MotoGP 2002 - Suzuki GSV-R

Suzuki is proud to present its new GSV-R MotoGP race bike.

The GSV-R, code-named the XRE0 project while it was in development, represents the start of an exciting new era for Suzuki and its Racing Department.

The XRE0 project was started early in 2001 with the intention of the factory to race the bike for the first time in 2003. But it showed so much promise that Suzuki brought forward its development plans by a full 12-months, launching the GSV-R race bike at Catalunya, Spain on March 9th, 2002.

The V-4 engine The development process included the design of an all new chassis and running gear as well as the creation of the new 990cc V-four four-stroke engine that is allowed to compete under the new MotoGP rules for 2002. The GSV-R is the latest in a long line of Suzuki race machines and its name reflects a long history of successful motorcycle development. The 'GS' tag is used by Suzuki for its four-stroke machines, the 'V' describes the configuration of the engine - in this case a V-four - and the 'R' is for Racer.

Suzuki chose a V4 motor after extensive calculations and simulations. It is the renowned company's first high-performance engine in this configuration, and was chosen for clearly defined reasons.

The layout, with cylinders at 60 degrees, centralises mass; while the compact crankcase offers enhanced rigidity. In addition, the design offers low internal friction for greater efficiency (with two less main bearings than an in-line four), as well as ample power. Twin overhead camshafts on each cylinder bank are driven by gears, and operate four valves per cylinder. The engine is fuel-injected, with two-stage injection fully integrated with sophisticated electronic engine management functions.

The engineer's power target was 210 horsepower at 14,000rpm. This proved relatively easy to achieve, and development work has concentrated on refining throttle response and smoothing the power curve.

The machine uses a six-speed transmission and a multiplate dry clutch; and has a sophisticated adjustable "slipper" clutch system to minimise rear-wheel drag with the throttle closed. Another advantage of the compact layout was that Suzuki was able to combine the powerful new unit with the successful RGV500 chassis design.

The twin-beam design, incorporating controlled flex using special Suzuki extrusions, has been carried over from the race and championship-winning two-stroke, modified for the increased demands of extra power and weight. Horsepower is up by more than 12 per cent and torque by even more, and the machine is heavier by 14kg, to the new class minimum of 145kg.

Suspension is by Ohlins front and rear, with telescopic forks up front, and a Suzuki rising-rate linkage operating the single rear unit. Brembo brakes front and rear offer a choice of carbon/carbon, or iron brakes for wet conditions. A new direction is the use of Dunlop tyres. Suzuki is spearheading the major sporting tyre manufacturer's return to the premier class, after several years of domination in the 250 class. The Dunlop tyres are mounted on forged magnesium wheels.

As with any factory racing machine, specifications are not fixed - especially since the new machine's first race is relatively early in its development cycle. On the tracks a year earlier than planned, the bike's gestation period was telescoped, to take a first prototype to race-ready fighter in six rather than 18 months.

The new bike showed a higher top speed and faster acceleration than its predecessor from the team's first tests; and though lap times were not a priority at such an early stage, stop-watch figures were very promising.

"Now we need to make all that power and potential usable to the rider - and continue development throughout the season to start next year even stronger," said team technical adviser Warren Willing.

The GSV-R will take its place in history when the flag falls for the first GP of the new 2002 season. After the biggest change in racing rules since the foundation of the championship 53 years ago, the World Championship Grand Prix series begins anew.

It is the era of the four-stroke adventure. And Suzuki's rorty new V4 challenger will be among the pioneers, an exciting new voice in the first chorus of a brand-new symphony.

With the technology Suzuki has developed on its four-stroke race and road-going machines, the firm is in a strong position to compete in the new class. The GSX-R brand has dominated Superbike, Supersport and Superstock racing around the globe and Suzuki will use the lessons it has learnt in the evolution of these formidable race-bred machines to help it break revolutionary new ground with its GSV-R.

