Suzuki GSX-R750
Life in the fast lane was transformed when the GSX-R750 exploded onto the scene in 1985. Tall, slim and with those two round headlights set in a shapely full fairing just like Suzuki’s works endurance racers, the outrageously light and fit GSX-R made every rival seem like a fat bird with acne. Suzuki’s engineers had simply redefined what was possible from a mass-produced motorcycle.
The GSX-R’s revolutionary aluminium frame weighed less than half as much as the steel equivalent of its GSX750 predecessor. Foam-backed instruments, slender 18-inch wheels, and the oilcooled motor’s magnesium cam-cover contributed to an all-up weight of 176kg, over 30kg down on Yamaha’s new FZ750. But Suzuki’s superstar didn’t crush the opposition just by dieting; it was powerful as hell too. The 16-valve four made 100bhp, coming alive at 7000rpm to send the bike tonking to over 145mph.
Straight out of the crate, the GSX-R was in a different league to most rival streetbikes, and ridiculously competitive on track. Hotted-up with flat-slide carbs and a loud four-into-one, it was faster, louder and sexier still. The Gixxer cult was born; high-performance motorcycle design entered a new era. More than two decades later, the reputation of the bike that started it all is stronger than ever.
