One thing is obvious straight from the start with Suzuki’s new sporty middleweight, limited-edition GSX-8R Kiiro. With a bold personality, eye-catching graphics, an individually-numbered tank badge and (very) yellow paint, it definitely isn’t for shrinking violets.
Based on the ‘ordinary’ GSX-8R, it has the same rumbly 776cc parallel twin engine four-stroke producing 82 bhp at 8,500rpm but also heaps of attitude to spare, appealing perhaps not just to riders wanting a fast commuter, track bike or tourer - but those seeking a measure of exclusivity too.
Limited to a run of just 60, the Kiiro (meaning ‘yellow’ in Japanese), sports smart black and grey accents, a racy-looking seat cowel, and has adjustable Showa suspension both front and rear, as well as clip-on-style handlebars and streamlined fairings, pushing the sports look even further.
Other nice touches include a fresh, clean-looking colour TFT screen and a quickshifter - for going up - and down - through the gearbox. The Kiiro also has fashionable billet-aluminium span-adjustable levers for the brake and clutch.
Priced at £9,599 on the road, the Kiiro has striking silver/grey wheels, a tank pad, upside-down forks, a high-tech-looking grey aluminium sub frame and a rakish smoke screen, that does a very good job at deflecting airflow, even at motorway speeds.
Despite its racy looks, this is one easy bike to ride, and that much is evident as soon as you heft it off the side stand. Weighing in at 205 kgs, it somehow manages to feel somewhat lighter, making it particularly easy to park, or push in and out of a tight spot, without fear of over-balancing.
.jpeg)
On the road the lightness is particularly evident, although the first thing you notice is definitely the nice, powerful-sounding rumble from the 270-degree crank engine, venting through a stubby, aggressive-looking exhaust.
A tune a day
Undeniably fast, the Kiiro is also very smooth indeed - ideal for sure footedly noodling through heavy traffic in the city, with a nice, easily-controlled throttle. Although it looks overtly sporting this Suzuki is, really, tuned for comfort; it’s a bike you could use day in, day out. The handlebars are not overtly low (although my hands and wrists were aching after two three-hour stretches in the saddle) making it easy to keep an eye on developing traffic situations, with your head up.
.jpeg)
A seat height of just 810 mm also makes this bike a pussycat in town, as do excellent rear-view mirrors that offer a wide, stable, field of vision. In town - as out on faster roads - the brakes, powered by two 310mm discs up front and a single 240mm disc at the rear - are progressive and strong, the ride tending towards firm.
Away from the city on winding country roads is where this bike really excels, tipping neatly into bends, the 17-inch wheels offering plenty of reassurance and grip. For added confidence, there are three levels of traction and three levels of power; Sport, Road and Comfort.
Pick-up from the throttle is instantaneous and it turns in beautifully, making it a great all-rounder for commuting or just riding for the sheer fun of it. Particular attributes? The torquey engine is one of the Kiiro’s strongest suits, followed by the in-built fun factor and, at least for this older rider, a single seat apparently tailored to be even more comfortable than in the standard, widely-praised ‘ordinary’ GSX-8R.
.jpeg)
Well designed and executed, build quality feels high, the extra add-ons well thought-through to distinguish it from the ‘standard’ model (although it’s a shame they didn’t also design in a little storage room, perhaps for a lock, under that seat cowel).
Not everyone will demand quite so much yellow, but it is, especially with that Kiiro name, certainly a talking point.
The Facts
Suzuki GSX-8R Kiiro £9,599
Engine: 776cc, parallel twin
Max BHP: 81.77
Max torque: 78 Nm
Claimed MPG: 67.28
Weight: 205 kgs
Seat height: 810mm
Fuel capacity: 14 litres
CO2 emissions: 99g
The Motolegends system: is layering up the best solution for motorcyclists?
Is this ‘weather-defeating’ technique a match for UK conditions
I like being ‘sold’ to as much as the next consumer. So when a leading bike kit supplier claimed its layering ‘system’ was the answer to the question all bikers constantly ask (what’s the best jacket for warmth, ventilation, comfort, and rain-proofing?) I had to try it out.
First some background. One big issue facing motorcyclists is finding the ‘Goldilocks’ jacket, which - for the two-thirds of the year that for many, represents the riding ‘season’ - hits the sweet spot. Because the trouble with changeable UK weather is that one garment can’t do it all.
