Suzuki GSV-R
Encyclopedia
Suzuki GSV-R is the name of the series of 4-Stroke V4 prototype
motorcycles developed by Suzuki
to compete in the MotoGP World Championship. GSV-R replaced Suzuki's 500 cc 2-Stroke V4 RGV500
which was ridden by Kenny Roberts, Jr. to win the GP500
Championship in 2000.
The GSV-R was introduced on 2002, one year earlier than the original plan, with codename XRE0. New regulations were promoting the growth of four-stroke engines, and the performance of the new engine during testing was strong according to Suzuki. Despite the use of a new engine, XRE0 was using the old RGV500 Gamma Chassis, which was later criticized as a big mistake by many MotoGP analysts. Using the chassis
and fairings
that were previously made for the 2-Stroke RGV500 engine, XRE0 was hampered by many stability issues. The use of RGV500 Tyre
spec was another mistake. Despite all of that, XRE0 was able to taste its first podium (2nd place) on the opening round at Suzuka and sacked 3rd place at Rio in the same year. XRE0 achievements however were inconsistent, as the riders often fell down, crashed, or were forced to retire by technical failures. The top XRE0 rider by the end of The 2002 MotoGP Championship was Kenny Roberts, Jr. in 9th place overall.
For 2007, MotoGP rules were changed to allow a maximum displacement of 800 cc. Suzuki introduced an 800 cc version of the GSV-R also known as GSV-R800. The GSV-R800 was codenamed XRG0 because of its newly redesigned engine based on displacement limitations. The new XRG0 engine was based from the layout of the 2006 990 cc GSV-R however, the XRG0 engines bore, stroke, and cylinder pitch had been redesigned to better suit the 800 cc engine displacement. The Factory Rizla
Suzuki MotoGP
team stated the new engines aim was to ‘achieve the best possible horsepower and reliable high rpm operation, and to provide the riders with user friendly power delivery and predictable engine character.’ The XRG0 was also equipped with a redesigned Engine control unit
supplied by Mitsubishi
, capable of producing 220 horsepower at 17,500 rpm. The Chassis
layout and wheelbase length from the 2006 GSV-R XRE4 used in the 2006 MotoGP
season remained on the new model, however the fairing
design had been updated to better accommodate high speed stability.
The 2008 MotoGP
season brought another redesigned GSV-R800 that Suzuki codenamed XRG1 as the successor to the XRG0 of the previous year. This second generation 800 cc four-stroke prototype was the most complex and technically advanced racing motorcycle Suzuki had ever produced at its time. The XRG1 had been developed closely with team riders Chris Vermeulen
and Loris Capirossi
and the feedback from the MotoGP
team and Suzuki test engineers. A key focus area in refining the XRG1 was improving acceleration. This was accomplished by refining every detail of the 2007 XRG0 engine and an updated Mitsubishi
ECU. The resulted engine redesigning provided lower fuel consumption and increased usability. Further refinements of the XRG0 chassis for the 2008 XRG1 allowed for better cornering performance and change of direction. Along with the chassis refinements, a newly designed fairing
was developed to reduce wind resistance to enhance handling characteristics.
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
motorcycles developed by Suzuki
Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...
to compete in the MotoGP World Championship. GSV-R replaced Suzuki's 500 cc 2-Stroke V4 RGV500
Suzuki RGV500
The Suzuki RGV500 was Suzuki's entry in 500 cc Grand Prix motorcycle racing. It won its first 500 cc championship in 1993 in the hands of Kevin Schwantz, who beat both Wayne Rainey and Mick Doohan to the prize. This was the most successful period in the motorcycle's history...
which was ridden by Kenny Roberts, Jr. to win the GP500
GP500
GP500 is a motorcycle racing simulation for the PC developed by Melbourne House and released in 1999 by Microprose.The game represented the 1998 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season, and is widely held alongside EA Sports' Superbike Series to be one of the best motorcycle racing simulations available...
Championship in 2000.
The GSV-R was introduced on 2002, one year earlier than the original plan, with codename XRE0. New regulations were promoting the growth of four-stroke engines, and the performance of the new engine during testing was strong according to Suzuki. Despite the use of a new engine, XRE0 was using the old RGV500 Gamma Chassis, which was later criticized as a big mistake by many MotoGP analysts. Using the chassis
Chassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
and fairings
Motorcycle fairing
A motorcycle fairing is a shell placed over the frame of some motorcycles, especially racing motorcycles and sport bikes, with the primary purpose to reduce air drag. The secondary functions are the protection of the rider from airborne hazards and wind-induced hypothermia and of the engine...
that were previously made for the 2-Stroke RGV500 engine, XRE0 was hampered by many stability issues. The use of RGV500 Tyre
Tire
A tire or tyre is a ring-shaped covering that fits around a wheel rim to protect it and enable better vehicle performance by providing a flexible cushion that absorbs shock while keeping the wheel in close contact with the ground...
spec was another mistake. Despite all of that, XRE0 was able to taste its first podium (2nd place) on the opening round at Suzuka and sacked 3rd place at Rio in the same year. XRE0 achievements however were inconsistent, as the riders often fell down, crashed, or were forced to retire by technical failures. The top XRE0 rider by the end of The 2002 MotoGP Championship was Kenny Roberts, Jr. in 9th place overall.
