Gsx-R

GSX-R

CODE NAME FOR RACING

SUZUKI’S GSX-RS HAVE RESHAPED MOTORCYCLING IN the last few years. First, they created an outer-limits definition of the term “sportbike”: According to the GSX-R dictionary, a sportbike is simply a racebike, lightweight, spartan and fast, fitted with lights. Once that was understood, GSX-Rs then reshaped American roadracing with another new definition: A racebike is simply a Suzuki GSX-R, with the lights removed.

Go to a Superbike national, and not only are the Yoshimura Suzukis likely to be setting fast time in front of the Honda team, but the field of privateers behind the factory bikes is largely mounted on Suzuki GSX-Rs, as well. Go to a club race, and you're met with a sea of GSXRs: At some events, every other motorcycle is a Suzuki, and it’s the rare rider who tries a different mount in the 750 Production class.

There are reasons beyond the hardware for the predominance of Suzukis in racing. The contingency money that Suzuki pays certainly has attracted riders to the brand, and even brought talents such as Doug Polen out of retirement. And on the Superbike scene, the close cooperation between Yoshimura and the Suzuki factory has led to readily available, high-quality hop-up parts that can turn a GSX-R streetbike into a competitive Superbike, at a price within reach of the average competitor.

But all the contingency money and factory support in the world wouldn’t have made any difference if the original GSX-R750 and 1 100 hadn’t been such outstanding designs, a balance of simplicity, rider friendliness and high performance that was something new to motorcycling. One national rider describes how he had only $6000 invested in his 1986 GSX-R Superbike, but the machine still was almost guaranteed to finish in the top ten if he only rode it well. Another tells of how forgiving his GSX-R racebike was compared to other machines; usually, frontwheel slides on the GSX-R only resulted in a slight quickening of the pulse rate, and not a crash. Reasons like these are why standard Suzuki GSX-Rs have been the foundation of an entire racing era.

For 1988, Suzuki has crafted a replacement for the GSX-R750, a new bike that appears to begin where the previous one left off. As we examine this newest GSX-R. it also seems an appropriate time to look at some of the most successful racebikes, as well as some of the astoundingly fast street hot-rods, that have sprung from the revolutionary GSX-R series.

So, on the following pages we present, for your entertainment, an up-close-and-personal look at some of the best of the GSX-Rs-the bikes that have become synonymous with racing.