Moto Comparison: Sport Touring Shootout

2024 Suzuki GSX-S1000GX vs Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+

The popularity of sport touring motorcycles has been increasing steadily. Despite having only a few truly road-oriented options, they are a much better fit for many riders than a traditional sport bike. They handle almost as good, just as fun, but much easier to ride as an everyday machine. This week, we have two Japanese rivals that aim for the same type of audience with the same price tag, but with two different formulas that make them unique in their own way.

We have one of the most anticipated sports touring bikes for this year, the Suzuki GSX-S1000GX. It is a completely new bike from the ground up. Suzuki already has the V-Strom as an adventure bike in their model lineup, which is a great touring bike with its excellent reliability record and all-terrain capability, but not so exciting to ride. The GX is here to fill the gap in the market where the riders demand more performance-oriented entries while still having relaxed geometry and touring features.

On the other side, we have the updated Yamaha Tracer, which is one of the most unique sport-touring motorcycles on the market. The Tracer has been on the market for almost 10 years, and it has come a long way. The second generation Tracer was released in 2021 and it was a huge step up, but some of those steps were controversial, including the weird two-piece TFT dashboard. New to 2024, the Tracer comes with a completely new TFT dash and more features, that get it closer to the premium segment.

Looks & Features

Both entries have sporty looks with different design languages. The GX looks like a superbike on stilts. It has an arrow-shaped front fascia with sleek-looking daytime running lights and a two-piece headlight design which enhances the sporty and modern look. It is a little bit of unorthodox design language, especially for the traditional sport-touring audience, but definitely unique and easily stands out against the crowd. The aggressive lines and sharp angles continue throughout the bike. The only gripe I had is the large rear-end design, which is for better passenger and cargo accommodation.

Even though Yamaha updated the Tracer 9 GT+, and the “+” is due to its extra features, the looks are mostly the same since it was released in 2021. The overall design language is much more conservative compared to the GX, with its dual DRLs on top. The bottom headlights may look like a fog light, but Yamaha still uses one headlight for low beam, and the other one for high beam. Even though they don’t look good, the Tracer comes standard with the side panniers and it works with one key.

Just like the looks, the geometries are slightly different. The Tracer has more relaxed ergonomics mainly due to lower footpegs and handlebar closer to the rider. You feel that you are sitting on top of the bike, whereas the GX offers sportier ergonomics and you feel you sit in the bike more. The Tracer feels a little bit more premium with fully blacked-out components, a more premium paint job, and other small details that make the difference, but the Suzuki GX still gives you that good old solid Japanese bike feel with less wow factor.

Both entries offer a decent amount of wind protection. With Suzuki, you will need extra tools to change the windscreen height, and that’s a big missed opportunity for the brand to advertise it as a touring machine. You have to remove the windshield and can choose one of the three pre-set options to raise an already small windscreen. On the positive side, it does not cause any wind buffeting, even though you get more wind toward your helmet and chest.

Yamaha on the other hand, has better wind protection in general, and it allows you to raise or lower the windscreen on the fly. It is not as easy to operate at higher speeds, and it is not as good as most European offerings as you get a little wind buffeting to your helmet, but it is a big improvement compared to the previous generation Tracer 900.

Both the GX and Tracer come with decent features you expect from a sports tourer, as they are meant for long trips. Both entries come with large TFT screens that are easy to use and go through the menus. I found Suzuki’s screen is easier to use and see with bigger fonts with the exception of annoying Suzuki acronyms (S.I.R.S, SDMS-A, SRAS, STCS etc.) which makes it harder to understand the features you are changing unless you are googling it. Yamaha on the other hand, the fonts are smaller, and it takes a little bit more time to get used to the layout, but it is a big improvement compared to the outgoing model.

