Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

~ST LO 0 Kt:lL2_0_06_G_SX_-R_6_0--.:.0,_G_S_X-_R_75_0 GSX-R600 _ Stepping It up Again Suzuki introduces two new GSX-Rs for 2006, hoping to climb back on the Supersport podium. By BLAKE CONNER PHOTOS COURTESY OF SUZUKI With the success of this y_r 1000,.' figures that Suzuki would come out with an updated GSX-R600 ariel 750 • u.ing most of the trick stuH thot mode the 1000 so good. he GSX-R line of sportbikes needs no introduction. They have been at or near the top of sportbike enthusiasts' wish lists for 20 years. The ebb and flow of the market may change, but the Suzuki GSX-R600 and GSX-R7S0 always seem to be near the top. In 2004, the then-new GSX-R600 won the Cycle News Middleweight Shootout, while the '04 GSXR750 proved that there was still space on the showroom floors for a 750cc inline-four. Despite the GSX-R's success as a street bike, for some reason that didn't translate to the racetrack quite as easily. The GSXR600 has downright struggled in both AMA Supersport and World Supersport competition the past two years. The GSX-R has yet to win a race in either series in 2005, with Ben Spies ending up fourth in the AMA Supersport Series and Spaniard Javi T res currently the top Suzuki (sitting eighth) in World Supersport. So it is no surprise that Suzuki has opted Significantly update the 600 for 2006. At same time, however, Suzuki has opted to update the extremely similar, and still popular, 750. We have very limited details from Suzuki on the bikes, but a careful look at the photos, a bit of speculation (based on changes to the 1000 in 2005), and a very basic specifications sheet should answer a lot of the questions. The motor on the 2005 GSX-R600 was seriously down on power, and especially in the midrange. This makes getting a good rive off the corner much more difficult. So you can rest assured that the motors on both the 600 and 750 were seriously reworked. From the photos, we can see from the position of the clutch basket that the motor has been physically changed and now looks shorter and more compact. Suzuki has a tendency to carry changes over from other bikes in their lineup, like last year's new GSX-R I000. So here are some things to expect from the new powerplants. The new 600/750 will most likely move to a twin-injector setup similar to what Honda has already had for years on its CBR600RR. We would be very surprised if both bikes weren't eqUipped with slipper clutches similar to the 10005. We also noted from the photos that the tank is now a split deSign for easier airbox access, which would lead us to the conclusion that the ram-air system and airbox are brand new. Bore-and-stroke dimensions are exactly the same, but there is no indication 24 SEPTEMBER 28, 2005 • CYCLE NEWS (from the spec sheet) of whether or not the compression ratio has been increased or not. The radiator looks to be a new design, which should help improve performance. The most obvious and outward change is the new muffler design that, like the recently released photos of the '06 Yamaha R6, has a midmounted shorty exhaust canister. This should not only improve aerodynamics but also lower the bike's center of gravity. It is also very likely that they've fitted an exhaust valve similar to the 1000's and similar to the one on the new Yamaha R6 to help improve midrange power response. The chassis has been changed on both bikes as well, with what appears to be a brand-new twin-spar aluminum frame that features a new swingarm. The sWingarm's length has probably been increased for improved traction and handling, which was allowed by the shorter, more compact motor. The rear subframe is a new die-cast design similar to the 1000's, which should be lighter and allow the engineers more freedom in shape. The front ends of both bikes feature new geometry, with 23.8 degrees of rake instead of 24 and 97mm of trail, up from 93. The fork on the 750 receives the titanium nitride coating that the I000 received last year, but the 600 will have to do without. The brakes on both bikes have been changed and now feature larger 3 10mm dual rotors up front instead of the 300mm units on last year's models. The wheels on both bikes appear to be the lighter units that were introduced on the 1000 last year and are color-matched to the bike's paint. The bodywork on the bike is new, with a lot more venting from the side fairings. The front cowl is new, as is the design of the headlight. The mirrors have the turn Signals integrated into them. The mirror adjusts like the units on the 1000 inside of the housing so that the signals stay in a fixed position. The rear tail section is much slimmer and aerodynamic like the unit on last year's 1000 and also features integrated turn signals. Seat height is lowered to 3 I. 9 inches from 32.5, which indicates that the entire bike is much shorter. Most of the changes are shared between the 600 and 750, other than the ones indicated above and the obvious differences in displacement and the internal engine architecture. There is no indication on MSRP as of yet, and the only photos available are the ones you see here. As soon as we have more information and get a chance to ride the new bikes, we'll eN have a full report. Although informotion on the new bikes is limited, the GSX-Rs should be improved enough to make them ultracompetitive agoin in Supersport competition worldwide.

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