The riders will be the same as last season - 2000 World Champion Kenny Roberts Jr, and Valencia GP winner Sete Gibernau. This will be the American son of a legend's fourth year with the Suzuki factory, while it is Gibernau's second. Suzuki's challenger will again wear the bold Telefonica MoviStar blue-and-green livery, and the team will be run as before out of England, retaining the same pit crew and led by experienced and respected team manager Garry Taylor.

Suzuki GSV-R Specifications

Engine: Four-Stroke, water-cooled 60-degree V4 with balance shaft
Displacement: 990cc
Maximum Power: 210hp at more than 14,000rpm
Induction: Two-stage electronic fuel injection
Lubrication: Wet sump
Clutch: Dry multi-plate
Transmission: Six-speed, constant mesh
Frame: Twin-Spar aluminium
Wheelbase: 1420mm
Length: 2030mm
Height: 1150mm
Suspension: Front: Ohlins inverted-type telescopic fork Rear: Ohlins with Suzuki link
Tyres: Dunlop
Wheels: Front and Rear: 16.5 inches
Brake System: Brembo - Front: Twin discs, Carbon or Steel Rear: Single disc, steel
Dry Weight: Approx' 145 KG

MotoGP Weight and Capacity Rules

Two-Stroke - 500cc
One or Two Cylinders 101kg
Three Cylinders 116kg
Four Cylinders 131kg
Four-Stroke - 990cc
Two or Three Cylinders 135kg
Oval pistons 145kg
Four or Five Cylinders 145kg
Oval pistons 155kg
Six or more Cylinders 155kg

Suzuki's factory racing department headquarters is at Hamamatsu in Japan, at the nerve-centre of the giant company's manufacturing base. By long tradition, the team itself is based in England, in the country town of Edenbridge, south-east of London in Kent, the county known as the Garden of England.

The English team has direct links back to Suzuki's first years in the 500 class, more than 25 years ago, when Cockney superstar Barry Sheene won the first of five riders titles, and Suzuki the first of seven manufacturers titles. Team manager Garry Taylor and office manager Linda Boyde have been with the GP team since the Seventies. Several other team members have long-standing links, including assistant manager Howard Plumpton and each rider's race engineers, Stuart Shenton and Bob Toomey.

Taylor, a well-established figure on the racing scene now in his 27th Grand Prix season, heads a 20-strong racing task force unchanged for the past three seasons.

Respected Australian racing engineer and former racer Warren Willing joined Suzuki with Roberts for 1999. He filled a new technical role with the team, liaising directly with the factory engineers as well as the riders and their respective race engineers.

Each rider has a dedicated five-man squad, operating independently, but with a high degree of co-operation and communication.

New Zealander Bob Toomey, in his sixth year with the team, is race engineer to Roberts. The same three mechanics care for the machine - Briton Simon Westwood, well-known Australian Peter Luczkowski, and experienced Dutch GP mechanic Marc Hoegee, assisted by Marc Fleming.

Stuart Shenton, who was race engineer to 1993 champion Kevin Schwantz, heads Gibernau's all-British squad, with the experienced Suzuki GP mechanic Wilf Needham again working alongside George Dziedzic, Martin Bennett, and Graham Malyk. The increasingly important computing and data acquisition section of the team is headed again by German software engineer Alfred Willeke. His assistant Gary McLaren is in his third year with the team.

Glynn Redmile, in charge of logistics and spare parts, has been with the team for eight years and learned his trade working with World Champions such as Eddie Lawson, Luca Cadalora and Wayne Gardner. Fleming and Malyk double up as drivers of the team's two trailer units.

American sports physiotherapist Dean Miller also joined Suzuki with Roberts. The well-established specialist, who also worked with Kenny's triple-champion father, focuses on a sophisticated integrated diet and exercise regime to keep the riders at peak fitness throughout the season. His other role is to minimise the effect of injuries. Miller, from San Francisco, also cares for the health of the team members.

