Suzuki Gsx-R600

SUZUKI GSX-R600

QUICK RIDE

Middleweight prize-fighter

LAS VEGAS IS KNOWN AS A gambler’s paradise, but it’s also home to a stateof-the-art new racing facility where the motorcycle press was dealt its first ride aboard the 1997 Suzuki GSX-R600. Based on the year-old GSXR750 that handily won the AMA 750cc Supersport title, Suzuki’s new middleweight boasts a champion bloodline that makes it the odds-on favorite in the upcoming 600cc supersport wars.

Considering that the ’96 GSX-R750 weighed-in several pounds under existing 600s, Suzuki’s plan of attack for middleweight honors was as predictable as a Tyson/Holyfield rematch. For all intents and purposes, the GSX-R600 is a GSX-R750. It uses the same engine cases, the same twin-spar aluminum frame, the same bodywork and instrumentation. The result is a motorcycle that is easily mistaken for its larger stablemate, even from the saddle. Only when the throttle is twisted hard, is the illusion distilled.

Power comes via the same basic engine layout, with a smaller bore and stroke (65.5 x 44.5mm for the 600 versus 72.0 x 46.0mm for the 750) and smaller Mikuni downdraft carburetors (36mm rather than 39mm). The transmission also differs slightly, with a lower first gear and a smaller jump between fifth and sixth to better suit the 600’s power curve. Unfortunately, the 750’s drivetrain lash has carried over, as well.

Carburetion is crisp and vibration quite low, giving the bike an electric feel as it pulls through the rev range. Low-end power is plenty adequate for intown use, although not entirely linear in delivery-a sudden surge at 4000 rpm tapers off into a slight soft spot below 6000 rpm. Once above that mark, though, acceleration picks up quickly. Maintaining the revs between 9000 rpm and the 13,000-rpm redline produces enough oats to keep many a big bike at bay.

While the 600’s frame was liberated from the 750 parts bin, its running gear is quite different. A conventional 45mm cartridge fork substitutes for the 750’s inverted 43mm unit, while four-piston calipers stand-in for the 750’s six-pot stoppers. The 600’s non-braced swmgarm is 1 Omm shorter than the 750’s, cutting weight and cost. A .5-inch narrower (5.5-inch) rear wheel sporting a 180/55 Dunlop Sportmax II lays down the power. In all, the GSX-R600 weighs just 408 pounds without fuel, easily laying claim to class-lightweight honors.

A day spent lapping the new Las Vegas road course provided a favorable impression of the bike’s handling. The chassis feels balanced and stable, and the suspension is very compliant for a bike with seemingly limitless cornering clearance.

The 600’s steering characteristics are spot-on, without any of the twitchiness that the 750 possessed.

If you’ve got $7699 burning a hole in your pocket, we’d recommend that you stay away from the longshots and bet on Suzuki’s sure thing. -Don Canet