VOL. 54 ISSUE 11 MARCH 21, 2017 P25
NAKAGAMI AND FENATI
TOP FINAL QATAR TEST
T
akaaki Nakagami took the top spot in the final
Moto2 test under the floodlights of Qatar, posting
a 2:00.187 to finish ahead of Kalex rider Franco Mor-
bidelli by 0.053 seconds. Morbidelli's teammate,
2014 Moto3 World Champion Alex Marquez, ended
his preseason in P3 0.240 behind Nakagami.
Hafizh Syahrin was an impressive P4, with Miguel
Oliveira keeping the new KTM chassis in the top
five with a 2:00.861. His teammate, reigning Moto3
World Champion Brad Binder, was 1.6 seconds off
Nakagami in 20th as he returns from injury.
In Moto3, the returning Romano Fenati topped
the timesheets with a time of 2:06.690 ahead of
Jorge Martin by a tiny 0.039 margin. Third on the
timesheets was Aron Canet, again incredibly close
and only a further 0.020 behind.
Gabriel Rodrigo impressed to take fourth overall
with a 2:06.957, with Livio Loi locking out the top
five. Nicolo Bulega took sixth to complete an impres-
sive preseason, just in front of lightning fast rookie
Ayumu Sasaki. CN
SUZUKI TO REVAMP THE GSX-R750
T
he venerable Suzuki GSX-R750 is set to be
revamped for the 2019 model year. The machine
has not seen any updates since the 2011 machine
first appeared, and the introduction of Euro4 emis-
sions and ABS law means the current machine is no
longer eligible for new model sales.
Currently, the GSX-R750 competes in the Euro-
pean showrooms under "derogation" allowances,
which permits Suzuki to sell small numbers of non-
compliant, pre-2017 machines for a period of up to
two years.
With GSX-R600 sales nowhere near what they
were in Europe or the U.S., that model is likely to be
dropped by 2019. However the 750 won't be put out
to pasture as quickly. The model is still Suzuki's most
iconic sport bike, 32 years after it was introduced
in 1985. As such it has a firm place in the Suzuki
board's heart, so we're likely to see a new machine in
2019 or even as early as 2018 with enough updates
to keep it from the environmental axe for a few more
years.
The engine will need to comply with Euro4 targets,
as well as come with ABS. It's likely the new machine
will also get traction control and new suspension and
brakes, as well as updated styling.
Suzuki also has plans to revamp the Hayabusa—
another of its machines that does not comply with the
Euro4/ABS law—although it's unclear if this will come
before or after the release of the new GSX-R750. CN
Nakagami proved he has the speed in testing and
needs to deliver this year.
The Suzuki GSX-R750 ain't dead yet!
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
GOLD
&
GOOSE
