BANG FOR YOUR BUCK! Suzuki GSR750

2011: Kawasaki’s radically-styled Z750 was a cash cow; in Europe (especially France) it was King of Sales. The aging Bandit and much-derided GSR600 were on the way out. So Suzuki performed its old trick of taking an existing engine, re/de-tune it and drop it into a new frame. The GSR750 was born. Bob Pickett investigates…

When it launched, riders liked them; sales didn’t match (feeling they were overpriced). Second-hand, they came into my local Suzuki dealer and straight back out the door! That new price (and launch of the game-changing Street Triple) took it’s toll, and the model only lasted five years.

Give me some spec:

A steel trellis frame houses a 749cc inline four donated from the 2005 GSX-R750, but re-tuned for increased midrange power and torque; overall power dropped to 105bhp (@10,000rpm with maximum torque of 59lb-ft @ 9,000rpm) for the French marketplace.

Seat height is 815mm/31.1 inches, bike weight is 210kg. Stopping this lot are 2 x 310mm floating front discs with 2-piston Tokico callipers and a single 240mm with one-piston Nissin calliper rear.

So what is it like to ride?

It’s still a good-looking bike. You sit in rather than on, legs hugging the big tank as feet tuck back on the rearset pegs and hands drop easily on to the controls on those wide(ish) bars.

A decade ago I praised Suzuki for keeping the weight down; 10 years later I was thinking how heavy it felt as I lifted it off the stand. Ten years of development in mass centralisation makes the GSR750 feel old-fashioned.

Maximum torque is at 9,000rpm, but the re(de)tuned GSX-R lump pulls from nothing, running commuting speeds at just 2,000rpm. This low in the range, power delivery is lumpy; opening the throttle a touch smooths it out. It’s lost 40 horses from the top, but will still launch into a gallop when asked, with a throaty roar from the aftermarket Yoshimura exhaust.

Some testers complained the rear was soft. Didn’t agree then, don’t agree now. The rear feels planted, and if anything I find the front gives a little too much feedback, especially on bumpy roads. Handing is good; it’s not sportbike-accurate, but corner with confidence and it’ll go where you point.

Brakes are basic (ABS was an option on the earlier models), but haul up the GSR with no fuss and it felt smooth and controlled at the lever.

The LED clock looks old-fashioned in these TFT days, but give the information you need.  Mirrors are effective. The GSR750 will do a good job for you, but it does feel heavy and a bit old-fashioned against more modern bikes.

What nick is it in?

Decent for its age. Spot of paint flaking on the frame, brake callipers looking a little tatty, and the rear disc has never been used.

What’s it worth?

The dealer wants £4,299 for a 2014 bike with 20,500 miles recorded (pre-test). Dealer prices range from £3,995 for a 2013 bike with 26,500 miles logged, to a 2016 model for £5,999 with 7,995 miles on the clock.

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