SUZUKI GSX-R1000 · model year

2008 SUZUKI GSX-R1000

8 NHTSA complaints, 5 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2008SUZUKIGSX-R1000 carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 5 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 1 fatality. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2008 GSX-R1000 is service brakes with 4 filings, followed by structure:frame and members:underbody shields (1) and power train (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 2008 GSX-R1000. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

8
Complaints
5
Crashes
0
Fires
4
Injuries
1
Deaths

Total Complaints

8 filings

Crashes Reported

5 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES4
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS1
POWER TRAIN1
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR1
STEERING1

Recalls (1)

13V44900018/10/2013

SERVICE BRAKES

Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain model year 2004-2013 GSX-R600 and GSX-R750, and model year 2005-2013 GSX-R1000 motorcycles. In combination with older brake fluid, corrosion of the brake piston inside of the front brake master cylinder generates gas that may result in a r

Recent Complaints

20150608SERVICE BRAKES

I OWN A 2008 SUZUKI GSXR 1000, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THE SAFETY RECALL FOR THE FRONT BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. MY MOTORCYCLE IS EXPERIENCING THE CONDITION TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS NOT SAFE TO RIDE. IT HAS BEEN MADE CLEAR TO ME THAT SUZUKI WILL NOT COVER THE EXPENSE TO HAVE MY VEHICLE BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE REMEDY TO BE APPLIED. AS AN EMPLOYEE OF AN AUTOMOBILE DEALERSHIP, I KNOW THAT WHEN SERIOUS SAFETY RECALLS ARE RELEASED AND THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE CONDITION, IT IS AT VERY LEAST CUSTOMARY FOR ARRANGEMENTS TO BE MADE SO THAT THE AFFECTED VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVEN. SUZUKI BEING UNWILLING TO COVER THE COST OF TRANSPORTATION OF AFFECTED VEHICLES SEEMS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO RIDE THEIR POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS VEHICLES WHEN THEY SHOULD NOT.

Mileage: 16,376

20140617CrashFatalSERVICE BRAKES

2008 SUZUKI GSX-R1000. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO BRAKING SYSTEM DEFECT RECALL. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED A YEAR PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICE, HER HUSBAND WAS KILLED ON HIS MOTORCYCLE. THE CONSUMER VISITED THE SHOP THAT WAS SOLD THE BIKE SHE WAS INFORMED THE BRAKES WERE THE CAUSE OF HER HUSBAND'S FATAL ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO WITNESS OF THE ACCIDENT, HER HUSBAND TOOK OFF FROM THE STOP SIGN, GOT HIS SPEED UP AND THE BIKE APPEARED TO BE WOBBLING AND HE COULD NOT SLOW IT DOWN. RECALL # 13V449000. *JB

20140211CrashSERVICE BRAKES

SUZUKI DEALERSHIP PERFORMED 2A34 FRONT BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER RECALL ON MY MOTORCYCLE. PICKED UP MOTORCYCLE FROM DEALERSHIP AND GOT ONTO FREEWAY TO GO HOME. WITHIN 2 MILES, THE BIKE STARTED TO LOOSE POWER AND THEN, THE FRONT BRAKES LOCKED UP AND I WAS THROWN FROM MOTORCYCLE AND ROLLED DOWN THE FREEWAY; THE MOTORCYCLE SLID/SPUN DOWN FREEWAY FURTHER. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT IN REPLACING THE PLUNGER FOR THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS THE ISSUE. THE AFTERMARKET LEVERS INSTALLED ON THE MOTORCYCLE REQUIRE A SHORTER PLUNGER AND WHEN THE STOCK/OEM PLUNGER WAS INSTALLED, THE BRAKES WERE AT THAT POINT INOPERATIVE. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME, AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND TRAINING HAS OCCURRED. I WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND WAS ALLOWED TO PICK UP BIKE WITH INSTALLED DEFECT, UNBEKNOWNST TO ME. I AM EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT THIS OVERSIGHT/MISTAKE DID NOT KILL ME. *TR

Mileage: 7,560

20131218SERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI GSX1000R MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE FRONT BRAKES SEIZED WHICH CAUSED HIM TO BE EJECTED FROM THE SEAT AND OVER THE HANDLE BARS. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED TRAUMA TO THE HEAD. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS, WHO STATED THAT THE BRAKE LEVER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS SCHEDULED FOR REPAIRS ONCE THE NECESSARY PART BECAME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE MILEAGE WAS 6,607.

Mileage: 6,607

20100419CrashSTEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

2008 SUZUKI 1000 GSXR. CONSUMER STATES ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED DUE TO A LOOSENED HANDLE BAR GRIP THAT SLID DOWN THE FRAME. *TGW THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY AN EXPERT THAT THE HANDLE BARS WERE NOT INSTALLED CORRECTLY AND THEY SLIPPED DOWN THE FRAME. THE CONSUMER STATED EVEN THOUGH THE POLICE CAME ON THE SCENE, NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED, DUE TO HIM NOT HAVING ANY INSURANCE. *JB

Mileage: 375

20100419CrashSTEERING

2008 SUZUKI 1000 GSXR. CONSUMER STATES ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED DUE TO A LOOSENED HANDLE BAR GRIP THAT SLID DOWN THE FRAME. *TGW THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY AN EXPERT THAT THE HANDLE BARS WERE NOT INSTALLED CORRECTLY AND THEY SLIPPED DOWN THE FRAME. THE CONSUMER STATED EVEN THOUGH THE POLICE CAME ON THE SCENE, NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED, DUE TO HIM NOT HAVING ANY INSURANCE. *JB

Mileage: 375

20090815POWER TRAIN

ON AND OFF THROTTLE RESPONSE ALWAYS MAKES SUDDEN CHANGES IN DECELERATION AND ACCELERATION, IT THEN DESTABILIZES THE SAFETY AND DRIVABILITY OF THE VEHICLE POTENTIALLY LEADING TO A CRASH. THIS HAPPENS AT LOWER ENGINE RPM'S 4,000 TO 6,000 RPM. IT IS VERY, VERY HARD TO CONTROL BIKE WHEN THIS HAPPENS - AGAIN VERY UNSAFE! *TR

Mileage: 67

20090302CrashSTRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI GSX-R1000. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME ON HIS VEHICLE SPLIT IN HALF WHILE ENTERING A HIGHWAY RAMP. THE MOTORCYCLE CRASHED AND THE CONTACT WAS EJECTED AND SLID DOWN THE RAMP. HE WAS THE ONLY PERSON INJURED. THE POLICE ARRIVED AND FILED A REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000.

Mileage: 1,000

Compare 2008SUZUKIGSX-R1000 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2008 SUZUKI GSX-R1000 have?
The 2008 SUZUKI GSX-R1000 has 8 NHTSA complaints, 5 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2008 SUZUKI GSX-R1000?
Yes, the 2008 SUZUKI GSX-R1000 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is SERVICE BRAKES. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 SUZUKI GSX-R1000?
The most-complained component for the 2008 SUZUKI GSX-R1000 is SERVICE BRAKES with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS and POWER TRAIN.
Is the 2008 SUZUKI GSX-R1000 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.