SUZUKI GSX-R600 (2011 - 2018) Review

Overall rating

The Suzuki GSX-R600 never fails to surprise and impress. It’s nothing special on paper compared to its supersport rivals and it’s even down on power compared to most of them (except the Honda CBR600RR), but it manages to deliver such easy grunt you honestly have to keep checking you haven’t jumped on a 750 by mistake.

Suzuki slashed an incredible 9kg from the 2011 GSX-R600. The engine had more midrange, a close ratio gearbox and for the first time, Showa Big Piston Forks and Brembo monobloc radial front brakes.

• Related: Best 600cc sports bikes

Aside from a handful of components, the 2011 GSX-R600 was completely new. The easy-going nature of the bike was still there, but it was sharper, more agile and there’s more punch out of the corners. If only it looked a bit special and not look just like any other GSX-R to be made over the past decade.

Ride quality & brakes

The GSX-R600 got a new twin spar aluminium frame with more built-in flex, which was lighter, shorter and narrower around the seat area. The new swingarm was lighter, too.

The overall chassis set-up was typical GSX-R: pliable and friendly, but with a tougher edge. It was not as stiff as a Yamaha R6, Kawasaki ZX-6R or Triumph Daytona 675, but it gave masses of feedback and you felt very comfortable pushing to your limit straight away. That said, in stock trim it sits much flatter on its wheels than its rivals, which slows the steering but boosts stability.

For the first time the GSX-R600 was fitted with lighter-weight Showa Big Piston Forks (BPF). Unlike the old units the new forks had lots of adjustment in them for hard track riding and gave a good solid feel into the corners. The harder you used them the better they were. The new brakes were a revelation too and faded very little on track.

Three-way adjustable footpegs guarantee generous legroom, the clip-ons aren’t too much of a stretch and the seat isn’t a pain in the rear. It’s just as adept at summer touring through Europe as it is hooning around a track.

And talking of which, practicalities aside, this is still a supersport brawler. It begs to be abused and shrieks with delight when you dip the rev needle into the red. It’s completely stable and even on track you’d be hard-pushed to get it anywhere near out of shape.

There’s nothing like hammering a 600, but when you’re not in the mood the GSX-R600 is your flexible friend.

Engine

Whilst the 2011-on GSX-R600 made around the same power as before, there was now more midrange torque - something lacking in the old machine. The result is a sportsbike that's sheer bliss to pilot between 70 and 110mph, dancing between 4th and 5th gears.

There was such a noticeable increase in the middle that it pulled almost as hard as the larger capacity GSX-R750, yet still loved to scream to the redline. You can’t ride a 1000cc superbike to the limit on the road, but you can make a 600 howl in the right conditions.

So how did they do it? Well, the inline four-cylinder motor had the same basic architecture as before, with the same 599cc and 67 x 42.5mm bore and stroke. However, it had new cams, new pistons and new pentagonal ventilation holes in the block.

Compression was up and each piston assembly was 78 grams lighter. A new lighter, close-ratio gearbox had a taller first gear and shorter ratios for second, third, fourth and sixth. The final drive was changed from a 17/45 to a 16/43.

A new four-into-one exhaust had stainless steel down pipes, a butterfly valve to improve low and midrange power and a titanium end can. The whole system was l.7kg lighter.

Reliability & build quality

The paint was quite thin when new and liable to stone chips. Unless you kept it in sparkling condition, some components could lose their shine.

The very nature of these bikes means that many on the used market will have been thrashed, used on track and potentially dropped - so be extra careful to check for non-original panels, plastic fasteners that don't match or resprays.

The engine was designed to be put through its paces, though, so a good service history should put your mind at ease. Our Suzuki GSX-R600 owners' reviews echo the above comment about thin paint, but there's nothing else to concern you about the reliability of this bike.

Value vs rivals

With sales dwindling by 2016, supersport racing was the reason the Suzuki GSX-R600 existed in its later life. But it’s never been a serial track headbanger like the R6, ZX-6R, CBR600RR or Daytona 675, despite winning the 2011 BSS title.

So unless you were going to race, it made much more sense to buy the GSX-R750 for just a few quid more. It’s basically the same bike with an extra 150cc, so it corners, steers, brakes and screams like a 600, but it has a nice dollop of extra grunt so you’re not up and down the gearbox.

Group test: Suzuki GSX-R600 vs Triumph Daytona 675 vs Honda CBR600RR vs Kawasaki ZX-6R vs Yamaha R6

First published in MCN 2 September 2015 by Adam Child

During 2015 MCN's Adam Child put the best of the 600cc supersport bunch against one another to see which one was best. The test saw the Suzuki GSX-R600 line up against the Honda CBR600RR, the Triumph Daytona 675, Kawasaki's ZX-6R and the Yamaha R6. Here's his verdict:

"My love for the supersport 600 class has been rekindled. They’re not as uncompromising as you’d think, so if you’re considering a superbike, why not take a look at a 600 instead? The Kawasaki and Triumph are much more road-focused than you’d think.

"Yes, there are some compromises to take into consideration – town work is tough, pillions are a no-no and touring is questionable – but if you’re lucky enough to have brilliant roads on your doorstep, you can’t go wrong with either. I might even go for the Suzuki, which is nearly as accomplished on the road and is the cheapest too."

Group test: 2017 Suzuki GSX-R600 vs Yamaha R6

First published in MCN 13 September 2017 by Adam Child

My arse has gone numb, and I’m in agony. The Yamaha R6’s suspension has minimal travel, especially the rear, and it’s punishing my spine. The screen is much wider and taller than before, but the fairing is tiny. I’m stuck behind a long trail of holiday traffic and wishing I was on anything but a new R6 because a broken rocking horse would be more comfortable.

But then the road opens out. I tap back to second gear, the tacho darts up to 10,000rpm and the R6 is transformed. The noise from the inline-four is intoxicating as it approaches the 16,500rpm redline. Sacrificing all mechanical sympathy, I don’t even want to imagine how fast the titanium valves are moving as I ask the quickshifter for another gear. I’m in heaven as the needle heads towards the redline once more; I’m 25 years old again with all those aches and pains miraculously cured.

The GSX-R600 on the other hand offers the thrill of the R6 but with more comfort. The lower seat is softer, the suspension is plush, there’s more travel, and it’s much more suited to the road. The riding position isn’t as radical and I’m no longer perched over the front. Over distance the GSX-R is more accommodating and makes for an easier companion.

Equipment

The GSX-R600 was as well equipped as any other supersport machine, but electronics were restricted to a two-mode power map and an electronically adjustable, speed-sensitive steering damper. There was no traction control, quickshifter, or ABS.

The lower of the two power maps had so little power you’d barely use it and the steering damper wasn’t as good as a manually-adjustable aftermarket item.