february 25, 2004 road test suzuki gsx-r750 … · february 25, 2004 motor cycle news 25 road test...

FEBRUARY 25, 2004 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS 25

ROAD TEST

IN A LEAGUE OFITS OWN

THERE’S one striking, unarguablefact about the new GSX-R750K4that should hit any sports bike fan

where it counts – in the wallet.The K4 is priced £7649 ready to ride

away from a Suzuki dealer’s showroom.Its little brother, the stunning new GSX-R600, costs £6849, while the bigdaddy GSX-R1000 is £8549. So, inprice terms, the new 750 falls neatlybetween the two. But the funny thing isthat the 750’s engine performancedoesn’t. With a claimed 148bhp thenew GSX-R750 sits much closer to the1000cc than the rev-happy 600 – andthat makes it a steal.

But there’s more.The 750 is also much easier to live

with than either of the other GSX-Rsbecause it handles as sweetly as the600 and goes, if not quite so rippingly(or scarily) as the thou’, then virtuallyas well. On the open road it was nevermore than three bike lengths behindand on a track day I’d bet the 750would stick its new slant-nosed fairingout in front thanks to its lithesomehandling and more manageable power.

OK, so the 750’s 148bhp is a claimedcrankshaft figure, but in the real worldthat will still translate to a likely123bhp at the back wheel – five horses

more thanthe old 750.And anything that kicksout 120bhp-plus is a gas.

There’s a decent amount of bottomend drive, too. Snap the throttle from3000rpm and the rear BridgestoneBT014 digs in and the bike tears off. It’sstill grabbing the Tarmac at 6500rpmat which point the front tyre lifts andclimbs higher and higher all the way upto fourth gear. With the right sizebump, the GSX-R will flip backwards insecond given half a chance.

J SUZUKI GSX-R750 96%

Continues over

BY TREVOR FRANKLIN PICTURES JASON CRITCHELL

IN 1985 Suzuki revolutionised the sports bike world with the launch of itsGSX-R750, a machine which effectively created the term ‘race-replica’.Now, nearly 20 years on, an all-new GSX-R750 has been unveiled. Thevenue was Suzuki’s own Ryuyo testing circuit in Japan (the same as ithad been for the original) and MCN was there for this world first test.Early impressions are that Suzuki has produced a bike with the same

neck-tingling attributes as the original. Our special 8-page report including fulldetails, history and riding impressions starts here.

Nearly 20 years ago, Suzuki’s firstGSX-R re-wrote sports bike rules. Its new 750 could do it all over again...

26 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS FEBRUARY 25, 2004

ROAD TEST

Back in the sensible world, the GSX-R750also cheerfully pulls from minimal revs in anyof the three upper gears. Get the downshiftsspot on – which is easy as the gearbox istypically Suzuki-sweet, a precise shift requiresno more than a gentle nudge through the leftboot – so that revs are held steady at8000rpm then the GSX-R will claw forwardthe instant throttle is applied.

And what a noise it makes when it does! Theairbox growl sounds like a dog whose bone isbeing taken away and it gets louder, vying withthe snarl from the exhaust, as the revs rise.Neck hairs almost jumped out of your skinwhen lines of bikes screamed past the Suzukihierarchy watching from Ryuyo’s pit lane.

The GSX-R750 has never lacked in thehandling department, either. Last year’s bikewas brilliant – but this new version isexceptional. That’s particularly impressive

considering the 750 weighs only 2kg morethan Suzuki’s own stunning new GSX-R600 –but has 20 more bhp trying to tie itssuspension and chassis in knots.

Along Ryuyo’s long, undulating back straightthe GSX-R’s LCD speedo often flickered up to299km – or 185.6mph – with the motor just500rpm shy of the 14,000rpm redline. Yet itdidn’t once wobble or weave with 15.5 stonesof leather-clad Franklin backed up against the

bum pad. Not even when slamming the bike onto its right side, knee-down at 130mph with thebrakes on.

On a neutral throttle through 50mph hairpinsthe front end would bob around on its forksprings as it ran over small ripples but it wouldstill track true and remain composed. Thisfloating sensation was dialled out withsuspension tweaks (see Five Minute Fiddle,right) but although the suspension was stifferfront and rear the bike remained granite-solid.

Another test of its chassis came on the frontstraight around 160mph when throwing thebike left over a slight crest while hooking topgear. Despite unloading and loading thesuspension while changing direction, the 750ploughed a perfect, wobble-free line.

But there is one area of complaint. The newGSX-R understeers or runs wide ever-so-slightly out of turns when hard on the gas andbanked at toe-scraping angles. While designingthe bike to be stable/ultra-safe at all speeds,Suzuki has built it with a nose-up stance. Fairplay to them, a rider’s safety is paramount, andit isn’t going to be a problem on the road. Buttrack day fans might need to drop the frontforks through the yokes by, say, 5mm.