For 2007, MotoGP rules were changed to allow a maximum displacement of 800 cc. Suzuki introduced an 800 cc version of the GSV-R also known as GSV-R800. The GSV-R800 was codenamed XRG0 because of its newly redesigned engine based on displacement limitations. The new XRG0 engine was based from the layout of the 2006 990 cc GSV-R however, the XRG0 engines bore, stroke, and cylinder pitch had been redesigned to better suit the 800 cc engine displacement. The Factory Rizla
Rizla
RizLa+ , known in English as Rizla is a brand of rolling papers and cigarette tubes or blanks in which tobacco is rolled or stuffed to form handmade cigarettes....
Suzuki MotoGP
Suzuki MotoGP
Suzuki MotoGP is the official factory-backed team of Suzuki in the MotoGP World Championship. The team currently compete under the name Rizla Suzuki MotoGP.-History:...
team stated the new engines aim was to ‘achieve the best possible horsepower and reliable high rpm operation, and to provide the riders with user friendly power delivery and predictable engine character.’ The XRG0 was also equipped with a redesigned Engine control unit
Engine control unit
An engine control unit is a type of electronic control unit that determines the amount of fuel, ignition timing and other parameters an internal combustion engine needs to keep running...
supplied by Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
, capable of producing 220 horsepower at 17,500 rpm. The Chassis
Chassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
layout and wheelbase length from the 2006 GSV-R XRE4 used in the 2006 MotoGP
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
season remained on the new model, however the fairing
Motorcycle fairing
A motorcycle fairing is a shell placed over the frame of some motorcycles, especially racing motorcycles and sport bikes, with the primary purpose to reduce air drag. The secondary functions are the protection of the rider from airborne hazards and wind-induced hypothermia and of the engine...
design had been updated to better accommodate high speed stability.
The 2008 MotoGP
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
season brought another redesigned GSV-R800 that Suzuki codenamed XRG1 as the successor to the XRG0 of the previous year. This second generation 800 cc four-stroke prototype was the most complex and technically advanced racing motorcycle Suzuki had ever produced at its time. The XRG1 had been developed closely with team riders Chris Vermeulen
Chris Vermeulen
Chris Vermeulen is a motorcycle racer, currently competing in the World Superbike Championship for the works Kawasaki team. He originally raced in this class in 2004 and 2005 for the Ten Kate Honda team, finishing as series runner-up in 2005...
and Loris Capirossi
Loris Capirossi
Loris Capirossi is a retired Italian Grand Prix motorcycle road racer, who competed between and...
and the feedback from the MotoGP
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
team and Suzuki test engineers. A key focus area in refining the XRG1 was improving acceleration. This was accomplished by refining every detail of the 2007 XRG0 engine and an updated Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
ECU. The resulted engine redesigning provided lower fuel consumption and increased usability. Further refinements of the XRG0 chassis for the 2008 XRG1 allowed for better cornering performance and change of direction. Along with the chassis refinements, a newly designed fairing
Motorcycle fairing
A motorcycle fairing is a shell placed over the frame of some motorcycles, especially racing motorcycles and sport bikes, with the primary purpose to reduce air drag. The secondary functions are the protection of the rider from airborne hazards and wind-induced hypothermia and of the engine...
was developed to reduce wind resistance to enhance handling characteristics.
Specifications
| GSV-R XRE0 (2002) | GSV-R XRE1 (2003) | GSV-R XRE2 (2004) | GSV-R XRE3 (2005) | GSV-R XRE4 (2006) | GSV-R XRG0 (2007) | GSV-R XRG1 (2008) | GSV-R XRG2 (2009) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine Type | 60° 4-stroke Four-stroke cycle A four-stroke engine, also known as four-cycle, is an internal combustion engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes—intake, compression, power, and exhaust—during two separate revolutions of the engine's crankshaft, and one single thermodynamic cycle.There are two... water-cooled V4 V4 engine A V4 engine is a V form engine with four cylinders and three main bearings.-Automobile use:Lancia produced several narrow-angle V4 engines from the 1920s through 1960s for cars like the Lambda, Augusta, Artena, Aprilia, Ardea, Appia, and Fulvia.... |
65° 4-stroke Four-stroke cycle A four-stroke engine, also known as four-cycle, is an internal combustion engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes—intake, compression, power, and exhaust—during two separate revolutions of the engine's crankshaft, and one single thermodynamic cycle.There are two... water-cooled V4 V4 engine A V4 engine is a V form engine with four cylinders and three main bearings.-Automobile use:Lancia produced several narrow-angle V4 engines from the 1920s through 1960s for cars like the Lambda, Augusta, Artena, Aprilia, Ardea, Appia, and Fulvia.... |
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| Displacement | colspan=5 | 990 cc | colspan=3 | 800 cc | ||||||
