But where the 650F has the edge is in riding comfort. Suzuki's Gixxer models, although lightning quick and race-ready right out of the box, are uncomfortable racks and punish their riders. That is not the case here; all things considered, this is an easy-to-get-along-with motorcycle, and comes with a disproportionately high entertainment quotient.

That's probably because it's essentially Suzuki's well-liked Bandit, with an aerodynamic fairing and tweaked chassis. The engine is the familiar in-line four cylinder with liquid cooling, fuel injection, four valves per cylinder and a pair of overhead camshafts. It's mounted transversely and is mated to a six-speed transmission with chain final drive. I'm hard-pressed to come up with a better-matched powertrain in this size and configuration in all the years I've been riding.....maybe the Yamaha YZ6, but regardless, the engine in the 650F is potent and well-behaved, and the transmission is instantly responsive and quicksilver smooth.

One of the little tests I like to do with this kind of motorcycle to check out its low rpm grunt is to drop the bike's speed down to 30 or 40 klicks, while in top gear, with the engine revving as low as I can get away with, without stalling it, and then fully crack the throttle to see what happens. This time around, I let the GSX 650F coast down to about 35 km/h in sixth, which results in an engine speed of about 1800 rpm. I cracked the throttle wide open and the bike immediately jumped ahead. It didn't exactly pop the front wheel off the ground, but the acceleration was seamless and prompt. So I did it again, this time rolling down to 30 km/h and 1200 rpm.....almost stalling it. Same thing; I gave it full throttle and the bike instantly picked up speed. No lurching, missing, balking, or complaining. Usually at that speed, the engine will stumble and you have to downshift.

And that's not all. The GSX 650F has a lovely sweet spot at about 5500 - 6000 rpm, in all gears.....but especially fourth. It redlines at 12,500, but if you hold it in fourth and then hit it, it absolutely leaps ahead. Yes, there are other bikes out there that do the same, but not that many with just 656 cc at their disposal. In short, Suzuki has hit the nail on the head with this bikes drivetrain.

Elsewhere, the GSX 650F has 41 mm front forks, and four-piston twin disc brakes up front with a single piston/disc brake in back. More than enough to keep the bike in check. A smallish windscreen deflects some wind, but not much, and it has fairly comprehensive instrumentation: rev counter, speedometer, gas gauge, and gear indicator. My tester had "upright" handlebars, so the customary, sport-bike "praying to Mecca" riding position was mitigated somewhat. Still not my favourite posture, but I've definitely had worse. Fuel tank has a 19-litre capacity and the rear suspension - located under the seat - has preload adjustability. Seat height is a reasonable 770 mm; reasonable because the bike is comparatively small in stature and easily straddled. Still a bit of a tippy-toe proposition for me, but there you go. Like they say, as long as you keep moving, you'll be fine.

And that's just what I did with this bike. I found its rideability quite intoxicating. Unless you're some kind of adrenalin junkie or feel compelled to have a bigger, faster machine than the next guy, this bike should be more than enough. I mean, seriously...it'll go from a standing start to freeway speed in approximately three seconds, has a top speed of about 225 km/h, and can be leaned over enough to satisfy the boy/girl racer in all of us. It may get a bit buzzy at highway speeds, and is a little prone to crosswinds, but for most folks, it's beyond adequate.

Prices start at $8599 and the GSX 650F comes in two colour combinations: blue/white and black/silver.