BEEJ SUZUKI GSX-R1000R
THIS MONTH I HAVE MOSTLY BEEN… “Rueing having a child... (only joking!)”
Best laid plans, eh? Months ago when I first received the Gixer, I also had an invitation to a Suzuki track day at Silverstone, on the full beans big boy layout. I was looking forward to this so much as opportunities to get out on track after SBOTY had been few and far between. I was also super keen to give the brakes a heavy workout following last month, when we fitted the Brembo Road & Track brake pads.
Evidence on the road displayed an improvement for sure, but not the huge one I was looking for which means making another step soon, be that braided lines, or whatever. Anyway, this Suzuki track day at the ‘stone – it was a right royal cock-up!
My little boy (as in my child), woke up at midnight, a mere six hours before I was due to leave, and was still wrecking the joint when I jumped in the van with the Gixer strapped in. This, added to the fact said fruit of loins had woken up before 5am the previous morning. So off I went with not a second’s sleep in nigh on 24 hours! Upon arriving at Silverstone, the heavens opened and it pissed down all morning. With little to gain and much to lose, the Gixer stayed in the van.
By the time it dried out (though it was still wet in a lot of places), it was nearly 4pm and I was utterly hanging. To try and gee myself up, I went out on a press GSX-R resplendent in MotoGP colours, to see what was what and how I was feeling. Within four laps I was back in the pits…
When your eyes are drooping at 160mph down Hanger Straight, this tells you that today may not be your day. However, my exhaustion wasn’t the sole reason for pulling in – the brakes had all but gone within three laps! Just riding this completely stock machine made me realise that the Brembo pads had done more than I thought they had, so while I still need extra we’re definitely on the right track.
I returned to the van to think about pulling out the Gixer for the last session, just to get some photos. An hour and half later I woke up in the back of van and everyone was going home – track day fail! Ah well, I’m hoping to get her out around Castle Combe next week, so will give the pads a proper test then.
Since then though, it was time for some bling! Performance Parts Ltd had sent me a plethora of Yoshimura Gixer parts, so I zipped up to JHS to get some fitted, along with some awesome ASV levers also sent by PP.
A stem nut, tank-pad, some swingarm axle clamps and some engine pugs were slotted on in no time. With the bike being so black you have to look closely to see them, however they have added a touch of flair already, and there’s more still to come.
Then the ASV levers went on, and I must admit I love these things. Many folk think a brake lever is just that, a lever. However, how one is designed can drastically alter feel, and the ASV items always feel beautiful, almost giving an extra amplitude of feedback to what your brakes are doing. And as a bonus by proxy, the ability to tailor where the lever sits (well beyond the stock six setting choices), has actually given me more of the brakes to use, too. So not only is feel up, but I’m able to enjoy some of the extra power the Brembo pads allow. That’s a win-win with the levers, and while not ‘cheap’ at £110 they are of the ‘unbreakable’ variety and superb quality. And anyway, I’ve seen enough horror stories regarding genuinely cheap levers to make me stay away for life! Lots more next month!