The '06 GSX-R was the most compact bike in its class, with the lowest seat height and narrowest seat/tank junction, a sensation reinforced by the swept-back clip-ons and relatively forward-mounted pegs. The '07 model features an all-new frameset that only enhances this compact nature by moving the rider even farther ahead against a shorter fuel tank, bringing the rider closer to the bars to increase forward weight distribution for better handling. My 5-foot, 7-inch, 150-pound frame fit this position near perfectly, though bigger riders might feel cramped. Three-way adjustable footpegs offer some relief.
Hot laps start by slipping out the creamy-smooth clutch-a self-adjusting hydraulic unit now, replacing last season's cable-actuated piece. Off-throttle response from the Suzuki Dual Throttle Valve (SDTV) system is flawless as ever, and the bike alights easily without stuttering, even as you account for the typically super-light Suzuki throttle-return spring.
As with any modern literbike, accelerating hard through the bottom three gears is an exercise in wheelie control, especially with the S-DMS switch set in full-power mode. In fact, second- and third-gear corner exits were where the S-DMS system proved most useful. Charging hard in A-mode out of the second-gear Siberia corner, with its uphill exit, had the front wheel aiming at the clouds every lap. Flip into B-mode in the same spot and you could apply the throttle with vigor, the front end staying planted and the bike charging forward. Same with the super-fast Turn 12 leading onto Gardner Straight-in B-mode you could roll deep into the throttle worry-free and focus on finishing the corner without fear of spinning up the rear or skimming the front over the bumpy, tankslapper-inviting exit. We didn't have the benefit of lap-timers, but if we weren't faster in spots with the motor set in B-mode we were at least working less to go the same speed. We didn't spend nearly as much time in C-mode (who wants to ride a 600 on a high-speed course like Phillip Island?), but suffice it to say that flipping from C-mode to A-mode heading down the front straight is akin to engaging an afterburner.
The press briefing revealed a startling, 13-pound weight increase between the '06 and '07 bikes, no doubt due to the new, larger radiator and related cooling components as well as the heavier dual exhaust. Some components did go on a diet, however, such as the brake system with new rotors that are .5mm thinner to reduce unsprung weight. You'd never guess that Suzuki changed anything in the brake department, though, as the GSX-R stops as authoritatively as ever. The front radial-pump master cylinder pushes enough juice to allow one-finger stopping from any speed, even into the Honda hairpin, and the new, thinner rotors give no indication of fade or other evidence of overheating, even when coming down from 175 mph (just a little) in preparation for Phillip Island's infamous Doohan Corner. Aiding aggressive corner entries is an effective, cam-operated slipper clutch mechanism that has had one more reaction spring added this year to more smoothly control engine braking.
Despite slightly more-relaxed front-end geometry (the trail has been stretched from 96mm to 98mm), the '07 GSXR turns in even more quickly and easily than before, most likely due to the rider being closer to the front axle, as well as lighter wheels and other changes that reduce rotating mass. Where you do notice the new geometry is in the increased stability through long, fast sweepers, where the bike feels as planted as a prairie oak. Suzuki went to great lengths with this new chassis to increase torsional rigidity, including using fewer main frame pieces held together with fewer welds, and also designing a new swingarm with relocated pivot linkage to reduce side loading. These changes pay big dividends in increased stability when leaned over at high speeds, with very little directional energy sapped by chassis flex.
Even after accounting for the weight gain, the stiffer frame, revised geometry and altered riding position all combine to make the '07 GSX-R1000 behave similar to a GSX-R750. And largely thanks to a big ol' brainpower boost inside the ECU, the new Gixxer Thou is also both faster and easier to control at the same time. But is S-DMS the performance revolution we've been waiting for?
The theoretical utility of having softer power delivery characteristics available on demand is obvious (particularly with racing homologation in mind, if you're a factory Suzuki Superstock racer riding a bike equipped with three Yosh-spec'd power maps), but we are left questioning the practical applications of this technology. By the end of the day, after we knew the track and our confidence level was high, everyone's switch always migrated back to A-mode where we could control the chaos the old-fashioned way-with our right hand. Snap-wheelies on demand and 100-foot darkies out of every corner? Bring it on! If you want 600-like power delivery, why not save yourself a few grand and buy a GSX-R600 in the first place?
Is it too early, then, for us to already be whining for next-generation traction control-a genuine active system like the GP riders have that mediates wheelspin as it happens, rather than a passive system that just neuters the motor so wheelspin isn't even an option? Now that would be something our simple squid-brain would have an easier time grasping.