Suzuki is celebrating its 50th anniversary in America this year, and last weekend at the Indianapolis MotoGP event a huge area was set aside in the infield for Suzuki displays and customer appreciation services. We will have a special report on this, as well as photos of some of the iconic bikes and advertisements from Suzuki during that time frame. Here are photos of a Special Edition 2014 GSX-R1000 unveiled by Suzuki at Indy.
The 2014 GSX-R1000 SE is a limited production machine with only 100 available worldwide, 50 of which will be available in the United States. After the studio photos displayed in this article, you will see photos taken by the author at the Indianapolis unveiling to the press. The SE is based on the 2012 revision of the GSX-R1000 described in our earlier article here.
Special features include:
- Matte silver-colored bodywork with special graphics.
- Polished and chrome plated frame.
- Wheel rims are machined and polished, wheel spokes are finished with blue painted and clear coat.
- Blue-anodized front fork adjuster, front damper bolt fork parts comp, chain adjuster, steering stem nut, rear swingarm pivot boss, brake lever, clutch lever.
- Black-anodized front caliper.
- Blue-colored and clear coated clutch cover, generator cover, engine sprocket cover, rear shock spring.
- Polished and clear coated muffler, muffler cover and Black-anodized muffler end cap. Exhaust pipes are polished.
- Polished and clear coated footrest guard.
- Mat black swingarm.
- Special speedometer panel design.
- Special serial number plate.
- Special Key fob.
- Blue-colored fuel tank cap, headlight inner, drive chain, seat.
- Black-colored radiator, oil cooler.
- New “S” emblem with ridge line on the fuel tank.
- New “S” emblem with ridge line on the front fork upper bracket.
The sample we saw in person was superbly detailed, as you can see by clicking on the large photos below. Unfortunately, Suzuki has not yet announced the price or any details on dealer availability. We expect Suzuki to do so shortly, and we will pass it along.
Can you guys let me have it? My 2008 GSXR 750 was stolen yesterday from my job which is a military installation. No respect these days.
Give me an 05-06 GSXR1000.
Wow! It looks like they put on a colouring contest for 5 year olds at the local grocery store and then picked the one that showed “the best effort”.
I used to love the look of Suzukis. Now I’d rather buy Hot Wheels.
That’s just ickey ! Suzuki’s bankrupsy isn’t doing much for them. Kawasaki seems to be the company “on fire” right now.
I think they might know their target audience with this one. Blingtards need rides too.
The flagship track bike on their 50th! That’s all they have? Sad..
What … no spinners??
All 100 bikes will probably be sold in Miami where the overdone chrome frame thing is very popular. Just add an extended swingarm and it’ll be very popular among the locals.
re: “All 100 bikes will probably be sold in Miami”
little does Miami know the competition they face.
Sorry Suzuki, but this is just plain tacky. Keep this sort of thing up and you’re going to find your motorcycling division in the US follow in the footsteps of the car division.
Ugly 50th anniversary bike.
In my humble opinion, this just looks wrong. It offers nothing other than changed colors to the same old model. Seems like the designers gave a coloring book and 3 crayons (blue, black and silver) to some kids to get some paint ideas. As someone already pointed, it only needs an extended swingarm and it would fit right in the bling crowd.
re: “it only needs an extended swingarm and it would fit right in the bling crowd.”
that’s the idea. (while a lil’ late) they see what motorcyclists are willing to come off the dime for.
Isn’t that what Harley does with EVERY anniversary model? Oh yea and a badge on the triple trees and a $ 10 k hike in the price?
So 100 holdover bikes from a couple years ago get a paint and polish. Tadaa! Special Edition! Wow, Suzuki really is in a bind financially.
Hideous and pitiful tribute. The gsxr1000 was a revolutionary performance motorcycle that deserves better than this.
It’s at least a little better looking than the Gladius.
Not by much.
Pimp my ride!
HEY SUZUKI LISTEN UP –
Stuff the GSXR full of every electronic go fast traction control goodie available and then make it produce big horsepower numbers – then paint it stealthy flat black.
Then we go BMW hunting while passing Ducs, all in a row – ha ha.
Come on, quit being whimps. Cosmetics are for my wife.
Pull the trigger.
What,no extended swingarm!
+1
I like it, would prefer a polished frame instead…
I would have preferred a dark grey powder coated frame
Rider food for thought and discussion…
Explain to me, if possible, why the Japanese designers simply cannot grasp (or refuse to grasp) the simple idea of eye appeal, flowing lines, and heart moving designs. I’ve ridden since the mid-seventies, and for the most part, though there are certainly exceptions, the majority of the Japanese bikes have that “gag me with a spoon” look.
