SUZUKI GSX-R750 (2011 - 2018) Review

After years of gentle evolution Suzuki went to town on its 2011 GSX-R750 - its middleweight superbike. Weighing in at 190kg, fully-fuelled and ready to go, it’s a massive 8kg lighter than the old model, giving the claimed 148bhp Suzuki GSX-R750 a mouth-watering power-to-weight ratio.

• Latest news: Team Classic Suzuki unveil GSX-R750 SRAD build

The 750’s rolling chassis and bodywork is completely new, but it doesn’t get the firm's radical GSX-R600 engine overhaul and the resulting 1kg extra weight reduction. Aside from minor revisions to make it breath more easily, the 750’s motor is essentially the same as before, but it now promises to spin up faster and make more low and midrange power. Suzuki claims it’s 10% more fuel efficient too.

It still has the perfect mix of power and handling, but thanks to the lighter weight, acceleration is now more towards a superbike than a 600. It doesn’t have the new close-ratio gearbox fitted in the 600, so feels longer-legged in the higher gears on track, but will it will make for a less frantic machine on the road.

It’s fun, fast and handles beautifully, but crucially it’s very easy to ride fast, unlike a bigger sportsbike. Pound-for-pound we reckon it’s one of the best sportsbikes you can buy.

Suzuki GSX-R750 revisited in 2016

It takes the length of the pitlane here at the Racamulto circuit in Sicily to fall back in love with the GSX-R750.

Fond memories come flooding back from the times I’ve spent with this feisty Suzuki over the years - from its 2011 launch at the Monteblanco circuit near Seville, to road tests, sunny group tests and the cherry on top: a year spent living with a GSX-R750, riding around Europe and picking off 1000s at trackdays.

People always ask which bike I’d buy with my own money, and this is it.

The GSX-R750’s 148bhp motor (expect to see around 135bhp at the back wheel) isn’t so powerful that it chews through rear tyres, or needs traction and wheelie control. Instead it’s involving and easy to manage, like a 600, but has enough power and torque to lap a circuit as quick as a superbike.

That raw, haunting exhaust note at full throttle sends shivers down your spine and the Suzuki’s screaming, free-revving 750cc inline four-cylinder is a masterpiece.

Fitted with Metzeler Racetec RR K2 race tyres it laps Racamulto in 1m 11.53s. We tested an Öhlins-shod, Brembo-braked Fireblade SP here on the same day – and the Honda is three tenths slower. And the giant-killing stats keep coming, because, fully fuelled, the GSX-R750 tips the scales at a measured 194kg, which is lighter than any current 1000, as well as the Honda CBR600RR and MV Agusta F3 800.

Steering is light, precise and the feel through the chassis is immense, so you can balance on the edge of front and rear grip like a pro. You can ride it any way you want and it will flatter - go smooth and flowing, or grab it by the scruff of its neck and use it like a 1000, it’s your choice. The GSX-R750 is that rare breed of motorcycle that has a few per cent more chassis than engine. It’s the perfect sportsbike.

The harder you push, the more confidence the GSX-R750 gives you. Take a deep breath, push harder again and you’ll find another deep pool of performance to splash around in. Not only is it fast, it’s more fun than the latest electronically strangled superbikes and will let you skid gracefully into corners and pull huge maniacal third- gear wheelies.

Sportsbike evolution has moved on massively over the past few years and it’s all about litre bikes with 200bhp, packed with sophisticated electronic rider aids. But the GSX-R750 is a lesson in sportsbike purity.

This current-model Suzuki GSX-R750 (L1-L6) hasn’t changed since it was released to replace the K8-K0 version in 2011. The bike you see in the pictures is the original L1, but the only change to this year’s L6 version is the MotoGP/Sert paintjob.

But what’s most impressive is the price: it costs just £9999, which is actually £25 cheaper now than it was in 2011! Better still, you can pick up an early used L1 model for as little as six grand.

There’s also a 30th Anniversary version for £200 more, which has a retro 1985-inspired paintjob, a titanium Yoshimura R11 end can, double bubble screen, tank pad and carbon effect stickers for the fuel cap trim, top yoke, frame and seat cowl.

In its 31-year history, the GSX-R750 has beaten off dozens of rivals in a class that started off as superbike (until 1000s pinched that category) and then morphed into the ‘middleweight’, which is a name we gave to those bikes that never fitted neatly into the 600 or 1000 class.

Once you've read this review and our owners' reviews, you might want to consider joining an online community to talk to likeminded owners. We'd suggest heading to the GSXROC would be a great place to start.

The Suzuki GSX-R750 is still civilised, comfy and thanks to adjustable footpegs, roomy enough for tall riders too. The suspension is plush on the move and there’s lots of adjustment for track riding too.

Showa Big Piston Forks give lots of support and feel, while Brembo Monobloc calipers are a big improvement over the old model’s brakes. They still fade on track, but not as much as before.

With much less weight to lug around, the Suzuki GSX-R750 is a joy to ride fast. It loads you with feedback and flatters your riding. There are few bikes that can cover ground as fast and are such fun at the same time. The new chassis has a 15mm shorter wheelbase, so steering is even lighter than before. In the real world, the GSX-R750 is every bit as fast as a 1000.