It’s worth remembering that even the originalGSX-R750 was designed as a track-goingimplement which could cut through cornerswith ease, stop with the same eye-bulgingpower and take you to the next bend in theblink of an eye. The fact that the new GSX-R750K4 does all of this with ease yet in afriendly, safe way begs the question of whetheranyone needs anything more.

Trouble is, at the moment, Suzuki is alone inproducing a true sports 750cc in a worldwhere 1000cc superbikes rule the roost. Butbased on the way the 750 delivers and howpopular it is going to be when word gets outthat this is still one of the best bikes ever, whoknows what could happen? Just one thing is forsure. If the new GSX-R does eventually finditself with some 750cc competition it will haveto be something truly special to beat it.

‘Neck hairs almostjumped out of your skin when lines of bikes screamed pastRyuyo’s pit lane’

NO matter howwe tried or howfast, the newGSX-R remainedutterly composed

NO faults here whatsoever despite running acrosssome dire Tarmac when full-on and at full tilt –Ryuyo is a proving/testing circuit and consequentlyhas varying surfaces by design. But no matter howforceful the bars were weighted or pulled or whatspeed I was travelling at, the GSX-R never showedany signs of retaliation. Not even on the standardsoft/road-going suspension settings.

The Suzuki reacts quickly to steering input and isa breeze to lift from one side to another at lowerspeeds (see Suspension, below). It also gives agreat deal of front end feel to gauge exactly whatis going on. Feedback from the rear is diluted bycomparison and it is hard to tell when theotherwise excellent BT014 Bridgestone was aboutto break free. But this was improved after somesuspension tweaks, and the GSX-R’s tendency torun wide was virtually eliminated, too.

HANDLING

SUSPENSION

‘The last GSX-R wa

RYUYO Proving Ground isSuzuki’s own testing circuit and iswhere the original GSX-R750 wasdeveloped in the 1980s.

At just over four miles it’s longand includes an 80-90mph S-curve, a 70-metre radius corner,a 1.24 mile 180mph straight, a200-metre radius high speed

corner, a second gear hairpin thatopens out for the next two gearsworth of speed and more.

There are also numerous gradesof surface from hot-rolled UKmotorway Tarmac to super grippytrack formula Delugrip. Oh, andthere is no run-off to talk off(except tree-lined access roads

located along the straights) –only concrete walls and Armco.

There are also speed lumps (likeBritish speed bumps – but a footsquare in size) cordoned off bythe occasional bollard, so it paysto have an accurate, safehandling bike on which to try andmake sense of the place.

Overall, Ryuyo is a frightening,buttock-clencher of a circuit thattakes no prisoners. Even aftertwo days riding there were stillsections of the circuit that I couldhave taken much harder... if itwasn’t for the subconsciouslylimiting factor of my self-preservation instinct.

STRANGELY, the new GSX-R750 doesn’t comeequipped with Suzuki’s own friction-reducingBlack Diamond fork slider coating. No-one atSuzuki would give a reason why, apart from cost.One theory is that as the 1000cc class is muchmore competitive, Suzuki has gone to greatlengths to give the larger bike any performanceaid it can.

In standard trim, the GSX-R750’s Showa forksand rear shock are geared towards road ridingand soaking up whatever bumps they comeacross – in other words they are plush borderingon soft, with a great deal of fork dive and reboundon and off the brakes. Thankfully the Showasuspension is a lot better than previous models and iseasily sorted with minimal adjustment (see right).

STOCK settings are geared for road but easily changed

TEST VENUE: RYUYO PROVING GROUND, JAPAN

From previous page

RYUYO PROVING GROUND, JAPANTRACK LENGTH: 4.01miles


TURN TO PAGE 28 FOR GSX-R750 TECHNICAL DETAILS

THE GSX-R750 is first and foremost aroad bike so the stock suspension isgeared for dealing with the lumps andbumps of real roads.

But for fast track use, the Showa forksand rear shock need firming up to copewith the extreme cornering and brakingforces.

The settings (right) were amassed overtwo day’s track riding and set for a 15.5stone rider.

Rebound and compression dampingsettings are reached by going to themaximum damping and then backing offthe amount shown.

OVERALL LENGTH: 2055mm

WHEELBASE: 1400mm

RAKE: 27°

HEI

GH

T: 1

150

mm

WID

TH: 7

15m

m

SEAT

HEI

GH

T: 8

25m

m

FUEL: 17 litres

SPECIFICATION:Engine: Liquid-cooled, 749cc(72mm x 46mm)16v dohc four-stroke in-line four. Fuel injection. Six gearsChassis: Aluminium twin-sparFront suspension: 43mmtelescopic forks, adjustable for pre-load, rebound and compressiondampingRear suspension: Single shockadjustable for pre-load andrebound dampingTyres: 120/70 x 17 front, 180/55 x 17 rearBrakes: 2 x 300mm front discswith four-piston calipers, 220mmrear disc with two-piston caliper

