Review: Suzuki Gixxer Is Good for Everyday Commute

At a price tag of Rs 76,580 (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Suzuki Gixxer is the cheapest 150cc street-naked bike in India.

Suzuki Gixxer. (Photo: The Quint)

The 150cc segment in the Indian motorcycle market has been seeing a lot of action lately, especially when it comes to street-naked offerings.

The trend began with the launch of Yamaha FZ16 in 2008, which caught everyone’s attention as there was no bike that sported a similar design language. Suzuki decided to steal the throne from Yamaha with the Gixxer, but is it really that good?

The Suzuki Gixxer’s looks are inspired by the GSX-R1000. (Photo: The Quint)

The Looks

The bike looks great, but its nothing we haven’t seen before. It definitely stands out as compared to other commuter bikes. The bike’s design is inspired by the Gixxer’s elder sibling – GSX-R1000.

The Gixxer sports a chiselled fuel tank and sharp lines on the exterior. (Photo: The Quint)

The lines are sharp and angular, and the bike sports a chiselled fuel tank along with a few chrome treatments on different sections of the bike.

The Good

Once you fire up the Gixxer, the throaty twin-exhaust sounds fantastic and makes you think that it is connected to a larger engine. The 14.5 horsepower, 155cc engine is good for day-to-day commute, as it packs enough punch for quick overtakes through traffic.

The Suzuki Gixxer is powered by a 155cc, 4-stroke, air-cooled engine. (Photo: The Quint)

The 7-step adjustable mono suspension negotiates potholes quite comfortably and allows the rider to adjust the suspension softness as per his/her comfort, something that other street-naked rivals don’t currently offer.

Rear-end of the Suzuki Gixxer. (Photo: The Quint)

The rear LED tail lamps, the wide 140 mm rear tyre and the chrome treatment on the exhaust make the bike great to look at from the back.

Also Read: Review: The Make in India Honda CBR 650F Is Rev Happy

The Bad

While the rear may look great, the story isn’t the same on the front. It looks a little too-simple compared to the aggressive styling followed by Suzuki on the rest of the bike.

The absence of a fairing on the front, like the Yamaha FZS, means a lot of wind-bursts past 105-110 km/h. The bike is capable of going faster, but that can be quite a task for the rider.

Front-end of the Suzuki Gixxer. (Photo: The Quint)

The instrument-console looks cluttered at first and takes a while to adapt to. Although, the gear indicator and the shift indicator can turn out to be extremely helpful during everyday commute.

The Gixxer’s instrument console takes time to adapt to, but tells you everything you need to know. (Photo: The Quint)

The Rivalry

The Suzuki Gixxer is being pitted against the Yamaha FZS and Honda’s CB Hornet 160R.

The FZS has been around for a while now and is still the best-selling street-naked motorcycle right now, but looks dated. Honda’s Hornet has just entered the competition and it is too soon to say anything about it.

Also Read: Honda CB Hornet 160R Launched in India at Rs 79,900

Suzuki Gixxer Features:

• Engine: 155cc, 4-stroke, single cylinder, air-cooled engine
  
• Transmission: 5-speed
  Power: 14.5 hp @ 8000 rpm
• Torque: 14 Nm @ 6000 rpm
• Weight: 135 kg (kerb)
• Fuel Tank Capacity: 12 litres
• Price: Rs 76,580 (ex-showroom, Delhi)

Verdict

The Suzuki Gixxer will neither blow your mind nor is it a ‘revolutionary’ product.

But, with a price tag of Rs 76,580 (ex-showroom, Delhi), it is the cheapest street-naked motorcycle in the 150cc segment right now, and at that price, it is one helluva deal.