First Ride Review: 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000R

What have you done for me lately? That’s the name of the game in the world of superbikes. Face-melting performance, NASA-spec technology, and looks to kill must all be standard. Plus, unique: Or at least different enough from the others that the plumage shines brightly among the flock of exotics from around the world. So then, if you’re Suzuki and aiming to create the 2017 GSX-R1000 in the spitting image of a cutting-edge superbike and with enough brawn to proudly stand as the latest in what is arguably the greatest lineage in the history of sportbikes, your task is not easy.

Luckily for Suzuki, they have umpteen world and national championships over the course of the past three and a half decades to pull from in order to make the latest Gixxer the greatest. And luckily for me I have Ari Henning, our resident expert on all things motorcycle technology, who traveled to Japan and wrote a Tech Review of the new GSX-R1000 and GSX-R1000R, which you can read here. That story has all of the juicy details on the technical updates to the engine, chassis, aerodynamics, and electronics.

I, on the other hand, went to Australia to ride the new GSX-R1000R around the Phillip Island GP circuit, for the express purpose of learning how this new bike works. First things first, why the extra R? That’s the up-spec version of the 2017 GSX-R1000 line, and it means a Showa Balance Free Fork and shock (instead of a standard Showa shock and Big Piston Fork), Launch Control, a bi-directional quickshifter, and LED position lights flanking the LED headlight. Some show, some go.

The ergonomics on the new GXS-R1000 are essentially the same as before, but it feels smaller. Narrower bodywork helps that, visually at least, but also the thinner and smaller frame feels narrower between your knees from the saddle. It’s not as compact as the 2017 Honda CBR1000RR I just rode, but few bikes this side of a Panigale are. The ergos on GSX-R1000s have typically been a terrific compromise of comfort and aggression, and this new bike feels much the same. Lastly, it’s easy to move around on at speed, which we all know is key to a quick, easy lap.

After a couple of sessions aboard the 1000R, learning my way around one of the most epic and visceral racetracks I’ve ever ridden, I started to overwhelm the stock Bridgestone RS10’s rear grip. That meant lady luck and 10 levels of traction control were the only things keeping me from landing on my head. Since this is Suzuki’s first fully ride-by-wire, performance-oriented traction-control system, I was eager to experiment with it. I sampled levels 1 through 5 and found a very linear change in each setting. Level 5 was a little too conservative for me, whereas in level 2 I only threw myself out of the seat a couple of times before I realized that wasn’t the setting for me.

It came down to 3 and 4, the former allowing bigger slides and more laughing in my helmet, but truthfully level 4 was the one for me—satisfying smears of the rear tire exiting the many sweepers of Phillip Island, without the heart palpitations. I only mention level 1 because it was purely an experiment to escape the traction control limiting wheelies (a suggestion from a Suzuki engineer), which it does in every level except the first one. Suzuki was adamant that the 2017 GSX-R1000R does not include wheelie control, but because the TC uses front- and rear-wheel speed sensors to help determine when the bike is sliding, there is the side effect of inhibiting wheelies. I would love to see Suzuki apply a fully functional IMU that uses pitch data to limit wheelies and control anti-lift under braking. We've seen what those systems can do and it's magic.

The upshot with the traction control system is that it’s a little simplistic compared to some other brands but it’s a much-improved system both for safety and performance compared to what’s on the V-Strom 1000 and GSX-S1000, not to mention it puts a lot of adjustability in the rider’s hands. That’s a good thing. Frankly, by far the biggest difference that was made all day was swapping the showroom-spec Bridgestone RS10 rubber for R10 race tires. The stiffer R10 gave me much more confidence and allowed me to really trust the bike when peeling into corners.

Once the 2017 GSX-R1000R is mostly upright, it can unleash its full fury of 199 claimed horsepower. The VVT system (which changes intake cam timing above 10,000 rpm) engages seamlessly and the engine absolutely screams all the way to its 14,500-rpm redline. I hit the rev limiter numerous times on the front straight, for no other reason than the rush of power felt like it would keep coming forever. Get my shifts right and tuck in properly and the speedo would show 186 mph by the time I sat up for turn one. This new Gixxer is fast, and is smooth doing it.

