Suzuki: The best bike on the grid?
Easy to ride: 2020 could be its year
When the first GSX-RR arrived in 2015 it stunned riders – some said the bike steered like a 250, which is the ultimate compliment – and it is still the bestbalanced bike on the grid. That’s why Suzuki engineers have always gently chipped away at the design, changing the bike millimetre by millimetre. The inline-four GSX-RR will never have more power than the Honda and Ducati V4s, so it needs to overcome its speed deficit in other ways. The all-new aluminium frame – which replaces the carbon-fibre reinforced frames used since 2017 – was built with a different stiffness/rigidity philosophy to offer better turning and improved braking stability. And improved braking stability helps regain time lost on the straights. In fact the GSX-RR should’ve been battling for the title for a while, but Suzuki have been fighting back from a poor 2017 when they ran a bad engine spec. They increased crankshaft mass slightly too much and paid the price. That’s the kind of fine line that MotoGP engineers have to tread.
Inline losses
Like Yamaha, Suzuki struggle to create V4-beating power. This is because inline-fours lose power through greater friction and pumping losses. At the Sepang tests the GSX-RR was 3mph slower than the best Ducati.
Crankshaft inertia
Suzuki’s 2019 victories cost the factory its concessions, so this year they aren’t allowed any engine upgrades. That’s why they’ve put a big effort into getting crankshaft mass just right: too little inertia allows wheelspin, too much spoils turning.
Torque matters
Honda were the first to use a so-called torductor, derived from Formula 1, in 2011. Suzuki first fitted a torductor last year, which allows them to make better maps for torque delivery, traction control and engine braking.
Twin pipes
Suzuki have stayed with the super-cool twin-pipe Akrapovic exhaust which gives fractional benefits in top-end power and mid-range torque.
Multi tasking chassis
Suzuki’s designers have created a bike that allows riders to use either cornerspeed and stop-and-go techniques, according to the grip conditions.