At one point the dominating warrior in the AMA Superbike ranks, the Suzuki GSX-R750 is the lone relic of the 750cc In-line Four era. The Japanese marque has continued to develop the model, however, ensuring its continued success at a trackday weapon.
MSRP: $10,199
Weight: 413 lbs (Fuel empty)
MPG: 22 MPG (Track) / 33MPG (Street)
Konnichiwa, my name is
Suzuki GSX-R750 and I like to haul ass.
Yes, Mr. Gixxer was all new from the ground up in 2006 and remains unchanged for this year aside from minor alterations to the graphics. It shares the aggressive and aerodynamically correct MotoGP-inspired design and short, low-slung exhaust pipe with its smaller 600cc sibling. The best way to tell the models apart is by the "carbonized titanium" coating on the front fork and orange 750 stickers on the tail section.
Throw a leg over the three-quarter liter machine and you immediately notice just how intuitive the riding position is. With well spaced handlebars that are not as torturous as the ones on the 675, a low 31.9-inch seat height and three-way adjustable rider footpegs, my 6-foot tall frame was immediately comfortable. The Gixxer also features a tall windscreen, which allows the rider to tuck in easily and be completely removed from the effects of wind blast at high speed.
On the track, balance is the theme of the seven-five-zero. The 41mm Showa inverted front fork, which features adjustable preload, compression, and rebound damping, is paired with an equally adjustable Showa rear shock. This combination caps off a well sorted chassis with a stubby 55.1-inch wheelbase, 23.8 degrees of rake and 97mm of trail that allow the GSX-R to exhibit very controlled, neutral manners at speed. Only a slight push of the bar is required to initiate a turn and once it starts to turn-in, it does not fall into the corner, instead it leans over very predictably. This allows the rider to make accurate lean-angle adjustments on the fly and inspires confidence when pushing the bike hard.
"The bike transitions from side-to-side quickly which is similar to the 600," said MCUSA Editorial Director Ken Hutchison. "The Gixxer always feels very planted in both the sharper corners and the sweepers. Plus, it doesn't headshake whatsoever when driving hard out of corners. It's hard to find a flaw in its game but I would have to say it's just doesn't seem to be quite as sharp as the Triumph."
Despite the gushing praise, the Showa suspension package leaves a little to be desired in terms of road feel. The front end gives the rider an adequate amount of feedback in the delicate relationship between road and tire, but when compared with the 675 it comes up a bit short.
"The front end on the Triumph rocks," commented Hutchison "With the amount of feedback the 675 delivers, pushing the bike hard and getting closer to the limit seems easier on the Triumph."
The suspension package on the GSX-750 is top notch, providing excellent feel and feedback on both the track and street.
Grab a handful of the front brake lever and the GSX-R750 will scrub off speed with authority. Its radial-mounted Tokico four piston calipers grab onto a pair of 310mm rotors and, despite its rubber lines, the brakes continued to offer up consistent power and feel. The Suzuki's brakes deliver excellent performance, which allow the rider to brake deeper and deeper, lap after lap, as confidence grows with each successful entry.
"The Gixxer's got good brakes. I would like them to have a little more initial bite, but there is a lot of feel and power at the lever, so it is really a moot point. Overall I like the Suzuki's brakes better than the Triumph," said Hutch.
The GSX-R's potent chassis is paired to its legendary 749cc 16-valve, four-cylinder DOHC engine. The compact mill features a wide powerband, more akin to that of a 600 on steroids than a legit 1000.
"The Gixxer's powerband is smooth as a shot of Patron," muses the Tequila-infused Hutchison. "The power comes on smooth and has a bit of bite at the end but its good, really good. The beefy mid-range pulls pretty well before coming on even stronger up top. It has a decent amount of over-rev and power barely tapers off. It's a near-perfect blend between the slightly anemic power of a 600 and the brutish force of a 1000."
The GSX-R features a slick six-speed transmission that continues a long standing history of slick shifting bikes, although the gearing is pretty tall. On the street this wasn't so much of an issue once it's out of first; but on the track, when the objective is spot-on gear selection leading to seriously good drives out of the corner, it requires a bit of attention.
"Gearing is tall for here. It's near perfect on the street but here at Infineon I wish it had two or three more teeth on the rear sprocket so we could get the revs up faster," Hutch explains.
With its steering geometry and formidable suspension, the GSX-R750 transitions and leans into the corner with just a slight press on the bar.
Like all 07' Suzuki GSX-Rs, the 750 features a slipper clutch, which allows for idiot-proof downshifts no matter what you do to screw it up. The slipper clutch was especially useful at Infineon's ultra-slow, right-hand, 180-degree final corner, where the rider has to go from 110-plus mph down to first gear. It should be noted that although the Suzuki is equipped with a slipper clutch, it still has plenty of engine braking, a feature that seems to be a decreasing trend within the sportbike industry. This helps in the few moments of on-off throttle transition at the track. For racers this statement will be all but irrelevant but for the normal humans among us, this helps the GSX-R750 be one of the best track day bikes on the market.
The GSX-R750 has been around for a long time and it enjoys an unrivalled list of aftermarket accessories and performance parts to its credit. If you are looking for one of the best all around motorcycles to be your daily driver, hit a few trackdays and drive your big-bore buddies crazy in the canyons, then the GSX-R750 might be the bike of choice. However, if you'd like a little spice in your life, then the folks from Triumph have a bike you should take a look at.
