Concept bikes come in many shapes and sizes so expectations can range from the muted to the out-of-this-world. Suzuki->ke371, though, took it a step further when it introduced the Concept GSX->ke2373, the company’s next-generation sportsbike->ke631. To be clear, it’s not really a traditional-looking concept motorcycle in that it’s made up of actual motorcycle parts. Instead, Suzuki depicted the concept through a sculpture. Yep, a sculpture.

It’s a novel idea, but it does leave a lot of details to the imagination. I’m not quite sure what to make of it at this point because the concept, in its sculpted form, has a little Tron influence to it. See the lack of space between the wheels and the frame? Does it mean that the new GSX will carry that particular design? The only clear detail of the concept is the evolved look of the current GSX-R lamp design, which looks a little tighter and more purposeful than the current version. The concept also looks to be tighter and more packed than the current model. The exhaust is shorter and has a funny shape while the seat is wider than it is in the current version.

Other than that, the Concept GSX doesn’t show a lot of what we can expect from the next-generation sportsbike. Is it going to have a naked frame that bares the engine? While I’m at it, what kind of engine will it have? And where are the side mirrors? The concept creates more questions than answers, but that’s exactly the reaction Suzuki wants out of this concept. There will be some discussions about the bike ahead of the next-generation GSX’s arrival and for a company like Suzuki that has been relegated into the shadows in recent years, that’s already a major breakthrough.

Continue reading to learn more about the Suzuki Concept GSX.

Why it matters

As far as concept bikes go, the Suzuki Concept GSX ranks right up there as one of the most interesting ones I’ve seen. It’s not because of the bike itself, but the approach Suzuki took to showcase the next-generation sportsbike. I like a good sculpture when I see one, but I don’t know if this was the best way to go about it for Suzuki. It’s creative, that much I’ll admit. But as far as showcasing the elements that I can expect to see from the new GSX, the sculpted bike left me with more questions than answers.

Maybe that’s what Suzuki wanted all along. Maybe it was looking to use the bike as a tool to create a lot of discussion about the future GSX. On that end, the company hit it in the head because that’s exactly what I’ve been doing with my motorcycle friends. Is the bike going to look similar to the shape of the concept? Is it going to be covered up in panels or is it going to be naked? Most importantly, what kind of engine is it going to have?

These are just a few of the questions I received from my peers. That’s not even counting some questions that seem inane when asked, but given the unconventional means by which Suzuki is teasing the new GSX, these questions might be ridiculous after all. What I do know is that there’s a lot of interest on what the new GSX is going to look like and how it’s going to perform. This sculpted concept of the bike is largely responsible for that. So yeah, good work on the concept, Suzuki. But maybe you could’ve showed something a little more concrete.