Fresh Meat 2014 Suzuki Gsx-R1000 Special Edition
FRESH MEAT 2014 SUZUKI GSX-R1000 SPECIAL EDITION
IGNITION
NEWS
Suzuki will build only 100, and 50 of them are coming to the U.S.
SUZUKI
chose the Indianapolis Grand Prix
as the place to
celebrate its first 50 years in the U.S. market and to reveal there a special-edition
GSX-R1000. One hundred GSX-RioooSEs will be produced worldwide, each of which will be distinguished by a brilliantly polished and chromed chassis, unique “candy apple” blue wheel spokes (rims are machined and polished) and engine covers, and blue-anodized upper fork legs and
other selected parts. Of this 100, 50 will be made available in the U.S. Lest anyone forget, the original air/oil-cooled Suzuki GSX-R750, designed by a team under engineer Etsuo Yokouchi, was a revolution in power-to-weight ratio when it was introduced here in 1986. Essentially 100 pounds lighter than
other machines in its class, the GSX-R quickly became the enduring backbone of high-performance motorcycling in the U.S.
Why chrome, translucent paint and blue anodizing? Why not special performance features derived from the bike Suzuki will use in its return to MotoGP in 2015? I maybe
a motorhead, but I understand that few Americans buy a bike for its compression ratio or valve overlap. They buy the look and they buy the rep, both of which this GSX-R has in plenty. Suzuki studies the market and builds to suit.
Pricing and availability weren't announced at press time. —Kevin Cameron
BILL WARNER, RIP
-> Bill Warner, holder of the conventional motorcycle landspeed record of over 311 mph, was killed this past July when his turbo Hayabusa crashed during a speed run at the former Loring AFB in Maine. Warner was greatly respected for his work, which was in the best tradition of American do-ityourself innovation. Much goes into the construction of a machine capable of reaching such speeds, and Warner and his team mastered necessary technologies, which included designing
and producing the streamlining you see here. America’s “Mecca of Speed”is the Bonneville Salt Flats, but travel is expensive. The decommissioning of Cold War Strategic Air Command bases, such as Maxton in North Carolina and Loring, has made available long runways (14,250 feet at Loring) with approximately twice the tire grip available on Bonneville’s moist salt surface. This has opened land-speed racing to more participants. Also boosting the popularity of this activity is the availability of Suzuki’s 1340CC Hayabusa, attended by a huge aftermarket.
Many have built a 600-horsepower Hayabusa using an aftermarket turbo kit, but that doesn’t even get close to what Warner achieved.
At the time of his 311-mph record, I took three pages of notes just to get an
outline of engine preparation, from align-bored case and lube mods to billet crank, Crower rods, billet block, and MoTeC engine management. It takes intelligence and experience to convert a parts list
into winning power; someone has to direct this complex orchestra. Warner and friends did.
The cause of the crash is unknown. Fourthousand feet into the mile, the bike veered right, striking a runway
light mounting, then sliding a long way on grass. Incoherent bits of information circulate, leading to no persuasive cause.
It hurts to lose our people. All we can do is redouble efforts to make our sport as safe as can be. -KC
