Suzuki GSX-R600 2011 Review

A diet to make a supermodel proud and looks to match have made Suzuki's race-ready GSX-R600 the pick of the supersports crop. The 2011 model has shed 9kg to be the most rideable bike in the field, the "on-the-fly" adjustable engine maps just give it the edge over the Honda, and is still more of a track weapon than most riders can cope with.

VALUE

The 600cc Suzuki sits near the top of the Supersports price tree - and with good reason. It's $15,690 price is $300 cheaper than Yamaha's track-focused R6, $200 dearer than Honda's CBR 600RR and $700 up on the Ninja ZX-6R from Kawasaki. That puts it pretty much in perspective and buyers have decided the same way, making the GSX-600 R the best-selling bike in the field with 235 sales to date against 186 for the Triumph Daytona 675 and 180 for the Honda. Triumph has two models here, though - the race-ready Daytona R at $15,880 and the Dayt ona 675 A1 at $13,890.

STYLING

The vertically stacked headlights and mirror-mounted indicators are the biggest visual changes to the 2011 model. The weight-loss program extended to the bodywork, with a 35 per cent cut in the weight of the plastic panels. That was helped by shortening the wheelbase 15mm - one of the reasons the Gixxer drops in faster than a nosy next-door neighbour - wind-tunnel work to hone the shape and identify which panels could be lightened. The dash layout has an analogue tacho with digital speedo.

TECHNOLOGY

The Showa Big Piston Forks are an inverted telescopic system that uses the entire fork leg to contain the spring. As a result the piston surface area is about four times larger than a comparable cartridge type shot, meaning the oil doesn't travel as fast during compression or rebound. They've been around for a while and resist diving like a first-time swimmer, even with a hefty pull on the dual Brembo monoblock front brakes.

SAFETY

The engine-map mode switch, and intelligent use of the right wrist, helps rein in the Suzuki in the wet or heavy traffic. It is a bit like doping Usain Bolt, but if it gets you to your destination, who cares. The Brembo monoblock brakes are new for 2011 too. Suzuki has been a pioneer with bike-mounted ABS systems but resists the move to use it on sportsbikes. The Brembos probably show why - the bite's as vicious as a pit bull but you always get a  warning before it locks on and bowls you over.

RIDING

There's a whiff of testorone between the supersports bikes on the track - but 99 per cent of the 600cc category sales are ridden on the road. And it's here the Suzuki has the battle won. It is the equal lightweight with the Yamaha but the extra mid-range grunt and less relentless riding position makes it a better bike on weekend runs. Wind the Suzuki up towards the 15,500-rpm redline and it still has that manic, ride-me-on-the-rims rush that makes supersports special.

VERDICT

The new model reinforces the Gixxer reputation without doing much to the engine. Shaving kilos has made it an easier machine to manoeuvre on the road or track and that's been boosted with the Showa/Brembo duo keeping the front end tidy and communicative. For now, it's the supersports to buy.

SUZUKI GSX-R600

Price: $15,690
Engine: 599cc in-line four-cylinder, 92.5kW/70Nm
Transmission: Six-speed, chain-drive
Seat height: 810mm
Fuel tank: 17 litres
Brakes: Dual 310mm front dics with Brembo four-piston calipers, rear 220mm disc with Nissin single-piston caliper
Suspension: 41mm Showa BPF front forks with preload, rebound and compression damping, rear Showa monoshock with preload, rebound and high/low speed compression adjustment
Weight: 187kg
Warranty: Two years, unlimited km.