2002 Suzuki GSX-R600 (1)

So the new GSXR 600 leans casually on its stand looking like it’s doin’ 90 standing still – maybe its the Telefonica graphics, the luminous green chequered flag on the electric blue paint or just the sharp styling of the whole package ,anyway ,whatever it is it sure does it for me and I have a feeling it would still do it if it was wearing a coat of grey primer.

Most people who stop for a look seem to agree with my thoughts on the styling, with more than one comment from the non-bike type like " that tank looks huge " and a few others expecting it to be more than it’s 600 ccs, maybe this is because it shares a lot of equipment with it’s bigger brothers in the GSXR range ,and so is physically quite big ,a good feeling I think for owners of the 600 but maybe not if you own the thou?

One thing that’s not huge is the end can on the new for 2002 stainless exhaust system, what a relief. I don’t feel I have to change to a race can straight away as this ones not to big and ugly, so how come Suzuki manage to fit a decent size can and pass all the noise tests when others like Honda with their CBR 600 for instance have to fit a bin on the side that would look better on a council lamp post ? Don’t Know mate ! Don’t ask me.

Okay then, flick a leg over, turn the key and hit the button or rather before I get a chance to ,the dash comes alive, lights flash and various whirring noises let you know the fuel injections ready to smack yer bitch up, nice ! And faintly reminiscent of power valves cleaning themselves which was always a prelude to paradise in days of old.

This thought alone has raised my heartbeat in anticipation. Once started I’m surprised by its eagerness to build revs as it warms up, a little blip of the throttle and the needle bounces round the white faced dial like a new power ball headin’ for the bushes, and it sounds spot on too, not too loud but not muffled either, pulling away is no big drama and doesn’t require loads of revs and slipping of clutch that you might expect from a ‘peaky ‘ 600, in fact once your on your way it all feels a bit sensible , short shifting about 6000 you realise there’s nothin’ peaky about this motor at all, nice n’ smooth with no nasty surprises although there was a small but noticeable stutter if you held it around the four thousand mark, maybe just a slight fuelling glitch affecting this 2000km example alone, who knows?

It wasn’t a big problem and could be ridden through easy enough, still, a bit annoying getting back on the gas mid round-about all the same. This little hick up is soon forgotten once you get out of town and start using the motor in the manor to which it will become accustomed.

Wow! Forget 4000 revs I don’t think I’ll be back that way again, any where above seven is where I want to be, and from 10 to 14,000 this little bike just flies easy jet, tacking you to places only previously visited by big B.A types at twice the price,how do they do that ?

And you notice I called it a " little bike " there, strange but that’s how it feels when your really moving and flicking it from side to side through some fast A-road sweepers like its an RS 250 ,effortless is the word, and it makes you feel better than you actually are, good and bad at the same time that , but honestly it never feels like its going to get out of shape and inspires so much confidence to go faster ,turn harder and lean further. The impressive quality of the basic looking suspension makes all this possible even on bumpy roads where your mate on his R1 will be feathering the throttle yours will be wrung to the stop making up for any horsepower deficiency.

Then just when its conned you into thinking its a small and light race bike you notice nothing aches yet and the seats still feels quite comfy and there’s plenty of room to move around, yes, you could definitely tour on this no problem, bloody hell it even has luggage hooks on the sub frame, I reckon the CBR sales figures are going to take a right kicking from this dare I say it , all-round.

But , and there’s always a but hanging round every corner ,or should that be a bum, could be , any way it will probably be yours fully retracted the first time you hit the brakes in ernest and realise they dont do much, the initial sensation of the lever sponging back to the bar like the bleed nipples open is not pleasant to say the least , although they do slow you ,eventually ,all be it with little feel. This is something that can be improved easy enough and the first thing on the ‘to do’ list, next on the list is probably the steering damper , I’ve heard grumbles about it before and just thought the testers were being picky, what do they expect from a non adjustable original equipment damper? Well more than this would be the answer ,it really spoils the slow speed steering and makes it feel like the front tyres losing air mid corner. Dump it !

GSXR’s are designed with the race track in mind so with the race track on my mind I changed the Pirellis for Dunlop D207 RR’s, fitted some HEL hoses with EBC pads and a W.P steering damper in place of the fore mentioned bullworker and just in case fitted some Moko crash protectors and very happy with my new purchases put the bike in the back of the van and headed for Zolder in Belgium.