Suzuki's Two-Wheeled Rocket Ship

I'm not going to tell you how fast Suzuki's new GSX-R1000 travels. I will tell you that this feather light (375 pound), 988cc two-wheel rocket ship with its four stroke, four cylinder, 16 -valve engine is the fastest legal super sport bike on the market today. In fact, most early estimates are that the GSX-R1000 puts out 10-15 more horsepower than last year's speed demon, the Yamaha R1.
Developed by the GSX-R750 design team, the GSX-R1000 isn't much bigger than the GSX-R750. It weighs only 10 pounds more, with nearly identical wheelbase, width and length. External dimensions, though, don't tell the whole story. The GSX-R1000 has its own measurements, calculated to match its increased power output. Its new twin-spar aluminum alloy frame is beefier and it has a slightly longer swing arm, which puts more weight on the front wheel. Rake and trail mirror the GSX-R750's, as do the seating position and the relationship between the handlebar, seat and footpegs. One other thing the GSX-R1000 shares with the GSX-R750 is the response it gets when you ride it.

To help provide controlled responsiveness in tight turns as well as high-speed sweepers, the GSX-R1000 features fully adjustable inverted cartridge front forks and a fully adjustable piggyback-reservoir shock in the rear. It also has lighter six-piston front brake calipers, a lighter and smaller rear caliper, a larger rear wheel and tire, and a larger drive chain.

Like the chassis, the GSX-R1000's engine is externally nearly identical to the GSX-R750's. It's the same width, and just 14mm taller and 6mm longer front-to-rear. Inside, though, it has a one-millimeter larger bore and 13-millimeter longer stroke, which helps it produce incredible power across an extremely wide powerband.

The GSX-R1000 also incorporates some all-new designs. It has an all-new digitally controlled Suzuki Exhaust Tuning system, which uses a butterfly valve to change the volume of the exhaust system. It actually tunes the exhaust pipe to suit running conditions and improve torque across the powerband. It also features a refined version of the GSX-R750's Suzuki Dual Throttle Valve (SDTV) fuel injection system, with a computer-operated secondary throttle butterfly valve in each throttle body. Basically, this system allows it to operate like a digital constant-velocity carburetor, with smooth throttle response even if you open the throttle quickly at relatively low engine rpm.

It sells for $10,400.

GSX-R1000 Specifications