Motorcycle specifications SuzukiGSX-S 950 2024 Force alternative

The roadster has had a great run at Suzuki. With the Bandit, the SV 650, the GSR... For the past few years, it's been the GSX-S that's been defending the bastion. Particularly the 750 and 1000 , when it's time for a fight.

Now a newcomer has joined the family. Identified as a 950, it comes between .... Er, no. It doesn't come between the 750 and 1000 at all; it replaces the 750, nuance. Behind the robotic staircase headlamp, this streetfighter raises a few questions.

Pride in the pencil stroke? Extended identity? When you see the 950 GSX-S, you don't immediately ask such questions. Whatever angle you look at it from, it seems to be built in the same mould as the 1000.
And it is! Every part of the fairing, all the metal and mechanical parts, the back, the front and the bolt pattern all blend in with the big sister. It's reminiscent of the good old days of the 600 - 750 - 1000 GSX-Rs at the start of the millennium, when mimicry was such that recognizing each one was a matter of detail (stickers, fork type, swingarm reinforcement, etc.).
So, it's the 1000 with a typical mid-size name? Is it like the BMW F 750 / 850 GS, with the same engine but mapped differently? Suzuki is playing poker, with a very particular full house.

The name is misleading in more ways than one. And it's confusing if you look at the numbers alone. Let's start by setting the record straight on displacement. It's 999 cm3, exactly the same as on the biggest GSX-S - since they share the same GSX-R block. Bore, stroke, crankcase and materials are all the same. It's only the mapping that changes to enable it to squeeze 95 horsepower out of its innards.
That's where you start to get lost. 20 horsepower less than a 750 GSX-S.....? With a bigger engine.....? Alius and idem?
It's more complicated than that. Suz has thought about young licence holders, so the power is calibrated so that it can be limited to 35 kW. Where the 950 stands out from the crowd and justifies its positioning is in the high torque it offers users.

Whether in A2 or full throttle, the Nine and a Half delivers more torque and availability than the 750 in similar configurations. With 35 kW, it's 1.4 mkg more, obtained at just 3,250 rpm (compared with 4,000). The difference is even greater with 70 kW: 1.7 mkg with a 1,500 rpm advantage for the 950 (at 6,500 rpm). In short, the machine uses its displacement to deliver more steak with the same power. Side A: 47.5 hp and 7.8 mkg / Side B: 95 hp and 9.4 mkg.

the brand thus offers a totally different choice from other bikes in the category, most of which opt for a hundred or so horsepower and a specific A2 version at the same time. But should we pit this GSX-S against a Tuono 660with the same power but less torque? Or an MT-09, more generous in watts but inaccessible to A2 riders. Well, the 950 GSX-S straddles the line between the two.

The fact that the 1000 and 950 share the same engine block, have an identical face and design, threaten before the rattle with a similar singularity, weigh in at exactly the same 214 kilos, exhibit the same dimensions.but that doesn't mean they're twins: the differences are there, but they're hardly noticeable, and they justify both the price delta and the efficiency on the road. Between the two is :
- Up&Down shifter / no shifter
- Fully adjustable fork / no adjustment
- LED turn signals / bulbs
- 5-step traction control, disconnectable / 3-step, disconnectable
- S-DMS with 3 riding modes / no riding modes
- Brembo brake calipers / Tokico calipers
- Blue calligraphy on LCD / white
- Different handlebar mounting

So, the info is in white on the speedo. Otherwise, it's the same LCD block. With a lot of information right under your nose. The discs have retained their 310 mm diameter, the fuel tank its 19 liters, and the wheels their Dunlop Roadsport 2 120/70 and 190/50.
As we've seen, the 43 mm KYB upside-down forks can't be adjusted, but the rear shock allows you to adjust rebound and preload. Incidentally, both the frame and swingarm come from the 2007 GSX-R 1000, the clutch is assisted and equipped with an anti-dribble device, Easy Start and Low RPM functions are included, and the 950 has been awarded Euro5 certification, whereas the 750 has not received this mandatory vaccination.

The Suzuki GSX-S 950 is waiting for the A2s to show them that you can have a firm foot and an inflated boot - even if you might initially think it's a deflated 1000 . It has all the attributes, but a very different personality. A surprise that requires curiosity to grasp its subtleties.
950 GSX-S... The 1200 Bandit of a new era?

M.B - Manufacturer's photos