If you ask me to draw a picture – had I the skill – of a streetfighter bike, the end result would probably look similar to the Suzuki GSR750. Every surface area is angled; headlamp, front mudguard, tank cover, and even the little fairing at the front just behind the front forks.
Once you have swung your leg around, the simplicity of the instrument cluster is immediately apparent. There is no screen and only an analogue rev counter, with a digital display to the right of it. The handlebars, and where they are connected to the front forks, are shiny and remind you of bikes from a decade or two ago. A nice touch though.
Your legs grip a four-cylinder engine coming from Suzuki’s GSX-R750 superbike. But, being what it is, a street fighter and not a superbike, Suzuki has revised the cam profiles, intake and exhaust tracts and with a 12,3:1 compression ratio torque starts from low down in the rev range.
After spending the best part of the week mainly commuting with the GSR, the weekend beckoned and as usual, the Western Cape offers a combination of roads that are both scenic and have smooth tarmac.
Hitting three mountain passes, the GSR’s sporty nature quickly surfaced. It is eager to rev to 11 000 r/min (peak power of 78 kW arrives at 10 000 r/min) and as with most bikes, you can still enjoy most of the bike’s capabilities riding it at eight-tenths. But, more here than on a superbike, you won’t give yourself a scare by revving it out in every gear. From second gear you can open the throttle without the fear of the front wheel doing silly things.
Through the passes, especially those where you can comfortably take a corner at between 100 to 110 km/h, you realise how easy it is to manoeuvre on the bike. Setting yourself up before a corner – moving your body to the inside of the corner, dropping your knee and opening your leg – there is enough place on the bike to climb into the corner.
The throttle we find to be very sensitive, and although this took some getting use to in traffic, it worked perfectly when you want to time your acceleration point – and amount – out of a corner. And yes, the GSR is almost just as chuckle through corners as most 600 cm3 superbikes.
Summary
Riding back to town I notice that the almost non-existing windscreen actually helps to minimise wind buffeting. If a bigger, but still small, screen was fitted the buffeting would have hit you around your chest area. Without one, the wind is mostly equally distributed around your upper body, which is to an extent less tiring.
Take into account the comfortable seating position – compared to a superbike – and you just might have one of the few bikes offering a perfect balance for the rider looking for a reasonably fast bike that won’t hurt your wrists and knees after a breakfast run.
After all, one of the most authoritative motorcycle publications, Motorcyle News, declared the GSR750 as their best all-rounder in 2011 for motorcycles under 750 cm3. We understand why.
Click here for a short video illustrating the roads and passes I rode on during our test period.
*Special thanks to Suzuki South (021 761 0157 or www.suzukisouth.co.za) for this test bike.
Specifications
Dimensions and weights:
Overall length: 2 115 mm
Overall width: 785 mm
Overall height: 1 060 mm
Wheelbase: 1 450 mm
Seat height: 815 mm
Kerb mass: 211 kg
Fuel capacity: 17,5 litres
Engine:
Engine capacity: 749 cm3
Engine: four-stroke, four-cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC
Bore: 72 mm x 46 mm
Compression ratio: 12,3:1
Power: 78 kW @ 10 000 r/min
Torque: 80 N.m @ 9 000 r/min
Lubrication: wet sump
Ignition: electronic (Transistorised)
Fuel system: fuel injection
Transmission: six-speed constant mesh
Drive: chain
Chassis:
Rear suspension: link type, coil spring, oil damped KYB, preload seven-way adjustable
Front fork stroke: 120 mm
Rear wheel travel: 135 mm
Caster: 25°20'
Trail: 104 mm
Steering angle: 33° (right and left)
Turning radius: 3,0 m
Front brake: 310mm disc brake, twin
Rear brake: 240mm disc brake, single
Front tyre size: 120/70ZR17M/C (58W), tubeless
Rear tyre size: 180/55ZR17M/C (73W), tubeless
Price: R99 500
Warranty: 2 year/unlimited km
Service intervals: 5 000 km