By Dean AdamsOver a year ago Suzuki leaked photos of the new then 2016 or 2017 GSXR-1000 streetbike to their friends in the media. They also showed a “concept bike” to the public at Europen shows.
At that time, Suzuki still had a World Superbike team and sources within that team suggested that the new GSX-R1000 would debut sometime late in the 2016 season.
In addition, at one point Yoshimura USA expected to have at least one new bike in testing by July of 2016.
The new GSX-R1000 is/was slated to have an updated engine and chassis. The concept bike displayed a variable valve timing engine (which Suzuki has been testing since at least the early 1990s) and updated electronics and suspension.
Since then, to use the Internet vernacular it’s been “crickets”. No more leaked to the media images, no photos of the bike being tested in Japan. Suzuki’s WSBK team morphed into the Yamaha WSBK team and their European racing exploits have been focused on World Endurance.
Insiders suggest that the new GSX-R1000 project continues at Suzuki and that it is obviously behind schedule for reasons that are unclear.