On a typical week-long tour, or just a daily commute, kit that works one minute means you’re horribly unprepared the next, as scorching sun is replaced by torrential rain. You can find breathable, vented, waterproof jackets that do it all but there’s always a compromise; you’re either too hot, or wet or cold, or totally overdressed when you stop en-route to peer around that motorcycle museum or pretty French town.
What Motolegends proposes is unusual and requires a little effort, not to mention expense, combining four different garments in a way that even their makers didn’t envisage. At the heart of system is the ridiculously comfy and very handsome Klim Marrakesh jacket, matched with Klim’s stretchy, vanishingly-thin wind-proof Zephyr Wind Shirt layer, the warm, down-filled Maverick ‘puffer’ jacket and the waterproof Ergo Pro jacket from Scott, to go over the top as required. The idea is that you mix and match as you go along.
Is it a trick to sell four items instead of one? Would it mean too much kit-swapping en route, and extra packing? I tried ‘the system’ through last year’s heatwave, into the cooler autumn months then into spring this year to find out.
Naked ambition
The AA-rated £430 Marrakesh turns out to be the jacket I would aim to wear all year-round if I could get away with it, for its comfort and looks alone. Weighing just 1.7 kgs complete with D30 Ghost armour, it is about as easy to wear as a casual jacket thanks to its stretchiness and complete lack of bulk. Made from 1000 denier Cordura it is essentially a mesh jacket, allowing tons of air through, all over. It’s almost like riding naked from the waist up.
.jpeg)
In hot London weather it was perfect, letting me stay cool and unsweaty in heavy traffic. It doesn’t restrict movement; even when you walk around it feels comfy. On country roads on hot days it works well too and is claimed to be highly protective, in an ‘off’. On cooler rides, adding the minimalist, zip-up £100 Zephyr windproof lining underneath often gave me all the cosiness I needed. The warmth it adds is disproportionate to its wafer-thin construction (it weighs only around 150 grammes). That’s the thing about layers, which block wind flow and trap warmth.
Ideally I plan ahead and either don the Zephyr before leaving or (it rolls up as tight as your fist) stash it on the bike or in a pocket. It’s a minor inconvenience having to stop to layer up if temperatures fall but - especially on longer rides when the weather is harder to predict - it’s better than overheating in the first place, still allows you to start off enjoying the Marrakesh alone, and allows a lot of flexibility.
Klim’s £260 Maverick down-filled jacket is key to the system. A stylish ‘destination’ jacket, it rolls up tight into its own pocket. That same ‘squashiness’, combined with its slightly shiny shell, means that when worn under the Marrakesh (possibly over the Zephyr), it is particularly comfortable, sliding under the Marrakesh without hindering movement, while substantially boosting warmth.
Swiss roll
On tour I wear the smart Maverick when out on foot too, negating the need to pack a separate jacket. The final part of the jigsaw - another marvel of packing which, says Motolegends co-owner Chris, folds up into a stuff sack ‘roughly the size of an M&S Swiss roll’ - is the £90 Scott Ergo Pro that can be wedged into a tank bag or backpack.
Riders persisting with older, stiffer waterproofs will be impressed. The Scott - while superbly watertight - is surprisingly stretchy, making it very comfy to wear and get on and off in a hurry. It also adds an extra layer of warmth, when things really get cold.
So there you have it; another answer to the question all bikers ask. I’ve experimented with all combinations and - if you’re prepared to adapt as you go along - the system’s a winner. In winter, when it got extra cold, I reverted to a single, well-insulated, rain-proof jacket with a warm liner as I knew I’d need warmth and waterproofing all day. But for much of the year, the flexibility of Motolegends’ system has won me over.
Usually, I managed to time the ‘costume’ changes with tea and saddle breaks. Because the component parts pack down tightly, work in harmony, are lightweight and easy to don, I’m in. Klim’s design and quality ethos shines through too, as does that of Scott’s. Motolegends won’t have found the holy grail for all, as the temptation to stick with a single, all-round jacket is strong and the system is, undeniably, costly. It is, nevertheless, a big, comfortable, leap in the right direction, one that works far more days than it doesn’t, and that offers a big dollop of luxury, too.
More at Motolegends
