Back in the early 1970s, they didn’t call naked bikes ‘naked bikes’ – because virtually every bike was ‘naked’ in that they had nothing at all in the way of a fairing. Pedantry aside though, Suzuki has just released a couple of new naked machines, with 1970s style, built on its current GSX-8S roadster platform. The GSX-8T is a ‘full’ naked retro which has been modelled on the T500 from the early 1970s, while the GSX-8TT has a small headlamp fairing and a neat bellypan, aping mid-70s superbikes like the firm’s GS1000.
The foundations really are straight off the GSX-8S/R models, which isn’t a bad thing at all. So, the engine is the exact same 776cc 270° parallel twin 8v DOHC liquid-cooled unit, making around 82bhp and 78Nm, with ride-by-wire throttle. The chassis is almost a straight copy-over as well: steel twin-spar frame and aluminium swingarm, unadjustable USD forks and preload-adjust rear monoshock from KYB. Four-piston radial Nissin brake calipers and dual 310mm front discs round off the capable, if unexceptional, chassis spec.
The styling is a cut above though. Both bikes look really good we reckon, and Suzuki says the project was the work of a design team based in Milan and Japan, with cues from those 1960s and 70s models like the two-stroke twin ‘T’ models, and the later GS superbikes. Both bikes share the basics: a shapely 16.5 litre fuel tank, smart radiator shrouds with a cheeky new ‘8-ball’ logo, neat front mudguard, and a minimalist rear seat unit. The round LED headlamp, 5” TFT colour dash and bar-end mirrors are also common across the two models. The obvious change for the TT is the neat headlamp fairing – more a nacelle arguably, with little in the way of real wind protection – and the slabby slotted belly pan that looks properly period. The seats are also slightly different (though neither has much in the way of pillion provision if that’s important to you), and the TT has black fork tubes compared with gold on the T.
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We don’t normally dwell much on paint and colour schemes – you folks have eyes in your head and know what you like. But in this case we have to say we love the subtle look of the T, while the TT colours and graphics are really smart. There’s a hint of Husqvarna’s high-end feel to the styling, though with less of the Nordic po-face implicit there. Small details like different wheel colours also underline the thought put into the appearance of these new bikes.
We’ll be riding them both soon – though it seems there will be few surprises for anyone who’s ridden the GSX-8S. The new models are in shops any time now, priced at £9599 for the T and £9999 for the TT.
