2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000R Review Page Two
So the cobwebs were now well and truly blown out. The braking marker was now extended past the bridge on the main straight, further towards Bass Strait. As an ex-racer the distance between where I used to button off, and where I button off now, always seems to be the largest.
The corner exit I find quite easy, and am able to get the bike spinning and turning with the rear from pretty much lap one, but the corner entry speed is definitely something that develops over a few sessions or days!
Once again we are led out for two laps, this time by newly re-signed Suzuki pilot Josh Waters. There are also geese on the side of southern loop that are big enough to be classified as small cattle, this is a small ongoing concern for the rest of session.
After the laps to warm the tyres up, its time to have a crack. Steve Martin comes past so I spend the next few laps chasing the black lines appearing from the rear of his machine.
The GSX-R1000R is incredibly well balanced, but we are now starting to push the limits of the standard Bridgestone road tyres and this ensures some good fun laps, laying marks on the exit of nearly every corner.
I decide to have a play with the traction control, with the current setting at Power Mode A, and Traction Control (TC) level three. The GSX-R1000R features the Suzuki Drive Mode Selector (S-DMS) with three modes – all offering full power with varying delivery, as well as the Motion Track Traction Control, with 10 levels of adjustment.
I reduce the traction control down to level one, which means almost no interference from the ECU and holy crap, did that make a difference.
Electronics Technical Video
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This GSX-R1000R now actually feels like it wants to throw me off. I power out of Honda corner in second gear, which for this bike is a little bit low in engine rpm, and the bike lights up and basically goes to red line.
This caught me by surprise a little bit, as spinning that hard out of Turn 4 can have disastrous consequences, purely because you’re accelerating hard from such a low speed. High-side city.
I control the throttle and head towards Siberia, and on the gas out of Siberia in third gear the same nice spinning and controllable movement feels sensational. I complete this lap with a fourth gear spin session through Turn 12 and onto the main straight.