PROS l 600-style handling l Rock-solid stability l Much-improved rider comfort l Addictive top-end rush

CONS l Occasional tendency to understeer in extreme track use l Lacks any direct comparisons l Indistinguishable styling 96%

SUZUKI GSX-R750 K4£7649 otrAvailable: March 2004. 24months unlimited mileagewarranty. 12 months AA coverColours: Blue/white,grey/black, yellow/blackNew for 2004: New modelInsurance group: 17 (of 17)Info: Suzuki GB: 01293-766000

TRAIL: 83mm

WEIGHT: 164kg (361lb)

WHETHER tucked in or sat bolt upright, most riders willbe satisfied with the comfort offered by the GSX-R. Theframe spars are 15mm closer than the 2003 bike, and,with the tank 30mm narrower at the point where kneesgrip when banked over, there is a lot of room in which tohide legs out of the passing air. The tank is also shorterby 15mm so getting tucked in behind the screen is easy– even for six-footers. (Not that you have to duck downfar as the screen is tall and raked back enough to liftwindblast on to the upper part of the helmet.)

Because of the smaller tank, the stretch to the clip-onsis shorter, too, and the bike is much more comfortableas a result – after two solid days of track blasting therewasn’t a sign of wrist ache. All this new-found roombehind the fairing also makes it easy to clamber fromone side to another when romping through the twistsand turns.

COMFORT

ASIDE from the sublime manner the GSX-R drives fromthe first moment the clutch is dropped, not to mentionthe way the horses just keep rolling out as the revs rise(and it revs a lot more quickly and more freely than lastyear’s bike), it’s now a pleasure to hit the rev-limiter.

Like most bikes, past GSX-Rs stuttered so badly whenthe sparks were cut it could loosen fillings. But with the

new bike, Suzuki has devised an electronic cut-out onjust two of the injectors, so when the limiter chimes in at

14,500rpm, although the revs drop the bike doesn’tdramatically slow as it is still producing power.

Not that the new GSX-R is all top-end, either.

There’s a healthy dose of midrange should you end up inthe wrong gear going in and coming out of a turn. Windthe gas on and, sure enough, the GSX-R’s 749.1cc millwill pull you out of the mire.

Vibration doesn’t show at low revs unless you attemptto pull top gear from 2000rpm, and even that is justtorque reaction. But nudge it nearer peak revs and slightunobtrusive tingles do snake their way through to thehandlebars.

But overall there’s only one way to describe the newGSX-R’s engine: it’s a refined, yet powerful developmentof last year’s motor – and that was a bloody peach.

ENGINE

SUZUKI has nailed the business ofbraking this year. The four-pistonradially-mounted Tokico calipers arevery, very strong in action. Suzukimade a big play about its new radialmaster cylinder. As the pump part isperpendicular to the clip-on, the leverpushes against it rather than trying topush it away. This helps give muchgreater feel, even when braking mid-corner.

It was right, too: there are bagfuls offeel through the span-adjustable lever.Constant hard braking from 180mphproduced no signs of fade, and theopposing pressure at the leverremained constant. At first, the idea ofswapping to braided steel brake linesseemed a stupid idea. But then youhave to think about how much betterthey could still be – especially on thetrack. The deciding factor will be costand whether you can really afford

such a luxury when it isn’t reallynecessary.

As for the rear brake, it works whenused… not too strong to lock up themoment it’s touched, nor too weak tonot be worth putting on the bike.

BRAKING

R was brilliant. This is exceptional’

RADIAL stopped are virtually faultless

SLIMMER, shorter tank has improved the riding position

STANDARD SETTINGS:Front pre-load: Four lines showing Front compression: One turn outFront rebound: One turn outRear pre-load: 12mm of thread above thetop locking ring Rear compression: One turn outRear rebound: One turn out

TRACK SETTINGS:Front pre-load: Three lines showing Front compression: Half turn outFront rebound: Half turn outRear pre-load: 12mm of thread above thetop locking ring Rear compression: Three-quarter turn outRear rebound: Three-quarter turn out

FIVE MINUTE FIDDLE


ROAD TEST

SUZUKI has lavished the pick of the best bitsfrom the GSX-R600 and GSX-R1000 on thisbike to ensure it keeps the 750 class alive.

This latest GSX-R750 doesn’t boast anythingradically new. Every technological feature hasbeen seen before in one form or another. It isentirely conventional, but each component hasbeen honed to work seemlessly with each other.

When the GSX-R was introduced back in 1985,it was the first big-bore sports bike to weighunder 180kg and claimed another first in 1990when it got upside down forks. And now everypossible race track-related feature has filtered

down to the new GSX-R’s mouthwatering spec-list. Radial-mounted brakes, massively stiff frameand a motor that just begs to be revved are allpart of the package.

With masses of power andweighing little more than a600, it offers the poke andhandling to embarrass manya superbike.

Here’s how Suzuki has made its750 evenbetter...

