2011: What's Just Over the Horizon?
2011 : What's just over the horizon?
ROUNDUP
Suzuki GSX-R600/750
A sneak peek at the newest Gixxer
LOOKS LIKE SUZUKI WENT AND DID IT AGAIN-AMP;AMP;#X2014;SHRUNK THE GSX-R, that is. This spy photo, shot mid-September in Southern California during a closed-gate racetrack testing session, reveals what appears to be an even more compact sporting platform from the Japanese bike maker. Either that, or Suzuki has hired ex-professional basketball players to sort out final suspension settings on its latest, greatest repli-racers.
Suzuki didn’t bring in a 2010 GSX-R600, 750 or 1000 last year. That’s expected to change this time around, at least in the case of the 600 and 750, which have for a number of years differed for the most part only in the displacements of their liquid-cooled, dohc, 16-valve four-cylinder engines.
One of the obvious areas of dissimilarity between the previous model and this new machine is the front brakes. This new model appears to wear completely different calipers. They’re still radially mounted but chunkier and possibly more rigid.
There are clear differences, as well, in the ram-air intakes in the upper fairing, in the shape of the headlight and the contour of the top of the windscreen. The tailsection is whisker-thin. Passengers beware.
Suzuki is expected to reveal its entire 2011 lineup in early October at its Las Vegas dealer show.
Matthew Miles
Kawasaki Z750R
Naked middleweight with European roots
KAWASAKI'S L75O HAS BEEN ONE OF EUROPE'S MOST SUCcessful naked middleweights. The three-quarter-liter inline-Four is a good all-around performer, efficient and versatile, nicely styled and finished. Last year, however, sales dipped sharply, due in part to the worldwide economic crisis and changes in market tastes.
In response, Kawasaki’s European branch urged management in Japan to take appropriate action to hold its position in this critical segment. Their response is the 2011 Z750R. This “R” is a natural evolution of the Z750, which remains for sale as an entry-level model. This version was developed as a private owner would have done it himself, adding stateof-the-art components that didn’t require major reworking or machining but would result in a higher level of performance while dramatically altering the bike’s appearance.
A pair from Pigging
A look back and a step formward
PIAGGIO HAS UNVEILED TWO NEW 2011 MODELS. ONE COMES from limping Moto Guzzi, the second from Aprilia. Moto Guzzi has developed yet another variation on the V7 Classic theme, a claimed-48-horsepower, V75-powered mid dleweight that mimics the lines of the legendary V7 Sport. Technically, the V7 Racer only introduces a new conventional 40mm Marzocchi fork and Bitubo shocks. The real allure is the graphics, which feature a red-painted frame, swingarm (like the first produc tion V7 Sport) and wheel hubs. The original-style gas tank is polished and chromed. Clip-on handlebars. a mini fairing, billet toot controls and a solo seat with number plates complete the package. The Dorsoduro 1200 is an other story. It's powered by a 106 x 67.8mm, twin-spark evolution of the compact, light and modern 1-'iaggio/ Aprilia four-valve-per-cylinder, 90-degree V-Twin. Output is conservatively announced at 130 hp at 8700 rpm, with 84.9 ft-lb. of peak torque at 7200 rpm.
Naturally, the chassis is an evolution of the 1)orsoduro 750's, which was well-suited to the power and torque delivered by the original engine. A 43mm inverted Sachs fork complements a piggyback-style, cantilevered shock. Braking is by Brembo. with top-class 320mm rotors pinched by radial-mount calipers.
Bruno dePato
The engine remains the same reliable and tractable, liquid-cooled, dohc, 16-valve, 748cc Four fed by 32mm Keihin throttle bodies. Power claims are 106 hp at 10,500 rpm with 57.8 ft.-lb. of peak torque at 8300 rpm.
That engine is harnessed by the Z750 chassis, unchanged in geometry or structure, but with better brakes, suspen sion and rolling gear. The inverted 41mm fork, inherited from the 2009 Z1000, is adjustable for spring preload and rebound damping. The swingarm is new, fabricated from cast and stamped aluminum elements and actuating a piggyback-style shock, which is also adjustable for preload and rebound.
The entire braking system has been upgraded. Up front, 300mm rotors are teamed with four-piston radial-mount cali pers. The rear rotor is sized down to 250mm and the caliper is a floating single-piston unit. All rotors are thicker, up from 4.5mm to 6.0, and have a daisy-style design. Brake lines are steel-braided, and ABS is available.
Styling is sharper, with a new bikini fairing and updated instrumentation. The front fender and the massive, Z1000like muffler are also new. Options include an Akrapovic exhaust, a suede-trimmed sport seat, a spoiler and imita tion carbon-fiber add-ons. Two-tone or matte-black paint schemes contribute to the edgy new look, making the Z750R a very desirable naked bike.
Bruno dePrato
