Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127289
~ TES 1991 Suzuki GSXR750 and 1100 T e S ikes ago·go, Suzuki style treetb By Paul Carruthers Photos by Larry Lawrence ith the WERA Grand Na tio na l Fin als as a showpiece and th e scenic Road Atlanta race course as a bac kd rop, th e 1991 Suzuki W (Right) Both the 1I 00 and the 750 get upside down Corksfor '91 (see cutaway above), with the 1100 (l eft) using Kayabas while the 750 gets Showas. . GSXR750 and 1100 were introduced to me m bers of th e press rece ntly in Georgia. Road Atlanta was a filling stage for the journalists first ride on the new GSXRs with the fast, yet bumpy track providing an adequate test for the most featured change on th e GSXRs upside down forks. . The trendy from fork technology is featured on both th e new Suzukis, but are mad e by different manufacturers. The 750 uses an all -new 41m m Sh owa fork, one that was used last year o n the Europea n and Canadian models, whi ch features valving cha nges; the lI00's fork is a similarly-sized 41mm unit manufactured by Kayaba. The fork 's sen sitivit y to chan ge has been improved on the 750's Showas . with even a single click in adjus tmen t making a di£ference; the fork features 12 compression/rebound damping adjustmen ts and a full ran ge of spring pre-load adj u sta b ili ty. The 1100's Kayabas have eight rebo und/ IO compression damping settings and fullyadjustable pre-l oad. Intern ally, the fork is much th e same, exce pt that the spri n g is obviously now in th e lower half of th e fork. The triple cla mps are also beefier for '91 and the steeri ng head port io n o f the fram e no w has addi tiona l Suzuki GSXRllOOM 12 List Price $7299 Displacement I I27cc Engine type Air/ oil-cooled , DOHC, four cylinder, [our-stroke Bore x Stroke 78x59mm Compression ratio 10:I Carburetion (4) 36mm Mikuni Ignition ' Transistor Transmission speeds 5 Starting system Electric Fuel capacity 5.8 ga l. Wheelbase Rake/trail Seat height .' Front tire Rear tire Front wheel travel Rear wheel travel Front brake Rear brake Final drive Claimed dry weight gusseting internally to gi ve th e un it strength . Rak e (25.5°) and tr ail ( 100m m / 3.9 in. ) on th e 750 is uncha ng ed while th e 1100 goes from a trail of 24.5° and a rake of 99mm to 25.5° and 9lmm. The fork oft both bikes handled Road Atlanta 's bumps and pavement tra nsi tio ns well , giving th e rid er a . positive feel through the handlebar s a real co nfidence builder wh en running the GSXR in to corners while on the bra kes. The fork also o£fers eno ug h adj us tment to keep seri o us racers busy in the pits, and str eet riders up nights in the garage. And both should be able to get the units dialed in [or their respective tastes. In addition to the new forks . the GSXR750 gets a non-adjustable steering damper in 1991, while the 1100 retains the use of the same un it it featured in '90. The 750'5 unit is made by Showa while KYB produces the damper o n th e 1100. After riding the 750 with the steering da mper, yo u wonder wh y it wasn 't there on earlier models. T he damper aids in keep ing the bik e pointed in the Suzuki GSXR750M ' 57.7 in. 25.5°/ 3.6 in. 32.1 in. 120170x17 180/5 5x I7 .4.7 in. 6.2 in. Dual disc Disc Chain 498 Ibs. List Price $6499 Displacement 749cc Engine type Air/ oil-cooled , DOHC, [our cylinder, [our-stroke Bore x Stroke 70x48.7mm Compression ratio : 10.9:1 Carburetion (4) 38mm Mikuni _. . Transistor Igni tion .. _ Transmission speeds 6 Starting system Electric Fuel capacity 5.5 ga l. Wheelbase Rake/trail Seat height · Front tire ; Rear tire Front wheel travel Rear wheel travel Front brake Rear brake Final drive Claimed dry weight 55.7 in. 25.25°/3.9 in. 31.7 in. 120170xl 7 170/6Ox17 .4.7 in. · 5.4 in. Dual disc Disc Chain 459 Ibs.