Sports bike fans have had a lean time of it in recent years. Sure, the likes of the Fireblade, ZX10 and R1 are still available, but manufacturers aren’t throwing as much development resource at them simply because sales have dropped through the floor. They are still nominally flagship models, showcasing the best technology the manufacturer has to offer and forming the foundation of production-based racing series, but in the face of the popularity of adventure bikes, the sports bike is nowhere.
And then there is the immortal Suzuki GSX-R1000R. Forty years young this year, but it’s been absent from many countries’ sales lists for a while simply because it wasn’t meeting the latest Euro emissions regulations. Fans of the bike could be forgiven for thinking that that was it for their favourite superbike.
However, in a significant development, Suzuki has brought the Gixxer back to life, and it promises to be better than ever.
The engine is both old/familiar and new. The 999.8cc inline four gets a new crankshaft, crankcases, pistons and connecting rods and now runs a 13.8:1 compression ratio. The engine meets the Euro5+ regs, retains the variable valve timing and has a completely refreshed fuelling system. Suzuki claims 195 horsepower and 110Nm of torque, both figures less than the competition boasts, but in the real world, where most of us live, it’s more than enough.
What’s more, not only is Suzuki aiming to retain its reputation for bullet-proof engineering, it’s also laying a foundation for further tuning by owners and racers alike, without any loss in reliability.
The chassis remains much as it was, a twin-spar aluminium frame and swing-arm, while Suzuki had to go down the aero route by fitting winglets to the front fairing. Showa handles the suspension duties, Brembo monoblock callipers handle the braking, and Bridgestone handles the grip.
Naturally, one of the main upgrades is in the electronics. The electronics suite, headlined by a six-axis IMU, and Suzuki’s newly refined Roll Torque Control system (RTCS) is a predictive traction control system that works out the optimum power delivery before the wheel starts spinning, rather than reacting afterwards. Traction control is still active in the event of a slip, but with the RTCS in place, it should feel smoother through corners and with less oscillation as the TC engages and then disengages.
A six-axis IMU is controlling a ten-level anti-wheelie system, launch control, lean-sensitive ABS, two-way quick shifter, slope-dependent braking control and low-RPM assist and easy-start function.
There are three colour schemes available: blue and white, red and white, and yellow and matte blue. The bikes should be arriving in dealers sometime mid-2026, and the price, of course, is to be announced.
It promises to be the best Gixxer yet; sharper, more powerful, more up-to-date, but the same superbike you’ve always loved.
