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| Hell
Hath No Fury
Like Suzuki Scorned First Test: 2001 Suzuki GSX-R1000 by john ivy images by brian nelson
Long anticipated and eagerly awaited, Suzuki debuted its new open class warrior this weekend with a World Wide Press Corp launch at the Road Atlanta Motorsports Center. Expected to be available in March, the 2001 GSX-R1000 will definitely be worth the wait. While sharing the basic design concept of the 2000 GSX-R750, there are many unique aspects to the 2001 GSX-R1000. Kayaba suspension components are used front and rear, the 43mm gold colored front forks and trick titanium-nitride coated stanchion tubes being one of the first visual clues that you're looking at Suzuki's liter bike. The frame is more rigid than the 2000 GSX-R750, as is the swing-arm. Six piston Tokico front calipers supercede the four-pots used on the smaller GSX-Rs. A radiator type air-cooled oil cooler has been fitted rather than a water-cooled oil cooler. The increase in displacement is achieved primarily by stroking the GSX-R750 powerplant. The bore was enlarged 1mm but the stroke is 13mm longer. Suzuki claims a dry weight of 375 pounds and a full tank wet weight of 430 pounds. Similar power to the Hayabusa but a measly 100 pounds lighter. The exhaust head pipes and collector
are titanium which not only look beautiful but weigh over two and a half
pounds less than the stainless steel system used on the 2000 GSX-R750.
Usage of titanium in the muffler internal core pipes and mounting plates
saves even more weight. Suzuki has deployed a new variable exhaust tuning
system, S.E.T., in essence a servo controlled butterfly valve to dampen
exhaust pulses at low range rpm adding significantly to torque response.
The very effective Suzuki Dual Throttle Valve, S.D.T.V., system has been
updated by changing from a servo motor to a stepping motor and mounting
it directly to the throttle bodies replacing the cable controlled system
used on the earlier GSX-R750. Along with all these other acronyms, figure
in something for S.H.R.E.D. because that is the scenario for this bad-ass
GSX-R1000 in a word, it simply shreds.
Let's ride.
Saturday morning greeted us with temperatures in the forties, gray overcast skies and the possibility of precipitation. Not the ideal situation to come to terms with a new machine, but at least it's not wet. We are assigned individual motorcycles, cautioned that anybody crashing is instantly excused. Several go out before the weekend is over. With that, the party begins. Leaving the pits you can't help but feel the massive amount of torque available as the GSX-R1000 lofts the front wheel right off idle. Just a hint of things to come... This racetrack has a couple of infamous "jumps", one after turn five, the other after turn seven and it is nearly impossible for me to keep the front end down in these spots. The Suzuki GSX-R1000 is one of the hardest accelerating motorcycles I've ever ridden. The prodigious amounts of power on tap allow me to choose of any of three gears in most areas, so I'm short-shifting and climbing up onto the fuel tank, trying in vain to keep the front wheel reasonably close to the ground. I'm able to handle these spots better as I knock off laps and it becomes so very entertaining, no need to try and find the balance point as the fly-by-wire right hand connection allows me to hold the front wheel a foot off the ground for hundreds of yards, at quarter throttle... "Honey, they shrunk the racetrack" Or so it seems. Having recently tested Suzuki's' new GSX-R600 here at Road Atlanta I felt pretty familiar with the course layout, but the way the 2001 GSX-R1000 swallows up the back straight at Road Atlanta you would swear they removed a quarter mile of asphalt. I was bold enough to look down at the digital speedometer a couple times and its distracting to look down and to see the 180+ mph indicated speed.
The power is laid down thick, right off the bottom and builds up a head of steam like a freight train, with no dramatic spikes; its not a flat power curve, more a vertical one. The GSX-R1000 pulls hard, really hard, and feels stronger than the last Yamaha R1 I rode. Playing around with the throttle, its a gas to bust the rear wheel loose at, say 4-5,000 rpm, and then you have almost the whole power curve left to play with the slide, no worries about the rev limiter catching you out. The Kayaba suspenders do an admirable job of maintaining composure and the GSX-R1000 feels more stable and planted to me than the GSX-R600 I recently rode, the damping and spring rates pretty well matched up to this 998cc missile. The brakes are up to the task but lack some of the feel that the four piston calipers have on the GSX-R600. Bridgestone tires are the OEM fitted product, a BT-010 rear and a new design BT-011 front. Bridgestone has used a steel mono spiral belt instead of kevlar on this front tire and this yields noticeably increased compliance. The tires are superb and measure up to the needs of the GSX-R1000. As day one of the press launch wraps up, I feel I still have unfinished business with this delightful 2001 GSX-R1000 and look forward to having a night to let things simmer in my mind. Rain, rain, go away Waking up to colder temperatures and rain on Sunday was a cause for concern, as the GSX-R1000 definitely has the ability to get out of hand in the dry, and the now that I am fully aware of the 140+ horsepower and face a wet racetrack with elevation and camber variations...well, it weighs heavily on my mind. The Suzuki staff keeps us in a holding pattern for the morning, concerned about losing any of the twenty some-odd motorcycles to crash damage, because there are several more waves of press to come in during the rest of the week. The rain stops but high humidity means the track is not drying out. After a few discussions we are allowed to ride, but everyone is concerned.
I have the opportunity to talk to Kevin Schwantz, any advice I can gleam from the World Champion really helps in these situations. I digest what he has to say and its time to hit the wet track. The first few laps feel better than expected so I start to pick up the pace a little. The fuel injection has been nailed down perfectly which really helps me to be smooth rolling on and off throttle. Easy into the corners and then roll it off the exits and the Bridgestones hook up, nice wheelies in the wet. I'm getting too confident. Coming off the back straight I brake a bit early and tip it left into the chicane, but I'm early and I just touch the paint at the apex. The bars flop and fold and--oh shit--its gone, I'm a cooked goose for sure, but then the Suzuki gathers itself back up and I'm spared a very ugly situation. Under the bridge and down the big sweeper onto the front straight and the rear comes around as I throttle up. This is like playing with explosives and I'm tempted to bring it in and quit while I'm ahead but I knock it back about 10 percent and watch my lines a whole lot closer. In the afternoon, a dry line starts to develop and this is a very good thing, a chance to ride without rubbing the rosary beads every other turn. I start to feel much more at home on the GSX-R1000 and really enjoying the ride. I'm becoming somewhat used to the power delivery and that is something not to be rushed into, the horsepower starts to feel like a friend instead of a potential bite-me factor. Schwantz joins the group for a bit and its very cool to even be on the track with the guy. Of course the day is almost over and myself and everyone else is a bit frustrated that we can't continue exploring the envelope that is the 2001GSX-R1000. The bike was fantastic, both in dry and wet conditions. I'm left wanting. The open class ranks have a new member and Suzuki has slotted in its new entry at the top of the ladder. Suzuki has been sort of an also ran in the liter bike wars recently, but with this bike, they're instant members of a very select group. Are you the type of rider who needs the fastest, bad-ass motorcycle on the block? Too much horsepower is merley a starting point for you? Then the GSX-R1000 is the bike you'll save your pennies to buy. Ends Specs:
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