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/128086
By now you can probably imagine what I think of the motor. It's a freaking monster. I was hitting an indicated 181 mph at the end of the back straight, which measures 8/1 Oths of a mile from the exit of turn seven to turn lOA. What I didn't mention was that I was only in fifth gear! I was almost at the 12,250 rpm redline, but it wasn't necessary to grab sixth gear before I closed the throttle to brake for turn 10. During my final session, I quit short-shifting out of turn seven and over "the rise" - and if I got my body over the front of the bike (for personal safety), I could keep the throttle pinned, and loft the front wheel about six inches off the ground for 50 to 75 yards down the back straight. I was actually trying not to wheelie, but to get a good drive onto the back straight it was unavoidable. When I was short-shifting, I think that I was making the bike wheelie more as it was getting right in the middle of its torque curve. The GSX-R1000 not only makes a lot of horsepower, but it has a pile of torque as well - a nice big spread of torque. It was definitely easier to ride when I was shifting closer to redline, where the power was starting to fall off a little bit. The fuel injection, meanwhile, seemed to be very responsive and crisp on the racetrack - hopefully that will be the case on the street. I have never ridden a stock bike with this kind of power - at least one combined with such a nice-handling chassis. Sure, a bike like Suzuki's own Hayabusa is fast, but it weighs 100 pounds more and is three inches longer than the GSX-R1000. If my rough estimates are correct, the GSXR1000 will have a slightly better power-to-weight ratio than the Hayabusa, and remember that's with a dramatically shorter wheelbase hence the wheelies. Need I say more? The transmission is typical Suzuki, which is to say excellent. Shifts are smooth and positive - I only hit one false neutral over the two days, but it was the result of a lazy downshift on my part and no fault of the bike's. I just wish it hadn't been while I was braking for turn one - I hate having to jam it into gear right at the turn-in point. The GSX-R 1000 will be available in two color combinations, blue/ white, and black/silver. The suggested retail price is $10,399, which puts it right in the ballpark with the competition. I wouldn't bet against the GSXR1000 being the King of the Hill in 2001. After all, the GSX-R750 did an admirable job last year of hanging with the big open-class bikes. It should also be fun to see how the bikes do in the AMA Formula Xtreme championship this year, with Jason Pridmore and Richard Alexander Jr. riding GSX-R1000s for Attack Suzuki. eN 200] Suzuki GSX-RlOOO List Price $10,399 Displacement 988cc Engine Type Liquid-cooled, in-line four-cylinder, four-stroke, DOHC, four valves per cylinder Bore x Stroke 73 x 59mm Compression Ratio ]2.0:] Engine Redline 12,250rpm Valve Train Shim under bucket, chain cam drive Clutch Type Wet multi-plate Carburetion Fuel injection Throttle-Body Size .42mm Exhaust Type Four-into-two-into-one Ignition Digital CDI Transmission .six-speed. constant-mesh Starting System Electric Fuel Capacity .4.8 gal. Frame Type Twin-spar aluminum Wheelbase .55.5 in. Rake/Trail 24.] 0/96mm Seat Height .32.3 in. Front Rim .3.50 X ] 7 in. aluminum alloy Rear Rim 6.00 X 17 in. aluminum alloy ]20/70-]7 Front Tire Rear Tire ] 90/50-] 7 Front Fork Fully adjustable 43mm inverted Fully adjustable w/piggyback reservoir Rear Shock Front-Wheel Travel .4.9 in. Rear- Wheel Travel .5.1 in. Front Brake Dual 320mm discs w/six piston calipers Rear Brake Single 220mm disc w/twin piston caliper Final Drive Chain RK 525 Weight Distribution FIR .51.8 percent/48.2 percent Claimed Dry Weight 375 Ibs. cue I e n e _ S • JANUARY 3.2001 27