Riding this 800 Suzuki bike is easy. It’s easy to ride, easy to stop, easy to manoeuvre, and easy to split lanes. Dodging accidents? Piece of cake. It’s just EASY. But don’t let the ease fool you into thinking it’s boring. Suzuki loaned it to me for the IFRD ride, and I had it for a week. I rode it on gravel roads, single tracks, river crossings, and additionally commuted to work (because I couldn’t resist). I found it incredibly responsive both on and off the road. It’s an 800, but it rides like a small bike—light, manoeuvrable, and with power. My feet touch the ground flat (I’ve got a 79cm inseam), so this doesn’t happen often.
Initially, I struggled to turn off the traction control—which, trust me, is not a good idea—but once it was off and in the right setting, it was really easy to ride off road. On a fairly rutted gravel road, the bike comfortably hit 120-140 km/hr, whether I was sitting or standing. No head wobble, no rear wobble, and this was with (I think) 80/20 road-prioritised tyres and at full tyre pressure. It was easy and fun. The stability and balance inspired confidence—a sense of trust in both the bike and myself. That’s a nice feeling.
Or when we were scouting routes and reverting back and forth across the veldt, or when I got a notification that someone got lost and I needed to do a U-turn into the bushes and rocks… it was easy—smooth throttle, feet flat, and easily on the way to the rescue.
Let me paint you another picture: Two minutes from home after a long day at work, I found myself squeezing through three non-parallel lanes of traffic. Not an easy feat since the cars were all mismatched, each trying to avoid potholes, broken sewers, informal traders, and pedestrians. I navigated to the front of the queue, inching up on an incline and making 90-degree turns through the maze. It was easy. My feet touched the ground effortlessly, the bike stayed balanced, and the throttle responded perfectly. No issues—until I reached the front of the queue – but not the bike’s fault. The robot-guard waved me on to turn, but just in time, I noticed an oncoming driver in a foul mood, ignoring the guard. I narrowly avoided a collision, hard braking and keeping control of the bike just in time to miss that angry driver by inches. The bike was easy to manage in an emergency situation.
Having fun with friends.
In my opinion, this bike is an all-rounder—good for gravel rides, good for easy off road, good for tar. Good for seasoned riders, good for novice riders. It will support your confidence and make the ride enjoyable. And FUN. Which is what it’s all about isn’t it – fun times with friends.
