2004 Suzuki GSX-R600

Suzuki strikes back with what might be the best GSX-R ever

Photography: Kevin Wing

Suzuki strikes back with what might be the best GSX-R ever

2004 SUZUKI GSX-R600 - ROAD TEST

To today's young riders, there's never been a world without GSX-Rs. But 19 years ago, when the first, 1985-spec GSX-R750 was unleashed, it was nothing short of a revelation. Suzuki simply rewrote the book on race-ready street motorcycles, giving us huge power, 550-class weight and Daytona-ready handling in one neat, number-plate-ready package.

Sure, there are dozens of other great supersport motorcycles available now, from Europe as well as Japan. But they all owe their existence to that first, stunning, absolutely uncompromised GSX-R. While other companies worried about centerstands and passenger seats, Suzuki went straight for the throat, rolling out a bike that was clearly a racer first and a livable street motorcycle second. The riding position was right on the edge of sadistic: Kevin Schwantz, Yoshimura-Suzuki's AMA Superbike hero at the time, raced his with special high-rise bars. If the stance was too radical for both the street and the track, what was it good for? Evidently, for selling motorcycles to enthusiastic masochists, as GSX-Rs leaped out of showrooms just as quickly as they jumped off the line at racetracks all around the country. But that-as impatient 19-year-olds born after the GSX-R750 are muttering to themselves-was then. Way then. What has Suzuki done for me lately?

Suzuki is still resisting the high-center exhaust craze that's swept Honda, Yamaha and Ducati supersport machines-but at least you still get to spend money on a cool carbon-fiber canister and actually have people see it. Ergonomics are more rider-friendly than on the GSX-R1000; a shorter reach to the bars tilts the torso more upright, taking weight off the wrists and putting it on the legs.

The '04 GSX-R600 is the only all-new bike in its class this year, so Suzuki knew it had to swing for the cheap seats; the last GSX-R600 debuted in '01, so this one would have to fend off the advances of Honda, Yamaha and Kawasaki until at least '06.

Well, there's this all-new '04 GSX-R600. It's a bike that shares almost everything but its internal whirly bits with the equally swell, equally new GSX-R750 you'll find racetrack-tested in this issue (see Up to Speed, page 26). And while we can't quite say this machine represents the same kind of Great Leap Forward as the original, it is not because of any lack of effort on Suzuki's part. It's just that its competition, 19 years later, is equally focused. Due in no small part, we submit, to that first GSX-R.

If you read every road test of every new race-replica motorcycle this year, you'll hear about the same design goals again and again. Make it lighter, the engineers are told. Concentrate the mass in the middle to make the machine more responsive and easier to correct when it does get out of line. Move the rider forward, not just for better comfort and a more athletic stance, but also to centralize his mass and put more weight on the sky-hungry front wheel. Make the fairing smaller and lighter. Make everything more rigid to instantly turn rider inputs into racetrack outputs. Make more power by reducing friction and spinning things ever faster. To hold the engines together at these crazy speeds, lighten everything inside that touches oil. And while you're at it, spread the newfound power over a more usable range to make the rider's job easier.

Everybody knows what to do. It's the doing part that's tough.

The '04 GSX-R600 is the only all-new bike in its class this year, so Suzuki knew it had to swing for the cheap seats; the last GSX-R600 debuted in '01, so this one would presumably have to fend off the advances of Honda, Yamaha and Kawasaki until at least '06. Last year's stunning GSX-R1000 would be an excellent blueprint; it walked away from its competition like a politician evading hard questions during a press conference.