FRAME ANDSWINGARMTHE frame is a fairly conventional aluminiumalloy item. The cast alloy steering head andplated swingarm pivot are joined together bytaller, thinner dual extruded frame spars.

It is virtually the same as the GSX-R600’s (infact the dimensions are identical), but verticalinternal bracing struts beef it up to handlethe extra power of the 750 motor. The frameand swingarm is now painted black like therest of the GSX-R family.

You get a fabricated aluminium alloyswingarm, which is heavily braced to reduceflex under severe cornering forces.

VALVE size remains the same as the old model with 29mm inlet,24mm exhaust and all 16 have a 4mm stem thickness. But thevalves are now all titanium instead of steel. As well asbeing stronger, titanium is lighter than steel, so 105.6g

has been shaved just by replacing the valves.Lighter valves also mean that Suzuki has

been able to get away with usingvalve return springs with 25 per

cent lighter spring rate. And thistranslates to less mechanical

losses and moretorque/power.

VALVES TITANIUM valvesare lighter and

stronger

HISTORY OFTHE GSX-R750

ONCE Suzuki’s flagship sports bike, the GSX-R750 is now in its20th year. It looked like going theway of other mass-producedJapanese 750s like Kawasaki’s discontinued ZX-7R, but lives on tofight another day. Even the mightyGSX-R1000 couldn’t kill it off.

Honda’s long-running popularmiddleweight, the CBR600, is oftendescribed as a legend. But the Hondahas only been around since 1987 –the GSX-R beats that by two years.

It’s now 20 years since Suzuki’s first public airing of the bike at the1984 Cologne Bike Show inGermany. It all started with the GSX-R750F, which hit showroomfloors in 1985. Here we trace thebloodline from that model...

IN 1988 the ‘J’ model ditched the slabbylook for more curvaceous bodywork.Power was also up to a claimed 112bhpat 11,000rpm, thanks to a shorter strokemotor. Ducts on the front fairing leddirectly to the airbox, supplying aconstant charge of cool air to new CVsemi-flatslide carbs.

Everything was beefed up and thewheels went down to a modern 17in rimsize. But this stability exercise also sawweight go up to 195kg.

There were are a few detail changes in1989, but the ‘L’ model saw anotherhefty revision in 1990. This included areturn to a longer-stroke engine. Powerwent up to 115bhp, while weight wentdown to 193kg.

In 1992 the GSX-R750 got watercooling to give greater reliability as wellas sound proofing the engine. But thebike’s dry weight went up to 208kg. The

frame and swingarm were also revisedfor greater torsional stiffness.

1994 saw the last major revision of thisseries of GSX-R. Engine componentswere lightened and strengthened. Six-potfront calipers made their way on to theanodised forks. The 1995 ‘S’ model wasthe last GSX-R750 to feature the double-cradle alloy frame.

GSX-R750 1985-87 MODELS F/G/Haka Hyper Endurance

GSX-R750 1988-95 MODELS J/K/L/M/N/P/R/S aka Slingshot

IN March 1985 Suzuki realised a dream byessentially introducing a road legal, 750ccaluminium framed version of its GS1000Rrace bike.

It weighed an astonishing 179kg, with aclaimed power output of 106bhp at10,500rpm, and featured race-like steeringgeometry. But many GSX-R owners paidthe price for such a quick-steering bike. Itquickly earned the tag of ‘wobbler on theroad’. The frame flexed badly, and it’srumoured the wheel and swingarmspindles did, too. The steel bodied rearshock didn’t last long, either.

The engine produced a manic, top-endrush. And you also got the SuzukiAdvanced Cooling System, where oil fromthe cooler was pumped directly under thepiston – just like a P51D Mustang SecondWorld War fighter plane. This reduced theengine temperature without the need for aheavier and bulkier water cooling system.

A year later the ‘G’ model came with a25mm longer swingarm and radial tyresfitted as standard, in an attempt to calmthe bike’s nervous handling.

This was then superseded by the ‘H’version in 1986, which had improved41mm telescopic forks. But it had alsogained a couple of kilograms, weighing inat a claimed 181kg.

Nothing radical – just honed to

‘Weighing little more thana 600, the GSX-R750 willhave the poke andhandling to embarrassmany a litre sports bike’

THE GSX-R story kicked off in 1985 1994 saw the last of the Slingshots


CYLINDERHEADAN ALL-NEW cylinderhead features a morecompact combustionchamber than the oldmodel. Suzuki have setthe intake and exhaustvalves at a steeper angle,reducing the chamber volume

and increasing the compression ratio from 12.2:1 to 12.5:1.

Its more compact profile means flatter-toppedpiston have to be used, which weigh less and help

produce a more effective combustion.The intake and exhaust ports are both slightly bigger

than before.The narrower valve angle also allows the head to be

8mm shorter front to rear, making the engine morecompact and shaving off a few precious grammes.

