[sportrider - features] - 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000 First Look

[Ninjette Newsbot]

Suzuki unveiled its 2017 GSX-R1000 at the 2015 EICMA show. The manufacturer claims that this is "the most powerful, hardest-accelerating, cleanest-running GSX-R ever built."




After years of waiting, hoping, and praying, Suzuki has finally pulled the wraps off of its all-new, 2017 GSX-R1000, a bike that the manufacturer promises will be more powerful, lighter, and cleaner-running than any GSX-R to date. Yes, you read that right, Suzuki’s response to Yamaha’s R1, Kawasaki’s ZX-10R, BMW’s S 1000 RR, and Aprilia’s RSV4 is finally here.

Well, kind of.

The bike that Suzuki unveiled today was curiously referred to as a GSX-R1000 “Concept” in the accompanying press material, and will probably not be available until sometime next year.

Suzuki says that the 2017 GSX-R1000 is lighter and more compact than before, but has yet to release official curb weight.




Better news for Suzuki fans is confirmation that the bike features everything from variable valve timing to a ten-level traction control system, launch control, and automatic quick shifter with up/down function. While traction control and a bi-directional quick shifter will put the Suzuki on par with the competition in regards to electronic features, variable valve timing will certainly set the bike apart in this category.

Little else is known about Suzuki's new 999cc inline-four engine, other than that Suzuki’s primary goal was to produce the most top-end power without sacrificing low-end and mid-range power, which the manufacturer claims to have accomplished with its new variable valve timing system.

Opposite other variable valve timing systems, Suzuki's setup has steel balls that work on the intake cam and move via centrifugal force to rotate the intake came at high rpm, thus retarding the intake cam timing and allowing for more valve overlap, for more top-end power. While this system should add very little weight to the engine, it'll be interesting to see how engine character is affected, with the most important point being the engine dynamic as it goes from less valve overlap to more. Honda's VTEC system on the latest VFR almost makes the bike feel like it has split personality syndrome, while Ducati's variable valve timing system on its new Multistrada has been nothing but good as it allows the bike to run smooth at lower rpm while offering good power up top.

Key features for the new 999cc inline-four engine include Suzuki Racing VVT (Variable Valve Timing System), a finger follower valve train with rocker follower arm for better valve control, and Suzuki Exhaust Tuning-Alpha (SET-A) butterfly valves on the header balance tube.




In addition to its variable valve timing system, the GSX-R1000 engine also uses new servo-operated Suzuki Exhaust Tuning-Alpha (SET-A) butterfly valves in the header balance tubes to offer both better mid-range power and improved top-end performance. In practice, these valves stay closed at low rpm to control exhaust flow for better mid-range, then open up at higher rpm to provide a bump in peak power. Additionally, a finger follower rocker arm system for valve actuation (rather than a bucket-tappet system) reduces moving mass and enables increased valve lift and for the new GSX-R to run a higher peak rpm.

The GSX-R’s chassis is claimed to be lighter and more compact than before, plus utilize “optimized geometry to increase rider confidence,” though again there are no specifics on exactly what changes Suzuki has made to the frame or geometry.

The GSX-R1000 will come equipped with a Showa Balance Free Front fork similar to what you'd find on the 2016 Kawasaki ZX-10R, but with Suzuki-specific settings. With this fork, the damping valves are located outside the fork legs and in their own separate damping force chamber.




In regards to chassis, what we do know is that the bike will come with the same Showa Balance Free Front (BFF) fork and Balance Free Rear Cushion (BFRC Lite) shock that comes standard on the 2016 Kawasaki ZX-10R, but with Suzuki-developed settings. To recap, the BFF fork is designed to eliminate pressure balance fluctuations typically found in conventional forks and has the damping valves located outside the fork leg in their own separate damping force chamber (that’s the tube you see parallel to the fork tube). The BFRC Lite shock is likewise designed to eliminate pressure balance fluctuations, for better grip and low-speed comfort, and is claimed to be lighter than a conventional shock absorber.

Where the Suzuki differs from the competition (though just slightly) is in the electronics, with Suzuki apparently choosing to not use an IMU as the center point for its electronics system, as other manufacturers have. Regardless, Suzuki has developed a ten-level traction control system for the new GSX-R1000, plus a launch control system and the previously mentioned quick shifter. With the traction control system, Suzuki says that individual settings can be changed while riding, so long as the throttle is closed.

Settings for the GSX-R1000's various electronics systems, which includes a ten-level traction control, launch control, and quick shifter, are all displayed via the bike's new LCD display.




All of this is wrapped up in new bodywork that is still very Suzuki-esque, but at the same time more compact and narrower, for better aerodynamics, Suzuki claims.

No word on price or availability just yet, and our best guess is that Suzuki had just barely put the finishing touches on the GSX-R1000 ahead of its unveil at the 2015 EICMA show, evidence being that most of the photos provided in the press material appear to be of the bike photoshopped into various corners at various racetracks.

Regardless of where Suzuki is in the production process and when the bike will actually arrive on showroom floors, the fact is that there is at least a new GSX-R1000 heading into production. Yes, you read that right, Suzuki fans, the wait is officially over.




Check out even more photos of the 2017 GSX-R1000 below:




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