2015 Suzuki Gladius: Honest Review

An honest review of the Suzuki Gladius that I owned and rode between 2015 and 2022 covering 44 000 miles.
Fowler's: www.fowlersparts.co.uk
NCH Software: www.nch.com.au/software/audio.html
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[@alexparson4472]

Very honest and no frills review. Thank you

[@TheRantyRider]

@alexparson4472 Thanks for the comment, it is much appreciated.

[@youri3324]

I own a Gladius in Bordeaux (France) since 2016 and have covering 46000 Km (25000 miles). Lovely motorcycle with a great 650Cc bilcylinder engine. Very reliable and cheap.

[@TheRantyRider]

@youri3324 Thanks for the comment, I'm glad(ius) you're enjoying the bike.

[@deslangan748]

Helpful indepth review. I am sure that you will people save money.😊

[@TheRantyRider]

@deslangan748 Thanks for the comment.

[@LuwiMartin]

I have a 2009 with 7000km on it looks clean guess more km to reach til it gets worn but I'll try my best to still maintain it as I only use it for city riding commutes and occasional twisties. I treat it like a classic bike more over a modern bike.

[@TheRantyRider]

@QuaddyYT With that few km it should last a long time if you aren't piling on the miles/km. I hope you enjoy the bike.

[@LeftTechticle]

Wouldn't make more sense to use a micrometer to measure the distance between the center of the rear axle and an arbitrary point on the end of the swing arm to set chain slack? The method you described seems rather strange.

[@TheRantyRider]

@LeftTechticle Thanks for the comment, I had to recheck the film and it is the chain wear, not slack that is checked with the measuring stick, it looks like you typed slack by mistake when. While your method is less fiddly a simple sticker (on the swingarm) with pointer (on the adjuster) is good enough for most manufacturers! At least I got to use my engineering head to make up the gauge, which is still in the garage.

[@Drunkenedmaster]

Great review - I love my Gladius after owning it for 3 years (my first bike). I had a question where did you find the side luggage mounting kit - can you help me with a link or name? Thank you

[@TheRantyRider]

@ Drunkenedmaster Thanks for the comment. My luggage was Givi, but it seems to be discontinued: www.givi.co.uk/my-motorcycle/bike/suzuki/gladius-650-09--16 Renntech don't list them either. I got the luggage with the bike in '15. The nearest I could find are from SW Motech sw-motech.co.uk/products/pro-blaze-h-saddlebag-set-suzuki-sfv650-gladius-09-16-black and are soft ones with a mounting kit, they are 20 L rather than the 35 L of the Givi ones but may work for you.

[@Drunkenedmaster]

@@TheRantyRider Thank you very much for the reply :)

[@TheRantyRider]

No worries, I try to answer questions quickly. Good luck with the luggage.

[@SlickMotoMike]

Brought a 2014 gladius completely new clutch plates, clutch disc, clutch basket, throttle cable set, clutch cable, brake pads, rear brake calliper, handlebar, grips, brake hoses, front rear indicator lights, chain and sprockets. The tank has dents on both sides which was hidden by panels. The rear light hanging off. Engine cover on both sides damaged right side quite bad. I brought it for £1,800 and have put £1,000+ in parts and £800 in labour still waiting for it now to be sorted has found more issues like the breather pipe and clutch bolt broken etc. 3 months still waiting lol now 20/01/2023 and still not finished

[@TheRantyRider]

@MotoMike1999That sounds like a bit of a rough one. Online low mileage ones of that age from a dealer seem to be about £4000 so hopefully your one will look as good as new for less than that.

[@SlickMotoMike]

@@TheRantyRider hopefully but sad to see a motorcycle that has been abused. I will treat it like a feather apparently the first owner used it as a stunt bike which can see due to damage.

