Contributing to that cornering ability is the same superlative chassis from the previous generation that offers up 600-class turning agility with near-telepathic feedback from both ends. The amount of effort required to flick the 750 into a corner compared with a 600 is negligible, and the 750's power advantage means it not only isn't as demanding to ride, but also more capable in skilled hands. Even though the new Showa 41mm inverted fork isn't head and shoulders above the old unit in terms of performance (and it's not like the old fork was lacking anyway), we found the new high-speed compression damping adjustability to be a plus, allowing us to fine-tune its manners under aggressive cornering and braking. And being fitted with an OE-spec version of Bridgestone's marvelous new BT-016 sport tires is certainly another plus, contributing to the 750's precise and responsive steering.
Speaking of braking, the 750's binders still remain our favorites in the GSX-R lineup. They not only possess superb power, feel and progressiveness when used aggressively in the canyons or on the racetrack, but they maintain a crisp response at slower speeds on the street, especially during the first few miles on a cold morning.
Like its 600 and 1000 siblings,...
Like its 600 and 1000 siblings, the GSX-R750 is fitted with the S-DMS mapping selector. And like its siblings, we left it on the A mode, as the other modes aren't really practical in our opinion.
Our experiments with the S-DMS modes had us returning to the full-power A mode and leaving it there. The B mode causes too much of a delay in acceleration response, forcing you to twist the throttle more than necessary, and then full power arrives too late. The C mode just makes the GSX-R feel slower than an SV650.
The Perfect Balance
The term "balance" is being thrown around a lot lately in the sportbike world. In an era of ever-higher horsepower outputs and sharper, race-inspired chassis demanded by the market, manufacturers are finding it increasingly difficult to keep one aspect from overpowering another. But the GSX-R750 continues to showcase that elusive combination of power and handling capable of making serious time down a canyon road or on your favorite racetrack with a lot less effort than either a 600 or literbike.
Every time we've brought the three-quarter-liter Suzuki along for a ride with other sportbikes, it's ended up being the one we agree on as the most fun to ride. And it continually baffles us that the other manufacturers don't see this class as having any potential in the sportbike market, despite the sales numbers of recent years-and the sales numbers of the category back in the early '90s when it was the showcase class for all the factories.
With a class of one and nothing to directly compare it with, it can be difficult to show just how good a modern 750 can really be. But we're going to be putting the new Suzuki GSX-R750 up against some very capable sportbikes in the near future to see how it really stacks up. Stay tuned.