Classic Suzuki sportsbikes
Mossy takes three classic Suzuki sportsbikes to meet many more at the Biker's Classic
Mossy takes three big names from Suzuki's sportsbike history for a trip to the Biker's Classic.
1985 GSX-R750, 1990 GSX-R1100, 1993 RGV250
For once, getting woken at Sam felt welcome. Well, almost. The very early interruption served as the starting point for a much anticipated trip. I was going to join some good mates and begin what promised to be mini three-day biking extravaganza. We'd be making an overseas journey aboard some historic bikes, heading to an iconic destination, where we'd take part in a very notable biking festival. Describing myself as a happy chappie didn't cover it. The experience turned out to be even better than I expected, with plenty of memorable highs along the way. Here's my tale of one of the very best biking road trips I've had for a long while.
TO SPA, ON SOME SPECIAL SUZUKIS
Our team set off towards the spectacular Spa race circuit in Belgium, aiming to enjoy ourselves at the famous 'Biker's Classic' meet. I'd been told it's a pretty special gathering, and well worth travelling to. With warm sunshine forecast for us to bathe in for the whole trip, and a quartet of absolute classics in the shape of a 1985 GSX-R750, 1990 GSX-Rll00, and 1993 RGV250 at our disposal, prospects for enjoyment couldn't be seen as anything less than excellent. There wasn't, it seemed, anything not to like. Well, that only really became the case once we got to the Channel Tunnel. To make best progress and arrive in good time for our early afternoon crossing, we chose to run along motorways from our starting point at Suzuki's HQ in Milton Keynes. And though they might generally be the fastest way to cover ground, through the congested traffic and 30°C temperatures we faced, the three-laned routes certainly lacked something in the way of reward. On a more positive note, the three hours of tedium did help to enhance the satisfaction once we disembarked the train in France.
GREAT TO LEAVE HOME BEHIND
As has been the case every single time I've ever got my wheels turning on French soil, as soon as I left the railway carriage my feel-good factor
shot up. I've lost count how many times I've arrived in Europe by bike, but as yet I've not experienced a single exception to this mood boost. It's a destination almost guaranteed to loft spirits high. Incredibly, I still meet bikers who've yet to sample the delights of riding in this part of the world. All I'll say to them is... get on with it! Empty scenic routes, pro-biking attitudes, and multiple fresh sensations are just some of the multiple attractions to make riding here feel so instantly, and continually rewarding. It's such an utterly sublime experience, it should not be missed.
As we were filming the trip to help celebrate Suzuki's involvement in classic bikes like the ones we were riding, we took the pretty coast road down past Boulogne where the twisting and undulating nature of the routes brought further gratification. Huge fun the French experience was though, regularly applying factor 30 sun block, and downing litres of water soon became obligatory to endure the very hot and sweaty day.
CLOSESHAVE
Great though the beginning had been, I very nearly ruined the whole thing by toppling off the GSX-R750 at a standstill, less than an hour into the adventure! My wrong-footing instantly brought dark thoughts of journey-killing damage like a broken mirror or brake lever to bring an end to the trip before it had any real chance of getting underway.
Yetjust as I got to my feet, my travelling mates lifted the stricken Suzuki back on to its wheels to reveal better news. Luckily, and very happily, we discovered a camera, mounted on the side of the 750's fairing, had protected it from any serious harm, and we were still good to go. Talk about mass reliefl
ONWARDAND UPWARD
The original plan gave us three classic bikes to choose from, with the addition of a new 2019 Katana boosting the riding options still further. With just three riders, there was always going to be a bike on the 'subs bench', in this case the back of a van we'd wisely elected to bring along primarily to cope with any possible difficulties. Some of these bikes were over 30 years old, so reliability wasn't necessarily going to be as dependable as it would've been back when they were new. Besides, with no luggage fitted to the Suzukis, the van could take all the extras we'd need. Once we'd done all our filming, the day was just about over. By this point I'd developed a good initial feel for the GSX-Rs. I loved all the nostalgia they create, and judging by the attention they got, so did quite a lot of others. Power delivery is strong and flexible, surprisingly even on the 750, and handling stable. Ok, stuff like the brakes and suspension feel a little dated, but all in all, the Suzis are very enjoyable to ride. Yetthough I liked them both, I wasn't looking forward to the last SO-milestint to Arras where we'd be resting our heads for the night, because of a significant ergonomic shortcoming common to both Gixxers. The issue wasn't helped by being a bit short of time again, with autoroutes having to get the nod to complete the last leg.