Unlike the 2011 GSX-R600 there are only minor changes to the 148bhp, 750cc inline-four-cylinder motor. It now has pentagonal-shaped ventilation holes in the block, instead of round, which they say reduces pumping losses inside the engine and creates more bottom end power.

The primary injector nozzles are changed from 41 to 35 degrees inside the throttle bodies. The gearbox remains the same. A revised, more efficient ECU has been moved from under the seat to the top of the airbox to save weight on the length of wiring loom.

Blip the throttle and you still get that angry, metallic GSX-R rasp from the airbox and exhaust. The revs spin up almost as quickly on the move, racing through the gears, as it does at a standstill. The GSX-R750’s performance is as much as you’ll ever need on the road or track.

Suzuki GSX-R750 revisited in 2016

The 750’s motor can bog down if you’re not in the right gear, so fitting a one-tooth smaller front sprocket helps keep the engine in its sweet spot. It transforms track and road riding, at the expense of a bit of top speed, but who needs a top whack of 181mph, anyway?

When a stock Suzuki GSX-R750 top speed was 181mph

Back in the summer of 2013 we tested this actual GSX-R750 against the then new MV Agusta F3 800 and the Ducati Evo Corse SE in a very special test. In glorious conditions we toured the roads of southern Italy, scratched around the Nürburgring-esque Nardo test track and blasted around its eight-mile speed bowl.

Not only did the Suzuki cream the test, it also hit an incredible GPS-confirmed 181mph top speed around the bowl.

Granted, it took fellow tester Chad seven miles with the throttle against the stop for the GSX-R750 to creep up to that speed, inches from the Armco at the highest point of the bowl, but it did it.

Not even the GSX-R1000 is that fast now. The best we see in MCN tests is the mid-170mph mark, which backs up rumours that some Japanese manufacturers are placing 280km/h limiters on their superbikes.

So not only is a 750 faster around a track than a Blade, it’s faster than a GSX-R1000, too.

In terms of reliability, GSX-Rs will never let you down. They’ll take any abuse you throw at them all day long – they seem to actually enjoy it. Build quality is very good, but the paint finish isn’t as deep as some machines and can stone chip easily.

Our Suzuki GSX-R750 owners' reviews show nothing but love for this 750 screamer. It's clear buyers absolutely adore their bikes. There are no prevailing problems to be concerned about. Quotes from riders include "the perfect bike" and "one of the most practical superbikes you can get".

Suzuki GSX-R750 revisited in 2018

Senior Writer Dan Sutherland rode the Suzuki GSX-R750 again in 2018 to see how it had aged over seven years. Here's what he said:

The GSX-R750 is a bike I’ve always wanted to ride. Acting as the perfect balance between a revvy supersport 600 and a big-power litre bike, it’s the ideal recipe for thrills on road and track.

Firing up the bike on a crisp December morning outside Fasttrack Motorcycles in Leicester, I was nervous that the fabled 125bhp would be too much of a handful for the almost-negative temperatures.

However, in no more than half-a-mile I was astonished to find just how easy it is to ride. Despite the sporty, hunched-over position, the bike feels incredibly roomy. The footrests are in a natural position and there is next to no strain on your wrists, even at low speed. And with a seat height of just 810mm, I can comfortably get both feet flat on the floor, despite only being 5ft 7in tall.

The GSX-R is a nice place to be. Up front, there is an easy-to-read dashboard, which combines a digital speedo, gear indicator and trip meter (amongst other features) with an old-school analogue rev counter, which climbs all the way to 15,000rpm.

On the bars, the switchgear is placed logically, with nothing out of reach of your thumbs. Our test bike has been fitted with shorty-levers, which give great feeling when operating the front brake, but leave your clutch hand aching after prolonged use, as you can only fit two fingers on the lever.

There is a good level of visibility from the mirrors, which neatly house the front indicators and help sharpen the bike’s aggressive profile. They are also easily adjusted on the fly, with a minimal stretch from the bars.

Watch: Suzuki GSX-R750 long-term test video

Rivals for the Suzuki GSX-R750 have come and gone. When the L1 was released in 2011 it beat the Ducati 848 and when the fast-but-quirky MV Agusta F3 800 turned up in 2013, it beat that, too. But it was only when Ducati released their sublime 899 Panigale that the battle weary GSX-R750 was finally knocked off its throne.

But, for 2016, the ‘baby’ Panigale grew to 955cc and moved into a lonely sub-litre class of its own. We tested the 959 Panigale here at Racamulto and it was 1.3 seconds faster than the Suzuki, which proves the Ducati isn’t a middleweight anymore. That meant the GSX-R750 was back as the king of the middleweights.

The Triumph Daytona 675R is another bike to consider if you're not set on this magical Suzuki.

Compared to the latest 1000s, the Suzuki GSX-R750 is sparsely-equipped, but that’s the way it’s supposed to be: it’s light, simple and fast.

It does have a speed-sensitive, electronic steering damper and two power maps, which are easily switchable from the left bar. There’s a new dash, which incorporates a gear position indicator and lap timer and of course those Showa forks and Brembo brakes.

Got more to spend? Well, you can fit a fork cartridge kit to improve front end feel, a race exhaust for more power and less weight and a Dynojet Power Commander (remember those?) to smooth out the Suzuki’s snatchy fuelling, which unfortunately seems to be a staple of their new bikes, nowadays (the new GSX-S1000’s fuelling is horrid).