HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO SUTER’S MMX500?

Woulda, shoulda, coulda! Hindsight’s a lovely thing, don’t you think? To have that chance to think back, alter and better a situation or product is a luxury most of us just don’t get. But in the case of the Suter MMX, that pretty much sums up the whole project. Swiss GP racer turned engineering mastermind Eskil Suter needed little encouragement to revisit the era of 90s strokers and revolutionise the scene with the latest frame, engine and electronic technologies. Admittedly, he might not have approached the project with the big bucks of a factory backed race team, but you’ll be amazed how far passion and commitment will get you.

In essence, the MMX follows the profile of a last generation 500cc Grand Prix machine, picking up where the scene left off, with a sprinkling of cutting edge spec for good measure. I got the chance to ride one a while back, and it didn’t disappoint. The weight and power figures weren’t dissimilar to Suzuki’s RGV500R, but the physical profile and number of shiny bits on the Suter took the package to a whole new level. Just like the Suzuki, the Suter boasts a punchy V4 motor, made all the stronger by its additional capacity (576cc). Eskil was the first to admit at the development stage that the original 500cc MMX just didn’t possess the knockout grunt of a works V4, so the displacement got fettled. The cutting edge direct injection fuelling helped a good chunk too, which is arguably why the Suter felt a little keener and smoother on the throttle.

Latest generation brakes also gave it the edge in the stopping department, and Eskil’s own design of slipper clutch made the corner entry management sleeker. The handling felt on a par, being a doddle to throw around. There were dozens of ways to compliment the package, but for all its virtues, the mass produced(ish) stroker lacked the authenticity and charm of an original 500cc GP machine. That’s not me saying I wouldn’t want one, far from it, but if it was a toss-up between the two bikes, there’d be a Suzuki in my garage.