1985 SUZUKI GSX-R750 SUPERSTOCK
RACER TEST
P64
the true privateers," says Cox.
"The bikes needed to be proper
racers, which is why we let
them run slick tires and gave
complete freedom for brakes
and suspension, including the
swingarm. But it was important
we retained the silhouette of
the stock model, so they had to
run standard bodywork and you
weren't allowed to alter the main
frame loop—no cut 'n' shut on
the steering head, for example.
However, the most important
thing was the engine had to
be 100-percent stock, and that
included the carbs—we caught
Yamaha machining theirs and
turning them into smoothbores,
for example, which meant Steve
Parrish got kicked out of the
results at Snetterton! The result
was that impecunious privateers
like Trevor Nation or Terry
Rymer, whose dad prepared
the bike in the garage behind
their home, could compete
with the better funded importer
entries, and win races. That's
why I called it Superstock—
Superbike chassis mods, but
stock engines. It seems like the
name caught on—as well as the
concept!"
Indeed so.
However, there was still
one way that an importer team
had an edge over its customer
rivals, and that was when it
