Showing posts with label GSXR. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GSXR. Show all posts

Monday, 23 October 2017

Bye-Bye Bthou!

Suzuki GSXR 1000 K4 Review - BirotarUK


Have you ever made a connection with a bike? It sounds strange, but anyone who has will relate to this. The attraction of a liter superbike is an incredible thing. 
A post shared by BirotarUK (@birotaruk) on


Its torque and power delivery is something that is hard to describe and can be quite frightening, especially if you're coming from a lesser powered machine. 

We bought the GSXR 1000 K4 in August 2015. You can find out more about here.
We've done everything on this bike apart from taking it down a dirt track.

- Commuting
- City Riding
- B-Road blasting
- Track days
- Long distance European journeys
- Short weekend away

One thing we noticed immediately was that it's an extremely capable machine and it is a bike that left you wanting more after every ride. We never got off the bike wishing it was different. Full satisfaction after riding the Bthou, every time. 


The Bthou is now sold to make some room in the garage, so we thought we would put together a list of the bike's features and spec.

- Ohlins rear shock
- HealTech GI with ATRE
- Next-Up QS
- Titanium Yoshimura Tri-Oval 98dB
- Braided lines
- EBC HH Sintered Pads
- Pirelli Diablo Rosso III Tyres (190/55)
- Power Commander III
- R&G Crash Protection
- Tinted Screen

The bike is going to be missed, but times and requirements change! 


The bike overall was very comfortable and very stable at motorway speeds.
A post shared by BirotarUK (@birotaruk) on
We rode the Bthou from London to Turin last year. We did the return journey in one go, 18 hours in the saddle was perfectly bearable with the only problem being fuel range! The bike was brilliant. 

A post shared by BirotarUK (@birotaruk) on
Basic maintenance is required on models of this age, naturally, like any other machine. Particularly with the K4, kickstand switches, throttle cables, fuel pump strainers are to be looked at if you're buying a used one!

It's all about ensuring that the bike is not going to let you down, not by trying to predict the impossible but by having a look through your owner's manual and service intervals (or Haynes manual if you have one). These checks will give you a good idea about the items that should and can be replaced affordably and easily, before "the bike lets you down" when instead, it's basic user error that is causing the problem!


One thing that we will say about the GSXR 1000 K4, and any 150-160+ hp bikes. On a track day, you have got to be a seriously experienced and talented rider to be able to use the full bike's power to really stretch its legs and bring it to life.


As we experienced at Bedford Autodrome last year, reaching an indicated 188mph on the back straight is easy. Opening up on a straight line is fine. It's understanding when and how to open the throttle on the exit of a corner, using the tyre just before reaching the limit of grip. 

The reality is though, that it can be ridden gently. It can be ridden slowly, and it's not going to bite you back if you treat it with respect. Arguably, that's the same with any bike. 

So here is a short gallery of that represent our time on the GSXR 1000 K4, formally known as, the Bthou. One of the first bikes we really made a connection with! Thanks for the good time :D

A post shared by BirotarUK (@birotaruk) on


A post shared by BirotarUK (@birotaruk) on


Posted by at 1 comment:
Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Thursday, 27 October 2016

GSXR K5 750

Suzuki GSXR K5 750 - approx read time under 5mins 

After one year and over five thousand miles of ownership, we parted with the Bfiddy. It was used for commuting, trackdays and UK touring, never missing a beat.
Rider Birotar_Jonjo
Back in 2015, when we bought the bike, she came as standard with an Arrow exhaust, the only hidden extra was a Power Commander 3. After an hours ride home we knew the right choice had been made, with great handling and acceleration there when you want it.
Nice unobtrusive dash
The bike received a full service when we got her back to the BirotarUK HQ. We also changed the pads knowing full well it wouldn’t be long before we had her on track, EBC HH Sintered are the pads of choice. 
The first big trip for the Bfiddy was to Wales to enjoy some fine roads and scenery. A waterproof bag strapped to the back and that was all that was needed. Official figures state 160 miles to a tank of fuel, but we found 120-130 was more realistic before the fuel light came on.
The Bfiddy ready for a trip to Wales
After some time to get to grips with the bike, it was evident we needed to get the suspension set up. We used Race Engineering, as we do with all our bikes. As usual they did a great job and the bike's handling was transformed. We’d also added a quickshifter to the bike, this was tested on the dyno whilst also confirming a very healthy 130bhp at the rear wheel.
The Bfiddy in Wales
Knowing the bike was healthy and the suspension performing much better, it was time to hit the track. We managed two on the Bfiddy, one at Mallory park in the standard road fairings and the other at Brands Hatch after we sourced some track fairings. Both times the bike performed really well, building rider confidence.

