Long-Term Wrap-Up
Long-Term Wrap-Up
SUZUKI GSX-R750
TRACK BRED, STREET DREAD?
FIGURES CAN BE DECEIVing, but in this case, they're not. The relatively few miles we've accumulated on our long-term, '93 Suzuki GSX-R750, in relation to the time we’ve spent with the machine, says quite a bit.
Truth be told, most staffers found the GSX-R's riding position uncomfortable for anything more than aggressive sportriding. We covered 7697 miles on
the bike in 18 months. That included two 600-mile trips, but with the exception of News Editor Robert Hough, we all found the riding position cramped, restrictive and very uncomfortable.
Creature comforts aside, the bike’s mechanical virtues warmed our hearts. The dohe, liquid-cooled inline-Four got up to operating temperature quickly, required little choke on cold mornings and gave off little heat in stop-and-go Southern California traf-
fic. And as we’ve come to expect from GSX-Rs, the six-speed transmission shifted smoothly. Fuel economy ranged from 30 to 44 miles per gallon, for an average of 37.
In spite of considerable racetrack use, our example held up extremely well. We replaced only one component-a tachometer light bulbfor a total repair bill of $2.33. The bike’s finish, too, was top notch, although errant belt buckles gouged the gas tank’s purple paint.
"Riding my GSX-R is always an exhilarating experience. All in all, 1 havepo complaInts. ::Afier 3400 miles, it remains depend able, and 1' enjoy riding It." -Chris Reece Lynchburg, Tennessee~
Alas, our riding wasn’t always so terrific. A low-speed tip-over broke the left front turnsignal ($30.75) and scratched the fairing. As the damage was relatively minor, we opted not to replace the abraded panels.
Sendee was as infrequent as the bike was reliable. The 6000-mile tune and service cost $392, which included two hours of labor to replace two of the 16 shims. Other specified work included carburetor synchronization, an oil change, and replacement of air filter and sparkplugs.
With several open-racetrack days and riding seminars on the bike’s schedule, we opted to replace the original equipment, street-oriented Dunlop D202s. First to be mounted were race-spec
Quotes from the logbook
When there's a cor ner or two in sight, this bike is a lot of fun. As a daily commuter, though, it's terribly uncomfortable. The Race Tech-modified suspension is getting better, but it needs more work. Shock valving seems better, too, but a firmer spring is needed. The same goes for the fork. I beg to differ, but this is a fine sport-tourer. After a 360-mile day that included almost 250 miles on the freeway, there were no major pains.
were race-spec Bridgestone BT-50 Battlaxes in 120/70-17 and 1 80/55-1 7 sizes ($335), followed by a set of similar-sized Metzeier ME Zls ($338). Both provided impressive grip, but the street-compound Metzelcrs proved more durable.
"To reduce the weight, I replaced the stock~XhaUst with a Vance & Hlnós SS2R system, Brakes and suspen sion are excellenj, probabt~ the best In the class." -Doug Hodge Edmonton, AIl*ta, Canada
In the interest of improving on-track performance, we contacted California Sportbike Racing (16910 Placentia Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92627; 714/
642-0104) for Race Tech’s Gold Valve fork kit. The $358 kit includes compression pistons, a shim kit and a valving chart. Installation cost $140, and we spent another $100 to anodize the fork legs. Testing revealed improved frontend feel, although spring rate, which remained stock, was a bit too soft.
Race Tech (3227 Producer Way, #127, Pomona, CA 91768; 909/5947755) also revalved the stock shock absorber. In its modified state, the fully adjustable shock was less than perfect.
Road Test Editor Don
Canet found rebound damping inconsistent and compression damping insufficient. In response to these problems, Race Tech developed a kit that includes a different piston.
"1 used to have an `89 Katana 11OIL The GSX~R is rnorC~cOInfOrt~ able to ride and the engine Is very smooth" -Scolt lEbell AnaheIm, California
In a further effort to improve handling, Canet removed the factory-installed, non-adjustablc steering damper. So modified, the bike steered and tracked
through corners better without any resultant head-shake problems. (Suzuki does not recommend that the damper be removed.) We also experimented with
two different types of Galfer brake pads from Giocar America (104 San Federico Ave., Santa Barbara, CA 93111; 805/967-2726). The first set, a semi-metallic compound, provided exceptional stopping power, but was too noisy for our tastes. A metal-free, organic compound eliminated the noise with no loss in performance, but over time, the pads induced a slight shudder when braking at speeds of less than five miles per hour.
Ultimately, our long-term GSX-R750 performed as we expected, given the bike’s history. It is a well-made, extremely durable sportbike that makes few compromises in regard to comfort. By no means is the GSX-R intended for every rider. But it will assuredly please most anyone looking for an all-out sportbike. □
SPECIFICATIONS
$7299
