Suzuki DL800 DE V Strom and GSX-8S (2023) Launch - First Ride Review

A Full Bouquet

Suzuki South Africa, as a brand, has been on a barnstormer of note as of late with new vehicle launches and events almost every month. This has played out with consumers who have acknowledged the fine work and products that the brand is bringing to market and reciprocating with astounding sales figures for the Japanese brand. When it comes to the motorcycle side of the business it has been going just as well with the launch of the large DL 1050 DE adventure bike earlier this year where we sampled a mini version in 250cc guise and also learned of the incoming family of adventure-based machines.

Related: Suzuki DL1050DE V-Strom (2023) Launch - First Ride Review

As consumers move away from large displacement machines and head in droves towards sub 1000cc bikes, it only made sense that Suzuki would opt to bring in the 800cc DL800 and GSX-8S models and that was how we found ourselves at the launch of these two at Red Star Raceway, to test both machines and have a little bit of fun at the same time with Suzuki's entire model lineup for us to track.

 

V-Strom DL800 DE

The 800 takes up its place as the middle child in a family of adventure-biased machines that sees the range start at the new 250 SX, move up to the DL650 stalwart (which isn't going anywhere), onto the new 800, and then the big daddy DL 1050, essentially a bike for every member of the family so to speak.

The DE is powered by a 779cc parallel twin with not one but two balancer shafts that make the engine incredibly smooth even when operating at higher revs. The engine delivers a meaty 62kW and 78Nm through a linear torque curve which means more usable power in the rev range where it matters. Power goes to the rear wheel via chain drive through a 6-speed sequential transmission employing a bi-directional quick shifter to punch through the gears and the whole ensemble is cradled in a steel tube chassis that has a detachable rear section for when the ride doesn't go as planned and the rear end needs to be replaced.

Suzuki SA will only be bringing in the DE variant so we won't see the mag wheel version which is why the units we see will have spoked wheels with the 21-inch front and 17-inch rear fitted with crosstourer tyres. Suspension-wise, the DL gets Showa adjustable long travel shocks front and rear with the whole package being incredibly comfortable to ride.

At launch, Suzuki had an 800 DE that had been fettled slightly with an aftermarket exhaust and a set of chunky off-road tyres that was used to illustrate just how capable the 800 can be in the dirt and suffice to say they proved their point as popping the Gravel ride mode on and leaving traction control on, one was able to throw the DL around and it behaved very much like a lighter 450 Enduro machine.

The 800 naturally gets a full complement of electronics from the aforementioned rider modes and traction control run through the 5" TFT colour screen as well as LED lighting front and rear and a USB port to charge navigation units or phones.

As consumer behaviour globally has shown, serious adventure riders are moving away from big heavy 1000cc plus machines and buying into the 800-900cc market and the DE is poised to grab many of those customers who are price-conscious and are looking for a lot for their money and the DE does just that.

 

 

GSX-8S

As good as the DE is on dirt, the new 8S is maniacally better on the road. As far as tech specs go the 8S is a twin for the DE in the engine department but that's pretty much where it ends. The 8S was engineered from the ground up to be the best street-riding machine Suzuki could build.

Slight engine tuning differences mean that the 8S puts out 61kW and 78Nm and the bulk of its power delivery sits in the 2nd and 3rd gear ranges, this means a punchy drive out of corners and crisp acceleration in the straights.

Keeping the wheels on the ground is KYB suspension, featuring inverted forks up front and an adjustable link setup for the rear while lightweight 17" mag wheels shod with Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport2 tyres keep you stuck to the tar.

The 8S also gets a full electronics layout with SIRS (Suzuki Intelligent Rider System), ride modes (no gravel here!), traction control, low RPM assist and ride-by-wire that make the bike infinitely more predictable and easier to manhandle around a track and track them we did!

From the confidence-inspiring riding position to the clamping power of the brakes, the 8S was sublime to ride around the track in anger. Even standing still the 8S looks mean and of the two colours we had to test on the day, it was the white with blue accents that really set off the striking lines of the machine.

As far as colour palette for the 8S goes it will be available in the aforementioned Pearl Tech white/blue, Pearl Cosmic Blue/black and Metallic Black/black all of which look stunning in the light of day.

 

Models and Pricing

With many consumers watching their wallets, the 800DE and GSX-8S offer incredible value for money as they offer a lot of standard fitment and when one looks at like for like, the pricing is spot on!

Suzuki DL1050 DE V-Strom	R 259 000
Suzuki DL800 DE V-Strom	R 195 000
Suzuki GSX-8S	R 165 950
Suzuki DL650 XA V-Strom	R 161 950
Suzuki 250 SX V-Strom	R 58 900

 

 

Verdict

It is plain to see that Suzuki has done it again with two superb products. The 800 DE is sure to attract plenty of wanton eyes but it remains to be seen what type of reception the 8S will get these two machines are not perfect by any stretch of the imagination but sure do have a lot to offer for a keen price and with that famous Suzuki reliability and low cost of ownership, these two are bound to be winners for the brand again. It was also plenty of fun to be able to pummel Suzuki's entire product lineup out on track as a palate cleanser, we managed to take everything from a small 125cc scooter all the way up past our beloved long-term Katana up to the monstrous Gen 3 Hyabusa for a whirl around the track to remind us that Suzuki truly does have something for everyone.

We will be getting both machines for thorough review in the coming weeks so subscribe to our channels and follow our socials to stay up to date!