Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/824646
2017 SUZUKI GSX-R1000 FIRST TEST P110 Three allows for controllable slides without getting too gnarly, but although the traction is fine for me at that level, I find the wheelie control kicks in too much and doesn't allow me to carry it the way I'd like out of corners— very much like the CBR1000RR. Separate functions like the R1 and the Ducati in my mind are the way to go, I guess Suzuki and Honda have other ideas. The GSX-R1000 is a good track bike but where the 1000 has always shined in my eyes has been on the road. The Suzuki en- gineers build bikes for people to ride, not just race, so switching to the black stuff around Austin yields, well, nothing surprising. That's because the Suzuki GSX-R is still an excellent street- bike. The only discernable differ- ence at legal road speeds is the faster revving short-stroke engine and the lack of girth around the tank and seat. Everything else feels exactly as it was—right down the pattern on the handle- bar grips. The familiarity between lineages has always been a Suzuki trait, and the 2017 model continues that tradition. The issues I have on the track regarding braking power and fade don't even come to mind on the street. The lack of a quick- shifter does, but it's not a deal breaker—especially in Austin where it feels like I can't get out of fourth gear with all the traffic and lack of lane-splitting allowed. Comfort-wise, GSX-R isn't bad. Mind you, if you're buying a 1000cc sportbike for comfort, you're probably as tall as Dani Pedrosa. But at 6'1", I don't find the reach to the bars terribly uncomfortable, nor the pegs too high, or the 32.5-inch-tall seat too hard. However, give me the option of the GSX-R1000 or the GSX-S1000, and I'll be head for S town immediately. I'm getting old. In my mind, the road is where the Suzuki is going to win hearts. In a sheer power and tech race, there are other superbikes out there that simply have more on offer for straight-up track riding/ racing. However, the Suzuki comes in at a very respectable MSRP of $14,599 ($14,999 if you want ABS). That's $400 cheaper than the Yamaha YZF- R1S, a grand cheaper than the BMW S 1000 RR and two grand behind the base model Yamaha YZF-R1. If you never intend on adding some aftermarket bits to your bike, the Suzuki is going to be very hard to beat in the dollar stakes. Here's the critic in me. I'd have liked to see the GSX-R1000R be the base model, and for Suzuki to bring out a super special GSX- R1000RR! A really bad-ass bike like the Yamaha YZF-R1M or the Honda CBR1000RR SP2. Imag- ine that… Still, the 2017 GSX-R1000 is an excellent machine, and with three bikes on offer, Suzuki is once again back in the superbike game. CN 2017 SUZUKI GSX-R1000 ENGINE: ..Inline, four-cylinder, four-stroke DISPLACEMENT: ................................ 999cc BORE X STROKE: ....................76 x 55.1mm COMPRESSION RATIO: .......................13.2:1 FUEL SYSTEM: ..... EFI, 4 x 46mm throttle bodies EXHAUST: ..............................................4-2-1 TRANSMISSION: ......... Six-speed cassette CHASSIS: ..........Cast aluminum twin spar FRONT SUSPENSION: ....................... 43mm inverted Showa BPF fork with, rebound and compression damping adjustability. 4.7in travel. REAR SUSPENSION: ....Showa shock with spring preload, rebound and compres- sion damping adjustability. 5.3in travel. Front brake: Brembo Monobloc four piston, radially mounted caliper, 320mm disc REAR BRAKE: ..Nissin single piston, fixed caliper, 240mm disc FRONT TIRE: ........................... 120/70 ZR17 REAR TIRE: .............................190/55 ZR17 RAKE: ...................................................... 23° TRAIL: ................................................. 3.7 in. WHEELBASE: .......................................55.9° SEAT HEIGHT: .................................. 32.8 in. FUEL CAPACITY: ...............................4.2 gal WEIGHT: ................443 lb (curb, claimed). COLOR: ........ Metallic Matte Black No. 2 / Glass Sparkle Black, Pearl Mira Red, and Metallic Triton Blue MSRP: .............................................. $14,599 S P E C I F I C A T I O N S