Motorcycle specifications SuzukiGSR 600 2009 Anabolic bandit

a name: GSR. That's it, and it's big. For with these 3 letters, the manufacturer unveils a new breed of machine in its range: that of the ebullient roadster. GSF and GSX are the names of the Hamamatsu-based manufacturer's roadsters; R stands for sports bikes. This new name being the combination of the others, it's easy to imagine the concept: a Naked machine with a sporty mill.

you're familiar with the famous Bandit, an excellent bike but not quite in the same league as the Honda Hornet, Kawasaki Z 750 and Yamaha FZ6. It lacks an aggressive edge and some twenty horsepower. With this GSR, Suz has entered this niche with arguments that seem likely to hit the bull's-eye. The innovative chassis would be right at home on a medium-displacement sportsbike: a handsome aluminum perimeter frame anchored by a huge, reinforced swingarm.

so, there will be watts. Those of the 2005 600 GSX-R 's boiler, with a mapping more suited to a roadster. A little more torque and roundness at lower revs, and power revised to around 100hp. It's the design that's going to make the difference. And here, it's very pleasing. From the front, you can make out the inspiration of the B-King show proto (a crazy Goldorak-like thing with a Hayabusa engine and compressor).

the silhouette, on the other hand, is chunky, with rugby shoulders that integrate the turn signals and a sporty hindquarters. Under the seat, nothing less than an MV-Agusta F4-style exhaust system... Well, almost - the 2 flutes releasing the throttle surround lights encircled by a ring imitating 2 other nozzles. Even the rear blinkers have been the subject of a styling study, a welcome change from the usual orange bits of plastic. The GSR has a hell of a b... and, let's hope, a hell of a temperament. The instrument panel is ultra-complete, with the added bonus of gear indication (like the new GSX-Rs). Only its design lacks inspiration and cachet. But once you've seen it up close, you'll want to take it for a spin.

test ride :

unless you want the engine of the 600 GSX-R in a roadster at all costs, it's not the choice of engine that will make the difference with the FZ6 or Hornet. All 3 are equipped with a 4-cylinder supersport engine developing almost the same power, and all have the same character trait: not very full at the bottom, and a lot of potato at the top... but good at the top.
This typical 600 cm3 trademark can vary considerably depending on the boiler. And while the GSR's boiler doesn't really stand out technically from the others, it graces the user with a remarkable smoothness, superior to that of its rivals. At around 7,000 rpm, it starts to get excited, and from 10,000 to 13,000 rpm, it flies off the handlebars and turbines with the most severe enthusiasm of any roadster in its class. The GSX-R's reputation is well and truly in its bowels. There's just one relatively painful bone to pick: you'll need to revise one or two parameters in the injection control unit. When you throttle back, the engine catches the hiccups and passes them on to the transmission. A pity.

those who like to be reassured by a rigorous chassis will appreciate the GSR's unflappable stability. The wise values of the chassis clearly define this quality... which will be reflected elsewhere. Stability comes at a price, and on the GSR, it's agility that pays the price. The front end lacks liveliness and requires more authority from the rider than the Yamaha or Honda. It's a pity that the GSR's steering and precision demand an obvious muscular willpower from the sporty rider. But there's nothing wrong with having to push it a bit, to assert your virility on the machine ;-)))
These roadster troublemakers had accustomed us to near-Spartan comfort. Suzuki has understood all this, and the GSR offers not only a real seat with good foam inside, but also suspension systems that take in the roughness of the road, instead of throwing it into your arms and back. The new Suz scores points for comfort... if only it weren't for the hiccups caused by fuel injection.

all in all, with the GSR, Suzuki does no better or worse than existing benchmarks. The more cheerful engine doesn't have a case completely suited to its pretensions. Overall comfort, above the rest, is undermined by the engine's response to re-acceleration and the front brake's lack of diplomacy. Of course, it's the looks that will appeal to you more than anything else.

* And even young people can ride it, as the GSR is offered in a 34hp version.

M.B
(Test text inspired by V. Vallon's article - Moto-Journal n° 1 692
manufacturer's photos)