By no means every motorbike can claim to be the first of its kind. One that can is the Suzuki GSX-R750. So closely did its looks reflect those of Suzuki’s ’85 Endurance racer, that it was dubbed a ‘race-replica’. Performance-wise, too, it did not fall far short. 145mph on the road was not for the faint of heart!
The ‘Gixer’, then, was built to go fast. Corners were no hindrance to that mission statement. The GSX-R’s light aluminium frame – and beefed-up forks – rendered it highly ‘flickable’. Powering out of bends, though, needed the rev-needle planted firmly to the right. The GSX-R’s power-band was uncompromising. Low-down ‘grunt’ was not its strong suit. Keep the revs high, though, and you were flying. And when slowing could be put off no longer, the GSX-R’s state of the art stoppers responded with relish.
The first GSX-R 750 was nick-named the ‘slab-side’. That referenced the perpendicular lines of its design. Certainly, it communicated solidity – and a strong sense of purpose. So – single-handedly – the Suzuki GSX-R750 sparked the ‘race-rep’ revolution. After that, roadsters really would not ever be the same again!