The early 2000s were a great time for the litre bike class. After ripping up the rulebook with the original FireBlade, Honda rediscovered its mojo and in 2000 the Blade was treated to a total revamp that saw it become lighter, faster and more agile than ever before. Yamaha was still sailing on the crest of a wave as its YZF-R1 continued to evolve and dominate the sales charts, and Kawasaki was doing its best to flog a few more bhp from its ageing ZX-9R platform. But one name was noticeable by its absence – Suzuki. Much like a dodgy stomach after a vindaloo, everyone knew Suzuki would strike... it was just a matter of when and how hard. In 2001, the world found out.
The GSX-R1000 K1 arrived and in typical Suzuki fashion, with very little refinement but a whole stack of performance and attitude. Where Honda and Yamaha had made great shows the year before about how they had honed their litre bikes to be more user-friendly, Suzuki ignored this route and instead unleashed the most powerful bike in its class on the competition. It was exactly this kind of brash attitude that GSX-R fans were waiting for Suzuki to display and, predictably, they lapped up the K1.
When you look at the impact the K1 had on the litre bike class, you would be forgiven for thinking it was a revolutionary design in the same vein as the original Blade or R1. But the simple truth is that it isn’t. The inline-four shares many similarities with the GSX-R750’s motor and the chassis is a standard aluminium twin spar affair. You get inverted forks, conventionally mounted brakes and 17-inch wheels. It is all very tried-and-tested technology. So, what made the K1 so special? The fact that Suzuki made it not only as powerful as possible but also as light as it could...
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Sensational Suzuki Live - Blending decades of motorcycles, racing legends, track time and a beer tent with a cracking band, Suzuki Live's formula proved a winner for the thousands there.
Blending decades of motorcycles, racing legends, track time and a beer tent with a cracking band, Suzuki Liveâs formula proved a winner for the thousands there. As motorcycling events go, Suzuki Live's 2024 effort is surely set to take some topping. Held over two days at the iconic Cadwell Park circuit, the event played host to a list of two-wheeled legends and a mixed bag of iconic Suzuki machinery spanning five decades.
Steve Parrish
It's been a busy old month but so good being back in the thick of it. Despite the great British weather, it finally feels like summer is here, and I've been all over the place with some really great events since we spoke last month.
Christian Iddon
It's a long time since I had that feeling... 1057 days, to be precise, and if you were to ask if 'that day' was the day it would happen again, then I would have bet all my worldly belongings against it.
BOTH A CRIMINAL AND CIVIL CASE
Thereâs a time and place to lawyer up to the hills, and this is one them...
LONGTERMER KAWASAKI ZX-6R
Last month, I was gearing up to consign my ZX-6R to the back of my garage while I disappeared for the best part of three weeks to work at the TT with Batham's Racing.
YAMAHA WABASH RT
When you live a life of wheelies, burnouts and fast laps on race tracks, it's hard to spot a midlife crisis... but six months on in the saddle of Yamaha's Wabash e-bike, I daresay that's exactly where I'm at. I'll be honest, cycling isn't for everyone, and quite frankly, Lycra is even more polarising, but for me, life on two wheels, be it powered or pedalled, has formed my staple diet for as long as I can remember.
24 HOURS FLAT-OUT!
Ever fancied a crack at 24-hour endurance racing? You might think again after reading this...
PROJECT 37 A TEST OF TIME
Having got his head around the standard bike at Cadwell, Timmy heads to Powerslide Motorcycles with a wish list of improvements for the Suzuki GSX-8R...
'WHY WE GO RACING...5
Ever wondered why big brands spend big money and put in huge amounts of effort to go racing? Well, we did too, so we didnât hesitate to ask the man who makes that call for Honda Racing UK...
9 BIKES WE WISH WERE STILL HERE...
No oneâs worked out how to bring things back from the dead, but if we had our way, these are the bikes weâd oe see makingareturn.