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/128153
Reigning Superbike Champion Over the last six years, the Suzuki GSX-R750 has so thoroughly dominated the race track that words can hardly do justice to its accomplishments. In 200 I, Yoshimura Suzuki rider Mat Mladin won his third consecutive AMA Superbike championship aboard a GSX-R750, while Shawn Higbee secured the second Formula USA Unlimited Superbike championship title in a row for the Suzuki GSX-R750. Anel. as if to put an exclamation point on the entire season, GSX-R750 riders absolutely decimated the competition in AMA 750cc Supersport racing. They not only won an astounding sixth consecutive championship, they took all top-10 positions. What's the secret to such incredible success? It all begins with integrated design - an approach to R&D pioneered with the development of Suzuki's RGYr 500cc GP bike. This philosophy stresses that all components need to be developed • as part of a collaborative effort. In the case of the GSX-R750, the compact powerplant allows narrower, more aerodynamic bodywork. That in tum allows a more efficient Suzuki Ram Air Direct induction system, which boosts engine performance. Suzuki's engineers are aware that each part affects the whole, and they work together to ensure that each part is integrated for peak performance. • Uquid cooling with double-overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder, with a short-stroke design for exceptional performance at high rpm • Transmission shafts are behind and below the crankshaft for a compact engine design Two Classics, Too Radical The Intruder 1400 and Intruder 800 are two classic cruisers with a long, low profile, designed to let you make a high-profile statement every time you ride. Both bikes offer radical styling that identifies them as incamations of the classic American cruiser. Both are designed to be equally at home on the boulevard or the long highways stretching across the plains to the wide-open West The major design elements are all there in spades: a 45-degree, V-twin engine with blacked-out treatment and polished fms, aggressively raked forks and a load of high-quality chrome. As striking as their styling is, the real fun begins when you climb on board. Both bikes have a spacious riding position that lets you kick back and settle in as the miles go by. When it comes to engine performance and reliability, the Intruder 1400 and Intruder 800 excel. Features • 45-degree, V-twin engine produces exceptional torque • Blacked-out engine treatment with polished rms • Wide-ratio five-speed transmission ideally matched to the engine's power characteristics • Wide handlebars and comfort seat for radical classic American Styling • Chrome reverse taper mufflers for a distinctive exhaust note and increased low rpm torque 48 MAY 8, 2002· cue I • n e _ so • SCEM, a nickel-silicon-carbide plating that replaces conventional cast-iron liners, allows a remarkably narrow engine design • Fully acljustable 43mm inverted forks provide smooth performance in a variety of track conditions