Suzuki GSX-8T and GSX-8TT (2026) – Technical Review

Suzuki has hit a rich seam of possibilities with the parallel twin, 776cc engine that debuted in the GSX-8S and V-Strom 800 a couple of years ago – and having already expanded the range to include the appealing GSX-8R sports bike it’s now entering the retro scene with a pair of models using the same set of components under the skin. The GSX-8T is a naked machine that rivals Yamaha’s XSR700 and XSR900 while the GSX-8TT adds a nose cowling to the mix to conjure the spirit of the 1979 GS1000S and the Yoshimura race bikes that it mimicked.

Pros & Cons

Colours: GSX-8T - Candy Burnt Gold, Metallic Matt Steel Green & Metallic Matt Black. GSX-8TT - Glass Sparkle Black and Matt Shadow Green

2026 Suzuki GSX-8T & GSX-8TT - Price & PCP Deals

There are two schools of thought when it comes to setting the prices for new motorcycles. One is to aim high – maximising profit margins while customers are prepared to pay for the novelty value and then discounting once the first flush of youth has passed. The other is to aim straight for the throat: undercutting older rival models to snatch the market from them. Honda is currently taking the second route with bikes like the CB1000 Hornet and GB350, both remarkably affordable in their respective market niches, but Suzuki seems to be taking the former approach as the RRPs for the GSX-8T and TT look steep.

At £9,599, the GSX-8T is £2,100 more than the mechanically identical GSX-8S at the moment (£7,499) and £1,400 more than the full-faired GSX-8R (£8,199). The same £9,599 price would bag one of the limited-edition, one-of-60 GSX-8R Kiiro models that Suzuki currently offers.

The GSX-8TT, meanwhile, is another £400 on top of that, sliding in just under the £10k mark at £9,999. That’s the same ballpark as the 155hp, Ohlins-and-Brembo-equipped Honda CB1000 Hornet SP.

But from another point of view, the prices mean they undercut Yamaha’s XSR900 (£11,004) and XSR900 GP (£12,804) – machines operating in the same neo-retro market, albeit with a more powerful, three-cylinder engine – by a healthy margin.

The official word is that both bikes will be in dealerships in ‘August’.

2026 Suzuki GSX-8T & GSX-8TT - Engine & Performance

Suzuki’s 776cc parallel twin has already proved to be a more impressive package than its bare power and torque figures suggest – and with an identical setup in the GSX-8T and TT as that used in the GSX-8S and R there’s no reason to believe they’ll be any different.

The motor itself follows the 270-degree parallel twin route that’s also adopted by the likes of Yamaha’s MT-07 and XSR700 and Honda’s CB750 Hornet, a cost-effective and easy-to-package design that also conforms well with the requirements of the latest emissions rules around the globe. The Suzuki motor, with dual overhead cams, four valves per cylinder, dual balancer shafts and ride-by-wire control, puts out peaks of 82.9PS (81.8hp) at 8,500rpm and 78Nm (57.5lbft) at 6,800rpm. In terms of retro rivals, that puts it between the 72hp Yamaha XSR700 twin and the 117hp XSR900 triple, but in real-world use the Suzuki engine tends to feel stronger than the numbers thanks to a broad midrange.

Like the GSX-8S, the T and TT have a trip of riding modes coupled to both the engine’s power delivery and the traction control, and the six-speed transmission is fitted with a bi-directional quickshifter.

2026 Suzuki GSX-8T & GSX-8TT - Handling & Suspension (inc. Weight)

Like the engine, the chassis of the GSX-8T and GSX-8TT is already a known quantity – it’s shared by the GSX-8S and GSX-8R so we can expect similar handling and ride.

The parts themselves aren’t headline-making. The frame is a tubular steel design, paired to KYB upside-down forks and a matching rear monoshock, and despite lacking endless adjustability the same setup has proved up to the job on the GSX-8S and should be equally capable on the GSX-8T and TT.

It’s the same story when it comes to the brakes, with Nissin radial four-pot calipers on 310mm discs at the front and a 240mm disc and single-pot caliper at the back, with ABS, of course – exactly the same setup that’s found on the existing GSX-8S and R.

Suzuki has confirmed the bikes’ weights as 201kg for the T model and 203kg for the TT, harldy a surprise given the similarities and shared components of the GSX-8S and its own 202kg wet depsite the addition of an extra 2.5 litres of fuel capacity.

2026 Suzuki GSX-8T & GSX-8TT - Comfort & Economy

On riding the GSX-8S, we were impressed by its roomy riding position, giving a strong compromise between sporty handling and long-distance comfort, and with the same rider triangle there’s no reason to expect the GSX-8T and TT to be any different in that regard.

On the subject of comfort, our own Simon Hargreaves said back in 2023 that “…my thoughts after a few hours are how great the GSX-8S would be (and would look) with a nice little retro-style half-fairing added.”

Mr Hargreaves, it seems, has been heard, as that’s precisely the recipe for the GSX-8TT.

When it comes to economy, once again the similarities to the GSX-8S come to the fore. While Suzuki hasn’t officially given any consumption figures, the new models are type-approved under the same paperwork as the GSX-8S and R, and with the same power and emissions performance it makes sense that the fuel economy will also match, at 67.23mpg. Bit with a 16.5-litre fuel tank instead of the 14-litres of the GSX-8S and GSX-8R, the overall range should be pushed up to well over 200 miles per tank.

2026 Suzuki GSX-8T & GSX-8TT - Equipment

As well as a suite of electronic rider aids – traction control, ABS, three riding modes and a quickshifter – the GSX-8T and TT each get the now-expected full-colour TFT dashboard, as used on the GSX-8S.

The retro styling is where things change, with a different, larger fuel tank, a new seat unit – still with a similar profile to the S as it sits on the same subframe – and new side panels and lights, all LED, of course.

The round headlight is shared by both the T and TT, split by a horizontal strip of LED running lights, but on the TT it’s set well back inside a squared-off opening in a bar-mounted fairing, adding a small screen and giving a look that harks back to the GS1000S.

Bar-end mirrors on cast aluminium brackets tick another box for modern retro bikes – even though it’s a design that rarely appeared on real bikes back in the day.

The two models differ in the design of their seats, despite the same bodywork, with the naked GSX-8T adopting heavily ribbed sections for the rider and passenger, while the GSX-8TT’s has a smooth finish on both halves.

Both bikes get Suzuki’s ‘easy start’ system – one stab of the starter button keeps the starter motor engaged until the engine fires – and the company’s low-RPM assist, which automatically ups the revs a little as you engage the clutch, making it harder to stall.

2026 Suzuki GSX-8T & GSX-8TT - Rivals

You’re spoilt for choice in the retro bike market at the moment, to the extent that the MCIA’s official registration statistics split ‘modern classics’ into category all of their own, but there are a few machines that clearly compete head-on with Suzuki’s newcomers.

Honda’s CB650R might be long in the tooth, but it must be in the conversation after pioneering the ‘neo-retro’ style that takes a modern slant on old-school looks. With 94hp it’s in the same ballpark, performance-wise, but substantially cheaper and packing a four-cylinder engine.

Yamaha’s XSR700 and Kawasaki’s Z650RS each follow the same parallel twin formula as the new Suzukis, but with less power and lower prices, while splashing a bit more cash will see you aboard a faster, more powerful Yamaha XSR900 or Kawasaki Z900RS, with three- and four-cylinder engines respectively, although at their price level Suzuki’s 150hp Katana also enters the chat.

Perhaps the biggest rival of all, though, will be the mechanically identical GSX-8S. It may not have the retro looks, but from on-board it should be a mighty similar experience while leaving your wallet a couple of grand fatter.

Honda CB650R | Price: £7,829

Read more

Power/Torque

94bhp / 46.5lb-ft

Weight

203kg

Yamaha XSR700 | Price: £7,520

Read more

Power/Torque

72.4bhp / 49.4lb-ft

Weight

188kg

Yamaha XSR900 | Price: £11,004

Read more

Power/Torque

117.3bhp / 68.6lb-ft

Weight

193kg

2026 Suzuki GSX-8T & GSX-8TT - Verdict

Sitting on a proven platform and wrapped in styling that’s arguably more appealing than the pointy-nosed GSX-8S they’re based on, the GSX-8T and GSX-8TT have the ingredients to be another success for Suzuki. The parallel twin engine has been widely praised and there aren’t many complaints to be found about the chassis it sits in, so adding on-point retro looks to the package should bring customers running.

Our main concern is Suzuki’s pricing strategy, as it puts the newcomers into a bearpit of cheaper and/or more powerful rivals, including the GSX-8S they’re based on.  

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2026 Suzuki GSX-8T & GSX-8TT - Technical Specification

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