Suzuki look set to delay their return to the World Superbike Championship for a year after company bosses singularly failed to mention the championship when outlining their racing activites for 2016.

Eiji Mochizuki, Director and Senior Managing Officer, Executive General Manager, Motorcycle Operations (and breathe) confirmed that Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales would remain as contracted in MotoGP and SERT would continue with Suzuki backing in World Endurance but the new GSX-R1000 won’t debut in WSBK.

“In MotoGP we will continue to fight for glory with Mr. Aleix Espargaro and Mr. Maverick Vinales under team manager Mr. Davide Brivio. Maverick has won the Rookie of the Year Award in 2015 and Aleix’s enthusiastic riding style has also won wide applause,” he said.

“In 2016 we will produce GSX-RR machines for Maverick and Aleix to compete with the top riders and give Suzuki fans plenty to cheer about.

“In World Endurance racing, SERT has won 11 championship titles with the GSX-R1000 and a total of 14 World Endurance crowns for Suzuki. Without exceptional team spirit SERT could not win, or even complete those races. They are true champions and in 2016 Suzuki will continue to support the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team under Mr. Dominique Meliand, with the aim of retaining the World Endurance Championship crown.

Suzuki unveiled the new GSX-R1000 at EICMA this morning to a huge round of applause. The 200bhp Superbike features variable valve timing but rumours of a cross-plane crank seem to be unfounded. It is also the lightest, the most compact, the most aerodynamic and the best-handling GSX-R1000 ever, with smoother throttle response and better combustion efficiency. It’s fitted with a supremely effective electronic engine management system that doesn’t require a degree in engineering to understand - and doesn’t need constant adjustment by a squad of computer technicians to work.

Above all, it is a GSX-R. By definition, it is built to run right and be reliable, and designed to help make each person fortunate enough to pilot the bike a better rider. By plan, it is engineered using experience gained during 30 Years of Domination in production-based Superbike, Superstock and Endurance races worldwide, combined with new proprietary technology developed in the MotoGP World Championship.

Key Features

Engine

• All new 999cc liquid-cooled DOHC inline-four
  • Entirely new engine that was developed to increase peak power without losing low-to-mid range output using the Broad Power System concept, derived from MotoGP technology.
  • The new engine’s external dimensions are compact, helping the overall motorcycle be equally compact to
• Suzuki Racing VVT (Variable Valve Timing System)
  • Steel balls are positioned in grooves in the intake cam sprocket and adjacent guide plate. When moved
• Suzuki Racing Finger Follower Valve Train
  • The new GSX-R1000 Concept’s valve train system is transformed from previous model’s bucket-tappet system
• Suzuki Top Feed Injector (S-TFI)
  • Secondary injectors located in the top of the air box operate at higher RPM to deliver finely atomized fuel
• Suzuki Exhaust Tuning-Alpha (SET-A)
  • Suzuki engineers added two servo-operated SET-A butterfly valves, one in each header balance tube.

Chassis

• All new aluminum frame
  • Twin spar-type continues Suzuki tradition of aluminum frames fitted to GSX-R models to help create the lightest GSX-R1000 ever.
  • The shape was carefully designed to not only optimize geometry for superb handling, but to accommodate
• SHOWA BFF (Balance Free Fork) front suspension
  • Directly developed through racing, the SHOWA BFF® forks use external damping circuits to equalize (or
• SHOWA BFRC Lite (Balance Free Rear Cushion) rear suspension