey.
At the latest then it will become clear why the old saying about the blessing effect of generously poured displacement has its validity on sports tours. A little twist on the throttle while rolling in the upper gears lets the three-quarter-liter version of the GSX-F fly away much more powerfully than the 600 version – an effect that comes into its own when the payload capacity is fully utilized.
The feeling of considerably more sovereign power development is no coincidence with the big “F”: Its engine mercilessly pulls away from its smaller counterpart at just above idle speed, and in the middle speed range develops a downgrading lead that is hardly diminished by the end of its willingness to perform. And because the full-value variant does not have to carry any additional ballast with it, its tractive power advantage is converted into driving performance, the superiority of which speaks volumes. The bottom line is in any case quite astonishing how mature the GSX-F suddenly looks with a displacement increase of 25 percent.
It’s good that when it comes to the chassis, it is equipped to face the plus in driving dynamics. Compared to the current 600 super athletes, the GSX-F pair rolled on a significantly longer wheelbase, and the rather conservative design of the steering geometry reveals that here, too, more emphasis was placed on driving stability than on extreme agility.
So it is not too surprising that the power version can also be thrashed safely on the motorway without causing worrying impurities in the straight line. The fact that the cladding effectively relieves the pressure of the wind on the upper body has a positive effect – with the consequence that the handlebars do not have to be misused as a means of holding on, which promotes stability.
Both displacement variants offer a uniform image even on winding roads. Bad habits like knocking the handlebars or self-steering on bumpy surfaces are not an issue here or there, steering precision and lane keeping, not least because of the cautiously tyred rear wheel, flawless. The fact that the 750 version allows, in addition to interventions in the rebound damping front and rear, also a variation of the compression damping on the central spring strut, is a concession to contemporaries who want to use the offered performance even in poor road conditions and in two-person operation. If you also want to lift the rear spring base with a heavy load according to the rules of the art, you will find yourself confronted with a hook wrench and tricky space – and leave everything as it is.
E.A somewhat more generous attitude towards the required technology is also indicated with the brakes: no brilliantly controllable biters, but sufficient in terms of effectiveness and stability to keep the 750 engine in check. So on the delay side, there is no reason not to accept the express version of the GSX-F.

Conclusion Suzuki GSX 600/750 F

May it be a little more – this question, familiar from the world of sausage and cheese counters, is now also becoming relevant in the sales room of the Suzuki dealer. In the case of the GSX-F pair, the answer is clear: more displacement and more power give the sports tourer a dramatic plus in sovereignty, which is impressively reflected in objective driving performance values. This gain in power, which is noticeable in all situations, increases driving pleasure – especially in two-person operation quite considerably, especially since the chassis can fully cope with the increased loads. The fact that the GSX-F is technically old hat is rather irrelevant in view of the price / performance ratio.

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