Suzuki GSX – R 125 and GSX – S 125: the first motorbike to dream big [ROAD TEST]

Suzuki GSX – R 125 and GSX – S 125 – Have you ever wanted to go back in time and relive your 16 years once again? The first girls, the first experiences, but above all the first motorbikes. Today Suzuki launches two models, GSX – R 125 and GSX – S 125, which have little compared to my adolescence (the writer was born in 1983) because they contain sophisticated solutions for size and GP liveries, but which preserve intact that spirit that pushed each of us to argue with our parents to have the first two wheels which was often also my first true love. And don't say it's not like that.
Suzuki has decided to launch two 125s on the market with different characters and styles, to get its customers used to it well from a young age: the faired GSX – S 125, for those who are more devoted to practicality and the spirit of freedom that traveling with the air on and offers the faired GSX –R 125 for track riders who try to get their knee on the ground.

Let's start with the GSX – R 125: small but angry, sporty and damn fascinating. With this model, the Hamamatsu company wanted to go further and redefine the small market for those who dream big, perhaps even the track. The GSX – R 125 2017 version has a decidedly sporty soul, as the graphics remind us well, which reflect those of the MotoGP in every way, but in practice it turns out to be a comfortable vehicle even in daily use thanks to its easy handling, guaranteed by only 1300 mm of length, wheelbase and feather weight of 134 kg dry. In short, getting out of traffic will be as easy as trying to bend or brake at the limit, while keeping your feet firmly planted on the ground at the traffic lights. In fact, the saddle is positioned less than 80 cm from the ground and allows practically everyone to place both feet firmly on it.

The S version differs from its sister R mainly in its appearance. It is, in fact, without a hull and with some features that make it perfect for everyday use. We are talking about the handlebar made in a single piece, with a slightly raised position for the hands. Engine and cyclist are unchanged, but in this case its 15 horsepower must push a vehicle that is about one kg lighter, not much, but in MotoGP even the last of the details count! Furthermore, compared to the R, it does not have the keyless system.

For both the engine is a 125 single-cylinder four-stroke, with liquid cooling and aligned with Euro4 directives. In short, nothing is missing to be a "real" motorbike of the third millennium. Maybe a little power you say? The company declares 15 horsepower, the legal limit for eighths of a liter, more than enough to push - having fun - through the curves, taking advantage of the freshness of the engine and taking advantage of all 6 gears available to reach the "legal" speed of 130 km/h.

The chassis tells of a motorbike for refined palates, not for kids who just have to make the classic home-school journey. The double-spar steel frame and the excellent fork (non-adjustable) allow the bike to absorb potholes on urban and extra-urban asphalt well, but also to have the rigidity required of a sports bike. The braking system is powerful, with a 290 mm front disc and a 187 mm disc at the rear. In other words: do you want to break away hard? We allow you to do it. In complete safety, we add, thanks to the standard ABS system. The tires perhaps don't have MotoGP sizes, but the beautiful rims and above all the magnificent livery make you dream of being on the bike you saw in the last premier class grand prix. In fact, many people at the traffic lights mistake her for one of her older sisters, if they don't focus on the 125 details..

Finally, the long-awaited question. Beautiful they are beautiful, but how much do they cost? If you choose the bare one it starts from 4.090 euros, for the MotoGP style fairing it goes up to 4.590. For both, in our opinion, the Blu GP version coloring which replicates the livery of Iannone and Rins' motorbikes, which costs an additional 100 euros, is essential.

If you have always dreamed of a motorbike, make a sacrifice and give up the latest model smartphone, save a few euros and invest it in a vehicle that will give you great satisfaction, giving you emotions and experiences that in a few years (when you are no longer 16) you will enjoy telling people friends.