ENGINELOOKS virtually identical to theold K3 model GSX-R, but with mildtweaks to various internalcomponents. Peak power is up toa claimed 146bhp at 12,800rpm(154bhp with ram-air effect) and64ftlb of torque at 10,800rpm.

A large part of this powerincrease can be attributed to newventilation holes in the crankcases,located at the bottom of thepiston stroke. These allowpressurised air below the piston toescape to the adjacent cylinder,which reduces internal pressureand pumping loses.

THE cams have gone the same route as the newGSX-R600. The diameter of the interior hasincreased from 15.5mm to 16.5mm, making thewall of the hollow cams thinner. The inlet andexhaust camshafts are now 45g and 35g lighterrespectively.

The pistons have 1.5mm shorter skirts, reducing

the height of each piston to 39.2mm from40.7mm. Combined with thinner walls, this givesa saving of 15g per piston over last year’s model.

The top compression ring and the oil controlring are now chrome-nitrided rather than chromeplated. This coating is significantly harder, lessresistant to wear and reduces friction.

COMPLETELY and utterly revised to make this thebest GSX-R750 so far. It was quickly tagged as thebike with the power of a thousand and thehandling of a 600.

There wasn’t one bit of the bike that wasn’t new.Narrower and shorter, the water-cooled engine wasclaimed to produce 141bhp. Second shock of theyear was that Suzuki had lopped 13kg off theprevious model’s weight (now 166kg dry) and 5kgof that was shaved from the engine.

Fuelling was now the standard fuel injection butSuzuki set a new standard with dual throttlebutterflies per inlet manifold to improve airflow forprecise throttle control.

With the motor shortened considerably, Suzukimanaged to squeeze in a 20mm longer swingarmfor improved traction under load, but kept thewheelbase to a minimalist 1400mm for the famedsharp steering. The frame was still dual-beamed. Italso got sharp new styling.

Front calipers went down to four-pistons grabbing320mm discs, while it’s rumoured that the rear

two-piston caliper can be traced back to theGS1000 of 1982 and subsequent GSX-R750s.

Over the years, Suzuki has changed almost everycomponent on the GSX-R750 and completelyrestyled it several times. But it still retains a hugeand loyal following, because it just keeps gettingbetter.

CAMSHAFTS, PISTONS AND RINGS

Hidden insideare tweaks to

boost engine’spower

CAMSHAFTSare now

lighter

ALL-NEW headgets largerintake and

exhaust ports

SUZUKI went back to the basics with the GSX-R in1996 by making it lighter and more powerful.

The bike’s race image was reinforced with newbodywork based on Kevin Schwantz’s Suzuki RGV500GP bike of 1995.

The motor was the most compact GSX-R powerplantever, and magnesium outer cases meant that it waslight as well. Dry weight was down to a claimed 179kg– the same as the original 1985 GSX-R750F, whichhad been gaining weight since its inception.

The motor still featured oil-cooled pistons and aheavily revised liquid-cooling system. Bore and strokeof the electro-plated barrels was 72 x 46mm for ahigh-revving peak power of 128bhp (claimed).

Wheelbase was down to 1400mm, with sharpsteering geometry. Handling was a track day addict’sdream and a racer’s delight.

This and the ’97 (V-model) were – and still are – atool well worth considering when looking for asecondhand sports bike.

The biggest change to the S-RAD (Suzuki Ram AirDirect) bike was with the 1998 ‘W’ model and the

introduction of fuel injection and modern-dayelectronics to boost output to a claimed 135bhp. Therewere also detail changes to brakes and suspension tofurther enhance the GSX-R’s race-rep reputation.

1999 was the last year of the S-RAD (‘X’ model), butthe only mods were the addition of a six-inch rear rimand colour detailing changes.

SX-R750 1996-99 MODELS T/V/W/Xaka S-RAD

GSX-R750 2000-2003 MODELS Y/K1/K2/K3 aka The Business

750 perfection

TURN TO PAGE 30 FOR A GUIDE TO BUYING AND OWNING A GSX-R

THE S-RAD version was introduced in 1996 A COMPLETELY revised bike was launched in 2000


ROAD TEST

When nothing but a GSX-Rwill do

RACE EXHAUSTA race exhaust will unleash the lovelygrowl that is strangled by the standardsilencer, as well as releasing a bit of extrapower. You can get a Yoshimura racesilencer from £449 and full race systemfrom £832.

POWER COMMANDERPost-1998 bikes are fuel-injected and will

benefit from a Dynojet PowerCommander and some time on a rollingroad. Tuning experts recommendavoiding Dynojet kits on earlier bikeswith carbs. A Power Commander will costfrom £258.

SCREENFit a colour-matched screen tocomplement your paint scheme or a

double bubble screen for better windprotection. Double bubble screens startat £39.95.

REAR HUGGERTidy up your back end and keep roadcrud away from your shock and linkages. Glass fibre and carbon-fibre huggers areavailable from £98 and are extremelyeasy to fit.

