SUZUKI GSX750 (1997 - 2002) Review

At a glance

Owners' reliability rating: 4.2 out of 5 (4.2/5)
Annual servicing cost: £50
Power: 85 bhp
Seat height: Medium (30.9 in / 785 mm)
Weight: Medium (443 lbs / 201 kg)

Overall rating

Next up: Ride & brakes
3 out of 5 (3/5)

This was Suzuki's answer to the Kawasaki Zephyr 750 and although the Suzuki GSX750 has its admirers, it never really caught on in the UK and there aren't very many about secondhand. The Suzuki GSX750 is a competent performer but the soft suspension and indifferent finish detract from an otherwise user-friendly package.

Ride quality & brakes

Next up: Engine
3 out of 5 (3/5)

If you ride it slowly the Suzuki GSX750 makes a decent commuter/all rounder, but the suspension is too soft and the front end dives during hard braking. To be fair, the Suzuki GSX750 is as good as many late 90s roadster bikes like the Zephyr, Honda CB750 etc but a Fazer 600 feels like an R1 by comparison.

Engine

Next up: Reliability
3 out of 5 (3/5)

Based on the old GSXR750 from the 80s, the Suzuki GSX750 motor is in a softer state of tune, with smaller carbs, but still has enough poke to get you on to the naughty side of 120mph. Ultimately it doesn't feel much faster than the Bandit 600, which is one reason why the Suzuki GSX750 never proved a strong seller.

Reliability & build quality

Next up: Value
3 out of 5 (3/5)

There's no question over the motor, but like the Bandits or GSX750F model, the Suzuki GSX750 roadster can suffer from a patchy finish, which leads to it looking shabby. The Suzuki GSX750's downpipes and their linking sections are especially vulnerable to rust.

Value vs rivals

Next up: Equipment
3 out of 5 (3/5)

The Suzuki GSX750 is a bit of an oddball, many people mistake it for a Bandit. But when there are so many 600 Bandits around secondhand, offering very similar performance to this model for less money, it starts to get difficult to find a reason to buy a Suzuki GSX750, as pleasant as it is to ride. Find a Suzuki GSX750 for sale.

Equipment

4 out of 5 (4/5)

The Suzuki GSX750's retro clocks look good, there's a fuel gauge, centrestand and grabrail - plus the saddle is really comfortable if you want a bike that can handle a 40 mile per day commute. For a roadster the Suzuki GSX750 has all you need, plus some useful extras. 

Specs

Engine size 749cc
Engine type 4 stroke, in line 4, 6 gears
Frame type Steel cradle type
Fuel capacity 18 litres
Seat height 785mm
Bike weight 201kg
Front suspension None
Rear suspension Preload, rebound
Front brake Twin 300mm disc
Rear brake 240mm disc
Front tyre size 120/70 x 17 in
Rear tyre size 170/60 x 17 in

Mpg, costs & insurance

Average fuel consumption 43 mpg
Annual road tax £117
Annual service cost £50
New price -
Used price -
Insurance group 12 of 17
How much to insure?
Warranty term Two year unlimited mileage

Top speed & performance

Max power 85 bhp
Max torque 66.7 ft-lb
Top speed 130 mph
1/4 mile acceleration 12.1 secs
Tank range 150 miles

Model history & versions

Model history

1997: Suzuki GSX750 launched in the UK.
2002: Suzuki GSX750 discontinued from Suzuki GB range.

Other versions

None.

Owners' reviews for the SUZUKI GSX750 (1997 - 2002)

10 owners have reviewed their SUZUKI GSX750 (1997 - 2002) and rated it in a number of areas. Read what they have to say and what they like and dislike about the bike below.

Review your SUZUKI GSX750 (1997 - 2002)

Summary of owners' reviews

Overall rating: 4.6 out of 5 (4.6/5)
Ride quality & brakes: 3.9 out of 5 (3.9/5)
Engine: 4.8 out of 5 (4.8/5)
Reliability & build quality: 4.2 out of 5 (4.2/5)
Value vs rivals: 4.9 out of 5 (4.9/5)
Equipment: 4.2 out of 5 (4.2/5)
Annual servicing cost: £50
5 out of 5
22 September 2023 by Mart.

Version: y

Year: 2001

I feel qualified to have an opinion on this bike. I've owned it for 16 years. The speedo is in km, I don't know why as the log book does not say it's an import. It had 10,000km on the clock when I bought it. It now has 107,000km (about 67,000 miles). It has been on numerous trips. It's been to Spain. It's been all over Britain. It's my commuter and my tourer. It has NEVER missed a beat. I'm now 60 years old and still single. If this lady were human and not a machine . . . . . I'd marry her. She sits outside 365 days a year with just a cover over her. Today she passed another MOT so I'm going to buy her a new cover. If this bike ever fails then I would not hesitate to get another one.