| Max Power | 210 bhp @ 14,000+rpm | 210 bhp+ @ 14,000+ rpm | 220 bhp+ @ 14,500+ rpm | 240 PS @ 16,000 rpm | 240 PS @ 16,000 rpm | 220 PS @ 17,500rpm Revolutions per minute Revolutions per minute is a measure of the frequency of a rotation. It annotates the number of full rotations completed in one minute around a fixed axis... |
225 PS @ 18,000rpm Revolutions per minute Revolutions per minute is a measure of the frequency of a rotation. It annotates the number of full rotations completed in one minute around a fixed axis... |
225 PS @ 18,000rpm Revolutions per minute Revolutions per minute is a measure of the frequency of a rotation. It annotates the number of full rotations completed in one minute around a fixed axis... |
| Valve Control and Type | DOHC Overhead camshaft Overhead cam valvetrain configurations place the engine camshaft within the cylinder heads, above the combustion chambers, and drive the valves or lifters in a more direct manner compared to overhead valves and pushrods... four-valve Multi-valve In automotive engineering a multi-valve or multivalve engine is one where each cylinder has more than two valves. A multi-valve engine has better breathing and can operate at higher revolutions per minute than a two-valve engine, delivering more power.- Multi-valve rationale :A multi-valve design... |
Pneumatic (air control), DOHC Overhead camshaft Overhead cam valvetrain configurations place the engine camshaft within the cylinder heads, above the combustion chambers, and drive the valves or lifters in a more direct manner compared to overhead valves and pushrods... four-valve Multi-valve In automotive engineering a multi-valve or multivalve engine is one where each cylinder has more than two valves. A multi-valve engine has better breathing and can operate at higher revolutions per minute than a two-valve engine, delivering more power.- Multi-valve rationale :A multi-valve design... |
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| Carburation Type | Fuel injection Fuel injection Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s.... |
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| Lubrication System | Wet sump | Wet sump (MOTUL Motul Motul is a small city in the Mexican state of Yucatán, located some 44 km east of Mérida at . The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding Motul Municipality.... Lubricants) |
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| Clutch | Dry multi plates (back torque reduce type) | |||||||
| Transmission | 6-speed constant mesh | Six-speed low-friction constant mesh | ||||||
| Final Drive | Chain | |||||||
| Frame Type | Twin spar aluminum alloy frame | |||||||
| Suspension | Front: Inverted type telescopic Rear: Link type |
Front: Inverted type telescopic (Öhlins Öhlins Öhlins or Öhlins Racing AB, is a manufacturer of high-performance suspension systems for automotive, motorcycle, snowmobile, and ATV use. It is based in Upplands Väsby just north of Stockholm, Sweden... ) Rear: Link type (Öhlins Öhlins Öhlins or Öhlins Racing AB, is a manufacturer of high-performance suspension systems for automotive, motorcycle, snowmobile, and ATV use. It is based in Upplands Väsby just north of Stockholm, Sweden... ) |
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| Tyres | Dunlop Dunlop Tyres Dunlop Tyres is a British company owned 75% by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and 25% by Sumitomo Rubber Industries, which bought the right to sell Dunlop-branded road tyres.... /Michelin Michelin Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands... |
Michelin Michelin Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands... |
Bridgestone Bridgestone The is a multinational rubber conglomerate founded in 1931 by in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a calque translation and transposition of ishibashi, meaning "stone bridge" in Japanese.... |
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| Wheels | Front: 16.5 inches Rear: 16.5 inches |
Front: 17 inches Rear: 16.5 inches |
Front: 16.5 inches Rear: 16.5 inches |
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| Brake System | Front: Double carbon disc Rear: Single disc steel or carbon |
Front: Double carbon disc (Brembo Brembo Brembo S.p.A. is a manufacturer of automotive brake systems, especially for high-performance cars and motorcycles. It was established in Bergamo, Italy in 1961. Soon after the company was formed, it specialised in disc brakes, which were exclusively imported from the United Kingdom at the time... ) Rear: Single steel disc (Brembo Brembo Brembo S.p.A. is a manufacturer of automotive brake systems, especially for high-performance cars and motorcycles. It was established in Bergamo, Italy in 1961. Soon after the company was formed, it specialised in disc brakes, which were exclusively imported from the United Kingdom at the time... ) |
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| Overall Length | 2030 millimetres (79.9 in) | colspan=4 | 2060 millimetres (81.1 in) | colspan=2 | 2080 millimetres (81.9 in) | |||||
| Overall Width | colspan=6 | 660 millimetres (26 in) | |||||||
| Overall Height | 1150 millimetres (45.3 in) | colspan=6 | 1150 millimetres (45.3 in) | ||||||
| Wheelbase | 1420 millimetres (55.9 in) | colspan=6 | 1450 millimetres (57.1 in) | ||||||
| Weight | colspan=3 align="center" | 145 kilograms (319.7 lb) | colspan=2 align="center" | 148 kilograms (326.3 lb) | 148+ kg (330+ lb) | |||||
| Fuel Tank | 24 l (50.7 US pt) | 22 l (46.5 US pt) | 21 l (44.4 US pt) | |||||
External links
- XRG1 specification at rizla-suzuki-motogp.co.uk