UPGRADED SUSPENSIONBetter bouncy bits will give you betterhandling on the road, but will beespecially noticeable when you’repushing it on the track. An Ohlins rearshock is £631, while Ohlins front forksprings start at £70.

STEERING DAMPERThis will help to keep the front end under

AFTER 20 years on the market,there are a fair amount of 750saround. And there’s a huge choiceof add-ons to personalise them.Whether it’s parts to make yourbike quicker, noisier or betterlooking, there’s something to suitall tastes. All these parts areavailable from Crescent Suzuki(01202-820170 or www.crescent-suzuki.com)

SLINGSHOT carbs gave model its name

ORIGINAL bike came with anti-dive forks

FOUR-POT calipers were top kit in 1992

Age: 44

Occupation: Civil servant

Riding experience: 28 years

Bought bike: 1996

Miles ridden on bike: 80,000 miles

Miles on the clock: 120,000 miles

ANDY COY • 1989 GSX-R750K

COLIN SMITH • 1985 GSX-R750F

‘Apart from servicing it I haven’thad to touch it in 80,000 miles’

Four readerstell us why ithas just got tobe a SuzukiGSX-R750SUZUKI’S in-line four sports bikerange has built up a huge anddedicated following. Since the 750started it all in 1985 it attracts someof the GSX-R line-up’s most ardentsupporters.

We spoke to four readers whohave parted with their hard-earnedcash on different examples of the750 breed, from an original HyperEndurance ‘F’ model, through allthe other major incarnations of theGSX-R750, including the Slingshotand S-RAD.

We asked the owners why theychose this long-running machineover any other mass-producedsports bike, and what they don’tlike about them.

We’ve also got a very specialexample of the bike (below right)and listed the top 10 add-on bits forthese machines (below).

If after all this talk of GSX-750syou feel you’ve just got to own one,then check out our guide to buyingand selling (far right).

TOP TEN BOLT-ON BITS

WHY DID YOU BUY A GSX-R750?I’ve always been a fan of the original GSX-Rssince they dominated endurance racing inthe 1980s.

WHAT DO YOU USE IT FOR?I mainly use it for commuting and it’snever let me down. It’s been completelyreliable. Apart from servicing I haven’tneeded to touch it in more than8,000 miles of riding.

WHAT ARE THE BEST ANDWORST THINGS ABOUT IT?The best thing is that it’s very light and easyto manage, even compared to modern bikesI’ve ridden. The most annoying thing is theskinny wheels, which really restrict the choiceof tyres you can use.

WHY DID YOU BUY A GSX-R750?I’d always wanted a GSX-R. It’s the racingbackground and the fact that it’s alwaysbeen classed as a nutter’s bike. The bad boyimage definitely appealed to me.

WHAT DO YOU USE IT FOR?In summer I use it to get to work and forpleasure. I go on rideouts with mates atweekends. People told me that the ridingposition was bad, but I haven’t had aproblem with it. I can do about three hourson it before I get saddle-sore. Having onlyridden much older bikes before this, I wasworried about the amount of power the

GSX-R makes, but it’s neverharsh and the power is therewhen you want it.

WHAT ARE THE BESTAND WORST THINGSABOUT IT?Even when I’m out withmates on newer, biggerbikes the GSX-R doesn’tget left behind. The worstthing about thewatercooled ‘W’ models isgetting hold of parts. It’s themodel that everybody hasforgotten.

Age: 36

Occupation: IT support engineer


Bought bike: 3 years ago

Miles ridden on bike: 21,000 miles


‘The GSX-R still doesn’t get left behind– even by bigger bikes’


>> CONTINUES ON PAGE 32 >>

MICHAEL LAZER • 1999 GSX-R750X

BUYING or selling a bikeis full of pitfalls. And witha hard-charging bike likethe GSX-R the stakes areeven higher: they rarelyget an easy life.

SERVICE HISTORYGSX-Rs can be dependable,hassle-free machines. A fullservice history tells you thatthe bike has been cared forby a dealer.

PAPERWORKInspect it carefully to get abetter picture of the bike’sbackground. Previous MoTcertificates are a morereliable indicator of mileagethan the clocks.

MCN BIKE CHECKFind out if that GSX-R hasbeen written off, stolen orhas finance outstanding. Call01722-435555 beforehanding over the cash, it’s£35.95 very well spent.

IMPORTSDon’t be afraid of importbikes, as long as theheadlight and clocks havebeen modified to UK-spec.But French bikes arerestricted to 100bhp and area nightmare to derestrict.

CONSUMABLESGSX-Rs like to be riddenhard, which eatsconsumables. Pay particularattention to the tyres, chainand sprockets, fork seals,brake pads and brake discs.Make sure they’re sweet oryou could be £500 out ofpocket.

