SRAD review

The BirotarUK Suzuki GSXR 600 SRAD

Photograph taken in May 2015

The SRAD has been one of our long-term bikes. We purchased it second hand from a motorcycle dealer in Peterborough in 2009 and we have enjoyed the ownership from day one.

Photograph taken on the day we purchased the SRAD.

Back in the day of the 25kw (33hp) restriction, it was the only bike within our budget that suited our requirements. During the hunt for the ‘perfect bike’ (we now realise that there is no such thing, it should in-fact be ‘perfect bikes’ but that’s another story), we had a certain criteria:

• The bike needed to fall in the 25kw restriction class and had to be insurable under the restriction law

• It had to be comfortable enough to commute, and have enough wind protection for rides on the motorway

• It had to be fairly efficient

After 3 months of ownership, we fitted heated grips, changed the tyres to a set of Michelin PR2 and booked a long distance tour. London to Venice.
 

With the panniers, tank back and sat-nav fitted, we set off on a journey that taught us more about riding than any other road ride. On the morning of the set off, guess what… there was a dark rain cloud above. A rain cloud that remained above us, all the way from Dunkirk to Stuttgart. None the less, the SRAD did not miss a beat, averaging 150 miles to a tank and recorded a digital top speed of 110mph on the on the Autobahn in the wet (with the restrictors fitted)!

With no offence intended, we hope that you ‘fair weather riders’ get to experience how great it feels being soaked, cold and +1000 miles away from home in a country where the only words that translate are gasolina and Coca-Cola.  

Photograph taken in Bolzano in 2009

The bike started to struggle at the high altitude in the Alps (approx 9045ft above sea level) but as we started the descent, the bike came back to life and surfed all the way down the twisty roads.

 

The sun was setting as we entered Bolzano. By this point the bike had been running non stop since 6am (apart from fuel stops). The pain in the backside started to become unbearable on the Autostrada, and it felt like a relief every time we stopped for a toll, just because there was an opportunity to sit up and stretch for a moment. 

The plan wasn’t to complete the journey in one day, but the bike was inspiring confidence. It wanted to be ridden. Many have experienced this, and I'm sure that if you're one of them, It’s hard to explain what it’s like to be physically and mentally exhausted but have the desire to carry on at the same time. We had faith in the machine, and that's what kept us going. Oh, and the empty motorways ;). Before we left for this journey, family members and friends bet that the bike wouldn't make it past Munchen but the SRAD was proving them wrong, it got us to Venice in just under 20hrs and covered over 1200 miles, in one day. 

Little did we know, after a week of sun, sea, and beers. She didn’t want to start up again. We thought that was it, she had retired in Italy! It was the Friday before a bank holiday weekend and we were due start our return to the UK on the Sunday. There were no garages open and we had no tools other the OEM supplied kit under the seat. We were stranded. 

Photograph taken somewhere over the sea in 2009

After a last minute flight back to the UK we rented a van to collect the bike. We brought the SRAD back to the UK and discovered that the long journey had taken it’s toll. The alternator, battery, plugs, ignition switch and throttle cable all needed repairing/replacing.

After a strip down and rebuild, we took the opportunity to derestrict the bike. WHOA. Going from 33hp to approx 90hp was a big jump. It wasn’t just the jump in power though, it was the brutality in which the bike delivered the power. It took a while to get used to, but we were glad that there was a noticeable difference!

Photograph taken in Hertfordshire in 2013

Next thing we knew, K&N filter, Micron exhaust, new brake pads, chain, sprocket and service parts were on order. The bike ran like a dream, but we still didn’t really understand what it was capable of. Over the next winter, it was ridden in all types of weather and it spent most of its nights stored in a dry garage, where it was detailed and admired once a week. 

We’ve now owned the bike for just over 5 years. Looking back, there are too many experiences and stories to list. But one that is really worth talking about is the NoLimits track day session we did at Mallory Park in April 2015.

Photograph taken at Mallory Park

As you may have seen on our blog, we carried out several modifications to improve the bikes handling and braking performance before the track day. You can see more details about these here.

Photograph taken at Mallory Park

 

We were nervous at Mallory, with it being only our 2^nd track day on a super bike. None the less, the SRAD performed remarkably, out accelerating and out handling many other bikes on track. We know the old girl is getting 'on a bit' in terms of technology, but the SRAD was very well matched to some of the more modern fuel injected bikes. What many would call, a truly 'un-assisted' riding experience. 

Photograph taken at Mallory Park

It was the first time that we got a chance to push the bike to our riding limits. We were pushing the bike hard and trying our best to shift the bike’s wide ass around the chicanes, and we were truly amazed in the way the bike handled and accelerated. 

Photograph taken at Mallory Park

 

There’s one thing we keep remembering though, when you own a bike for this length of time, you are able take the bike through most types of riding situations. We believe that it’s difficult to get a true grasp of what a bike is really like on an hour test ride, or even over a couple of days. 

So, the question is: how do you actually review a bike?! So you can get an idea of a bike’s capability and performance on a road test, but living with a bike day to day creates a bond. Which is hard to grasp in just an few hours.

We’ve considered selling the bike to upgrade for a modern litre machine, but something is stopping us. We believe that it’s this ‘bond’ that’s stopping us. And we’ve come down to this: 

At the end of the day, what’s worth more? £1.5k or a super bike? 

We haven’t quite got an answer for that yet, but at the moment, we are pretty speechless.

Photograph by Wil Collins Photography

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