Trev’s rambling starts here

Overseas magazines have tested these 3 on the track (same day/same riders) and the lap-times have shown that the GSX-R is the fastest track bike, closely followed by the Fireblade and then the R1.  This about matches our opinion.

The GSX-R makes you work hard for those lap times though as you really have to stir the gearbox in order to keep the engine on the boil.  Thankfully the gearbox is fantastic.  Both the R1 and Fireblade have slightly notchy boxes that can leave you with a sore foot after shuffling up and down the box all day but the GSX-R is smooth and effortless in the way it shifts.  If it were any better it would be an automatic.

Stopping - While the GSX-R brakes are very good; the R1 and Fireblade better them in extreme use.  The Fireblade has the best brakes of the bunch, but only by the tiniest of margins over the R1.  The Honda brakes have excellent strength and feel that brings incredible confidence in those 330mm discs which are clamped by 4-piston Nissin calipers.  The weight transfer to the front can make the rear end light but this has not presented me with any problems during the many kilometres I have spent aboard the bike.  The R1 brakes are also excellent but do not quite give me the same feedback as the Honda items.  The GSX-R brakes can suffer a little in extreme use which makes them a little harder to use than those on the Honda or Yamaha when on the limit, the operative words in that sentence being ‘extreme’ and ‘limit’, no matter how hard you ride on the road I don’t think you will find the GSX-R brakes lacking, only after many laps of a track does any weakness show itself.

Donks - The R1 engine has incredible drive from everywhere.  This makes it hard to exit corners without the rear spinning up on the side of the tyre.  Kevin Curtain may be able to use this to his advantage but a man of my ability can’t.  For us mere mortals the GSX-R and Fireblade are a lot more useable on the track.  They both have ample power to spin up the rear on the exit of the corners also, but they don’t have you in a constant state of apprehension when exiting corners under hard acceleration.  That said, when not pushing really hard the R1 can just use its engine on the exits to make up any time in the corners.  When stirred correctly the GSX-R will match both the Fireblade and the R1 in straight-line speed.  We tested the acceleration in side-by-side runs at an airstrip with the GSX-R staying with the bigger bikes even though it felt a little slower.  The GSX-R is the most stable on these types of runs.  The Suzuki also has the best throttle response thanks to an injection system that is even more sorted than the Honda’s.  The GSX-R has quite a good spread of power but it doesn't really start until around 8,000rpm and then pulls hard through to 14,000rpm when the fun is interrupted by a very 'soft-touch' rev-limiter.

Feel - The suspension on all the bikes is excellent but in my book the Fireblade and GSX-R inspire me with the most confidence.  I can jump straight on the GSX-R or Fireblade and feel at home right away.  The R1 always feels a little strange to me.  The riding position and a front end that I never feel completely comfortable with being the culprits.  The 2000 model is much better than the ’99, but for some reason I can’t get on with it.  For overall suspension brilliance it would be hard to separate the GSX-R and Fireblade, both are simply brilliant.  The GSX-R requires a little more effort through the bars due to the steering damper but this is really getting picky now. 

Touring - The Fireblade is by far the easiest to strap luggage to.  Both the R1 and GSX-R have tails that bow out to the side from any points where you can secure luggage.  Both the Fireblade and GSX-R have excellent tie-down hooks but the Honda’s are much more easily used because of the shape of the tail.  The Fireblade can have gear strapped to it without having to worry too much about putting duct tape on the panels to prevent scuffing and scratching from your tie-downs.  But the GSX-R must have protection strapped over its panels otherwise damage will result very quickly.  The R1 is hard to strap luggage to without buying an aftermarket rack of some description.  All the bikes have quite reasonable under seat storage areas but it is the Honda that once again holds the edge in this area.  During my time on the Honda I have stored sneakers or even a bulky camera under the seat. 

In the comfort department these bikes are all quite reasonable as far as sportsbikes go.  They all have quite good seats and ergonomics for the rider but, as you would expect pillion accommodation is woeful on all three.  The Suzuki is probably the worst of these three as a two-up bike.  That is not to say the GSX-R’s perch is any worse for the pillion.  It is that the extra steering effort that the rider is required to put in for the GSX-R to be turned.  Obviously the change in the bikes geometry that results from somebody sitting up there is part of the problem but the steering damper is also a major factor in this.  That said - the Suzuki is probably the only bike I have ridden with a damper that would not have me throwing the damper in the bin as soon as I got it home.  The GSX-R is probably the most comfortable for the long solo haul.  Taller pilots seem to feel at home on the R1.

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