Motorcycle specifications SuzukiGSX 750 F 1996 GSX 750 F

Arriving in French dealerships in 1989 (introduced in Japan in 1988), the Suzuki GSX 750 F, the first of its kind, fills a gap in the Japanese manufacturer's range.

In 1985, the GSX-R 750 had ruined the careers of the GSX-ES and EF, making these 2-year-old bikes, with their undoubted qualities, completely obsolete. These two sporty models, with their on-road qualities intact, disappeared from the catalog in 1987, leaving only the GSX-R supersport bike. The absence of modern 750cc tourers alongside the sporty GSX-R and the big sporty GSX1100F left plenty of room for the competition(Honda VFR 750, Kawasaki GPX or Ducati Paso).

To once again compete in the field of sporty touring bikes, Suzuki is taking the best of its range and drawing inspiration from the competition, while maintaining its ultra-competitive pricing policy. Thus, the 4-cylinder engine will be the same as the 1988 GSX-R, and is modified to meet the F's road requirements: more flexibility and better performance at mid-range revs (at the expense of top-end power, of course). Power still reaches 100hp at 10,500rpm (the announced power will later be increased to 92hp), with a torque of 7.5mkg at 1,000rpm. Such a powerplant immediately raises the little newcomer to the level of the luxurious Honda VFR. Less flexible than Honda's V4, it retains some of the racy character of the R and offers top-level performance (+230 km/h).

For the chassis, Suzuki simply developed a steel perimeter frame (with removable double cradle), simple, inexpensive to produce but effective. The conventional 41 mm-diameter fork has 125 mm of travel, as does the single shock absorber with adjustable rebound and preload. Suspension tuning and frame geometry ensure a good compromise between handling and stability, without being faultless (fork a little soft).
The braking system features a double 290mm disc at the front, clamped by 2-piston calipers, and a single 250mm disc (single-piston caliper) at the rear. These components provide effective braking, reassuring for beginners but sometimes considered lacking in bite and endurance by the sportier riders.
All in all, the machine is very homogeneous, making it a pleasure to ride and accessible to the widest possible audience for purely road use.

The styling apes the competition somewhat, with a cladding that completely encloses the machine's mechanical components, in the manner of the Honda CBR or Ducati Paso. Nevertheless, the lines are original enough to be immediately recognized. Rounder and more compact than a VFR, it lags behind the Honda family(VFR and CBR) in terms of perceived quality and finish. The quality of the plastics is less pleasing than that of the competition, and they scratch and age more quickly. Suzuki is paying for its low-price policy. As for colors, they have remained fairly sober (black, gray, red), although the F, like the rest of the range, has undergone the "Tag" decorations of 1992-1993.

By offering a sports tourer 25% less expensive (FF 44,096 in 1990) than its direct competitor (FF 57,996 for a VFR, in the same year), the manufacturer was quickly excused for minor shortcomings in finish or equipment (absence of watch, center stand...). Proof of its success, this first GSX 750 F remained in the French importer's catalog until 1998, when its first major aesthetic upgrade was released. Its technical characteristics changed very little during these 9 years, draping itself over time in the guise of an economical, reliable and uneventful tourer, leaving it to others to compete in the field of sports tourers (Suzuki RF 600 & RF 900 released respectively in 1993 and 1994).

Tanthallas - Manufacturer's photos