Suzuki GSX-R1000 Concept
Several press conferences are scheduled for tomorrow morning at the Intermot Motorcycle Show in Cologne. Expect numerous new models to emerge with unveilings scheduled by BMW, Ducati, Suzuki, Honda and others. As always, MD will promptly post stories and photos concerning the most exciting new models.
Pictured is the Suzuki GSX-R1000 “concept” announced last year which is expected to closely resemble the production 2017 superbike.
Suzuki GSX-R1000 Concept
See more of MD’s great photography:
well I’m 0 for 7 so far according to the releases here on MCD. 1 power cruiser, and the rest sport bikes. Guess that market is not as dead as we thought. Closest looks to be the BMW RnieT Pure but it’s not even close to what I’m looking for lol
I want a Triumph speed triple that looks like a 1975 T-160, I want a new 1000cc flat four from Honda that looks 1975 but makes 100-110 hp good brakes and suspension and weighs 500 lbs.I want a new GS1000, maybe your sensing a theme here but we can always dream.The point is new bikes have fantastic performance but boy are they fugly!!
When will an all new Kawasaki ZX-14R be coming? The last (update) was the 2012 edition. Five years is a long time in the world of superbikes. Is a supercharger in the mix ?
Suzuki’s I-6 GT concept circa 2010….
I shall be surprised if they have built something people want instead of what they seem to want to think we want.
A truly new Goldwing that returns good fuel economy, and not just for its size. Give it a six speed manual or that DCT that so many claim to want and keep the tank at least where its at size wise. And as stated by caribooster, a mid-displacement “adventure motorcycle” with a big gas tank, six speed transmission and (my additional request) tubeless spokes. Mickey is on the right track too. TF is correct about peg placement. The roads are not the place for such a riding position. It’s too uncomfortable. Hard on your legs, your arms (clip-ons are a stupid as ape-hangers) and back.
Drop the use of tubes on all bikes that are street legal. Let the dirt-kids have ’em on their off-road only rides.
Real standard motorcycles, not “naked bikes” (lame-o) with triple disc brakes fitted with ABS and flat seat that fits your butt. Make the tank big and fuel economy bigger. Put a center stand on them too.
And make them reasonably affordable. I can get a car for what some bikes cost. That’s ridiculous. Same with fuel economy. There are cars that can deliver better mpg and that is a shame and embarrassment. Bikes are more expensive to maintain, so while we’re at it how about more engines with hydraulic valve lash adjustment or intervals like the 32,000 on the GL1800? What about tires that last longer than a few thousand miles and don’t cost more than what goes on some cars? This is the 21st century, correct?
Click your heels three times and say…”Not gonna happen…not gonna happen…not gonna happen…”
Wishful thinking on the pricing. There are six Glen car models that sell at greater volume than the entire North American motorcycle market.
Motorcycle fuel economy is as simple as tuning the engine for how it will actually be used, instead of what looks good on a specific sheet. See Honda NC700…
What about a 550 – 750 cc,50 – 75 hp, 6 speed Adventure bike with a 25 litre tank, hard bags and coming in under 400 pounds. Hello KTM…where are you…
From MCN on the KTM Adventure 640…
“Across the deserts it’s the ideal weapon out here in Nevada, Utah
23 July 2016 by Tinnose
Year : 2003
Myself and 3 other guys purchased 640 Adventures and love them. Mine has over 25,000 hard miles on the clock. For a bike that weighs 350 pounds and carries 7.5 gallons of gas it handles like a dream. Great flawless engine, great suspension and brakes. For long haul trips (+250 miles without gas stops) across the deserts it’s the ideal weapon out here in Nevada, Utah, Idaho and Wyoming. What vibration? I’ll keep this bike until KTM makes a viable replacement.”
That could so easily be done with the FZ07 platform… Don’t know what they’re waiting for…
They’re probably waiting for a meaningful number of customers to return to the market place, just like KTM, who discontinued the model in 2007.
I’m hoping for the long-rumored BMW K1400S to replace my K1300S HP. And the Concept 6. Oh, and how about the Honda V-5 Superbike I’ve been waiting 10 years for ! Rumors… gotta love ’em. 😮
Those Gixxers are such nice looking bikes. It’s a shame that I can’t fold my legs up enough anymore to ride one……
I am especially interested in the Ducati SS that is supposed to be unveiled. If the riding position is relaxed a bit from the typical sportbike, I might be interested.