A PAINFUL END
As it turned out, though both the
750 and 1lO0's fairings offer ample enough wind protection to make prolonged nippy straightline cruising generally comfy enough, the close proximity of the seat and pegs bends your knees way too much to be viewed as civilised. It's especially evident when you've been in the seat for as long as I'd been by then, and whenever there's little else to distract you (corners for example) from the issue. Arrival in Arras thankfully came soon enough for my walking to be largely unaffected, and though it had been a 15-hour day by the time we sat down for dinner, all agreed it had been a highly enjoyable one. Fortunately, there were a few more of those coming up for us to benefit from.
It didn't take long for the happy score to rise even higher the next day, largely thanks to getting to Belgium and having the chance to ride the bikes on some top roads. For me, there's something really appealing about the zone famous for, amongst many other good things, chocolate and beer. Quite apart from those two wonderful items, the greenery and twisting routes - especially in the Ardennes where we were headed - there's always an earthy, friendly and hospitable atmosphere to greet you. There also seems to be a distinct lack of elitism and pretence. I'm a big fan of the place.
Clearly we're all going to haveto go backto the Biker' s Classic again. It's a must do for me!
FEELING HOT, HOT, HOT
One other thing that was lacking, though its absence wasn't quite as welcome, was much in the way of cool air. We often saw temperature readings as high as 33°C on the building-mounted digital
thermometers, which in bike gear was beginning to get a bit much. So too, was the pain the GSX-Rs' riding positions were causing. I'd been on the 1100, and after just two hours I'd had just enough of the knee cramp. Only those with the figure and flexibility of Frankie Dettori would be able to tolerate riding these machines for very long. At a petrol stop I insisted some thick foam was taped to the seat to relax my knee bend, and hey presto it worked instantly. If I owned either of the Gixxers, the mod would have to be made to make life more bearable, though I do concede I've have to make the job look a lot tidier than my temporary solution for this trip. Once again I could see the Suzukis in a good light, and had to vote them as more than decent enough longdistance machines overall. As Ian from Suzuki pointed out, back in the 80s and 90s hundreds ofGSX-R owners used to whizz down to the south of France from the UK to watch the famous Bol D'or 24hr endurance race, and no one used to moan about petty stuff like comfort back then. Clearly we were all a bit younger and more flexibleback when these bikes were big hits. Maybe I've just become a bit spoilt, a bit of a wuss!
GETTING A FEEL FOR THINGS
More photography and video recording let me run along the same stretches of road repeatedly, letting me examine the way the Suzukis behaved a bit more closely. They've definitely got an olde-worlde feel about them due to their classic
'flatter' chassis attitude, which has them sit more on their rear ends compared to current sportsbikes. makes the steering appreciably slower and heavier, meaning you need to muscle them around corners more. But their extra weight and more relaxed geometry certainly gives them a very planted feel. By comparison, the RGV250, which I spent a little bit of time on, felt exciting and much easier to chuck about and master. weighs a lot less, and of course its motor's very different in the way it makes its power, requiring way more input and involvement from the rider to ensure good progress. has to be revved way more, with those revs having to
be kept higher via constant gear changes to maintain the spirited pace. I know from previous experience this essential thrashing becomes second nature after a while. Though I'm also quite familiar with this 'need' eventually getting a bit irritating too, especially if you start to lose your enthusiasm to put the necessary work in. At least its riding position is way more roomy and comfortable than the four-strokes though!
