VOL. 52 ISSUE 38 SEPTEMBER 22, 2015 P59
This was a dark
period for the
GSX-R as it
was thoroughly
outclassed in the
early '90s.
1992
GSX-R750 W
Americans had even more right
to be pissed off at American Suzuki
in 1992 with news that the new
water-cooled engine that everyone
else was getting, wasn't coming to
the U.S. until 1993. As such, our 1992
GSX-Rs are the same as the 1991
models, just with different graphics.
So for 1992/'93 (U.S.), the GSX-R got
its hands on water-cooling, making
for a more powerful, slimmer unit
that pushed power to a claimed
118 horsepower. The chassis and
bodywork was essentially unchanged.
Over the next four years, the graphics
were restored to less offensive color
schemes (there was a lairy pink
and purple design), but by now the
GSX-R was getting long in the tooth.
The chassis design was old, having
only received updates since 1985;
the engine, despite water-cooling,
was old and heavy, and bikes like the
much lighter Yamaha YZF750R, faster
Kawasaki ZXR750 and legendary
Ducati 888 and 916s made the
Suzuki look outdated at best.
It was time for a new GSX-R, and
we got it in 1996.