Ride quality & brakes 4 out of 5

It's not a sports bike so I don't ride it like one. I have no idea how the forks compare to other bikes. I have no issues with them. The dust seals on the forks disintegrated years ago and the oil seals look like they are about to fail. They have looked like they are about to fail for the last ten years. They are not leaking. The seat is ok. After a couple of hours it gets a bit uncomfortable so I find a cafe. I have no issues with the brakes. I've had lots of tourers and cruisers and the brakes are no worse than any of my other bikes. If anything they are slightly better. The rear shocks didn't last too long before they started leaking. I replaced them with different shocks and now they are a bit on the hard side. I'm used to it now,

Engine 4 out of 5

The engine is a GSX. Spectacularly reliable. I think I have an issue with my carbs. At low revs (below 2000) it's a bit jerky. It's my opinion that there is a bit of crap in the pilot jet. It's been like that ever since I've owned it. I had great intentions of stripping the carbs and cleaning them. I still have great intentions. I can not fault the engine. This is the most reliable machine I have ever owned. It starts every time, rain, hail, snow. I have changed the battery once in 17 years.

Reliability & build quality 4 out of 5

Paint on engine soon flaked off. The rest of the paint I have no issues with. The oil cooler pipes are corroding and I expect them to start leaking at some stage. They are made of unprotected steel so no wonder they rust.

Value vs rivals 4 out of 5

I have never paid for servicing costs. Each year I change the oil and oil filter. I left the air filter for 8 years before putting a new one in this year (sorry about that bike . . . you deserve better). I went for 10 years before changing the spark plugs . . . even then they were working fine but I thought I ought to change them. The exhaust rotted away at the join of the down pipes to the silencer. I found some stainless steel tube, poked it into the space where the old rotten connection used to be and then poked the silencer pipe into the stainless pipe. Lots of heat-resistant silicone to seal and it gets through an MOT every year. I don't thrash the bike and it returns 200 miles per tank.

Equipment 4 out of 5
4 out of 5
12 September 2023 by Dinglejacket

Year: 2001

Personally the bike needs renthals and a better looking exhaust!

Ride quality & brakes 4 out of 5

Folks need heavier oil as standard is a bit soft , once that's done , give it the beans all day !

Engine 5 out of 5

Engine is very quiet, it responds extremely well , the engine braking is also excellent 👍👍

Reliability & build quality 4 out of 5

The bikes are very well built indeedy Suzuki reliability is top notch . Only down side is the engine paint it's crap , does not like age and salt unlike Kawasaki's that hold onto Thier paint ! Fuel guage is very accurate also which is good!

Value vs rivals 5 out of 5
Equipment 5 out of 5

Mine seems to like Avon tyres but that's probably just me 😏

5 out of 5 not many left
30 May 2023 by paulfixa

Version: black

Year: 1999

Annual servicing cost: £50

its a great all rounder, stable and fast enough for the motorway, also good round the lanes and in the town, they did a 1200 version but not in the uk, if i ever find one im getting it. but the 750 goes well enough and over all it will ride and im happy to keep it.

Ride quality & brakes 4 out of 5

i think its really easy to ride but after its warmed up ,i would ride it until it run out of petrol [about 150 mile] before i wanted a rest. ive replaced the rear shocks on mine which helped a bit but the front forks are a bit soft and divey. maybe getting new springs would help with that.

Engine 5 out of 5

the engine is great ,gearbox great and all does what its ment to do. its fast enough and you can overtake stuff.

Reliability & build quality 4 out of 5

reliability .I've never met an unreliable Suzuki . quality ,well its a mass produced thang and i don't like plastic parts that much[the air box covers] but the engines are good

Value vs rivals 5 out of 5

they are good value and i don't do loads of miles on it so i just change the oil and filter in the winter, so just normal running costs

Equipment 5 out of 5

its 24yrs old and every thing works ,i like having a fuel gauge as i normally have old bikes without

