Suzuki GSX-R1000

Phillip Island. Fast. Scary fast. The best of the world's press gathered, all itching to get aboard arguably the fastest sports bike on the planet. All the elements to get your attention. I've been around there a thousand times now, but it still creates butterflies every time.

First a little history. Remember the 750cc bike? Remember how three-quarters of a litre used to represent the pinnacle of what we expected from narrow focus sports tackle? Then came the FireBlade, the R1, the original GSX-R1000 - all given a kick along in the showroom shootout by world Superbike regulations that saw the across-the-frame 750 fours look limp when chasing 1000cc V-twins. While we can argue the fairness of that (and I'm happy to throw myself into the corner of the "contrived, odds-stacked, unfair, you're flippin' kidding" team, but that's another editorial) the fact is we wanted more. And didn't we get it...

Now it's litre bikes. Not big, fat, heavy horsepower-rich-but-handling-poor grunters like the GSX-R1100 and FZR1000. No, svelte, technology-stacked, envelope-pushing, hotties. With all the gear. Oh, yes we wanted all that Japan inc could give us. Well, we've got it and the GSX-R1000 of 2003 takes the whole deal even further.

USER-FRIENDLINESS
Ergonomics are the big winner on the new Suzuki flagship. The narrower 18lt tank allows the rider to climb from side to side with ridiculous ease (as good as any sports weapon on the market). It all adds up to a much 'smaller' feel. And, when you consider we are talking about a litre-bike here, that's some achievement.

Claimed peak power is 162PS at 10,800rpm against the 2002 claim of 160PS, and there's 11.3kg-m at 8400rpm against the 2002's 10.4kg-m at 8200rpm. It's in that torque number that you feel the extra go on the newie. It allows you to get out of corners faster due to a perceived flatter curve.

Power delivery is mind-blowing. The power curve is so bump-less that the bike is sent hurtling into eye-flattening velocity with such incredible sophistication that you trust it implicitly. I don't know whether I'm getting used to this category and its inherent 'new-world' acceleration, but I reckon the GSX-R is nowhere near as intimidating to ride as the previous job.

More than a little of this confidence can be sheeted home to the great grip available from the GSX-R1000's specifically designed Bridgestone BT012RF radials. They never put a foot wrong on the track, but I reckon you'd be forking out for a new rear after every ride day. Still, they work out a lot cheaper than fairings and Medibank Private...

Yep, you need to think carefully about just when you open the taps on a lean, but it's so nice and progressive that I have to say it is devilishly easy to ride fast - on the track that is. Try some of that in the wrong place on the road and the whole deal could become very ugly indeed - and it would happen very, very quickly...

The honchos at Suzuki are very keen on the new brakes and spent a good deal of launch-time telling us so. I reckon they are good, although no better then the previous bike. The radial-mounted, four-piston calipers (against the previous model's six-piston arrangement) are said to offer increased rigidity and better feel. While I have no reason to argue, I have no solid motivation to agree either. For mine they stop the bike well; that'll do. You get four pads per caliper though for better heat dispersion. At a claimed 168kg, this thing is the benchmark when it comes to the scales with the Yamaha R1 coming in at a positively pig-like 174kg. Pretty incredible this weight war. At the launch every component that weighs less was pointed up. Like what? Well, did you know that he new blinkers are 15gms lighter than the previous jobs? That's 60gms in total you know. The multi-hole injectors offer a whole 28gm saving too. And if you don't have that cup of tea at the lunch break, well, that's gotta be at least another 100 saved. Kinda wonder where it will all end. I remember an Australian America's Cup entrant which was feted for its lightweight characteristics a few years ago. Wonder if they've lifted it off the bottom of the ocean yet...

Okay, that's all a little flippant and I applaud the manner in which manufacturers are pushing the boundaries. We need to keep trying things. It all equates to better metallurgy, more efficient construction methodology and keeping pace with the technological advances being devised by our constructors. If you are ever tempted to ask the question 'what's racing got to do with the development of motorcycling?' just keep an eye on this category. Top-end road rocketry is where the new stuff gets its most obvious airing and the engine and chassis combination gracing the GSX-R1000 drips with up-to-the-minute gear.

In fact, the frame owes its derivation to the Suzuki GSV-R MotoGP machine. While it boasts the same dimensions as last year's thingy, the twin-spar aluminium offering is now extruded rather than welded and pressed. The upshot is better rigidity and the racers on hand at the launch to talk about the new bike backed up the claim with seat-of-the-pants, full-noise opinions - which are the best kind there are for mine.

There's "DLC" on the fork inners, which is claimed to offer less resistance and more strength than the Titanium Nitride on last year's. When asked what DLC stands for we were informed that it's 'Diamond Like Coating'. Wasn't long before someone dubbed it 'cubic zirconia'. Whatever's in it must work, because the 43mm Kayaba forks are just lovely and I felt no need to make any adjustment over the launch period. At 82kg, the standard settings were fine for me. Some others with more heft went for an extra click of compression at the bow and a little more preload and compression at the stern.

Those looking to carry pillions and gear should turn the page right about now - neither facility has been given any consideration whatsoever. There is absolutely zero luggage tie-down and passengers will want to take the bus when they spot the lack of a grabrail and the height of the pillion pegs. Still, you don't take a Gold Wing to the Island either do you? Horses, courses...

SO... SHOULD I BUY ONE?
Phillip Island's Turn One is not as hairy as it looks and once you get the hang of it it can be approached at big speeds. When you look down at the speedo prior to entry and see 275km/h, well, you know you're on sumpin' a little bit special. Toss in the fact that you only have to go down one gear, offer a faint brush on the front brake lever and then accelerate towards the apex and on to the loop, well, that's heaven. And this thing offers all that and more.

Sure-footed, sharp, incredibly fast, it will appeal to pure sports bike riders for sure, but it will also make ride day enthusiasts weak at the knees. It offers full-on sports Nirvana. That's not the band, but the higher cerebral plane I'm talking about. Yep, if cutting-edge go-gear is your thing, well, you are gonna Courtney Love it...