It's a contender in the 150 cc bike segment and though there may be capable rivals like the TVS Apache or the Bajaj Discover F, Suzuki has gone all out to hit the Yamaha FZ Version 2.0 with the Gixxer.
The naked street bike look almost makes these bikes look like long lost brothers. But the Gixxer has a more macho feel especially with the well sculpted fuel tank and sporty exhaust with dual chrome outlets. The design inspiration has clearly worked for the Gixxer with Suzuki making it rather appealing. Other design elements that deserve a mention are the bulky looking 140 section rear tyre and the sporty set of Y-shaped alloy wheels.
The fully digital instrument cluster is neatly laid out with an easy-to-read speedometer, gear position indicator, shift light and a digital clock. What's impressive is the improvement in overall quality on the Gixxer compared to other Suzuki bikes in the market. Hope we continue to get this kind of detailing.
It's quick off the blocks and the Gixxer's engine sounds nice too without being noisy and has smooth revs. What adds to the fun is the riding position on the Gixxer which feels quite sporty with the wide handlebars providing great control while cornering or at straight line speeds. The bike feels quite light and agile and so city traffic won't bother it too much!
The engine feels very refined even if you push it a bit and you have some really smooth acceleration and so a long weekend ride might not be such a bad idea on this one.
The 155cc engine on the Gixxer uses a carburetor-type fueling system, which delivers maximum power of 14.6 bhp and a generous torque of 14Nm. The engine is mated to a 5-speed gearbox which is quick with an equally responsive and light feel clutch.
But the bike could've used a 6-speed in our view. The Gixxer gets Suzuki's Eco Performance technology to offer broad low-end torque and impressive mid-range power for strong acceleration. The bike's handling is enhanced with the single downtube, steel tubular frame with 41 mm front forks and a monoshock rear suspension. The braking feels solid. The front disc and rear drum brake adds quite a bit of confidence to the overall ride.
The Gixxer has been attractively priced at just over 72,000 rupees and that's lower than the Yamaha FZ version 2.0 at 76,000 rupees.which could just be the clincher for Suzuki.
Now it was really about time that Suzuki got its act together in India and produced a bike to its capabilities and gets its marketing and pricing strategy right. And with the Gixxer, Suzuki seems to have finally got everything right. Even the sharp and muscular styling on the Gixxer works really well and you begin to wonder why Suzuki didn't get this bike to India sooner. Need we say more?