NON-STANDARD BIKESKeep the standard parts forwhen you sell the bike -you’ll usually get more byselling the parts separately.Always hold onto thestandard exhaust can, whichmight be needed to getthrough the MoT.

CRASHED BIKESLots of GSX-Rs will havebeen crashed. Check thatthe steering-lock stopsaren’t bent or snapped off.Bent levers and scraped barends are also a giveaway.Frame protectors could alsobe hiding damage.

RACED BIKESLook out for pristinebodywork on a tatty bike,melted tyres and lockwiredsump plugs.

CLEANINGSuzukis still need lots of careto keep them looking good.Clean beneath the fairingand check beneath it whenyou’re buying.

TOP TEN GSX-R750 BUYING AND SELLING TIPS

control. Steering dampers from Ohlinsstart at £188.

CRASH PROTECTIONPrevention is better than cure, so takesteps to limit the damage if the worstshould happen and the bike ends up goingdown the road. Crash bungs start at£49.95, while carbon-fibre frameprotectors will cost you £78.

BETTER BRAKESYou can sharpen up your old stoppers andgive your brakes more bite by fittingbraided brake hoses and different pads.Goodridge stainless steel brake lines costfrom £99. SBS dual carbon replacementbrake pads start at £25. If you really wantto push the boat out, a Brembo frontbrake master cylinder upgrade kit willcost you from £207.

RACE BODYWORKThis is worth considering if you do a lot oftrack days. You can get a glass-fibre fairingfrom £238 and seat units from £110.

LIGHTWEIGHT WHEELSThey not only look fantastic, they weighless, which makes the bike easier to turn.Marchesini lightweight alloy wheels startat £1332.78

BRAKE calipers gained two extra pots

ANALOGUE speedo was often optimistic

AS owner of the UKdistributor forYoshimura tuning parts

Crescent Performance, PaulDenning is perfectly placedto create a very specialSuzuki GSX-R750.

The top tuner turned BritishSuperbike team managerstarted with a road-goingGSX-R750 K1. And while thebike remains road legal, thechassis and engine tweakscarried out by his BSBtechnicians put the

performance and handlingon par with a fully-fledged750cc race bike.

A lightened and balancedcrankshaft makes the enginemore responsive to throttleinput and lets it spin upquicker. The cylinder head isgas-flowed, and Yoshimurahigh-lift cams improve thespeed the motor can take onfuel/air mixture and expelexhaust gases. Thecompression ratio has beenincreased.

Titanium valve retainersensure the springs and valvesstay in place when the revsget heaped on.

Peak power is up to 140bhpfrom 118bhp. And increasedengine heat is dealt with by afactory-style radiator, soeven trickling throughtown isn’t a problem.

After shelling out£35,000 on this GSX-R750, Denning has justsold it before starting his nextproject.

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WHY DID YOU BUY A GSX-R750?I like the fact that it’s seen as a nutter’s bike. Assoon as I rode it I knew it was the bike for me. Ihad a FireBlade and a CBR600F before theGSX-R and it’s like the best of both those bikes.It feels lighter and spins up quicker than theBlade and has a revvier and more powerfulengine than the 600 with better midrangethan the CBR.

WHAT DO YOU USE IT FOR?I use it as my sole means of transport. Icommute to work on it every day, I go onweekend rideouts and I’m looking forward totrack days as soon as the weather improves.

WHAT ARE THE BEST AND WORSTTHINGS ABOUT IT?The best thing is the overall GSX-R package.There’s nothing I’m not totally happy with.Some people complain about comfort, but Idon’t have a problem. The worst thing isdefinitely the white wheels. It takes a lot ofwork keeping them clean.

Age: 33

Occupation: Trainer and advisor

Riding experience: 18 months

Bought bike: 2 months ago

Miles ridden on bike: 1000 miles

Miles on the clock: 7000 miles

Age: 25

Occupation: IT consultant


Bought bike: November 2003

Miles ridden on bike: 3500 miles


GAIL RICHARDS • 2002 GSX-R750K2

GSX-R750 got a digital speedo in 2000

BRACED alloy swingarm is excellent

WHY DID YOU BUY A GSX-R750?My previous bike was a Yamaha Thundercat. Idecided that I needed something morepowerful and nimble, but between 600 and1000cc there isn’t a lot of choice. It’s so light,responsive and easy to ride. I thought that itmight frighten me, but it was fine.

WHAT DO YOU USE IT FOR?It’s purely a pleasure bike and I like to get outfor a blast on country roads at weekends. It’sperfect for road riding. I’m looking forward totaking the GSX-R on a track once I’ve gotmore experience. I’ve done 400 miles in aday and was surprised to find that it wasn’tuncomfortable.

WHAT ARE THE BEST AND WORSTTHINGS ABOUT IT?The handling’s superb – very light and reallyresponsive both on and off the power. On thedownside I found the clutch really stiff at firstand the pegs are quite high, so it took a bit ofgetting used to.