The GSX-R600 is the quickest stock 600 we've ever tested, running a 10.77-second quarter-mile ET at 128.16 mph. The previous best was the '03 Kawasaki ZX-6R at 10.87/128.42. The '03 GSX-R1000 would be the benchmark, but the Hamamatsu boys learned some new tricks from their experience in dominating the open class. They used the same weight- and size-saving engine design, with the cylinder block cast as a unit with the upper crankcase half, and the same vents between the bearing webs, letting air move more freely as the pistons rise and fall. But the 600 would have to spin faster-much faster-in order to gain enough horsepower to equal, let alone beat, the reigning 600 competition. Lighter cams and pistons, astronomical 12.5:1 compression, lower-friction chrome-nitrided rings, shorter rods, lighter valve buckets and springs, and even titanium valves were brought to bear. Redline went up to a Formula 1-like 15,500 rpm, and horsepower to a claimed 120, with six more on tap as velocity brought the ram air system online. Our dyno results back that up: We usually see a 15 percent drop from claimed horsepower stats to our real-world rear-wheel results, and the GSX-R falls right into place-103.6 at 14,000 rpm. This slots the GSX-R a couple of horses behind its competition in peak output, but to get the whole story you have to pay attention. Overlay the dyno trace of, say, the Yamaha YZF-R6, and new neurons begin to fire. The Suzuki is down a couple of horsepower at its peak, but it makes almost as much at 11,000 rpm as at 14,000, and it continues to make more than 100 horsepower as it winds all the way past 15 grand. Many readers will see the GSX-R's two-horsepower deficit and dismiss it out of hand. They shouldn't make that mistake at a stoplight, or on a road course-not if they want to keep their pink slip, that is. The GSX-R600 is the quickest stock 600 we've ever tested, running a blinding 10.77-second quarter-mile ET at 128.16 mph. The previous best was the '03 Kawasaki ZX-6R at 10.87/128.42-a performance boosted by an extra 36cc of displacement. The GSX-R launches beautifully, but that's not the whole story. Its long, broad powerband keeps working when the other, flashier bikes trail off with increasing revs. It works, because having an impressive single peak, no matter how high, is less important to actual speed production than making a whole lot of power a whole lot of the time. How do the other contenders fare? The '03 Honda CBR600RR finishes in 10.94 seconds at 127.13 mph, and the '03 Yamaha YZF-R6 wraps it up in 11.01 seconds at 125.27 mph. Score 1 for Suzuki.

Handling on the GSX-R600 is not quite R6-immediate, but plenty quick enough for both back-road bad-boy antics and racetrack recalcitrance. The standard steering damper helps you keep a shake-free head while others about you are losing theirs. The only penalty comes at lower speeds, where it sacrifices some quickness and on-center feel. Below left: The GSX-R's tidy new data pod combines a stepper-motor-powered analog tach and an LCD digital speedometer. Center: A narrower nose cuts frontal area and adds intake efficiency, moving ram-air ducts toward the center. Right: That radial master cylinder drastically improves front-brake feel.

Lightness-and more-compact packaging-have been added just about everywhere. The engine combines the block and upper case half for better rigidity and less weight; lighter oily bits and titanium valves help in reaching the 15,500-rpm redline. The braced swingarm is stiffer, and the new frame is 15mm narrower.

But a 600-any 600-is a peaky, demanding beast, fit only for a prepubescent squid/human hybrid, say the real men among us. Not so, Harley-breath. Our GSX-R600 did a top-gear roll-on from 60 to 80 mph in an effortless 3.70 seconds. This shreds its 600 competition-even the cheater-big Kawasaki 636-by four-tenths of a second. It also romps on such revered torque monsters as the Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 (4.10 seconds), the '00 Honda RC51 (4.94 seconds), any Harley (the V-Rod is fastest, at 4.05 seconds) and even the previous Suzuki GSX-R750 (4.11 seconds).

So much for twins-at least the two-wheeled kind. And so much for midrange torque as a measure of roll-on performance. Every now and then we get a call at the palatial Motorcyclist offices that goes something like this: "I weigh 200 pounds, and I'm wondering if a 600 would have enough power to let me and the missus keep up out on the interstate." If this is the 600, the answer is an unqualified yes. Especially if your idea of interstate travel involves neck-snapping acceleration and 150-mph cruising.

The new frame uses extruded main spars instead of the welded stampings of yesteryear; rigidity is up, but width is down by 15mm between the spars and 10mm between the pegs.

But life is more complicated than posting the biggest numbers. How does the GSX-R600 work out on public roads, where we all have to go now and then?

