Suzuki GSX 1200 2001 — Specifications

What remains of an inline four derived from a sportbike when dressed in classic touring attire? The Suzuki GSX 1200, primarily known as the Inazuma on our markets, provides a pragmatic answer. Launched in 2001, this machine positioned itself as the wiser, more retro version of the popular GSF 1200 Bandit. Yet, beneath this look reminiscent of a tranquil café racer, beats the heart of an old warrior: an engine derived from the old 1100 GSX-R, bored out to reach 1156 cm3. The preparation is obviously different, with reworked camshafts and carburetors to prioritize torque over stratospheric RPM. The result? A torque of 98 Nm available from 4500 RPM, a figure that makes the beast extremely easy to live with daily, without ever being boring.

Facing its Bandit cousin, the GSX 1200 Inazuma plays the card of serenity and vintage style. Its double cradle frame, dual lateral shock absorbers, and streamlined silhouette give it a certain charm, although less aggressive than the trendy roadsters of the time. This is precisely what may have harmed it commercially. The public massively preferred the more muscular look of the Bandit, relegating this Inazuma to the status of a hidden rim, an injustice when you scratch the varnish a little. Because in the saddle, the difference is perceptible. With 100 horsepower at 8500 RPM, it displays a slightly more generous power output, and its more direct front end offers more incisive sensations in curves. The braking, entrusted to a double 310 mm Brembo disc at the front, is solid and reassuring, in phase with the character of the motorcycle.

Who is the Suzuki GSX 1200 for? The touring rider seeking a characterful machine, mechanically simple, and equipped with a tank of character without the constraints of a pure sportbike. Its weight of 234 kg when ready to ride doesn't make it a feather, but its seat height of 78 cm and torquey engine make it accessible. It is a credible and often less expensive alternative to the unassailable Yamaha XJR 1300, with perhaps a slightly more civilized temperament. Today, finding a used Suzuki GSX 1200 Inazuma is the best way to taste its qualities. Dedicated forums are full of information and maintenance tips, and a well-maintained example remains a solid platform for anyone who would like to even embark on a café racer transformation.

Its major flaw? To have been eclipsed, from its time, by the Bandit, then supplanted in the Suzuki range by the larger and more modern GSX 1400. This makes it a somewhat forgotten motorcycle, which is a shame. For about 7800 euros new at the time, it offered an honest, reliable, and terribly friendly package. It did not aim for speed records, its 221 km/h top speed was more than sufficient, but it promised relaxed journeys with the distinctive rumble of large twins, served here by an inline four of great smoothness. An old-fashioned touring bike, without frills, which deserves more than a glance in the rearview mirror of motorcycle history.