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Looking good! New GSX 8tt

Maybe just me, but I don't think it looks $2k nicer than the regular GSX-8S. And Honda just released the Hornet in the US, which is even cheaper still (and has more power). It's a tough market, and I think Suzuki missed the value mark on this release.
 
Maybe just me, but I don't think it looks $2k nicer than the regular GSX-8S. And Honda just released the Hornet in the US, which is even cheaper still (and has more power). It's a tough market, and I think Suzuki missed the value mark on this release.

I disagree because of the style factor. The GSX-8s has the same performance and lower price, but it looks like an crayfish.
 
Maybe just me, but I don't think it looks $2k nicer than the regular GSX-8S.

Agreed, I don't think the fairing and some flashy badges/covers are worth the increase for essentially the same bike. It does look better, but price point is too high.
 
The complaints about price are awesome.
products are priced to realize max profit
not to please the economics geniuses who can't afford them.
fish wives!
 
The complaints about price are awesome.
products are priced to realize max profit
not to please the economics geniuses who can't afford them.
fish wives!

fish wives? You lost me there!

What is Fishwife slang for?
The term "Fishwife" dates back to the 16th century, and originally referred to the daughters or wives of fishermen who sold fish at the market. The term gradually evolved into gendered insult for women who were brash, foul-mouthed, and brassy.


I can afford one of these either way. I wouldn't pay $2k more for the new model, though. I'd spend the $2k difference on upgrades to the base model, although there is nothing really wrong with it.
 
Kawasaki does have a very cool retro ZR650RS also, much more affordable @ $8,899.
With the savings, you can buy the best bar end mirrors and windscreen.

2025-Kawasaki-Z650RS-ABS5.jpg - Click image for larger version  Name:	2025-Kawasaki-Z650RS-ABS5.jpg Views:	0 Size:	85.0 KB ID:	1778014
 
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When you see a GSX-8S in person, the pointy fairing cheeks and headlight fangs are super-duper extra weird. Very, very strange indeed. They're just... there. No reason, nothing inside. Just sort of stabby and spidery looking, and not in a cool way.

The TT looks great, although I may be strange in thinking that the green version (dark green instead of black base color) looks a little better. Not a huge fan of the little headlight fairing or the chin whatsit in front of the pipes, but that's more a matter of personal taste. Also, the black color with the stripes reminds me of Honda, not Suzuki. But then again I'm An Old who was actually there in the '80s, so maybe the younger and more fashionable crowd likes it better and doesn't remember the Honda with the same stripes.

Personally, I think the GSX-8T is the sweet spot; naked, no headlight or chin fairings. Candy Burnt Gold, please.

All the GSX-8 models suffer greatly from that gawdawful three foot long tail light/signal/plate appendage out back. Seriously, it's even more awkward in person, and you're forever bumping into the damn thing every time you walk past one of these. The aftermarket has embraced the opportunity here, so there are plenty of tail tidy kits out there, but you have to wonder why the hell they designed the bike like that in the first place. A little more passenger room would have been nice, for example.

In any case, they're fantastic bikes, all of them. I recently spent some wrench time under the hood doing a valve check on a GSX-8R. The fairings are an asscramp, but other than that it's an absolute sweetheart of an engine, and the suspension, running gear, etc. are excellent quality for the money.
 
Got to wonder how anybody could like the look of these odd looking appendages sticking out from under the back of the seat??? I dun'no if we'd been raised with these things we might feel different... Are these things license plate holders? narrow little fenders? or just a place to attach the turn turn signals to? not sure what they are but, for me, they really look veeery strange.
 
Repeating myself, but the new bikes, while looking better, are in no way worth the extra cost. The technology being added is close to zero, it's just different styling. Mind you, I'm no fan of the 8S styling, but the new retro models don't look super-duper either, so why bother?

To me, the Kawasaki Z650 looks better than all the Suzuki variants, but the Kawasaki is drastically down on power, so it's a non-starter. May as well just get an SV650 before they are gone. I'd much rather have one of those compared to the Kawasaki. Or, get a Honda Hornet. It also isn't beautiful, but better looking than the 8S, and much cheaper than the new Suzuki retro bikes.
 
I'm thinking those weird extended plate holders are there because that location is mandated by law.
All new bikes have a weird plate holder design.
 
I'm thinking those weird extended plate holders are there because that location is mandated by law.
All new bikes have a weird plate holder design.

No doubt, some truth here! That said, I absolutely hate the hacked off fender look that is so common these days. "Tidy Tail" = hack job, in many cases (my opinion)
 
I'm thinking those weird extended plate holders are there because that location is mandated by law.
All new bikes have a weird plate holder design.

Yeah, the manufacturers assume that all buyers want that super-stubby solo seat look. So they have to add ridiculous stalks to put the plate and lights where they belong, and some bikes get "possum scrapers" to meet rear fender regs, all painted black in hopes you don't notice them somehow.

They know full well that the very first thing 99% of owners will do once in the privacy of their own garages is rip that mess off and install a tail tidy.

Maybe I'm just getting old, but I'd prefer to have amenities like a somewhat realistic rear seat and perhaps even potential luggage space.
 
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