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We went out on a difficult track like Mugello to find out more about how the new Suzuki sport bike works. For the GSX-R, completely revamped this year, we needed an exceptional tester to better understand the secrets of this new model. We asked for a hand from Kevin Schwantz, unforgotten 500 World Champion with Suzuki in 1993.
A day at the track with him and a chat between two enthusiasts astride the "Gixxer":
Kevin, from the 180 HP of your glorious RGV to the 200 of this GSX-R. What were your sensations today on the track?
"This bike does the 3 basic things that a Suzuki and especially a GSX, knows how to do well: run, turn, stop."
What impressed you the most?
"For me it is almost perfect. The braking is good, the handling is good, the cornering, the direction change and the power with the variable valve timing (the new VVT) is absolutely amazing."
The engine doesn’t give the sensation of pushing hard, and yet if you do some laps...
"Suzuki went bigger bore and shorter stroke with the engine and a lot of people seem to think that that just means a very high revving, not a lot of torque type engine, but the variable valve timing completely changes the feel of the motorcycle. It’s got power from 9000 all the way up through just past 14500.
It is very powerful at high revs and yet in the mid-range we noticed good torque. The VVT does its job very well, don’t you think?
"I can’t believe the amount of mid-range and the amount of torque that this engine produces and still revs as much as it does. It almost has an electric feeling with a very linear power curve. It is very controllable and easy to race."
For more information on the new GSX-R 1000 , click on the TEST VIDEO.
