Suzuki GSX650F (2007-current)

New price £4,999
Engine size 656cc
Power 86bhp
Top speed 135mph

Overall verdict

Suzuki’s new budget and novice-friendly GSXF650F all-rounder proves that sometimes, brilliance is found in the most unlikely places. Although on face value merely a ‘Bandit with a fairing’ the GSX650F’s blend of real world performance, practicality, fun factor and value is pretty much unmatched anywhere.

Engine

The Suzuki GSX650F’s 16-valve, dohc four was all-new in the 2007 650 Bandit, is Euro3 clean, slick and responsive and, most pertinently, tuned for real-world versatility but with an exhilarating top end rush. Fuelling mods means it revs a little higher than the Bandit, although performance is unchanged. Peak power of 85bhp spread progressively over the rev range and decent enough grunt low down means this is a powerplant that’s sufficiently willing and able whatever the gear or your ham-fistedness, yet still rewards with three-figure thrills.

Ride and Handling

The Suzuki GSX650F’s chassis is, for the most part, Bandit 650, too, being centred around the same, no frills, cost-conscious steel tube cradle and conventional forks. Yet in GSX-F guise it gets a more sophisticated shock for added sporting ability and subtly adjusted poise thanks to the fairing, new one-piece, rubber-mounted, lower bars plus new one-piece seat that all adds up to a riding position and balance that is both textbook sports-tourer and somehow impressively pure, too.

Equipment

The key distinguishing feature of the Suzuki GSX650F is, of course, the fairing which at once manages to evoke and mimic GSX-R sportsbike style, provide decent protection from the elements and blend into the whole motorcycle as if the whole design was a clean sheet affair. But there are plenty of other goodies rare on a sub-£5K machine: span-adjustable brake and clutch levers; effective, widely-spaced mirrors; swanky GSX-R style sports instruments (a large analogue tacho flanked by the now usual LCD digital speedo, useful fuel gauge, plus assorted warning lights).

Quality and Reliability

Usual Suzuki standard, which is no bad thing on a sub-£5K bike. Everything gleams and is crisply assembled and from 20 yards you’d easily mistake the GSX650F for a much more expensive machine. Mechanicals and cycle parts are all proven Bandit fare so there should be no reliability issues. Job done.

Value

There’s not other way of putting it: Suzuki’s new GSX650F is astonishingly good value. Where Bandits and the like, though hugely worthy, are still conspicuously ‘budget’ bikes, the GSX650F somehow seems entirely classier and more valuable. It’s no GSX-R, of course, but for under five big ones it’s a steal…

Model History

2007: Model introduced.

Other Versions

None.