Finished in satin black, it also differs from last year’s bike with the removable aluminium sub-frame attaching directly to the frame. The seat rails are now made of cast aluminium, as is the cast bridge that runs between them, and the whole plot is said to be more crash resistant.

Attached to the rear of the frame the new swingarm features some serious bracing. Actually looking like last year’s swing arm with the braces welded on top, it shares the same length, height and width, so maybe it is? The welds are actually very smooth, and the unit looks extremely solid holding the chunky 180 series tyre in place.

Up front, Suzuki has chosen a Showa 43-mm inverted fork for increased rigidity and overlap. Fully adjustable for all the usual stuff, I only make a couple of changes on the second day of testing as my speeds pick up.

Exiting the high-speed left hand turn onto the back straight around 200kph, the front end is starting to feel vague as the pace increases. I have a quick word with Suzuki’s test rider Mr. Murata, which results in him dialing in more rebound up front and more compression out back. Putting a little extra weight on the front end, as well as slowing it down a bit, does the trick, allowing me to push harder through the turn.

The overall suspension settings are actually remarkably close to showroom stock, with the exception of a little extra pre-load up front to deal with the very high-speed braking at Misano. Out back, a little extra compression has also been added, but with Mr. Murata weighing less than me maybe it wasn’t enough for my 85kg weight? The rear shock itself is a 46mm Showa unit, and differs from last year’s with a thicker diameter internal rod, as well as being slightly shorter. Adjustable for the big three, it performed flawlessly over the two-day test.

At the bottom of the inverted forks, the GSX-R600 rolls on the same 17-inch three-spoke alloy wheels as last year’s model. Running the same 180/55 ZR 17 rear and 120/70ZR 17 front, the bikes we rode came equipped with Bridgestone BT014SFs. These are for Europe only, and Dunlop D218s will be fitted for America, and possibly Australia. Full marks to the Bridgestone tyres. With air temperatures hovering around the 37-42c mark, and cold winds blowing across the raceway, they gave a whole lot more grip than I originally thought possible.

Attached to the attractive wheels, this year’s brake discs are 20mm smaller at 300mm, and 0.5mm thicker. They are also 20 grams lighter. Clamping down on these new rotors, Suzuki uses Tokico radial-mount calipers that allow for more rigidity and improved braking. Lightly squeezing on the six-way adjustable lever at over 240kph scrubbed off the required speed to enter the horseshoe with absolutely no drama. There is no harshness in the operation, the brakes just progressively getting stronger the more I pull. Riding the same bike for both days, the brake action is just as strong during the last session as it was during my first.

Partly responsible for this incredible set up, the front master cylinder is a radial-piston affair. Unlike a conventional piston that works horizontally against the lever, the radial piston is positioned vertically, allowing a more direct force from the lever to the piston. This gets more fluid to the brake calipers and is said to improve feel and feedback.