VOL. 50 ISSUE 34 AUGUST 27, 2013
P97
2013 Suzuki GSX-R750
since 2001," recalls Steeves, who
as a young man earned his stunting
stripes aboard the 750. "They've
really dialed in that bike. It continues to be a bike that fits the bill be-
tween the 600 and the 1000."
Engine power sets the 750 far
apart in this shootout. The torque
and horsepower charts show the
distance of the 750 to the 600s
– as it follows the same power
curve, more or less (ignoring the
odd-ball Ducati Twin), but with
more oomph. Those additional
151cc bequeath an extra 21 ponies, turning the dyno drum to
126.65 horsepower and 55.52
lb-ft of torque. More cubes =
more power. Go figure!
"The seven-fitty puts out the
perfect amount of power in my
book," says Adey. "It's enough
to make a literbike sweat on the
straights while flirting with a 600
mid-corner."
"The power is fluent and consistent till 7-8K on the tach, then
she kicks in and the monster
comes out," notes Massimo.
"The 750 is entertaining to ride
on every type of road. Plenty of
horses to take advantage of and
they're easy to manage, with
good throttle response."
While the little Gixxer stood out
amongst its Japanese rivals for
its intake howl, the 750 does the
same – but with an even fiercer
sound signature.
"I was pleasantly surprised
by the airbox that gives her a
sound I have never heard on a
Japanese mid-size bike before,"
says Massimo. Adey agrees, noting: "The Gixxer's motor feels
smooth and competent. But it
sings a different song when you
wring its neck. It howls instead
of screams like its inline four
counterparts."
The 750 must be ridden a
little differently, compared to
the less powerful 600s. It still
prefers to be kept high in the
revs, but it can lug around in
lower rpm if need be. As such,
not as many shifts are required,
although the 750 drivetrain
rates second – on par with its
smooth-shifting sibling.
Despite the larger engine,
the 750's rolling chassis is
near identical. It sports the
same Showa suspension,
with BPF front. Our measured
curb weight for the 750 is 425
pounds, eight more than the
600. It's not enough to adversely affect handling – though
testers did rate the larger bike a
nick below the 600 Gixxer on
the scorecard.
"It's still a light feeling motorcycle, and the suspension offers the right blend of comfort
and sport," promises Adam,
who also notes. "The slipper
clutch works pretty good for
backing in maneuvers."
Like the handling, braking
performance also rates one
position behind the 600 – despite identical Brembo monobloc stoppers. The slight scoring
deficit in both categories may
