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40 years of GSX-R
Suzuki hero bike offers bang for buck
21 July 2026, by Guy
'Guido" Allen
Suzuki's 40th
Anniversary GSX-R1000R looks like hitting our shores
in September this year, a little later than expected.
And it's offering very
solid bang for the buck, priced at Au$30,990
(US$21,750, GB£16,250, €19,000) on the road.
A quick question: which colour scheme
would you pick and why? You can
email us here.
The company may have
gone a little counter-intuitive with this model but
nevertheless stuck to the roots of the series.
Counter-intuitive, how?
Well the peak horsepower number was dialled back a
little, despite a comprehensive make-over for the
engine. The thinking is to make it more user-focused
as a quick road package and more robust for teams
setting them up for endurance racing.
Along the way it has
picked up a much-updated electronics package that
scores very solid reviews.
Visor Down
summed it up this way: "If you’re expecting a
GSX-R1000R that blows the old one into the weeds in
every measurable way, this isn’t it. What it is,
though, is a better GSX-R in a number of measurable
ways. The engine is stronger where it matters, the
electronics are significantly more refined, and the
whole package feels like it’s been developed with
real-world riding, and racing, in mind."
Of course the cosmetics
are unique and for the first time it has picked up
fairing wings. They claim an 8.6 per cent increase in
stability under acceleration.
That usability over
bragging rights approach is reminiscent of the
thinking with the third-gen Hayabusa.
See our Gen 3
Hayabusa review.
The GSX-R1000 has become
the major player in world championship endurance
events, where it has butted heads with the other big
three makers from Japan. The GSX-R series as a whole
has picked up 20 FIM world endurance titles since the
launch of the 750 since 1985, with the 1000 collecting
15 of them since 2001.
In any case the
first-gen GSX-R750F launched in late 1984 for the 1985
model year and was clearly an endurance racing
replica, so the logic works for the 40th anniversary
1000.
The latest 1000R was
launched overseas earlier this year with an unusual
faux endurance race event, where reviewers were teamed
up for a long-haul track contest.
According to Bike
World reviewer Chris Northover, if you're
looking for a bike that "gives you that thrill of
1000cc power but with a really nice riding experience
that is a bit old school", it works.
Suzuki's Australian 40th
Anniversary GSX-R1000R
page is here.
Also see our early GSX-R1000 series profile.
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