Suzuki’s beast of a bike – the GSX-R1100G first hit UK showrooms some 40 years ago. Bertie Simmonds looks back…
The GSX-R750F of 1985 revolutionised sportsbike design, even if it used tried and tested technology, but by making the whole bike lighter… For the 1986 GSX-R1100, Suzuki applied very similar thinking.
This bike weighed in at 197 kilos dry and had a claimed 130bhp… Amazing for the time. It was lighter than the Kawasaki GPZ1000RX by 43 kilos and posted high 10-second quarter-mile standing starts.
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The heart of the bike was a 1052cc motor which was 14 kilos alone lighter than the legendary GSX1100 engine as well as being 72mm narrower. Suzuki claimed that the 1100 had the best power-to-weight ratio of the time and the chassis aped its little brother, following the characteristic aluminium double-cradle frame.
Brakes at the front were two 310mm floating discs with four-piston opposed calipers. Weight distribution was also the ideal figure of the time of 50 per cent over each wheel, although the sheer size of the beast — as well as a comparatively tiny wheelbase of 1460mm — meant that a steering-damper was often desirable!
Legendary road-tester Mat Oxley got his first taste of the awesome power of the big Suzuki at its launch at Laguna Seca and he said simply: “I’m convinced that the GSX-R1100 is the best sports superbike ever.”
The bike would be developed further over the next decade, through various versions. A mild update came in for 1987’s H-model, which also came with a limited-edition black and gold ‘Hyper-Endurance’ paint scheme, while for 1988 Suzuki gave the 1100J a wider rear tyre, now a 160 rear-section.
1989’s K-model — the Slingshot — was a wayward machine, but the bike by now was putting on the pounds and had an 1127cc motor.
Liquid-cooling came with the 1074cc 1993 WP model with a proper 130bhp at the rear tyre and 152bhp claimed at the crank.
The final ‘Beast’ would be the WS model of 1995, where 10 kilos was taken off the dry weight, and the last UK model was the identical WT of a year later. The styling was always cool… We wish Suzuki would revisit these classic looks…
