Another great sport tourer - 2022 Suzuki GSX-1000S GT/GT+

[Grumpy Goat]

Why don't we all just drive a Camry? There is almost nothing practical about owning a bike if you also own a car. If you are just riding around having a good time, you are literally burning cash and pumping carbon into the air for no practical reason. When the most practical option is no bike, it makes no difference if you are on a CB350 or a Hayabusa. Ride what makes you feel the most awesome. Forget practical.

Hmmm … Not sure I follow your logic here. I own a pickup truck and my wife has her Golf. I have the two bikes. The job of my pick up truck is to pull my travel trailer. People in my neck of the woods buy a pick up truck just because they want something big but that is not me. My use of the bikes is *purely* based on practicality. I do not ride my bikes [principally] for fun. My bikes are my inexpensive transportation, which I happen to enjoy using. In other words, I don’t have motorcycles as a leisure item or a toy. They have a job. They fail in their job they get fired. Even between my bikes there is a job, for example the Tracer’s job is to keep the miles off of the RS, which I’d like to keep for a long time. And it is because of that practicality that I probably will never have more than two bikes. No need.

[wessie]

Hmmm … Not sure I follow your logic here. I own a pickup truck and my wife has her Golf. I have the two bikes. The job of my pick up truck is to pull my travel trailer. People in my neck of the woods buy a pick up truck just because they want something big but that is not me. My use of the bikes is *purely* based on practicality. I do not ride my bikes [principally] for fun. My bikes are my inexpensive transportation, which I happen to enjoy using. In other words, I don’t have motorcycles as a leisure item or a toy. They have a job. They fail in their job they get fired. Even between my bikes there is a job, for example the Tracer’s job is to keep the miles off of the RS, which I’d like to keep for a long time. And it is because of that practicality that I probably will never have more than two bikes. No need.

Wow. I do like a nice rationalisation but this wins the award for the most crammed into a single paragraph.

I assume you have much experience applying to the domestic finance committee...

[Grumpy Goat]

Wow. I do like a nice rationalisation but this wins the award for the most crammed into a single paragraph.

I assume you have much experience applying to the domestic finance committee...

You bet I do, but when it comes to domestic finance even my wife sometime has me beat. Except when it comes to sewing machines ...

[Paul911]

Price differentials with luxury items such as BMWs are divorced from practicality. If you're not familiar, check out Veblen goods -- with luxury items, increased price alone can drive consumer interest because of many factors: rarity, status, conspicuousness, etc.

The excess that is never used is often an internal justification for purchase, with considerations completely divorced from reality. If some Starbucks-hopper bought a GS because they want to be viewed like Boorman or McGregor yet they never ride it off asphalt -- but it fulfills their self- and projected-image goals (possibly the primary reason they bought the bike at all) is that a waste, or money well spent?

I'm sure there are some who buy a Porsche, or a BMW or Ducati motorcycle for those reasons. However, these products also have objective differences and performance advantages that justify the cost. I don't think the same case can be made for a handbag.

[Pyrrho]

I'm sure there are some who buy a Porsche, or a BMW or Ducati motorcycle for those reasons. However, these products also have objective differences and performance advantages that justify the cost. I don't think the same case can be made for a handbag.

A luxury handbag is almost always handmade and of high quality but really it's more about what it says to others than what its physical characteristics are. The more expensive and exclusive, the louder. Status signifiers offer their own and very real objective differences and advantages. Just because we don't share the same values as the owner doesn't mean the cost isn't justifiable.

And while I work in IT, it's for a marketing company that primarily serves the automotive industry. I used to work in marketing decades ago though (IT was easier, more interesting and eventually paid more).

[Grumpy Goat]

Very nicely balanced review from Zack (as usual), and I agree with his position on the Daily Rider Leaderboard. Suzuki does have a few features to add to this bike (adjustable windshield, remote pre-load adjuster, heated grips - all for maybe less than $500 more) but for the price it is a great option in my view.

[Freddyfruitbat]

Very nicely balanced review from Zack (as usual), and I agree with his position on the Daily Rider Leaderboard. Suzuki does have a few features to add to this bike (adjustable windshield, remote pre-load adjuster, heated grips - all for maybe less than $500 more) but for the price it is a great option in my view.

I had a test ride on one of these today as it happens.   Hugely enjoyable but not sure that I'd be changing my RS for one.   Quite race-bikey (reminded me very much of BMW's S1000XR actually) and a bit too biased towards the sporty end of 'sports tourer' for my liking. A couple of comments from Zack which I recall and totally agree with - he reckons it needs a 7th gear! I found I was spending most of my time in 6th, ie 'running out' of gears but I'm sure that's a result of being so used to my low-revving boxer; it just goes again the grain to have the engine screaming at 50,000 rpm or whatever.

Zack also mentioned a bad experience when doing shoulder checks; maybe we're the same height but I found it quite uncomfortable and annoying: turn your head and it's evidently just out of the slipstream and the wind yanks at your helmet.

I think the biggest single thing for me against buying one is the lack of a centre stand, or the possibility of fitting one.  I mean, bad enough that it has a 'chain' instead of the shaft drive which I have come to love, but really - a touring bike that you can't put on a centre stand for chain maintenance while on tour? What were Suzuki thinking?