Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

THE LFTLE ON€ The engineers at Suzuki set out with a few goals when they put pencil to paper for the new 600. They wanted to centralize the mass, they wanted to improve rear-wheel raction, they wanted to create the feeling of an easier weight transfer flicking from side-to-side, and they wanted what they call the ''freedom of riding position." For starters they made the engine smaller. lt's now 20mm shorter in height and 54mm shorter in length, making it a much more compact package. The engine still displaces 599.4cc and its bore and stroke is unchanged from last year at 67 x 42.5mm. ln addition to getting shorter on both ends. the 600's powerplant also got thin- ner (l6mm) with the cylinder pitch nar- rowed up (from 80mm to 75mm) to accomplish that goal. The distance betlveen the intake pofts has also been decreased, ultimately allowing the throttle- body assembly to be more compact &d thus allowing rhe airbox. gas tank and fair- ing to be slimmer, Ditto for the frame, which is now 35mm narrower than the 2005 model. The smaller enSine makes for more room at the bottom, and that's where Suzuki runs its new "shorty" exhaust sys- tem - under the engine. A8ain, it Sets everything lower, with the exhaust system 236mm lower and l55mm .loser to the center of the bike, the exhaust gaining its length in frodt of the engine rather than at the rear of the bike. They also had to create some room for that new exhaust system within the chas- sis, so the rear suspension was changed, The Showa rear shock is shorter ( lSmm) and has both a smaller piston and rod diameter, though neither of that changes the rear-wheel tiavel and it remains at 5.21 inches. ln addition to it allowing for the space needed to run the pipes underneath. the GSX-R600 also gets an aluminum shock link. The "freedom of riding position" is obtained by shortening the fuel tank, moving the seat forward (from hip to hands, it's 30mm shorter overall) and lower and then adding odjustobre footpegs. That's correct. Adjustable. The pegs can now be adiusled in three positions, varying a tou of l4mm both vertically and hori- zonrally. The shift lever is also adjustable to work in conjunction with whatever footpeg changes are made. I a -.rI I To get a bit more traction for the rear, the swingarm on the 600 is now 35mm lonSer - thou8h wheelbase on the bike is unchanged, due to everything else Betting a bit more compact- The frame is now 44mm shorter, but the wheelbase still measures in at l4oomm. Styling on the new GSX-R has also been updated, again keeping with the theme of smaller and thinner.-. and ultimately more aerodynamic. The bike looks com- pletely different than last year's model, with a redesigned fairing, lights, et.. And the turn si8nals are now located in the mir- rors. But it's the MotoGP-like stubby exhaust that's the first thing that srrikes you visually. ln fact, when you look at the old model it's hard to believe that it's taken this long ro Be( rid of thar gaud/, big canrs- ter hanSing off the right side of the bike. The new package is short and cucks in nicely underneath. From the rear, the difference between the tlvo is vast. ln addition to hos qlso been sryling Siving the bike a different look over last year's bike, the restyled front section of the GSX-R600 also gives the bike more function. The ram-air ducts have been moved l5mm closer to the centerline, thanks to the repositioned (and still stacked) headlights, and since the center of the bike is where the highest air pres- sure is found, the Suzuki Ram-Air Direct (SRAD) system is made more ellective by Setting the ducts closer to the centerline of the bike. The cleanJooking instrument panel now features a gear-position indicator (like the GSX-R1000), which other than the wheel and fire, may iust be rhe best inven- tpn of all time. lt s deflnitely something that every spoftbike in the world should have. While it's great that the indicator works well, the same can't be said for the shift light, which is basically useless because it's located much too low on the panel. So much so that ir's basically covered up by throttle and brake cables. The rest of the panel work well, with an ana- log tach and digital LCD speedometer. Both are easy to read, even at speed. As for engine performance, Suzuki claims an increase of five horsepower over last year with less mechanical losses and a hiSher-cooling capacity (17 per- cent) - without fattening up the = One is good. Reolly good.And the other moy just be perfect- Welcome to Suzuki's sportbike nirvano. The frcntr oI the GSX-Rs qre difter€nt wirh the turn signolr now inlegrqted into lhe mirrors, ond lhe oir intqker moved more towqrd lha ccntc. of the bike. - CYCLE NEWS o MARCH 29, ?006 29 {} I fr ) L- JI - : ! - --6r. ), , 1

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