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.
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
- Commuting
- City Riding
- B-Road blasting
- Track days
- Long distance European journeys
- 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.
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.
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
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