Suzuki Gixxer FI SP ABS: Is This A Complete Package?

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Source: Google

Suzuki Gixxer, the 150 CC naked street bike from Suzuki which made its debut in India in 2014 has now gone through a lot of improvements. The newest feather to its hat is the Anti-lock braking system which is most likely the first in the 150 cc segment. Does it make the premium 150 cc commuter complete in all aspects? Let us know for ourselves.

If you are confused about the names, let me get it out of the way first. Suzuki Gixxer that is coming out now is the Fuel injection system which adds the “FI” moniker to the name. The “SP” denotes the special edition which differs only aesthetically. And the last one ABS is the anti-lock braking system added this year.

Also Check: KTM Duke 790

Aesthetics and Features

There is the new colour with a mix of a red, black and silver paint job along with the introduction of ABS variant and everything else is the same as the already outgoing version of Suzuki Gixxer with rear disk brake. Go nit-picking and you would probably find ABS written as part of the styling near the front mudguard. For the ones who already like the older design and colour scheme, you have one another option.

Coming to features there is no notable feature than the single channel ABS to the front disc brakes. That is a tat bit disappointing considering the bike is almost 5 years old and a mid-life upgrade is expected the most.

On the contrary, some quality control sort of issue seems to pop-up with the fit and finish of the bike. Maybe just a few ones from the initial production had it? We hope Suzuki check on it very soon.

Performance

The engine is the same 154.9 cc air-cooled single cylinder two-valve engine that we have had in the Suzuki Gixxer series for years. The engine’s power output max at 14.8 PS at 8000 RPM and gives out a maximum torque of 14 Nm around the 6000 RPM mark. In our time with the new bike, we could experience the same refinement and power from the good old Suzuki engine. Comparing to the carburettor engine the engine is refined marginally and has gained a little bit of torque especially in the lower end. Vibrations start to kick in around 10,000 RPM which is okay for the price and cc.

Ground clearance at 160 mm is sufficient for city rides and most rural scenarios with medium potholes. The weight has gone up by 1 kg, the only difference ABS causing it. It retains the same 0-60 KMPH speeds of 5.2 secs and 0-100 in 17.56 secs which is ideal for city commutes.

Source: Google

Efficiency

The fuel efficiency figures too are the same 64 KMPL from the company. On a day to day usage you can expect anywhere around 42 – 47 KMPL in the city and little higher in steady highways.

Handling

The Suzuki Gixxer FI SP ABS comes with 100/80 and 140/70 on 17-inch alloys for the front and rear respectively. In the front are quite large 41 mm forks and the 7 step mono-shock suspension is present in the rear.

On the handling front, it is as stellar as it was. Suzuki Gixxer FI SP ABS encourages to push it further and serves well. The ride quality is good in our standards and the rear suspension though not much takes a hit directly on the spine on potholes. Presence of pillion eases the thud.

Braking

The total point of the review is this, the presence of a new ABS unit from Bosch, sadly single channel is present in the 266 mm front disks and rear doesn’t have any safety feature. The braking was initially good compared to its competitors which has improved a bit to be one of the best in the 150 cc bike segment.

Also Check: TVS Ntorq v/s Suzuki Burgman Street

How Good Is The ABS? Is It Worth The Difference In Price?

On real-world tests, the ABS variant showed only a small difference in terms of braking. When the breaks were deployed at 60 KMPH the regular variant with rear disc took 2.43 seconds to come to rest taking 17.20 m. The ABS, on the other hand, travelled 17.48 m before stopping 2.41 seconds. This is expected considering the single channel ABS effects less on a dry surface. For the 80 KMPH stop, the difference grew a bit. The ABS version stopped at 33.64 m compared to 34.82 m on the rear disc version.

One notable plus for the ABS on handling is it makes more confident and planted to manoeuvre over wet or loose surfaces. Suzuki could have swapped metal cladding instead of the rubber hoses which could have improved the mushy feel a bit. The verdict on braking on the Suzuki Gixxer has not changed much even after the inclusion of ABS. It is rider’s efficiency to bring out efficient braking.

The new Suzuki Gixxer FI SP ABS cost Rs 6200 premium over the Rs 87,022 price of the rear disc variant. Though we haven’t seen much difference in braking performance availability of ABS is a sure advantage. Though single channeled it is the only option in the 150 cc category with the safety feature. Do not forget on the TVS Apache RTR 180 with dual channel ABS retailing for a few thousand bucks lesser. It comes down to the personal preference of choosing between Suzuki and TVS, Naked looks of Gixxer and sleek body of the Apache.

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