5 out of 5 Smooth Operator
29 August 2021 by Taz60

Version: Inazuma

Year: 2000

I would definitely recommend this bike to a friend. I have owned it since May 2019 & have covered a total of 2,750 highly enjoyable miles on a variety of road types during that time. I think the bike's best feature is that wonderfully flexible, smooth & quick revving 750cc four cylinder engine which is basically a slightly detuned version of the original 1985 GSXR750 engine & is also closely related to the Suzuki Bandit engines. Although it has smaller carburettors than the GSXR750 & about 25 less horsepower- the lnazuma's lower overall gearing means you have plenty of usable power from low in the rev range & if you are willing to drop down through the beautifully smooth gearbox & rev to 6,000 rpm & above the bike really rewards you with slingshot acceleration for safe & spritely overtaking. Even without playing with the gears the roll on acceleration from anything over 4,000 rpm in top gear is impressive enough & for a naked bike it is comfortable enough with cruising at up to an indicated 90 mph. Overall fuel consumption & tank range is pretty reasonable compared with other bikes I have owned & I can get about 180 miles from a full tank & seem to average around 45 mpg. I can ride the bike comfortably up to a couple of hours at a time before needing to stop for a stretch of my back & shoulders. The annual servicing costs have been good so far at under £50 per annum. Annual oil & filter changes have been done by me along with one change of brake pads on the rear brake earlier this year & I have only had to adjust the heavy duty o ring chain once since I have had the bike. Chain & sprockets still look good & the existing tyres look good for about another 1,000 to 1,500 miles. The bike has a pretty low seat height & a small turning circle & is easy to get up onto its highly useful main stand. The build quality is pretty good as long as you clean the bike thoroughly after road use. The main weak spot for corrosion would appear to be the bottom of the exhaust downpipes where they meet the silencer & they sometimes need a spot of welding around the joint. I have fitted an aftermarket Delkovic silencer on mine which gives a lovely fruity howl at higher revs & the carburettors did not need to be rejetted to cope with the change. The brakes in standard form are a tad spongy but do work well to slow or stop the bike & I am happy enough with them. The bike handles well in my opinion & has a beautifully comfortable seat which easily accommodates two up riding. The only thing that is not to my liking as regards handling is the soft front fork set up which means the front end dives sharply under heavy braking & can also cause the occasional problem if you catch a pothole or other road imperfections mid corner. I will probably upgrade my front suspension at some point as it detracts from an otherwise enjoyable riding experience. I know that some Inazuma body parts can be hard to source due to the relative rarity of this model but I have sourced all the usual consumable items easily enough. I only paid £1,900 to buy the bike from a dealer (was originally looking for a Zephyr 750) & was attracted to this one as it was cheaper than the Zephyrs & less common. Pound for pound this bike has been right up there amongst the best that I have owned in over 40 years of motorcycling.

Ride quality & brakes 4 out of 5
Engine 5 out of 5
Reliability & build quality 4 out of 5
Value vs rivals 5 out of 5
Equipment 4 out of 5
5 out of 5 Just bought
12 April 2014 by Homercj

Have had my 2000 suzuki GSX 750 Inazuma for 4 days and so far great bike ,it is my first bike in 30 years the last one being a suzi GT 380 back in the 80s This time around i was looking at cruisers but after trying some out could not get on with the handling . So went on to look for a bit more of a retro bike 750 after all those years was a bit daunting at first but after the first couple of minutes on the bike it felt right ,this bike has 50000km on the clock start well and runs great with plenty of power also the island i live on Fuerteventura is very windy most of the time but does not seem to knock the ride Will do and update soon

Ride quality & brakes 4 out of 5
Engine 5 out of 5
Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5
Value vs rivals 5 out of 5
Equipment 3 out of 5
4 out of 5 GSX750
21 September 2012 by MacLipp

I really love my 2001 classic Suzuki GSX750 Inazuma. It's really good in town traffic, engine runs good from low rpm. Handles very good. Brakes seem a bit soft. One thing altough, is really annoing - it's very difficult to find aftermarket parts from online stores, because this model is hardly listed anywere... Usually closest thing You get is gsxr750 or gsx750f. Or, with body parts You have to guess, will gsf600's parts fit. You need different search words like gsx750y ((k)(w), gsx 750ae, gsx 750 inazuma... and lists You will find, are way too short...

Ride quality & brakes 4 out of 5
Engine 4 out of 5
Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5
Value vs rivals 5 out of 5
Equipment 4 out of 5
5 out of 5 Just bought GSX 750
25 November 2009 by Ted1974

These reviews have been really usefull! I've just bought a GSX 750 and have yet to collect it but I'm really looking forward to it. I didn't want a racing bike, I just want to get from A to B in one piece but it's nice to know you have a good amount of power available if you want / need it. My first bike was an 883 Sportster and I loved it but was putting too many miles on it commuting - 5K in 4 months!! The GSX 750 ticks all the boxes for me and I love the Retro styling. It's good to read positive comments about my new machine, especially from instructors! Thanks MCN :0)

Ride quality & brakes 4 out of 5
Engine 5 out of 5
Reliability & build quality 4 out of 5
Value vs rivals 5 out of 5
Equipment 4 out of 5
5 out of 5 A Diamond
29 January 2009 by kevincbt

I am the proud owner of a gsx750w i use her for giving bike lessons and for pleasure and would not change her for the world. I have never been let down by this bike in ice snow and rain which we have a lot of in wales she has never failed to start or run all day long the same could not be said for a bandit i once owned which gave me nothing but trouble when cold. Plenty of poke when needed or an all day cruiser this bike is so underated a real same.

