Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

~ -=:JOUc 0 x0 @ 0 )QJJ{1; 2001 Cycle News Gooee Sportbike Shootout 110 100 90 80 ~ III ~ 90 !-t--I---:-""'-: +---i--f:--t- 70 70 1Il 60 &.80 ~ 0 • m c} ... so.g G) IR 80 50 til J: 401 W 40 cl: 6' 1Il 30 30..!!. 20 20 10 10 o ' 1 0 2 3 4 S 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1S RPM Ix1000l SUZUKI GSX·RSOO I:f[h]@ ~@\W ~D[R)~ @1f ~[h]@ ~D[R)~ We had very high expectations of the Suzuki going into this test, mostly due to the fact that it's the only bike out of the six which was completely redesigned for 2001. When associate editor Blake Conner rode the bike at Road Atlanta in late October (Issue #43), he raved about the bike's combination of power and handling. We expected the Suzuki to be able to back up Blake's claims. Suzuki (and Blake) made good on their promise for the new baby GSX-R - it lived up to the hype. It roars. The Suzuki's new 599cc, inline-four motor has it all mid-range and top-end. Give it full throttle down the front straight, and the others don't even come close. It's as close to a runaway freight train as a 600 can get. Coming off the corners, the bike accelerates like a bat outa' hell. It doesn't rip up the tach as quickly as the others, but the power is definitely there. It takes a more methodical approach, but it slams you back in the seat harder than any stock 600 we have ever ridden. Mission accomplished. The fuel-injection on the 600 doesn't have the offidle hiccup that last year's GSX-R750 had - it has a little bit of one, but it isn't bothersome at all (street or track). If you like cool-sounding engines, this is your bike. The Suzuki's motor sounds serious - the noise from the airbox almost makes you think you're in the cockpit of a fighter plane, not on a motorcycle. The Suzuki has one of the best transmissions of the group. It shifts smoothly with very little effort required - we don't recall anybody hitting a false-neutral on the Suzuki on the street or the track. The recent trend of sportbike wheelbases getting shorter and shorter is apparently something that Suzuki wanted to get away from. The new 600 has gone back to a slightly longer wheelbase (most of which comes from the longer swingarm) in an effort to increase stability. The GSX-R is now one of the most stable bikes out there - it felt more like the Ducati (which is famous for its stability) mid-corner than anything else , even though it still turns much quicker than the Duck. Once the rider picks a line through a corner, it sticks to it without hesitation. It's slightly heavier steering than the others are, but once you get it there, it's perfect, at least on the racetrack. On the street, the steering can become somewhat ponderous. It requires some addi- 26 JANUARY 24,2001 • cue l e n • tional effort on initial tum-in - the steering damper is partially to blame, but the wheelbase is the real culprit. Like the Ducati, mid-corner bumps on the street or track don't bother the Suzuki nearly as much as some of the shorter-wheel based bikes. An added benefit to all of this is great front-end feel. The Suzuki could rail through the banked carousel at "The Streets" faster than any of the other bikes because the front felt planted - it felt like it was biting into the tarmac, and giving the rider full trust in its adhesion. The Suzuki, like the Yamaha, can be trail-braked right to the apex of the corner. It doesn't stand up like the Kawasaki does, even though both bikes have a similar wheelbase. The Suzuki also boasts excellent ground clearance. Nothing dragged on the bike at the track all day, not even the hero-blobs. The brakes have excellent power even though they lack a little bit of touch. They don't have a lot of initial bite, but the power is there, it just takes a moment to build up. Suzuki GSX-R600Kl ~P~C~fF~CAlTb!)N~ UST PRICE $7999 DISPLACEMENT .599cc Liquid-cooled, in-line, four-cylinder fourENGINE TYPE stroke, DOHC, TSCC BORE X STROKE 67.0 x 42.5mm COMPRESSION RATIO 12.2:1 CARBURETION Electronic fuel injection IGNmON Digital CDI TRANSMISSION _ .six-speed, constant-mesh STARTING SYSTEM Electric FUEL CAPACITY 4.8 gal. 55.1 IN. WHEELBASE RAKEfTRAIL 24°/96mm 32.7 in. SEAT HEIGHT FRONT TIRE .............•...•••.•..... 120/70-17 REAR TIRE .................• _ 180/55-17 FRONT-WHEEL TRAVEL ..••.•.............. .4.9 in. REAR-WHEEL TRAVEL , . .5.1 in. FRONT BRAKE Dual hydraulic disc REAR BRAKE Single hydraulic disc Chain (RK525) FINAL DRIVE CLAIMED DRY WEIGHT 359Ibs./361Ibs. (CA model) _ s The Styling of the new GSX-R family is very nice even though they all look almost identical to each other. At least Suzuki got it right. It would suck if the bikes looked like hell warmed over and we had to look at three ugly sisters for the next couple years. Believe it or not the GSX-R is actually more comfortable than the previous model. Most of this is due to the comfortable new seat, and a riding position that isn't as extreme as the previous generation's, even though the footpegs are pretty high and far back. We love the tail section on the Suzuki. It's thin and tapered, and has a purposeful look, and it makes the bike look lighter than it already is. The GSX-R is as racy as any bike here, and yet it doesn't skimp on the details that make it a good street bike as well. It has easy-to-read gauges, a clock, and idiot-proof idiot lights. Suzuki GSX-R600 IF~AIrUR~~ Engine • Smaller in every dimension & 8.8 pounds lighter than last year • 3-piece crankcase, featuring integrated upper crankcase & cylinders • Fuel injection replaces last year's carbs • Composite electrochemical coating in cylinders • Forged-aluminum pistons w/lower·friction rings • Shot-peened connecting rods are thinner & lighter • Crankshaft redesigned for less weight & friction • New cylinder head w/ 4 valves per cylinder & double overhead cams • Valve angle reduced from 30° to 28°, improving combustion efficiency • Compression ratio increased from 12: 1 to 12.2:1 • Lighter valves (new alloy material) w/ single springs • Radiator is 20mm taller • Redesigned ram-air system Chassis • Frame is 4.4 pounds lighter, but more rigid torsionally • Frame is lOmm shorter from steering head to swingarm pivot. to put more weight on front wheel • Longer swingarm angled down less for more linear suspension stroke (wheelbase is 20mm longer) • 45mm Showa cartridge fork is shorter, but has 5mm more stroke • Showa aluminum-bodied piggyback shock is lighter & has larger piston • Larger alloy pistons in 4-piston brake calipers • New cast-aluminum wheels • New bodywork styling & dash layout What" hot? • Fire in the hole!: This motor rocks - everywhere! • Most balanced compromise between turnability and stability • Aggressive new look . What', not? • Last year's brakes were better • Steering geometry & damper are more track-savvy than street-wise Bottom tine Suzuki's new design takes a quantum leap to the head of the pack. It's a late bloomer, but it was worth the wait.

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