There isn’t much you can fault the Bfiddy on, if anything. It's a bike that can be used in most situations and takes everything in its stride. Servicing and parts are cheap, and providing the bike comes with a good service history there isn't much that would stop the bike.

Overall a big thumbs up from us. A highly recommended sports motorcycle capable of commuting, fast road riding, touring and track days. Here's to the duly departed Bfiddy. 
Bfiddy at Brands Hatch
Thanks for reading! We hope you enjoyed it.
BirotarUK 
#BirotarUK




Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Monday, 2 November 2015

BMW K1200S or GSXR 1000?

GSXR 1000 or K1200S?


A couple of months ago, on our hunt for our next bike, we found ourselves looking online. Our ideal machine, HAD to fit the following criteria:
  • Our lady fleet rider must be able to ride it
  • It must be comfortable enough to commute
  • It must be comfortable enough to tour on
  • It must be able to perform on track
  • Over 120hp would be nice

We imagine that most people want to be able to do everything on their bike too, and it's so easy to get carried away - especially when you're not 100% sure what you want. You soon realise that you can get another bike for the money, and after reading all the reviews and watching all the videos, you become aware of bikes that you had never considered. 

We wanted to keep an open mind, and for that reason we considered the following bikes:
  • BMW K1200S
  • Fireblade
  • GSXR 1000
  • GSXR 750
  • ZX10R
  • R1
After some research and several conversations with people who owned these bikes, we decided to book a test ride on the K1200S and the GSXR 1000 k6. Coming from the GSXR 600 SRAD and the R1200GS, we felt that we could trust the BMW and Suzuki brands. 


The K1200S was the first bike we tested and what we really liked about the K1200S was that the tank range and more upright position enables you to ride for longer, but 160hp means plenty of fun on track too.  

With it being quite heavy (227kg), we did think it would be difficult to change direction quickly on track. But the ESA (Electronic Suspension Adjustment), heated grips and ABS make this faired beast really attractive. Not to mention, pillion comfort and re-sale value!

Everything about this bike was great. Honestly! There was no wind wobble in the mirrors, the vibes from the driveshaft were hardly noticable (unlike some of the reviews we have come accross), the screen was very well positioned... The list goes on.

This bike is incredibly well made, and you can tell this immediately - but it did lack something.
  
Something that was noticable when you step off the bike and look back as you walk away. It just didn't give us that 'tingle' that you get when you step off a superbike. It has a different kind of appeal, it gives you the confidence that you can explore the road and carry on exploring with the peace of mind that the bike will not skip a beat. And this bike should be praised for that.



And the Gixxer, well – it's plain nuts, but it just will not be as comfortable in the long distance stuff as the BMW. On the 45 minute test ride (after taking out the BMW) we immediately noticed the scrunched seating position, the restricted space in front of you (and behind you), and the aggressive acceleration - which was addictive.

Like the BMW, ~160hp means it will be seriously fun on track, both on the straights and in the bends (if we can put the power down).

After the test ride – it took us a while to make up our minds. We loved the relaxed riding position and the torque of the BMW, the luggage, the screen, the dials...

But the GSXR is just so sexy.

Ah! Are we the only ones that do this? Back and forth from one bike to another.

Let's face it, both bikes are awesome - and both deserve to be recognised for how excellent they are. You could argue that they don't deserve to be compared because they sit in different classes, but we genuinely were interested in these bikes for different reasons - at the same time. 

Yes, the GSXR is better looking, it feels faster and will probably gives you more 'street cred' - but when you're riding, is it really that important what you're riding? As long as you're enjoying yourself, that's all that matters.


Did we go for the Bimmer in the end? No.

Why? Well you already know. Because #‎Bthou and because we could still go for the Bimmer in 10 years time.


We managed to save a few pennies by going with the GSXR 1000 k4 instead too - win win!

P.S. - the #Bthou is seriously quick on track! We can't wait for the next track day..

All the best
BirotarUK 






Posted by at 1 comment:
Labels: , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)