Ride quality & brakes 5 out of 5
Engine 5 out of 5
Reliability & build quality 4 out of 5
Value vs rivals 5 out of 5
Equipment 4 out of 5
4 out of 5 GSX 750 W
25 March 2008 by stormrider79

I've now done about 600 miles on mine in all different conditions, the bike is 10 years old and had 5600miles on the clock (poor girls been locked up all her life). Overall this is an easy bike to live with! Bad points first, The suspension is budget (we all know that but) it dives quite a bit on the brakes which realy upsets it going into a corner and it doesnt do well at speed, push it to 110mph and you get a (steady) speed wobble, you have to fight to keep it straight. Also if you want to change you angle mid-corner you have to jump off the seat and swing on the bars. Hopefully this is all because the fork oil has never been changed and the tyres have a realy steady profile (bt020's) so i'll use some progresive fork spring, new oil and some d208 tyres, might drop the forks through the yokes by 5mm too. Now the good bits, She's pretty! sooo comfy though i'm adding a GS1000S style headlight fairing just for longer and cold jorneys. The finish is pretty good for a suzuki, the engine is almost spotless and the paintwork looks like a brand new bike. The engine is great, not the fastest engine and the top speed is'nt that strong but that's not what it's all about, sit at 2500revs in top gear and wack the throtle open, it gets up to the ton faster than that big grin appers on your face. I'd love to see a top gear roll-on comparison with a modern Gixer 750! This bike can sit at 90 all day long. It's got a good tank range and the petrol gauge is handy, good pillion provisions, good size space under the seat etc. brakes are well ample and rear suspention seems quite nice. I'm well happy I bought this bike and it's increadable value. Don't buy it if you want a sporty retro (maybe something like a Z750 would be better) but if you want a good all rounder that puts a smile on your face, looks good and you can be proud of, it's a winner!

Ride quality & brakes 2 out of 5
Engine 5 out of 5
Reliability & build quality 4 out of 5
Value vs rivals 5 out of 5
Equipment 4 out of 5
4 out of 5 GSX750 Retro
23 February 2008 by

I've owned one now for 10 years, using it everyday all year round. It's been superbly reliable and a regular head turner too. Good points are looks (esp in black), a lovely upright riding position, comfortable low seat, great mirrors and a tight turning circle. It makes a great town bike with the added bonus that there are so few around it attracts no interest from thieves. And the engine has an old-fashioned deep growl to it(esp with replacement Arrow can). Best of all though is the peerless and classy styling which looks great from every angle and works as well now as it did 10 years ago. Bad points are few. It takes a good while to warm up and run smoothly on the coldest winter days. The finish is a little patchy: the chrome on the rear springs went off after only a couple of years and the "chrome" clocks are plastic. OTOH the paint still looks really good and there is no rust other than a little pitting on the handlebars and mirror stems. Pretty good considering its kept outside and washed only a couple of times a year. The brakes are a bit soft but improve with braided lines. Reliability. The only real problem has been the front brake calipers which needed a couple of rebuilds after about 7 years. Road salt is probably the culprit. After the first time the calipers had been stripped and blasted clean the piston seals seem to need more frequent replacing which can be expensive. Other than that and routine service parts the only other thing to go in 10 years was a single headlamp bulb. You might like to know that there was also a 1200cc version but it was never officially imported into the UK and I've only ever seen one. So, despite the small number sold I think this is one of the best of the retros. Ironically it was probably a retro before it's time and would do better now the market for nakeds has opened up. Of course it might not blow your skirt up if you like race reps or inter-continental touring but if you want a stunning looking all-rounder, a bike that's fast, good handling, reliable, and practical but doesn't look like a Hondeo or a plastic toy aimed at 8 year old boys make the effort to find one of these beauties.

Ride quality & brakes 4 out of 5
Engine 5 out of 5
Reliability & build quality 4 out of 5
Value vs rivals 5 out of 5
Equipment 5 out of 5
Back to top