The ultimate GSX-R750

GSX-R750SPECIAL

YOU have to spend £35,000, but...

A YOSHIMURA end can seems so right

If you want to buy or sell aGSX-R750 or any otherbike then check out MCNevery week, or log on towww.motorcyclenews.com


ROAD TEST

GSX-R750 DEFINING MOMENTSWALKER LOSES BSB TITLEWALKER LOSES BSB TITLE

SCHWANTZ SLIDES FIRST GSX-R750

I T was always going to bean epic race day – thefinal showdown on

October 8, 2000 in a battlebetween Chris Walker on theSuzuki GSX-R750 and NeilHodgson on the Ducati 996that had seen fairingsclashing regularly throughoutthe British Superbike season.

Walker was leading thechampionship by 21 pointsover Hodgson before thefinal round at DoningtonPark. The 25,000 fans whopacked the track side werealmost holding their breathin anticipation before the firstof the two BSB races.

Hodgson had nothing tolose. Even if he won bothraces, Walker could stillclinch the title with a thirdand a fourth.

The opening race gave noindication of the bitter-sweetflavour of what was to comelater in the day. Hodgsonwon, but Walker took third.The title that he’d beencruelly denied over the yearswas tantalisingly close.

And then came race two…Walker was doing the right

thing – staying out of trouble

and holding fourth whileHodgson scrapped it out forthe lead with James Haydon.

But by lap 16 Walker’s bikewasn’t sounding right. Andall of a sudden the motor letgo completely as a droppedvalve blew the engine. Abillowing white cloud ofsmoke was left in hisdevastated wake.

He cruised past hisstunned pitcrew and parkedhis stricken bike at the trackside at Redgate. He started

the long walk back to thepits, but couldn’t hide hisdisappointment as he walkedpast the hushed crowd.

Hodgson finished secondand took the title everyoneassumed was Walker’s inwhat was the best finish toany BSB season.

Even now the bar-roomdebate rumbles on aboutwho deserved to win the titlein 2000. One thing iscertain, though – Walker lostit thanks to a £30 valve.

THE first GSX-R was araw, uncompromisingbeast that was most

road riders’ introduction totrue race replicaperformance. It establishedits credentials on the racetrack within weeks of itsarrival with a one-two at LeMans and by the time theTT arrived, any Britishproduction racer worth hissalt was GSX-R-equipped.

Mick Grant won the BritishSuperstock championshipon a GSX-R750 that year.

But it wasn’t a bike thatmollycoddled you. Toensure the flat-slide carbsdidn’t stick open, thethrottle springs wereridiculously heavy and itcertainly didn’t likepottering about.

But right from the startthe exhaust note let you

know you were aboard avery special bike. Its throatyrasp was a world apart fromtoday’s antiseptic whispers.

It was also a bike you hadto grab by the scruff of itsneck. Treat it meekly andthe GSX-R would snapback over bumps with arapid shake of the bars.

You had to attack corners,stay committed on thethrottle and work thegearbox like a two-stroke toget it firing up the straight.

From its styling to itspower deliver, ridingposition and viciouslypowerful brakes, the Suzukiscreamed aggression. Somethings never change.

ADEFINING weekend rather thansingle moment for Suzuki’sGSX-R750 came at Donington

Park, again (see story above), in the1986 Transatlantic Challenge.

A then unknown 21-year-old calledKevin Schwantz arrived in the UK withno knowledge of the track but endedup out-scoring everyone in the eight-race series on a year-old machine.

Schwantz finished second at Daytona

in the US only three weeks earlier on afactory Yoshimura GSX-R750. But hehad to rely on the much more stock-looking bike of Tony Rutter (father ofBritish Superbike rider Michael).

In varying conditions, including heavyrain, Schwantz won four of the races,finished second in two, fell off once andnearly binned it several more times inone of the most spectacular ridingdisplays ever seen in the UK.

Schwantz and US team-mate FredMerkel even performed 120mphsynchronised full-lock slides atStarkey’s Bridge. Schwantz had neverridden in the rain before.

As MCN reported at the time:“Schwantz turned in an acrobaticperformance that would rival a rodeorider in his native Texas, as he clung tohis Suzuki after a massive slide in thefifth race. He held on to win.”

>> CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

‘By lap 16 Walker’s bikewasn’t sounding right. And

all of a sudden the motor letgo completely. A billowingwhite cloud of smoke was

left in his devastated wake’

‘Schwantz turned in an acrobatic performancethat would rival a rodeo rider in his native Texas’

A DISTRAUGHT Walker returns to the pits in tears

CHRIS DABBS was twoyears into his roadtesting career when thevery first productionGSX-R750 appearedback in 1985.

He was one of the first

British journalists to ridethe new machine andtested later versions asMCN road tester andthen road test editor.

Here he recalls thatfirst ride.

february 25, 2004 road test suzuki gsx-r750 … · february 25, 2004 motor cycle news 25 road test...

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