I was asking a friend the other day, if Honda built an EXACT copy of the Ducati Panigale with a HONDA emblem on the tank, I wonder how it would sell. Do you think it would sell like hot cakes because it would be a wonderful bike to ride, or, because it is a HONDA, it simply wouldn’t sell big because it wouldn’t be “exclusive” enough, like a Ducati kinda is. Interesting question. What do you think?
…or maybe it is a big Japanese motorcycle industry inside joke on us to see if people would actually buy the thing.
Well, that would require one to think bikes like the Panigale are beautiful. The only Ducati I thought beautiful was the 916. I’d rather have them copy MV if anybody.
The Japanese have their style, the Italians theirs and the Germans theirs..and yes the Americans ours ( talk about gagging with a spoon lol )
I thought the mid 70 s 750 GT Duc was nice too.
750GT, 900SS, GT1000… those were the only good looking Ducatis. The rest pretty much have the typical insect look.
To each their own. I think most Japanese bikes look sleek and fast. They come out with some super nice bikes that can whup on the Germans (except the s1000, but of course, ZX14 is a total missile!), Italians, Koreans, Chinese (easily the worst bikes for quality), and so forth. Plus, they’re the most reliable. All my friends that ride with me, the ones with bikes that are not Japanese, they’re either in the shop getting fix or they’re left with broken pieces because they can’t afford a clutch lever that cost $300 compare to my ninja’s $40. My Ninjas and GSXR’s look great AND have NEVER broke down or cost me an arm and a leg to replace.
Uh….what?
I can dig it – my Buell fuel pump can be bought at Auto Zone – something to be said for Neanderthal technology. For like $40 – ha ha!
…and it still whups GSXR’s in the corners.
I’ve wondered the same thing myself. I think the people who buy Japanese bikes actually like that look, so Suzuki is catering to their audience. If Suzuki made a beautiful bike, I think people would buy it, but it would be different people than those who buy GSXRs and Hayabusas now, so this would be a big risk for Suzuki.
There is also the issue of what style the designers like themselves, and what designs they are actually capable of producing. And their design process too – it’s pretty clear to me that Japanese bikes are designed by committee, with different people designing different pieces, while Ducatis (for the most part) seem to be designed by a single person with a coherent aesthetic concept.
Of the Japanese manufacturers, to my eye Honda and Yamaha have the best designs, and some of their bikes actually look reasonably attractive. Suzuki is the worst, with Kawasaki a bit ahead of them.
Case in point – form many times does follow function, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I ride an XB9 Buell, my third Buell — slow as a slug, shifts hard, shakes like a paint-shaker at idle – but seriously the best handling and quickest turning-in bike I’ve ever owned since 1974. And that’s included a Rickman framed 750 Honda, 850 Moto Guzzi Le mans, ’07 Triumph Speed Triple, ’78 GS 750 Suzuki, ’02 ZRX1200 Eddie Lawson edition and about 10 more. I guess what it boils down to is – ride what you like, what can afford, and enjoy the opportunity to do so while we can. Cheers.
If they got the design right which they do on occasion it would sell. There are few bikes I’d rather have in my garage than an RC30. No christmas tree paint scheme. Beautiful clean design….. And it works! There are other Japanes bikes that are gorgeous too but lately there hasn’t been much to write home about.
I’m a GSXR fan of long standing. I hope putting up this special anniversary edition (cosmetics) is not an excuse for further delaying their meeting the competition with advanced electronic aids.
That is what I was hoping for from a 50th advanced electronics and mind bending power, the kind of play that was pulled off on the competition with the intro of the original GIXXER 1100 way back in ’86 except it was rediculas light weight then.
I agree. I heard Suzuki filed Chapter 11 a while back – at least in the car building business aspect of the company. There was something going on in that respect I believe.
It looks like an old refrigerator wearing a cheap ’80s tracksuit. It will be a dangerous bike to ride for sure, as drivers who see you on it will either throw up or die laughing.
I’m not sure if I could buy it. I’d have an undeniable urge to wear a blue cape whenever I rode around on it.
That made me laugh, too funny specially because I can picture it and it would fit perfectly.
I don’t care what “style” you identify with as a motorcyclist…that is a damn sexy piece of two-wheeled machinery there.
Love the Blue/White color combo. Harkens back to the Gixxer750 from a few years ago.
Definitely love/hate appearance as the comments show. So there’ll be enough “loves” to sell them I’m sure.
