Suzuki Strikes Back
SUZUKI STRIKES BACK
WHEN IT FIRST SET SAIL four years ago, Suzuki's latest-generation GSX-R750 was a revelation. Taking the ultra-compact, "light is right" concept to new heights, the aluminum-framed machine pounded the competition, proving itself a certified liter-bike killer.
Lately, though, in the wake of newer, even racier machines such as Yamaha's YZF-R1, Hamamat su's perennial Supersport con tender has lost its edge. Now, hoping to re-establish its position atop the sportbike market, Suzu ki has created an even lighter and more compact Gixxer.
"The main thing is a better power-to-weight ratio," ex plained a Suzuki spokesman. "All I can say at this point about the weight is that the target was
a top-level, 600-class dryweight figure." Translated, this means an even 400 pounds, on par with that of Yamaha's feath erweight YZF-R6.
"Essentially, they started chipping away at the thing, both engine and chassis," the spokesman added. "If you were to silhouette this bike over the ☺current bike, you'd see that it is slightly smaller in height, width, things like that. In profile, it's not that strikingly different, but they did a lot of little things."
The twin-spar frame, for ex ample, is mated to a longer swingarm, placing more weight over the front wheel. Upping stability, steering geometry is more conservative and wheel base is slightly longer. To maintain turn-in re sponse in light
•of those changes, the rear wheel is narrower. Ditto the rear tire. Also, the 43mm inverted fork has added stroke, and new fourpot front brake calipers sport aluminum pistons. Rotor diame ter is unchanged.
Behind the restyled fairing, engine layout is the same, but with the upper crankcase and cylinders cast as one unit. This allowed oil lines previously routed outside of the en gine to be relocated in ternally. In addition, the cylinder head is new, and has a narrower valve angle. Pis tons are forged, and compression is up slightly.
Crank-journal diameter is down, saving even more weight. The fuelinjection system is modified, as well, in part to elim inate off/on-throttle abruptness.
In all, a thorough revamp. And not a moment too soon.
Matthew Miles