I hope one of them is an 800-1000cc sport tourer, shaft drive, removable hard bags and trunk, some sort of wind protection, 550-575 pounds, 100 hp 75 ft lbs of torque, 6 gallon tank, ABS, cruise, heated grips, gear indicator, self cancelling turn signals, under $15K
but I doubt it
I think you just described several bikes like the FJ09 and the 1000 Versys
Except none of the bikes you mention, or allude to, have shaft drive which was something mickey specified in his description.
Super Tenere?
Maybe it would not meet the “Sport” part in the sport touring…
VFR800 is another option but no shaft drive either…
He would have to keep the ST1300 😛
Mickey forgot to add “30-inch seat height” to his description. 🙂
Plus, I think when people say they want a “sport tourer” that they want the bike to look like a sport tourer – a la Ninja 1000, VFR – rather than look like an adventure bike. Otherwise they’d just get an adventure bike and stop asking for a sport tourer.
VFR1200 or BMW K1300S? A little pricey I suppose.
Not sure why anyone wants shaft drive these days. A chain is just as good, easy to maintain and needs a lot less maintenance than in the old days and the modern shafts are NOT maintenance free and when they fail, and they do fail, the damage is extensive.
I have owned shaft drive BMWs for nearly 40 years. The modern chain and belt drives offer many advantages over the shaft. The shaft was better than the chains of past eons but not modern o-ring chains with teflon lube.
I don’t know any long distance riders that would prefer a chain over a shaft. If the manufacturers didn’t believe they were superior in the long run, they wouldn’t put them on their long distance mounts.
If you ride a lot, it’s a fallacy to think a chain is superior to a shaft drive system. It simply isn’t.
Even a belt is superior to a chain with longer life and less maintenance.
As drive systems go a chain is at the bottom of the heap. It’s main advantages are they are relatively cheap to manufavture and install, and you have to the ability to change final drive ratio easily.
I have own bikes with both and believe me the chain is a pain compared to a shaft.
To each his own but I am a long distance rider and own both shaft drive (R1200R) and chain drive bikes (Yamaha FZs) and there is no significant difference in maintenance, if you actually do the maintenance that you are supposed to do on the shaft. The shaft requires oil changes, bearings to be lubed and replaced regularly, drive teeth cleaned and lubed… they are far from maintenance free or even low maintenance.
The problem is, few people do the required shaft maintenance and when the shaft fails or the u-joints fail or the drive bearings fail or the drive teeth fail, it is huge $, easily $1000 or more. On top of that, the weight and overall complexity of a shaft, it is just unnecessary clutter to me.
Chain maintenance: wipe it down every 3-500 miles and apply lube and wipe it down again. Takes less than 5 minutes and no tools more than a rag. On a very rare occasion, adjust the chain tension. Chain lasts 25k miles if maintained properly. Complete chain and sprockets is about $200 and takes an hour to install. Overall much less cost and lower maintenance than the shaft.
Yes, belts are even better than chains in some ways. The biggest issue with belts is you cannot change the gearing as easily as you can with a chain because there are not many options for different pulleys and belts.
550-575 pounds is pushing it for a “sports” tourer. No shaft drive for me please. Chains are so good these days.
guess i should have specified about a 31″ or lower seat height or low seat option lol.
Chains are great these days but still wear out, need adjustment and lubrcation, even if far less than in years past. I get a little over 30,000 miles out of an oring chain, but I ride over 20,000 miles a year. I have about 80,000 miles on my shaft drive ST 1300 and in that 80,000 miles it has needed 5.2 oz a year of 80 wt gear oil and 10 minutes to drain and replace it. On a chain drive bike I would be on my 3rd set of chain and sprockets at $250 per set, plus labor, either mine or an expensive shops. There is a reason most bikes designed for long distance travel, Goldwings, BMW-RT series, Moto Guzzi Norges etc come with shaft drive, they are simple, ultra low maintenace and very reliable (even BMW’s lol). Sure they add weight, cost and complexity but that is a fair trade off for most long distance riders. It is for me. And there hasn’t been a chain drive car since Hondas late 50’s early 60’s S600. There’s a reason for that.
Chains are real cheap for manufacturers. It off-loads the expense on the customer down the road. Chains are OK for occasional use and constant attention or maybe on a sport bike or dirt bike where long life doesn’t matter so much.