Suzuki Gladius

Posted on by admin

Menus

Suzuki Gladius
Jahn

Suzuki Gladius

Suzuki Gladius

Suzuki Gladius

Suzuki Gladius

13 photos

Suzuki Gladius
Suzuki

1/13
In black and yellow, the Gladius can compete with the Honda Hornet.

Suzuki Gladius
Suzuki

2/13
The low seat belt was specially tailored to this target group.

Suzuki Gladius
Suzuki

3/13
… as well as the cockpit look familiar to us from other Suzuki models.

Suzuki Gladius
Suzuki

4/13
Since the Gladius is very light, it will be made for city traffic.

Suzuki Gladius
Suzuki

5/13
As a new mid-range motorcycle, Suzuki is launching the Gladius.

Suzuki Gladius
Suzuki

6/13
The lamp, …

Suzuki Gladius
Suzuki

7/13
The gladius is relatively small …

Suzuki Gladius
Suzuki

8/13
The Gladius has the same V-2 engine as the SV 650.

Suzuki Gladius
Suzuki

9/13
This plastic cover simulates a hybrid frame? In reality, however, the Gladius only has a tubular steel frame.

Suzuki Gladius
Suzuki

10/13
… and women should feel addressed by the gladius.

Suzuki Gladius
Suzuki

11/13
Especially beginners …

Suzuki Gladius
Suzuki

12/13
The rear tire looks mature enough.

Suzuki Gladius
Suzuki

13/13
… and narrow.

Suzuki Gladius

SV 650 successor Gladius

Away with smooth surfaces, away with corners and edges, away with the SV 650. Its successor, the Suzuki Gladius, is intended to appeal to young people and novice drivers alike.

GIt’s been ten years since Suzuki launched the SV 650. And during this time, the two-cylinder middle grader has repeatedly proven itself to be a powerful, agile and easy-to-drive all-rounder. However, the angular design is showing its age. Which is why a successor had to be found. The Gladius looks refreshingly youthful and modern, from the tank to the side panels, the exhaust and the rear light with rounded, curved, almost playful shapes. It is powered by the slightly modified four-valve V-engine, which already fired the SV sustainably.


Jahn

Still 72 hp, but more torque and power at lower speeds.

First of all, the frame is really new. A delicate mesh tube, entirely in Ducati style, pleases the eye. However, the side cast aluminum parts that hold the swingarm in the Italian are imitated by simple plastic covers on the Gladius. The steel pipes simply continue underneath. An inexpensive solution. This also applies to the simply painted tubular steel exhaust system, which replaces the SV’s high-quality stainless steel system. But now take a seat. The seat height is quite low at 785 millimeters, and the slim contour in the transition to the tank also contributes to the fact that smaller contemporaries can safely reach the ground with both feet. If that’s too low for you: For tall people, Suzuki has a three centimeter higher bench on offer.

The cranked tubular handlebar lies comfortably in the hands, the sitting position is comfortable, the moderate knee angle is almost perfect. The long seat is easy enough for two-person operation, and the passenger can hold on to the easily accessible handles. Only the somewhat hard upholstery of the seat could be annoying on longer tours. On the manageable Canary Island of Fuerteventura, where the Gladius was presented to the press, the firm upholstery was hardly of any consequence. The new all-rounder provided a first foretaste of how manageable and precise it is to steer on the winding coastal and mountain roads of the island with little vegetation. However, the road surface on the island was too perfect to really require the comfortable suspension setup. The spring elements, which can be adjusted in the spring preload, but not in the damping, however, made it easy to see that a sporty driving style is not suited to them: When the pace is accelerated, the tail of the gladius begins to pump. Anyway, it is more likely to target novice drivers and less experienced drivers than sports drivers.

Brakes, engine, power

With the braking system largely taken over from the SV 650, the piston diameters of the front master brake cylinder and those of the floating caliper brake calipers have been reduced. With the result that two fingers on the lever are no longer enough for proper deceleration, but the whole hand is required. Another criticism is that the Gladius initially has to do without ABS. That will be available in summer at the earliest. In contrast, the unchanged 72 HP engine continues to be a source of joy. Various measures improve the cold start, ensure a clutch that is easier to dose and facilitate the already good shiftability of the six-speed transmission. Modified centrifugal masses on the crankshaft, lighter valves and springs, revised camshaft profiles and a new injection system with double throttle valves deliver even more torque and power in the lower and medium speed range than before. Nevertheless, the V-Twin has lost none of its liveliness, even turns easily into the red area. One bad habit remained, however. As before, he accelerates more or less harshly at the apex of the curve, depending on the engine speed.

If you order the Gladius immediately, you currently pay 6,290 euros. According to Suzuki, the extremely high yen exchange rate will lead to a significant price increase in the spring. With ABS, a seven should be ahead. What a shame, the Gladius presents itself as an easy-to-handle motorcycle that even seems to be superior to the SV in terms of motor performance.

Noticed

plus
+ Motor powerful and easy to turn
+ Comfortable suspension
+ Undercarriage handy and precise
+ Sitting position low and comfortable

minus
– Brakes require a lot of manual force
– ABS not yet available
– Processing quality worse than that of the predecessor

Technical data Suzuki Gladius


Jahn

engine
Water-cooled two-cylinder 90-degree V-engine, two overhead, chain-driven camshafts, four valves per cylinder, bucket tappets, wet sump lubrication, injection, Ø 39 mm, regulated catalytic converter, alternator 375 W, battery 12V / 10 Ah, mechanically operated multiple discs – Oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, O-ring chain, secondary ratio 46:15.

Bore x stroke 81.0 x 62.6 mm
Cubic capacity 645 cm³
Compression ratio 11.5: 1
Rated output 53.0 kW (72 hp) at 8400 rpm
Max. Torque 64 Nm at 6400 rpm

landing gear
Steel tubular frame, telescopic fork, Ø 41 mm, adjustable spring base, two-arm swing arm made of steel, central spring strut with lever system, adjustable spring base, double disc brake at the front, Ø 290 mm, double-piston floating calipers, rear disc brake, Ø 240 mm, single-piston floating caliper.
Cast aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 5.00 x 17
Tires 120/70 ZR 17; 160/60 ZR 17

Dimensions + weights
Wheelbase 1445 mm, steering head angle 65.0 degrees, caster 106 mm, suspension travel f / r 125/130 mm, seat height 785 mm, empty weight 202 kg, tank capacity 14.5 liters

Two year guarantee
Colors black, black / green, white / blue, white / red
Price 6290 euros
Additional costs around 150 euros

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *