Latest Posts:
Asphalt & Rubber
Tag

GSV-R

Browsing
Racing

2014 Suzuki GSV-R Spotted – The Inline-Four Cometh?

By 16 Comments

The eagle-eyed camera’s over at Cycle World have caught Suzuki conducting tests for its MotoGP project, and the early indications are that the Japanese brand has dropped its V4 motor configuration in favor of a more traditional transverse inline-four cylinder arrangement — at least for this present stage of testing.

Cycle World‘s sources say that while the cylinder configuration may be fairly standard, the 2014 Suzuki GSV-R is anything but your typical four-pot. Showing the makings of a crossplane crankshaft via the bike’s exhaust routing, it would seem Suzuki has taken a page out of Yamaha YZR-M1‘s playbook, with rideablility being the name of the game. If you are keen for a good read, checkout Kevin Cameron’s article on Cycle World for more pictures and his analysis of what they mean for Suzuki’s MotoGP prototype.

Keep Reading
By
Racing

Photos: Rizla Suzuki ‘Micron’ Livery from Misano

By No Comments

Álvaro Bautista sported some new race livery this past weekend in Misano, as the Spanish rider donned a chrome paint scheme at the San Marino GP to help title sponsor Rizla hock some more cancer sticks. The “Micron” paint scheme, done by Troy Lee Designs, is one of the many ways the Rizla Suzuki team has tried to promote itself for its financial backers, with PR rides by John Hopkins and Elena Myers also filling the bill. While the Suzuki team has struggled in MotoGP the past few years, the more recent races this season have shown that Bautista and the Suzuki GSV-R are capable of mixing it up with the second-tier of riders (when the bike stays on the track of course).

Finishing most recently 6th and 8th, respectively at the Indianapolis and San Marino GPs, Bautista seems finally comfortable on the 800cc GSV-R. If rumors are true, Suzuki could very well continue with the 800cc package into the 2012 season, electing to mix things up with the larger displacement bikes from Honda, Yamaha, and Ducati (though, the displacement on some of those machines is surely not the full 1,000cc as well).

Keep Reading
By
Racing

Álvaro Bautista Will Race in Sunday’s Portuguese GP

By No Comments

In the press release announcing Álvaro Bautista’s intent to race in the Portuguese GP, the heading describes the Spaniard as having “true grit” during today’s Free Practice sessions at Estoril. Now normally with MotoGP press releases, these headings are a bit of hyperbole, but considering just over a month ago Bautista’s femur, the largest bone in the human body, was in two pieces, we’re inclined to agree that the Spanish rider has shown remarkable determination in getting back onto the saddle of the Suzuki GSV-R.

Initial estimates pegged Bautista’s return to be at Le Mans for the French GP, but hard work at his physical therapy sessions, and an obscene amount of time in a hyperbaric chamber have accelerated Bautista’s healing process. With today’s work in the Rizla Suzuki garage showing that he has the ability to ride on his leg just a mere 42 days after he broke it, the young GP rider has earned a lot of street cred in the MotoGP paddock.

Keep Reading
By
Racing

Suzuki Revamps GSV-R with New Aerodynamics

By No Comments

gsv-r-jet-bike

Loris Capirossi is ready and raring for another season in the MotoGP World Championship, one that will see him riding a heavily redesigned Suzuki GSV-R for his second year with the Japanese factory. The 2009 GSV-R will be a different bike all-together from the GSV-R of 2008. Capirossi and teammate Chris Vermeulen have both taken part in wind tunnel testing in Japan in order to redefine the optimal form for the 2009 prototype, with the results used by engineers during the testing embargo.

“The aerodynamics, engine and chassis are all-new, and I am expecting a lot from them because of the hard work that has been going on in Japan. I’ve got high hopes because of this!” says the Capirossi.

Rizla Suzuki had its ups-and-downs last year with only a few podiums last year. Hopefully with all of the time the teams has been spending in the wind-tunnel will payoff and we’ll see the boys in powder blue up-front dicing it up some more.

Keep Reading
By