Motorcycle specifications SuzukiGSX-R 1000 2002 A reign without sharing

despite its sleek, taut styling, the 1000 GSX-R is hardly distinguishable from its 600 and 750 siblings . That's a long way from saying they're one and the same.

don't be fooled by the 4-digit sticker. Aside from the slightly specific deco and the wider tire (a 190 mm), the big Suz is best recognized by its front end: 6-piston brake calipers and Kayaba inverted forks treated with titanium nitrate.

and, as with all our bikes, the best is to be found inside. The GSX-R 1000 may not be any more intimidating than the 750, but underneath its exterior lies an engine packed with dynamite. 4 kg heavier than the 3/4-liter, it boasts an uncompromising 160 hp. With a dry weight of just 170 kgs, there's no need to draw you a picture - it's going to bleed. With the competition, a knot in the stomach has just formed. Fuel injection and a new dual throttle system per intake duct. One is controlled by the rider, the other by the electronic control unit, which manages it optimally. The titanium exhaust system features a valve called SET (Suzuki Exaust Tuning), similar to Yamaha's EXUP, which boosts low-end torque.

and for a 1000, it's very, very severe. The spark plug is available from 3000 rpm, full and available at all revs. It revs with incredible vigor. No inertia, watts everywhere, and a powerful engine behavior, almost violent but never brutal. The engine-makers didn't just add horsepower willy-nilly. The 160 horsepower are all there, fiery but also usable. The smoothness of the controls is matched by the flexibility of the block. There's none of the thundering character of the R1 's motorization, and so the bike is much more controllable coming out of corners or in the rain. If you now think the machine is easy, really screw on the handle... 1st: you're upright - 2nd: wheeling for 30 km - 3rd: it still lifts... Stop fooling around and judge the talents of this sporty bike on its favourite place: the track.

As the chassis is virtually identical to that of the 750, you'll find the same qualities. Quick to dive into corners, it's not as alert as a 600, but surprising for its size. Precise, very stable, not moving a muscle, it swallows the bend without batting an eyelid, then takes off again like a bullet. Traction is bluffing, and the speeds reached are demonic. The 1000 is at ease in slow sequences, less so in fast ones than its younger sibling (admittedly the benchmark among sports bikes). The high power output and, in part, the wide tire, require the rider to be firm with the beast. Mind you, it's not a cow at all - but it does require a certain amount of effort to steer it well, to make it change angle in the pif-pafs... and a good dose of technique and composure to exploit its full potential. It's still less physical than an R1, but has surprising potential for riders. A good straight line: 3.... 4.... 5.. 6 Look, sixth gear is already here!?!

The last 2 gears are very close. No doubt to prevent optimists from reaching mind-boggling speeds(the Hayabusa has left its mark...). The 750 speedometer is stuck at 299 km/h. Well, why not? But that doesn't stop the rev counter from continuing to climb. Good braking is essential, and this is where this super-sporty machine's main drawback comes to the fore. Braking power is more than generous, but its bite is less convincing (different pads should remedy this). Before the driver goes to smash his helmet into the bubble, he'll have appreciated the well-studied driving position, rather stooped but not so uncomfortable compared to its niche rivals.

let's not beat around the bush. The Suzuki GSX-R 1000 is a fantastic sports bike. Since it first appeared on the market and in the championships, it has twisted everything that rolls, won trophy after trophy, disgusted all the competition and driven thousands of bikers mad. Its only real flaw is its marked resemblance to other GSX-R models.

M.B - manufacturer's photos