[@TheRantyRider]

@MotoMike1999 I agree, even seeing the generic motocrossers used in Tom Cruise's latest stunt that saw him base jump off a cliff for the next Mission Impossible film broke my heart a bit! kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y53Wd6Zoa5Zondk

[@twist_of_the_wrist]

That was a lot of money for a bike needing so much maintenance. I payed £1200 for a 2012 30k machine with only small cosmetic scratches to the tank plastics

[@QTMagic]

I really like my Gladius but, out of the box, the suspension and brakes are appalling. I had to change the front fork foil, install a different rear shock, and buy SV650 adapter plates so I could install 4 pot calipers. In retrospect, I would have spent the extra money and bought a gsx750 instead.

[@TheRantyRider]

@QTMagic Thanks for the comment. The Gladius is more 'down to a budget' than 'up to a spec' and on the roads around where I live the saggy suspension coped better than would a sports bike. It handles well enough in stock form but a bit more money spent on the spec would have improved it.

[@twist_of_the_wrist]

Fitting a tail tidy would eliminate the number plate light issue.

[@TheRantyRider]

@Phill_me_up That's true, but you still have to take off lots of gubbins to fit the tidy. I don't bother with tidies as I have looked at the back of bikes I had been riding exactly three times, and each one whas when I hd an off, two on track and the one that saw me going bionic.

[@danldg9052]

I personally find Gladius a city bike, hard to go out for long distances.

[@TheRantyRider]

@danldg9052 Thanks for the comment, the hardest thing about using the Gladius for distance work is the seat!

[@aluisious]

You're supposed to clean things that get wet in the winter. "Oh, look at this steel that rusted." Yeah no kidding.

[@TheRantyRider]

Absolutely. But being a year-round rider trying to clean a bike in the dark and rain isn't always easy. Compare the ACF treated Gladius to the older, higher milage Hornet. Cars don't get cleaned every time they get wet and riders shouldn't have to put up with poor quality fastlings or after market luggage.

[@girtsdauka7451]

Sounds like you bought not good one mate, I had it for 2 years new one, I hadn't any issues what you had mentioned to be honest, yes pegs , that's one, but apart others not. On hot whether or cold it was fantastic.Just good starter bike for short riders with a decent power on it. Fun to ride. I would recommend it

[@TheRantyRider]

Thanks for the comment, as I mention in the review I owned mine for 7 years and averaged 6000 miles a year, so I had more time to find the weaknesses. I agree that it is definitely a fun bike to ride and good for the shorter in stature.

[@girtsdauka7451]

@@TheRantyRider yeah is just overpriced , when i bought it after i recon I could buy better bike,more realible.i was lucky to sell it for good price and got after it triupmh street tripple 675 also 15 reg as gladius, 60k is alot adventure mate ,i cant hold that with one bike,you must be loving bikes...I do lo love your review ,well we are bikers,we love it ..

[@TheRantyRider]

@Girts Dauka Hello again, I tend to keep a bike for a long time, I am preparing a Hornet 900 review at the moment, I have owned it from new and it went 'round the clock' reaching 100 000 miles last September.

[@mikerider58]

Ridiculous build quality and for those who ride our bikes everyday 12k a year, it useless not gladius 😅 Besides that it's the design that hate, especially that front headlight. Imho it's a waste of a bloody good V Twin enjine. Thanks for being honest, some of us deeply appreciate it 🙏

[@TheRantyRider]

@mikerider58 - Thanks for the comment. Some of the design is questionable, such as the numberplate light access and the original headlight. Most riders these days aren't year-round, high milage, all weather so a lot of the longevity issues won't affest them.

[@1946supermotomc]

Comment I have one use some oil Never seen a rusty bike owned by an enthusiast sorry end of story

[@TheRantyRider]

@1946supermotomc Mine didn't use any oil, the rust shouldn't affect any well made fixings or parts. If you have a look at my Hornet 900 review you will see that a well-made bike, ridden in the same conditions and 9 years / 57 000 miles older is in far better condition. It's a sad fact that modern bikes have a poor quality finish on the whole.