Since it was first launched in 2000, Suzuki’s GSX-R1000 has been the ultimate in Japanese, 1,000cc sportsbikes. Based on the legendary GSX-R750, the GSX-R1000 houses a super-grunty, compact engine with exquisite power delivery in a chassis which is at home on a race track as on the highway. The engine is simply incredible – with a huge wave of torque from idle all the way through the midrange, with a screaming, 180bhp top-end rush. The front suspension is a fully-adjustable upside-down Kayaba fork, with a fully-adjustable monoshock controlling the rear wheel. Dual front disc brakes are clamped by radially-mounted four-piston calipers, and an electronically-controlled steering damper increases steering stability.
But perhaps the GSX-R’s strongest suit is how easy it is to ride. When you just need to get to work in the morning, or are looking to cover a few hundred miles in an easy day, the big Suzuki can be a docile pussycat – smooth, easy power and relaxed handling. But when you turn up the wick, it’s got the claws of a tiger.
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