The new 600/750's riding stance is a considerable improvement over the GSX-R1000's, even though its numbers are not so far off. The main difference is in the reach to the bars, which is about an inch less than the 1000's. Doesn't sound like much, but it makes a world of difference. Instead of leaning forward with your weight on your wrists, you sit more upright, with more weight supported by your legs. As any rock climber can tell you, your legs are much stronger and longer than your arms. You can see better, move better and recover from slides, slip-ups and cell-phone-impaired Cadillac Escalades better. With less weight on your arms, you can steer more precisely without affecting your balance on the bike. And you get better grip at the front-though with 103-plus horsepower churning at the rear, there's still no guarantee the front wheel and the ground will have a long-term relationship. Meaningful, yes. Long-term, no.

Running gear is all top-notch, from the standard steering damper, to the inverted fork and radial calipers, to the curved, tapered radiator, to the lightweight rear caliper. The result is predictable; racebike response and rigidity at a streetbike price.

The dual-throttle-plate injection system works just short of perfectly, and the gearbox is typically smooth, slick and cooperative. Power feels admirably linear, with usable grunt all the way from 4000 rpm-this is one 600 you can ride without stirring the gearbox every half second, which is great for commuting in city traffic. Steering isn't as potato-chip light as the Yamaha R6's, thanks in part to the Suzuki's standard steering damper, but out in the world of canyons and corners the geometry works beautifully, arcing in on the brakes with minimal standup, staying responsive but stable at full lean and powering out with good feel for rear-wheel traction. The steering damper's only downside appears at parking-lot speeds; the bars want to stay turned when cranked full over, making for an awkward dab or two until you acclimate.

Where the GSX-R1000 feels a little like work out in our favorite asphalt playgrounds, the 600 is all play. And its engine is a true gem, making great power and all kinds of lovely Formula 1 noises. Good low end and midrange give way to a wonderful rip above 10,000, and the rush just keeps on coming all the way to the 15,500 redline. Vibes remain well-controlled at any rpm; you can feel how fast the engine is spinning through the pegs and grips, but the sensation is more pleasure than pain. "C'mon, let's go," it seems to say.

Cheers and Geers

Suzuki GSX-R600 Engine 9 Smooth, revvy power from 5000 to 15,000 Drivetrain 8 Slick shifting, clunk-free Handling 9 Nimble, stable, lively. What's not to like? Braking 8 Everything's great but the pads Ride 8 Not bad for a Willow-ready racer Ergonomics 7 More upright than the GSX-R1000 Features 7 Good gauges, bright shift light Refinement 8 Great injection, nicely finished Value 9 More go per cc than just about anything Fun Factor 9 The Joy of Six Verdict: With a great powerplant (big midrange) and humane ergos, this may be the one to beat in 2004.

The brakes are not the grippiest at first squeeze, but they are plenty solid and powerful owing to the new radial-mount front calipers and radial master cylinder. Suzuki brake pads have not been the best of late, lacking in feel and initial bite-they're well worth wearing out, but we'd suggest going elsewhere when they do.

Suspension compliance is fine, especially considering the bike's rock-solid stability. The totally adjustable preload, compression and rebound damping let you set 'er up soft, stiff or in between-but it would be nice not to have to haul out the tool kit to make adjustments. The new frame, Full Floater rear suspension, braced swingarm and nearly flex-free inverted fork work as well as, if not better than, full-on racebikes of just a few years ago, delivering a big dose of implied confidence with every corner entry, every bump, every control movement. Good stuff here.

This is, after all, a GSX-R, and that always seems to imply a certain amount of long-haul discomfort. That said, the new 600 is perfectly livable on rides of an hour or less, with a reasonable seat, smooth air management from the narrow fairing and no objectionable vibration.

So where does that put us? The new GSX-R600 is a great street/track motorcycle, the fastest in its class, with the light weight, responsive handling and bank-vault stability it needs to succeed on the track. It's also smooth, refined and tolerably comfortable on the street. We'll have to gather the players for the inevitable comparo later this year to make a definitive judgment; after all, a really good, really useful comparo takes time.

