A proper grand tour! Suzuki's GSX-S1000GT takes on the Yamaha Tracer 9 GT

In the distant past Grand Tours were undertaken by upper-class toffs. Nowadays, however, the term is more closely associated with three old men attempting to rekindle their youth on telly or vehicles carrying the GT logo to highlight their sporty potential, with bikes such as the two we are testing today perfect examples.

Kicking off is the GSX-S1000GT, a bike that was developed as the GSX-S1000F but last year Suzuki saw sense and after a redesign the F (Fugly…) became the GT (Grand Tourer) – and is much better for it. The UK’s best-selling sports-tourer last year, the GT has shown that if a bike hits the spot, it can really make an impact on the market.

With the imminent arrival of Yamaha’s new Plus model, the GT is now the mid-spec Tracer 9 and, as with all Tracers, you don’t half get a lot for your money.

For just £445 more than the Suzuki, the Yamaha comes with panniers, semi-active suspension, angle-responsive electronics and a high-tech dash. If you stick luggage on the Suzuki to bring it closer to the Tracer’s spec, it will end up £655 more than the Yamaha.

So, armed with these two bikes, we headed into Lincolnshire (like Europe, just flatter) and Rutland (like Europe, just smaller) to embark on our own grand tour.

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