But personally, I have to go swizzle some Listerine after throwing up in my mouth.
One small nit to pick: Neither the clutch nor brake lever is anodized blue, as stated in Suzuki’s description.
It needs a beak, tank seams, and an adventure-touring version.
A bigger beak, that is.
I’m not a sportbike guy, most of them just seem to blend into one another, but this stands out. Beautiful bike!
thank goodness there are only 100 made
That chrome frame would look sweet if the rest of the bike were black.In fact even that blue stuff would look better if the body work were black.When in doubt paint it black.
I like it. It’s clean and sharp, though I’m not a fan of the gills Suzuki is putting around its Gixxer’s headlight.
They want the Hai-ah-boosa riding brethren to drop some coin on this “Factory Custom”. Suzuki’s version of CVO.
Not exactly my cup o’ tea, but I like the blue/white scheme. The chrome frame?.. ‘really’? Going after the bling crowd, aren’t they …
I guess Suzuki likes the blue-painted parts as of late.
A Cosmetic Special, something all of the manufacturers do from time-to-time.
I think it looks like something somebody would do at home in their garage (barf).
Fugly.
This thing does have its share of funk, but I find it more appealing than many offerings. I like the clean look; reminds me of my ’87 pearl white Veefer.
The 2005 20th Anniversary GSXR750 is my favourite colour scheme:
http://www.mcnews.com.au/NewBikeCatalogue/2005/suzuki/gsx-r750/gsxr750_k5_special_rhf_1024.jpg
A pig with lipstick. Unfortunately until something changes it looks like cosmetic “improvements” are the kind of updates we should expect for awhile.
Blue cases?
Chrome frame??
Blue seat??
How stupid of me – I shoulda known.
Oct 31st is coming.
I would rather pull up to local the biker hangout in a pink VW bug.
Am I the only one who thinks it looks kinda dumb? Never been a gixxer fan but this one just seems…
+1. Looks creepy. The chrome with blue accents make me want to look away.
What has happened to Suzuki of late? I can remember when Suzuki was breaking ground in the sports bike world with designs like the original GSXR and RG500 Gamma where form followed cutting edge function. Now we’re getting, alterations in finishes to an already dated and sadly lagging design behind Suzuki’s Japanese competition to say nothing of BMW’s 1000RR.
re: “What has happened to Suzuki of late?”
see New York Times entry for Bankruptcy of their US auto division.
But I’ve also read that their auto division is doing quite well everywhere else around the world. Times have been lean in the MC business for most brands, give them time.
Suzuki’s auto product is a very small car, this equates to bottom of the ladder in social status here in USA. In other countries, a very small car is an asset. Amreicans never warmed up to microcars, its a social thing.
They’ve updated the Burgman 650, so there’s that.
re: “last weekend at the Indianapolis MotoGP event a huge area was set aside in the infield for Suzuki displays and customer appreciation services.”
translation: they kicked ducati off their island.
this being said, it’s good to see Suzuki finally smartening up and embracing their heritage. their greatest USP has been there right in front of them all along. dare I say, they’re starting to listen. now to get them on the right track with this whole grandprix nonsense.
I don’t care what the KTM Super Duke rides like. I’d take this Suzuki any day, based on looks alone. I’m not a race replica fan, but this looks very sweet.
Does chrome plating a frame do anything for a sportbike? I honestly can’t see the appeal in that.
Me neither, we’re clearly not the intended market for this bike.
re: “we’re clearly not the intended market for this bike.”
re: “Does chrome plating a frame do anything for a sportbike? I honestly can’t see the appeal in that.”
just means you guys are out of touch. for those who were not able to attend the grandprix, you can indulge via their facebook page. taking a cue from brands like Yamaha, Ducati, etc. they’ve finally learned what it means to ENGAGE their customers. in conjunction with their 50th anniversary, they finally held their OWN hayabusa design contest (you may have seen some of the adverts). no shortage of chrome in this arena. also, I encourage you to look closely at ALL the pictures, you should see a face you recognize… 🙂
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151600665363657.1073741843.264730448656&type=3
re: “I encourage you to look closely at ALL the pictures, you should see a face you recognize…”
Sorry Norm. I have absolutely no idea what you look like. =P
Very nice Suzuki, just a darn shame you’re only got to manufacturer 100 of them. That is REALLY sharp looking and deserves bigger numbers to manufacturer.
Pardon my crappy writing, just really like that look, and got excited I guess.
I bet a S1000RR would be the real rocketship
Pretty bike. Would kill my back to ride it, but I bet it would be a freaking rocketship.