2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000 GT Turns the Sportbike GSX-R into a Sport Tourer

• Suzuki is addressing an aging demographic by making the amazing GSX-R into a more palatable sport touring bike.

• The new motorcycle shares much of its componentry with the iconic GSX-R sport bike, but in a more comfortable layout.

• The bike will be in showrooms in late May or early June for $13,149 before destination charges.

Some people, now I ain’t saying you, but it seems some people have gotten older lately. Those people, many of them motorcyclists, are no longer quite as willing to reach way forward and grab those clip-on hand grips and slide their magnificent kiesters off the side of the seat and drag their elbows on every turn. This ain’t you, of course, you’re still young and vibrant and don’t need help getting out of bed in the morning. But others, well…

Recent data suggests there are 46 million adults in the US over 65 and by 2050 that number is expected to increase to almost 90 million. Something like 8% of US households has at least one motorcycle. (Your house probably has 10.) That’s 3.5 million households with someone over 65 and a motorcycle.

There are even more members of the population who are creeping up on their 50s. It’s getting crazy!

So if you were making motorcycles, you would probably take note of this trend and adjust a few things in the product line. Suzuki did just that when it took the sportbike icon GSX-R and tweaked a few parameters to make it into the GSX-S1000GT.

This is a perfectly natural progression and one we should all embrace rather than fight. As the population inevitably ages, the market addresses its changing needs with everything from walk-in tubs to superbikes. Yes, superbikes. Or at least sport bikes. Our bodies may be aging, but our brains are still 19 years old, man, and looking forward to divebombing every apex! It’s just that craning your neck up to see the road from the MotoGP seating position gets a little more achy every time and, frankly, some of us are ready for the transition to a more upright, comfortable posture.

Does this mean we have given up? No! And neither has Suzuki.

“Suzuki wanted to create a grand touring motorcycle the Suzuki way,” said Suzuki training manager Avery Innis of the new GSX-S1000GT.

Or, as it says in the brochure: