Suzuki Gixxer Monotone: The king of commuters
The first gen Gixxer 155 is regarded as one of the most successful lineup of bikes available in Bangladesh
From the very first glance, the first generation Suzuki Gixxer looks absolutely spectacular, and its bite is right on brand with how it looks.
The Gixxer is a great daily commuter at heart, and gives you great mileage per litre. But when you want it to, it can also offer an engaging riding experience which perfectly compliments its aggressive sporty look.
The first gen Gixxer 155 is regarded as one of the most successful lineup of bikes launched in Bangladesh. It is a 155cc naked motorcycle which was launched back in September of 2014, and has been available in the Bangladeshi market since mid 2015.
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It sports a similar design to the GSX-S1000. The bike feels premium and rather than bringing a completely new design like the competition, Suzuki chose to add character to the original.
The front is where it resembles the GSX-S1000 the most. The front features an all-LED headlamp, complete with a single-piece handlebar, good quality switches, and a white-light all-digital instrument cluster.
Although digital clusters are almost becoming a norm in recent years, Suzuki was the first to introduce it in 2015.
The sides resonate with its muscular stance. It includes a large fuel tank, sharp side tank shrouds, and a sporty split-seat setup. The caveat, however, is that these features are made from plastic and the final output doesn't feel the most premium. But the hard plastic helps the bike's weight reduction.
The side mirrors are slightly redesigned but do not offer wider visibility. The Gixxer also has a signature dual-port muffler with a chrome finish. The design does not include an engine cover or handlebar ends, but does come with a side stand.
In the rear the bike features a unique transparent LED tail lamp, halogen bulb side indicators and a split grab bar.
One of the main reasons for the never-ending love for Suzuki Gixxers in the Bangladeshi market is its engine. The bike features a 155 cc air-cooled, single cylinder, dual valve engine. It produces 14.6 horsepower at 8000 RPM and 14 Nm of torque at 6,000 RPM.
This means the bike feels 'torquey' at low RPMs and enables you to get a quick rush of adrenaline when you want it. The engine roars when driven aggressively, but is quiet enough to not bother you while you slowly make your way through Dhaka traffic.
The lightweight design of the Gixxer is also great for Dhaka traffic.It weighs approximately 135kg, making it one of the lighter bikes in the commuter segment. This, combined with a great weight distribution, makes the Gixxer one of the best handling bikes.
The inclusion of the 140 section rear tyre and 41 mm front fork also makes it a great bike to corners with. The Gixxer does not care how much you lean on the curves, as long as you have the right tyre pressure of course.
Furthermore, the small footprint of the bike allows you to cut corners and squeeze into gaps when commuting in the city.
Suzuki Gixxer is all about performance. Mileage wise the bike does not disappoint. We received an average mileage of 36 km/l in Dhaka city. On the highway, the Gixxer averaged around 40 km/l, which is a good number since we were also busy checking out its limits, and let's just say we forgot to behave.
The bike looks good, runs fast and handles well. So why is it not the perfect bike? Well, it is, as long as you're single. Although the bike has a comfortable seating position, which is ideal for long commutes and occasional highway drives, the pillion seat is lacking. Pillions do not have the best experience because the rear seat is not very soft or wide, and if you're on the heavier side of the spectrum, there's not much of a seat at all!
Overall the Gixxer 155 offers great specs, even for today, and can still compete with the latest and greatest in today's bike market. The styling is aggressive enough to cater to younger riders, has that Japanese DNA, and Suzuki's brand value. We definitely recommend the Gixxer to anyone looking into the market of 150-165cc commuter bikes.
Pricing starts at Tk 1,99,950 for the regular mono-tone models in Classic Matt shades. The Gixxer 155 is available in dealerships across the country.
Specification
Engine 155 cc air-cooled single cylinder 2V
Transmission 5 speed manual
Power 14.6 hp at 8000 RPM
Torque 14 Nm at 6,000 RPM
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Refined engine
- Handling
- Fuel economy
Cons
- Dual disc variant discontinued
- No ABS
- Poorly designed pillion seat