I definitely wasn’t missing shifts an account of the new quickshifter—it’s excellent, and a seriously pleasant surprise on the new GSX-R. It’s not complicated or difficult technology, but Suzuki’s up/down system brings out the best of the Gixxer’s transmission, with buttery smooth gear changes whether putting along at a gentle street pace or flat out at a GP track.

When the time comes to stop, the GSX-R has the same fat, radial-mount Brembo calipers that it got in 2012, now squeezing 320mm rotors. I’m always sad to see rubber brake lines on a bike of this caliber, but the GSX-R’s binders are quite good. The ABS is not switchable, or adjustable, but Suzuki did pull the ABS fuse and let me try it with the system disabled. I preferred no ABS for track riding, but it served to show that the system wasn’t overbearing when it's on—rear wheel lift is apparent but other than that it stays out of the way and lets you ride fast.

An incredibly high-energy powerplant is something the new GSX-R1000 has on lock, there’s no question about that. But, the relationship of power to handling is exponential: It takes much more agility and poise to make up for just a little more power. Where the Suzuki hasn’t improved quite enough is overall weight. The ABS version of the 2017 GSX-R1000 is listed at 445 pounds—it’ll be about 5 pounds less for the non-ABS version and a couple of pounds more for the up-spec GSX-R1000R that I rode at Phillip Island.

The extra weight on the upgraded R model is likely due to the suspension. The Showa Balance Free Fork and shock are fancier and presumably add some feel (I didn’t ride the base-model GSX-R back-to-back so I can’t say for sure) but they also add a bit of heft. A few pounds here or there aren’t a huge issue, but considering how small this new Gixxer feels it’s a little heavier to steer than I was expecting. Then again, the GSX-R1000 has never been the scalpel of the superbike class. That title has always been reserved for Honda’s CBR1000RR and Ducati’s flagship Panigale, and for my money those two still stand above the rest as the lightest and most agile of the liter-class sportbikes.

From my day in the saddle flying around the Phillip Island circuit, it’s a clear improvement over any GSX-R1000 I can remember riding. Suzuki made big changes to the chassis—a 40mm longer swingarm, 16mm narrower bodywork, and fifteen more millimeters of wheelbase. Those are just a few examples of very real changes that affect the rider’s feel and perception of the bike, and the new GSX-R blends them well. The 2017 GSX-R1000R reminds me most of the Kawasaki ZX10-R—a compact riding position and generally good feel from the chassis.

The Gixxer feels like it might have a little more steam at the top of the revs than the ZX10, and that’s no accident. Laying down industrial amounts of power (especially a fat midrange punch) has always been a strong point of the GSX-R1000, due in part to historically using a relatively long stroke engine design. For 2017, the GSX-R1000 has a shorter (55.1mm) stroke and larger (76mm) bore, which matches the ZX10’s specs. Suzuki’s VVT system should give it a leg up, though, and it feels like it when you’re wide open above 10,000 rpm. Suzuki has found a way to change its outlook while maintaining the thrill ride, and that’s no easy feat.

Keep in mind, too, that I rode the GSX-R1000R with the up-spec suspension and a price tag of $16,999. That puts it right in line with other superbikes from around the world. What’s most impressive is that you can get a standard bike for $14,999 (or $14,599 without ABS), which still includes the VVT system and all of the R&D dollars that Suzuki has poured into the new bike. That’s a lot of engineering muscle to flex for $15K.

So, that’s what Suzuki has done for us lately. The team in Hamamatsu invented the sportbike 30 years ago, and at some points along the way it has seemed like they were resting on their laurels. It’s nice to see that the fire is still burning at Suzuki, and the GSX-R1000 is defending its title as the granddaddy of superbikes with more drive than ever.