News 27 Jan 2017

Review: 2017 Suzuki GSX-R750

CycleOnline.com.au tests the 2017 Suzuki GSX-R750 on the roads.

When Suzuki’s GSX-R750 was shown to the public for the first time in October 1984, the sportsbike world was turned on its head. Fast, light and great handling, it marked the start of the modern-age of sportsbikes where lighter, more compact and more powerful was better. This was an ethos that the Fireblade redefined in the 90s and the GSX-R1000 re-wrote in 2001.

The original formula of the first GSX-R is something Suzuki has maintained to this day. When superbikes grew to 1000cc at the start of the 2000s, Suzuki stuck by the 750.

Image: Alex Gobert (Foremost Media).

The world rode a crest of a wave of ‘bigger is better’ yet the 750 maintained a constant following. Post-GFC people became more discerning with their purchases and the pants fell out of the sportsbike market. At the same time the GSX-R750 maintained its popularity. Why? Because it was the bike that riders needed, the ‘thinking man’s’ sportsbike.

Thrown into the same development cycle of the GSX-R600, getting the same updates and improvements as it did, the GSX-R750 built a following of riders that wanted a sweet handling, strong-powered sportsbike that could keep its own with any bike on the road or track. Yep, who needs all this extra power and torque when you can’t use it? The 750 had, and still has, all that most riders will ever require.

Currently the L7 model is the longest-serving model variant and it is mostly the same bike that was revamped in 2011. A massive step forward when it was updated that year – a year after it was planned thanks to the GFC – Suzuki hinted that the model cycles would become longer, but we had no idea how long that would be!

Image: Alex Gobert (Foremost Media).

In terms of competition there is now MV Agusta’s three-cylinder F3 800 while everyone else is building four-cylinder 600s, three-cylinder 675s or 1000cc-plus superbikes. In racing there is no competition, but on the road every sportsbike is a competitor and the GSX-R750 still has what it takes to be the best of them.

The last six years has seen a lot of innovation in motorcycling electronics and in this respect the 750 is still in the analogue world – there’s no ABS, traction control or mode selectors. Barring a few models that haven’t landed in dealers yet, all the superbikes carry the latest and greatest electronic packages.

At the other end of the equation, most of the supersport machines don’t and that’s the case with the 750. While it gets the the sweeter handling of a supersport, the extra dose of power and torque it has on offer is impressive, not aggressive and the blend of both makes for a stunning performer on the racetrack and a weapon on the street.

Image: Alex Gobert (Foremost Media).

When you break down the numbers, with 110kW and 86Nm on offer the 750 has around 10 percent more power and 20 percent more torque than the 600. While power is something to boast about, torque is the more beneficial and there is no place where this matters more than on the road.

The characteristics of the engine are best described as a 600 with more power and no soft spots like you find most of all at low rpm. There is great drive off closed throttle when you are a gear too high and you use the throttle more than the gear lever as result of these different engine characteristics. When that happens you have a more enjoyable ride as a result, too.

As far as the chassis goes, you can feel it is bred on the racetrack with the ergonomic package no different to the supersport. Even so, Suzuki’s sportsbikes have always been comfortable as far as I can recall back to the 90s and there’s scope for adjustment in the footpeg hangers if you want it.

Image: Alex Gobert (Foremost Media).

The braking package has superb feel and excellent power. Compare them to today’s offerings – like the electronically-assisted set-up on the 2017 GSX-R1000 that’s about to be released next month – and they aren’t as ridiculously powerful. that said, you couldn’t ask more from the Brembo monoblock/Nissin rear combo in any situation you will throw at the 750 on the road.

The technology in the Showa BPF front suspension is still at the top of its game. Heavy braking is where it is at its strongest, while the stability of the whole package couldn’t be questioned on the bumpiest and tricky of back-roads I could find in the New South Wales Southern Highlands.

On the road or track, you’ll soon see that across the board it’s a hard act to follow in terms of a great sportsbike in both arenas. And what more do you want from a sportsbike if you aren’t going to go racing?

Specifications

Capacity: 649cc
Power: 110kW @ 13,200rpm
Torque: 86Nm @ 11,200rpm
Wet weight: 190kg
Seat height: 810mm
Price: $17,490 rideaway
Detailed specs: www.suzukimotorcycles.com.au

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