Handlebars set 1 degree farther away from the rider provide greater leverage and contribute to a roomier cockpit. The gas tank still holds a maximum of 4.5 gallons, but a flatter top allows taller riders to get behind the windscreen more easily. The seat is narrower, and new footpegs are three-way adjustable for height. Instrumentation and switchgear were lifted from the GSX-R1000.
Why Brembo? Simple answer: marketing. That said, test riders liked the improved feel, and the calipers are lighter than the previous four-piston Nissins. The Japanese brake maker still supplies the master cylinder, though the radial-mount design is a different spec from the unit that was used on the last-generation GSX-R600. Nissin supplies the rear brakes for both models.
Where did the GSX-Rs lose weight? Suzuki provided the following breakdown:
Frame: 2 lb. 15 oz.
Front suspension: 1 lb. 15.3 oz.
Rear suspension: 3.1 oz.
Front wheel/axle: 9.0 oz.
Rear wheel/axle: 11.9 oz.
Front brakes: 14.5 oz.
Rear brake: 11.4 oz.
Pistons: 2.7 oz.
Transmission: 6.5 oz.
ECM: 11.6 oz.
Muffler: 3 lb. 12.0 oz.
Body: 7 lb. 7.9 oz.
Headlight: 1 lb. 3.8 oz.
Seat: 8.6 oz.
Footpegs: 1.8 oz.
Pricing? Hang on to your helmets. The GSX-R600 will retail for $11,599—a $1200 increase over the 2009 model. Just $400 more, however, will send you streaking toward the horizon on a bigger-bore, longer-stroke and nearly as light GSX-R750. Care to guess which model Suzuki expects to sell more of?
For the same price as the GSX-R600, you could opt for the GSX1250AF, which comes standard with a full fairing housing GSX-R-style vertically stacked headlights. Anti-lock brakes and a centerstand are included. To aid engine cooling, engineers added a secondary “reserve” fan that kicks on if the liquid-cooled, dohc, 16-valve inline-Four hits 110 degrees Celsius. Radiator-cap pressure is also higher. The handlebar has a slightly different, allegedly more comfortable, bend. As with the previous Bandit, there are two seat heights: 31.7 inches and 32.5. Claimed full-tank curb weight is 567 pounds. Side and top cases will be available through Suzuki’s accessory department.
Moving forward, Suzuki expects a tough haul. National sales manager Rod Lopusnak called the current economic environment “the new normal.” A full line of 2011 models, including two new GSX-Rs and a light-duty sport-tourer, is an exciting new beginning.
