2016 INTERMOT – 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000R Unveiled

Suzuki has made its loyalists wait a long time to unveil its next generation litre-class star. It showcased the concept GSX-R1000R -- which looked almost production ready -- last year, and since then scribes and enthusiasts have been taking numerous guesses about the specifications. But at the 2016 INTERMOT motorcycle show, all the above assumptions came to an abrupt end as the 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000 was finally showcased in all its glory. The new motorcycle will be offered in two variants – standard and the GSX-R1000R. The styling of the motorcycle isn’t path breaking and Suzuki designers have tried to maintain the basic silhouette of the previous generation bike, with the major addition being the sleek LED headlight. 

Among the major highlights of the 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000R is the fact that it is the first superbike with Variable Valve Timing (VVT), which has been indigenously designed by Suzuki themselves. The VVT system was developed for their MotoGP bike and it is a mechanical system. The benefit of VVT is that it offers the rider good mid-range performance along with an extra zing in the top end of the power band. According to Suzuki, the new GSX-R1000R's inline-four motor is good enough for 200PS and 117Nm of peak torque.  

Moving forward, according to Suzuki, they tried the semi-active suspension on the new GSX-R1000R but they felt the conventional unit performed better. For this purpose, the 2017 GSX-R1000R features Showa’s excellent Balance Free Fork and Balance Free Cushion shock as seen on the new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R. The wheels have also been crafted from lightweight materials and ride on Bridgestone RS10 rubber for the R version. The frame and subframe are also lighter by over a kilo in comparison to the older bike. 

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With modern superbikes producing insane amounts of power, the need for advanced electronic safety is more of a necessity than a fancy feature. The 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000R gets three ride modes, a six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), 10-level traction control, banking-sensitive ABS, launch control and a bidirectional quickshifter (the standard variant doesn’t get the last two features). ABS can only be turned off with the race kit while, surprisingly, the quickshifter can’t be disengaged. Expect the 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000R to land on Indian shores by late next year via the CBU route.