Garry Taylor: Experience, Dedication ... and Enthusiasm
Garry Taylor first came GP racing in 1977 - the year Barry Sheene won Suzuki's first 500-class World Championship - as a public relations marketing consultant for Suzuki GB. Since 1983, he has been full-time manager of the Suzuki team, making him the most experienced top-level team boss in the paddock. The Englishman, fenced for Great Britain and took part in international motor sport on four wheels before moving into motorcycle racing. Married with one daughter, he lives in the English countryside at the border of three counties - Surrey, Kent and Sussex, a short drive from team headquarters in Edenbridge. Taylor's other long-standing passion is clay-pigeon and target shooting.
Warren Willing: Translating Feelings to Function
Technical Adviser Warren Willing brings not only more than 15 years of pit-lane experience of machine and rider development to the Suzuki team, but also direct racing experience - his own riding career was cut short by leg injuries in 1979 when he was making a name internationally. When he joined Suzuki in 1999, Willing concentrated on chassis and suspension development, making the machine more predictable. This meant the riders could make full use the existing strong points. Phase two of the campaign saw this development come to fruition with the championship victory. Now he will bring his ideas and experience to bear as a key member of the team developing Suzuki's new V4 MotoGP four-stroke. The engineer, who turns 50 during the forthcoming season, is married with one daughter, and lives in Sydney when not travelling with the racing team.
Race Engineers Shenton and Toomey - Years of Experience
Englishman Stuart Shenton and New Zealander Bob Toomey - race engineers for Gibernau and Roberts respectively - have an awesome combined total of 38 years of GP experience. Shenton is the more experienced - starting his 27th consecutive year in the Grand Prix pits. He has prepared bikes for no less than four World Champions, winning seven titles. Most recently, he fettled 1993 champion Kevin Schwantz's winning Suzuki: before that he worked with Freddie Spencer, Wayne Gardner and Kork Ballington in their victory years. Last year, he masterminded Gibernau's first GP win. Shenton is married, with two children, and moved from England to Australia with his family shortly before the start of the season. Toomey raced in his native New Zealand, winning seven national titles, before coming to GP racing as a mechanic in 1990. Top names in his portfolio include Mick Doohan and Pierfrancesco Chili, before joining Suzuki, where he tended Alex Barros and Daryl Beattie. A chief mechanic since 1997, he has been with Kenny Roberts ever since the American joined Suzuki, and claimed his first championship as chief mechanic with the American. Married with two children, Toomey lives in New Zealand outside the racing season.

Telefonica Movistar Team

Suzuki Factory Representatives
General Manager: Racing Director Hiro Iguchi
Racing Manager: Toshiyuki Yamada
Team Supervisor: Yasuo Kamomiya
Engine Adviser: Masataka Nomiyama
Chassis Adviser: Atsushi Kawasaki

Suzuki GP Team
Team Manager Garry Taylor
Assistant Manager Howard Plumpton
Office Manager Linda Boyde
Technical Adviser Warren Willing
Parts & Logistics Manager Glynn Redmile
Team Physiotherapist Dean Miller
Riders Kenny Roberts, Sete Gibernau

Kenny Roberts's Team
Chief Mechanic Bob Toomey
Mechanics Peter Luczkowski, Simon Westwood, Marc Hoegee, Mark Fleming

Sete Gibernau's Team
Chief Mechanic Stuart Shenton
Mechanics Wilf Needham, George Dziedzic, Martin Bennett, Graham Malyk

Electronics
Software Engineer Alfred Willeke
Data Acquisition Engineer Gary McLaren

Transport Mark Fleming, Graham Malyk
Brake Technician Eugenio Gandolfi (Brembo)
Suspension Technician Andy Dawson (Ohlins)
Tyre Technician Richard Johnson (Dunlop)
Team Catering Geri Biasi ("Cator")