New to 2024, the Tracer 9 GT+ comes with adaptive cruise control which enhances the overall premium feeling of the bike. It also allows you to customize each feature including the power mode, traction control, suspension settings, slide control and wheelie control. The Suzuki does not have an adaptive cruise control, but even having traditional cruise control is a blessing to have on longer trips. Both bikes have a smartphone connection available with a dedicated app.

The Powertrain & Riding Impressions

The biggest difference is when it comes to the engine choice. Yamaha is one of the only Japanese manufacturers using the three-cylinder engine for the last decade. The Tracer 9 GT+ still has the updated 889cc engine that puts out 117 horsepower and 68.6 lb-ft of torque. After several iterations of this powerplant since 2014, it has reached the peak level of refinement and fun.

It still complies with the latest EU5 norms, but Yamaha had to retune the engine to make it happen. It is very noticeable on the second gear only, as it does not want to accelerate as much from 4000 to 7000 rpm. The problem did not occur on the other gears, which shows it is just to pass strict emissions regulations. The updated exhaust system looks a little bit weird, but it sounds really sporty without being obnoxiously loud.

The Suzuki GSX-S1000GX is a completely new model in the brand’s lineup, but it uses the same powertrain we found in the iconic K5 GSX-R1000 like the GSX-S1000GT we reviewed last year. The 999cc 4-cylinder engine is re-tuned for better mid-range response with a different valvetrain for reduced emissions.

Despite the changes they made to make it more tame, it still pushes 150 horsepower and 78.2 lb-ft of torque at the crankshaft. Unlike most traditional 4-cylinder engines, it offers a more responsive bottom-end grunt, which makes it a more fun option as an everyday motorcycle. Over 6000 rpm is where everything starts to fade, the GX changes its character completely and reminds you that it is a sports bike on stilts.

Both entries come with an electronic suspension with adjustment options, but Suzuki takes the lead when it comes to the overall riding experience. Unlike the Tracer, it comes with a fully adjustable suspension including the preload and other settings, and the delta between different suspension settings is more noticeable. The suspension of the GX feels more competent on any surface, it can be softer in the softest setting and can be firmer in its sportiest setting.

Thanks to the GX’s 190-wide rear wheel, it has tons of rubber to rely on at higher-speed cornering, it gives you tons of confidence as you get closer to the limit. Even though the initial bite wasn’t great, the Brembo brake calipers offer a great amount of stopping power at higher speeds with no brake fading even after back-to-back braking.

The Tracer was never meant to be a taller sports bike since it was first released almost a decade ago, and you still find the same formula with the updated GT+ model, it just feels more refined than the older model. Regardless, its character feels completely different from the GX, and mostly in a positive way for a bike meant for touring. It is a better touring bike in general, as it offers more touring-oriented features than the GX.

The CP3 engine is still quite a lot of fun to ride anywhere. It does not have fancy components like the GX, or it is not as confidence-inspiring in the mid-corner, but the Tracer wants to do everything well instead of focusing on one aspect of the riding experience, and that’s what makes the Tracer appealing to the riders that want one bike to do it all.

Final Thoughts & the Verdict

Both bikes are just above $20,000 CAD threshold in 2024, so they aren’t significantly cheaper than their European counterparts. Despite having the same price tag and 17″ wheel setup for performance-oriented riders, they have completely different formulas for different types of riders. So there is no clear winner in this comparison.

The GX makes going fast much easier, as you can just hang onto the second gear all day long, and ride in a fast and fun fashion on your favourite backroad. If you want a sports bike with a taller suspension, the GX is as close as it gets for the price. Its touring capabilities aren’t class-leading, and Suzuki asks you to pay extra for fundamental touring features like the center stand and heated grips, but the fun factor is what makes the GSX-S1000GX special.

The Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ is a terrific sports touring bike, it offers a great balance of fun and touring features with the right amount of refinement for everyday riding. It is not as overwhelmingly fast and fun as the GX, but it is still quite fun to rev through the gears to go fast. It is not here to replace your sports bike, but if you need one bike to do it all, the Tracer 9 GT+ can do everything well.