2006-2007 Suzuki GSX-R600 Review
In 2006 the supersport skirmish between Honda and Kawasaki very rapidly sucked in other manufacturers, with not only Suzuki and Yamaha releasing entirely new models, but also Triumph rolling up its sleeves and getting stuck in. Against this atmosphere there had to be one loser and, sadly for Suzuki, when the dust settled, its new GSX-R600 emerged with a slightly bloodied nose.
Price Guide: £3,700-£6,750
· Cheapest private: £3,700
17,180 miles, well maintained, 2006 bike and cleaned weekly.
· Best choice private: £4,295
Only 10,475 miles and described as in excellent condition. Wave cash, get it for £4k
· Cheapest dealer: £3,790
17,191 miles, new back tyre and 12 months MOT
· Best choice dealer: £4,000
14,465 miles, a few nice extra and a black bike rather than the common blue/white
· Ex-demo: £6,750
668 miles, 2012 registered bike with FSH and painted in Tyco colours
Running Costs
Service interval:
· Minor: 4,000 miles
· Major: 8,000 miles
· Valve clearances: 16,000 miles
Service costs (main dealer)
· Minor: £140.00
· Major: £1200.00
· Valve clearances: £450.00
· Right fairing: £180.00
· RH Engine casing: £195.00
· Brake lever: £42.00
Thanks to Fowlers Suzuki: 0117 9770455, www.fowlerssuzuki.co.uk
Review
In a lot of ways the GSX-R600 was unfairly criticized in 2006 and had Suzuki launched a few years later it would certainly have been the right up there against the new hardcore ZX-6R or MotoGP inspired CBR600RR. However, Suzuki didn’t, and when it unveiled the supersport bike alongside the new GSX-R750 they proudly did it under the marketing guff of ‘own the race track’ while also claiming it was the top performing bike in the class-although to be fair to Suzukki, they couldn’t have known the Daytona 675 would be so good or that Yamaha would throw the kitchen sink at the slinky new R6.
Far more than just a revamp of the outgoing model, the GSX-R600 was a new bike from the ground up. A redesigned chassis and longer swingarm allowed Suzuki to shave 15mm off the wheelbase while reducing the bike’s width and adding clever three way adjustable footpegs. The inverted forks were updated, the Showa shock came with high and low speed damping, and the bike’s weight distribution was altered thanks not only to an under engine exhaust system, but also a new motor. Although the GSX-R600 retained the same bore and stroke as before, the engine was reduced in physical size, as well as shedding over a kilogram in weight and having a slipper clutch added. So why didn’t this see it promoted to the top of the supersport tree?
Sadly for the GSX-R600, it failed to have any truly outstanding features. On track the ultra-focused R6 was the undisputed king while on the road the ZX-6R’s extra 37cc of capacity and Triumph’s triple engine made the top-endy GSX-R feel all a bit gutless. However, Suzuki did have one trump card up its sleeve-price.
It may not have been the best performin 600, but in 2006 the GSX-R600 was the best selling. With all the other 600s arriving with wallet busting £7,300 price tags, the £6,799 GSX-R was the bargain of the supersport world and ended the year as the second best selling sportsbike, behind only the Fireblade. What was third? The equally affordable £7,799 GSX-R750. Fourth? The £8,799 GSX-R1000. But were riders buying purely on price, or was there more to it than that?
The 2006 GSX-R600 is a bike that, very much like current model, just kind of goes about its own business and waits for you to discover just how accomplished it actually is. Unlike the technology-heavy R6 or the then unique Triumph, the GSX-R doesn’t have any headline grabbing features, however what it does have is a lovely feel of ‘togetherness’ which is often lacking in rival supersport bikes.
On the road the GSX-R can feel a little breathless, however due to the fact it shares so many components with its larger 750cc brother it feels physically bigger than other bikes in the category. Add to this the simple, but extremely useful, three-way adjustable pegs and you have the makings of a very good road bike. But what of that engine?
In 2006 the GSX-R had to compete with two bikes that weren’t exactly 600s. Both the ZX-6R and Daytona 675 used their capacity advantage to great effect against the ‘true 600s the Suzuki doesn’t actually feel that it lacks anything. Yes, you have to get the engine working, but compared to the shockingly feeble bottom-ended R6 or equally rev-happy CBR, the Suzuki is actually pretty decent. Anyway, to many riders the whole point of a supersport bike is the fact it is an engaging experience that requires a bit of rider input through gear changes. Wring the GSX-R600's neck, keep the revs on the boil and you are rewarded with a bike that not only sounds fantastic, it handles pretty well into the bargain.
Since the financial crisis hit the sales of supersport bikes there hasn’t been that much development from Suzuki on the GSX-R600. OK, the update in 2008, and again in 2011, brought with them more midrange, but essentially the chassis is unchanged aside from the introduction of Showa’s big piston forks and upgraded brakes, which demonstrates just how sorted it was in the first place. It may not be quite as razor sharp as the R6 or ZX-6R, but the GSX-R brings with it stability, reassurance and a lovely feeling of easy. It’s one of those bikes that is very easy to click with, making riding it fast very simple indeed. And it is the easiest of all 600s to afford.
Even now, the GSX-R600 is the cheapest of the supersport bikes and typically costs £500 less than its rivals of the same vintage. The pay off for this reduced cost is a slight worry over build quality, however with so many GSX-Rs out there, getting a well looked after example is not hard. Finding one in anything other than blue in white, however, is not quite as simple as it would seem. -John Urry