THE EXCITEMENT BUILDS
With the professional work done it was now a case of getting to Spa, with the trip really starting to bare even more fruit as we got further into the Ardennes and closer to the track. Road signs posting names of places like Stavelot, Malmedy and Spa raised the anticipation and excitement levels. I've tried to get to Spa twice before in days gone by, in an attempt to watch some racing and do a track day, but heavy rain had thwarted both efforts. This time with the weather on side, it looked like I'd get to enjoy it at last. Lots of others were also heading to the Biker's Classic event, and in each town and village we rode through, hordes of older bikes were parked up, their riders refreshing themselves in the hot sun. The event,
as its name suggests, is aimed at classic bike fans with several races, including a four-hour endurance competition adding to the attraction of it all. By the way things were shaping up, it very much looked like we were onto a good thing. We had a particular interest in the four-hour race, as we'd be spending time with Team Classic Suzuki, who had two bikes taking part: modified Katana and GSX-R750racers, both of80s vintage. Once we arrived at Spa and got our Press passes sorted, we had the chance to sample more of the anticipated delights.
The plan was to get settled, change out of our riding kit, get some more media work done and then spend time taking it all in. If I tell you it took me at least three-four hours to calm down from the excitement I felt pretty much from minute one of being there, you'll get an idea of just how much I enjoyed it. It helped that I'm of a certain age where a lot of the bikes, both on track and in the paddock, mean a lot to me. I'm unlikely to see the likes of many of them again unless I go to another classic race meet of some magnitude, as is also the case with many of their famous riders. The circuit has to be seen to be believed. It doesn't matter how much you think it climbs and drops during its length from what you might have seen on TV, once you've viewed Spa with the naked eye, you'll realise its elevation is very much 'flattened' by the cameras. Doing a lap of both the current and old circuits gave me a real impression of what this truly iconic race route is like to ride.
DOING SOME LAPS
Taking part in the parade laps wasn't quite what I expected with an enormous number of bikes of all types (and sidecars) making the tours quite congested, and as it was marshalled by a pace car, not very quick either. Even so, I still got a great impression of the circuit. The gradients are quite staggering in places, and the desire to ride Spa at speed immediately got added to my future wish list. At the end of the first lap we were then escorted round the old circuit, which is so much faster and more open. Thoughts of Sheene and co lapping at over 135mph on their 500 two-stroke GP bikes in the 70s filled me with massive respect for them, particularly given the lack of run off on the super-fast corners.
WATCHING OTHERS LAP SPA
Rewarding though my own run had been, watching others doing their speedy stuff was even better. I'd already witnessed the likes of former race aces Steve Baker, Johnny
Cecotto, Christian Sarron and Mick Grant rapidly parading their original machines. And with loads of other period exotica circulating, filling the air with their vintage mechanically-generated music, there was a fantastic atmosphere to savour. The big race though, was getting nearer. Spending time with the two Suzuki squads gave us a chance to understand endurance racing and all that goes into it. The teams' efforts are substantial, as well they have to be, given how many laps the bikes need to do in total, and that's even before the race begins. Alas, all the work came to nothing as neither Katana nor the GSX-R 750 - despite leading the race by around
15 seconds - made it past the first hour due to mechanical failings. It was a really low point in proceedings and certainly underlined how cruel this type of racing can be. Fortunately the ride back to the hotel in the lovely town of Spa provided some compensation and helped to round off what had been a super occasion.
HEADING BACKTO REALITY
After one or two too many celebratory drinks to end the evening, the following day's ride back to Suzuki's HQ proved to be something of an anti-climax, as these post-event journeys can tend to be. Even so, the swift, but dull runs along the Euro autoroutes and Brit motorways were aided by memories from a truly special event. We'd all had the chance to savour some special bikes and people in an iconic venue. Yet as former racer Ian Simpson had underlined to me in a chat at Spa, saying he's yet to see everything on offer despite his numerous visits, clearly we're all going to have to go back again. It's a must do for me!