But for now, we'd have to say the new GSX-R600 is the odds-on favorite for '04 600-class supremacy.

Off the Record boehm Age: 41 Height: 6 ft. Weight: 225 lb. Inseam: 32 in. With all the 12,000-rpm buzz surrounding the two new astounding open-class hyperbikes this month, it would be easy to forget about the all-new GSX-R600. Easy, that is, except for the fact that it's a phenomenal sporting motorcycle, one that ranks right up there with the other three ultrasport 600s from Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha. In fact, with its way-beefy midrange, reasonably comfortable ergos, great saddle, crisp control feel and typical GSX-R flickability and high-speed stability, I'm thinking it may be the 600 to beat this year, especially for middleweight buyers who want a helping of livability with their track-ready main course. Its slight horsepower deficit doesn't bother me at all; all of these things make over 100 horsepower at the rear wheel, which is plenty. My main problem with the new Gixxer Six is its fairing, specifically the rearmost section that surrounds the rear of the engine directly in front of the rider's feet. I don't know if it's me or what, but I bang my shins on it every time I stop at a light or a stop sign, and I have to consciously think about it to not do it. Take a look at the "from above" photo on page 80 and you'll see what I mean. But hey, if that's my only bitch, then Suzuki did a heckuva good job. -Mitch Boehm ford Age: 50 Height: 6 ft. Weight: 235 lb. Inseam: 32 in. Boy, this thing is a hoot. I've been riding mostly bigger bikes lately, and climbing off a 500- to 600-pound machine and onto a good modern 600-and they don't get no gooder or more modern than this-is like having a shot of hot-pepper Stoli after a few years of drinking nothing but Guinness stout. Even though the similar literbikes from each Japanese maker are close in weight to their 600 sisters, they're not so close in sheer liveliness and response-something about all that extra mass whirling away down in the crankcase slowing down the big bikes' reflexes. No such problem here, though. Other engines may make more power, but there are few that make as much silly fun. This thing screams like Howard Dean with a jalapeٌo up his butt. It pulls well right off the bottom-it'll leave a Vulcan 2000 for dead in a roll-on-and goes absolutely freakin' nuts on top. There's also something to be said for anticipation; believe it or not, it almost gets boring riding a literbike that has too much power. But this thing has great, usable power from 4000 to 11,000 and a wonderful, yee-ha rush-and I do mean rush-from there on up. -Dexter Ford

MSRP: $8099 Warranty: 12 months, unlimited miles Colors: blue/white, yellow/black • • ENGINE• • • • • • • Type: l-c inline-four • Valve arrangement: dohc, 16v • Bore x stroke: 67.0 x 42.5mm • Displacement: 599cc • Compression ratio: 12.5:1 • Carburetion: electronic fuel injection • Transmission: 6-speed • Final drive: # 525 chain • • CHASSIS• • • • • • • Frame: aluminum-alloy twin spar • Weight: 429 lb. (wet), 402 lb. (fuel tank empty) • Fuel capacity: 4.5 gal. • Suspension, front: 43mm inverted cartridge fork adjustable for spring preload, rebound and compression damping • Suspension, rear: single shock adjustable for spring preload, rebound and compression damping • Brake, front: dual four-piston calipers, 300mm discs • Brake, rear: single two-piston caliper, 220mm disc • Tire, front: 120/70ZR17 Dunlop D218 • Tire, rear: 180/55ZR17 Dunlop D218 • • details, details... • • • • • • • Rear cowl pops off for storage or passenger seat • Big, bright shift light tells you when • Stacked headlight narrows fairing, leaves more room for ram-air ducts • Side pipe leaves room to customize • • PERFORMANCE• • • • • • • Corrected 1/4-mile*: 10.77 sec. @ 128.2 mph • 0-60 mph*: 3.13 sec. • 0-100 mph*: 6.71 sec. • Top-gear roll-on, 60-80 mph*: 3.70 sec. • Correction factors (time/speed)*: 0.985/1.015 • Power-to-weight ratio**: 5.78 lb/hp • Fuel mileage (low/high/average): 33/38/35.5 • Cruising range (exc. reserve): 128 miles