Out of the Box
It started at racetracks far from Suzuki's Hamamatsu, Japan headquarters. A group of dedicated Suzuki engineers on an overseas fact-finding mission wandered through paddocks and spectator parking lots, looking at motorcycles and watching races.
The racers at these events didn't have factory contracts, and were not paid to race. They came because they loved the competition, the sport, and they rode motorcycles they bought themselves.
The race classes were defined by engine size, rider skill level and allowable modifications. The grids for 1000cc machines were packed with GSX-R1000s. The grids for 750cc machines featured row after row of GSX-R750s. But the 600cc grids were no longer completely filled with GSX-R600s. After years of trying, the middleweight competition had finally caught up, again.
The engineers worked stopwatches, talked to riders and mechanics, filled notebooks with observations and comments. They compared what they had seen at these regional races to what was happening in the World Superbike and AMA and other national Superbike series, and with the results from endurance series in Europe and the U.S.
By the time they returned to Japan, the engineers had a clear plan: Take everything Suzuki has learned from building and racing the dominating GSX-R1000 and use it to again leapfrog the would-be 600cc competition.
Apply the cutting-edge technology inherent in Genuine Suzuki Engineering, and build a new middleweight machine that defines the concept, The Top Performer.
In other words, produce a racer replica that delivers "the outstanding power-to-weight ratio, powerband and throttle response". A sportbike that also establishes the 600cc state-of-the-art in terms of throttle response, suspension performance, braking power. A motorcycle with the type of overall handling that inspires rider confidence and leads to quicker lap times. A machine infused with lessons from the racetrack.
Build the Suzuki GSX-R600.
And Own The Racetrack. Again.
Features
- Compact 599cm3 4-cylinder liquid-cooled engine incorporating racetrack-proven technological features for high performance.
- Race-proven 0.634:1 bore/stroke ratio (67.0mm bore and 42.5mm stroke). 16,000 rpm redline.
- Cylinder head refinement, including efficient intake ports to further improve cylinder charging, and castings with thinner walls to reduce weight.
- Lightweight titanium-alloy valves controlled by single valve spring to reduce mechanical losses.
- Iridium-electrode spark plugs enhance combustion and have long service life.
- Suzuki Dual Throttle Valve (SDTV) fuel injection improves cylinder charging for a more linear throttle response and increased torque.
- Suzuki Drive Mode Selector (S-DMS) offers instantaneous switching between three engine maps to suit rider preference or riding conditions.
- Idle Speed Control (ISC) system automatically improves cold starting and stabilizes engine idle.
- Trapezoidal, curved radiator provides large cooling capacity without sacrificing aerodynamics.
- Race-proven back-torque-limiting clutch contributes to smoother downshifting and corner entry.
- Large triangular-cross-section silencer helps maximize cornering clearance while providing ample internal volume to meet latest regulations.
- The clean-running GSX-R600 clears tough Euro 3 and Tier 2 emissions standards.
- Suzuki Ram Air Direct (SRAD) induction, with an efficient louver system inside the ram-air intakes for a straighter, smoother airflow.
- Cast aluminum-alloy frame tuned for superb handling feel at racetrack speeds.
- Inverted cartridge front forks with adjustable spring preload, rebound and compression damping.
- Rear shock absorber with adjustable spring preload, rebound damping and high/low speed compression damping.
- Electronically controlled steering damper: less damping force at slower speeds, more damping force at highway and racetrack speeds.
- Seating position, handle bar position and 3-position-adjustable footpegs are designed to work well both for racetrack and street riding.
- Front 120/70ZR17M/C and rear 180/55ZR17M/C radial tires, designed specifically for the GSX-R600, on light and rigid curved-3-spoke wheels.
- Dual front 310mm-floating-disc, radial-mount-caliper brake, and single rear 220mm-disc brake.
- Powerful lighting, with a central 55W halogen projector low beam flanked by 60W halogen multi-reflector high beams on each side.
- Aerodynamic rearview-mirror-integrated front and tail section-integrated rear turn signals use red lens and red LEDs for visibility and style.
- 17-litre fuel tank increased by 0.5 liter from the previous model.
- Instrument cluster using a step-motor-controlled analog tachometer, digital LCD speedometer, and LCD and LED indicators including a shift light and gear position indicator.
