[Devil]

Had the chance to put the first k's on Holeshot Suzuki's brand spanking new K8 demonstrator yesterday. Here are a few thoughts on it, particularly in comparison to the K6/K7 model.

To set the scene, my biggest gripe about the 600 class was that they've become too track focused, too uncomfortable and have piss all go below 10,000rpm. Which is entirely true of the K6 and K7. For me, that automatically eliminates them as a road bike and I wouldn't have one. (On the track however...).

Due to there only being 8 kilometres on the bike when I picked it up, I had to be nice to it. So this report will only deal with the up to 10,000rpm part, because lets face it, we know what they go like when they get past that mark. They may as well be all the same.

* Seat height: Shorties will love this one. I'm about 5'9" and had both feet flat on the ground with knees bent.

* General ergonomics: Very comfortable! The bars aren't too low, or too far away (or conversely too close!). The leg room is quite good. Impressed. The most comfortable of the 600's i've sat on. You really sit "in" the bike, which I love.

* Mirrors: WTF? I can see whats going on behind me! They must have moved them out a bit. Bit of vibration but nothing really worth moaning about.

* Sound: One thing that drove me insane on the previous model was the totally obnoxious induction noise. Every time I rode one it sounded like it was broken. This new edition is MUCH smoother and quieter in that respect. You still know 100% that you're on a suzuki and it sounds great!
Over all the tone appears to be a bit deeper than the last model. Thumbs up from me. I even like the styling of the new exhaust.

* Styling: There are a whole myriad of changes to this bike, particularly in the fairings, front to back and the exhaust. On a whole, I like it. The totally black model looks stunning.

* Handling: Typical gsxr. Very light but still needs a decent shove to change directions quickly. Appears to be very solid and stable mid corner. Factory suspension settings deal with the bumps effectively and keep the bike on the right line.

* Brakes: Still being bedded in so weren't up to full strength, but smooth and effective.

* Engine: Noticeably smoother than the previous model, deeper tone too. This edition has the Mode A, B, C switch as seen on the 1000. We'll start with A mode, which is full juice mode. Upon opening the gas at about 3000rpm I was pleasantly surprised by the instant response, but wait for it, I hit 5500rpm and WHEEEEE a noticeable kick in power. THIS THING HAS A MIDRANGE AGAIN! Despite my limit of 10,000rpm this was a joy to ride just using the midrange. Ample response and acceleration. This is a real selling point for me. It's quite clearly different from the previous model and a real good surprise. Now B and C modes we'll cover just briefly, with B smoothing out the power jumps but still reasonable acceleration and C being... well... flat as a pancake. I dont personally see much of a use for this mode. You'd have to be pretty ham-fisted to make the bike come unstuck in the other two modes. *shrug*.

Summary: I like this bike. I really enjoyed it. It's great to see more "road" in it, without appearing to sacrifice anything in the performance department. Would I have one? Yep, and thats saying a lot.

Get out there and test ride it, If you're in the Auckland region go see Jamie or Carl @ Holeshot Suzuki and they'll look after you.

Recommended +++ !