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Launched in an age of the Honda VF and CB, the GSX-R750 managed to revitalise a class with its cradle aluminium frame, 102bhp on tap and a breezy 179kg.
Who knows, without the GSX-R Honda might never have created the Fireblade. The R1 would never have been born to challenge the ?Blade and the modern GSX-R1000 could have ended up more like the GSX-F.
That being said, before 2000 the 750 started to loose a bit of its sparkle. Management gave the Thou' all the attention and the 600 started to become very popular ? even managing to get votes as the world's best sportsbike.
2000 changed all that with a complete new bike managing to dispel all rumours that the 750 class was dead.
Since then, the 600 and 750 followed in the big footsteps of the Thou'. Next year will be no different.
A new look and revised mechanics keeps the smaller Gixers up-to-date and should just as popular as ever. The original race replicas are back.
Here's what they've done for 2006:
The 600 has a longer swingarm with reducing changes made in the chassis. This should make the newcomer a perfect track tool.
The swingarm pivot has been moved forward giving the bike better stability and making it easier to judge rear wheel traction.
Styling changes also have a purpose with a 5% improvement in the bike's aerodynamics.
Ram-air intakes positioned close to fairing centre line makes the system more effective.
Back torque limiting clutch helps make quick downshifts smoother, especially on the racetrack.
The Suzuki GSX-750
New valve angles for the 750 allow each combustion chamber to be more compact, increasing the compression ratio from 12.3 to 12.5:1.
The outside two intake ports are angled slightly inward reducing the distance to the adjacent port to 71mm compared to the previous model's 75mm.
A new secondary balancer shaft positioned in front of the crankshaft reduces secondary vibration at high revs.
The new engine is 32mm shorter from top to bottom, 16mm narrower side to side and 60mm shorter front to rear. It weighs 1kg less than the outgoing bike.
The muffler is positioned under the engine, inside the lower part of the fairing and is fed by short, equal-length head pipes, a collector and a mid-pipe.
The new GSX-R600 is 15mm shorter in length and the seat is 15mm lower.
In terms of handling the GSX-R750 is 15mm shorter in overall length. It also has a seating position that is lower by 15mm. The wheelbase is now at 1.4m. Weight is down to 163kg.
What does this mean? A leaner, meaner machine with quick steering and "flickable" characteristics.
Both the front and rear brake discs have been made larger with the front now at 310mm (220mm at the back) with radial front brake callipers and radial front brake master cylinder.
Front suspension is inverted telescopic with coil springs and is adjustable for preload, rebound and damping. A link-type monoshock at the back is adjustable for rebound and damping.
