It’s a fundamental fact that motorcycles should be fun, and nothing sums that up more than the stripped-back, fuss-free attitude of the super-naked street bike class . Brawny engines, sharp handling and a smattering of electronic niceties are the magic alchemic formula – get it just right and the result can be pure two-wheeled gold.
The roost is currently being ruled by the Honda CB1000 Hornet SP , MCN’s 2025 double winner that scooped both the award for Best Naked and also Bike of the Year . The combination of its feisty motor, Öhlins-assisted suspension, and bank-balance-friendly price proved to be an unbeatable package, but with Kawasaki’s revamped Z1100 SE already making waves, its perch is under pressure. Add to the mix Suzuki’s perennial GSX-S1000 , and you’ve got the perfect trio for a Japanese super-naked winner-takes-all challenge.
A twisty B-road route around wintry Rutland provides the proving ground – tarmac conditions are mixed, with most dry lines turning damp at some point, but at least temperatures are in double figures, which is as much as can be hoped for this spring. Let’s reacquaint ourselves with the competition to kick things off, starting with the Suzuki, which, to be fair, is a mixed bag in terms of looks.
The stacked projector headlamps appear a bit of an afterthought, and the forged carbon-effect plastic panels are definitely an acquired taste. The general fit and finish is good though, and of the three bikes here, that blue and silver livery stands out as the brightest.
Clocks : Kawasaki ★★★★☆ | Honda ★★★★☆ | Suzuki ★★★★☆ Switches: Kawasaki ★★★☆☆ | Honda ★★★★☆ | Suzuki ★★★☆☆ Mirrors: Kawasaki ★★★☆☆ | Honda ★★★☆☆ | Suzuki ★★★★☆
The heart of the GSX-S1000 is its 999cc inline four, a hand-me-down from the legendary GSX-R1000 K5 . It was a decent engine 20 years ago, and that still rings true today, even in its retuned, environmentally friendly, Euro5+ compliant form. While we cycle through the ride and traction control settings on the tidy 5in TFT instrument panel, the Suzuki burbles impatiently through its Akrapovic end can (£734.05 extra), eager to crack on.
Apart from the dash, there hasn’t been anything radically new since its last update back in 2021, but that takes nothing away from the superbike spirit that still shines from that mill. With 150bhp on tap, power builds with a well-measured surge that pulls right through the midrange, accompanied by a rip-roaring wail that feels more ‘R’ than ‘S’, and aided by an up/down quickshifter that taps cleanly between ratios for rapid and fuss-free progress.
Performance-wise, it’s not lacking at all; however, when it comes to changing direction, that confident stride is hampered by hesitant steering. There’s a fair amount of effort required to initiate a turn, yet once the Suzuki is cranked over, the front end then loses composure, and the game moves on to keeping it settled.
It can be rather gratifying to muscle a big bike around, but in the case of the GSX-S, you don’t have much choice other than to get weight over the front wheel if you want it to track tightly to your chosen line. And that necessity does take some of the fun out of it.
OE tyre choice plays a big part in this area – the Suzuki arrives shod with Dunlop Roadsport 2, which we’ve found to be fairly average in the past, and a switch to something with a more dynamic profile would change things for the better.
The bike also has a 190/50 rear, which has a shallow profile that’s not conducive to…