2004 gsxr600k4 long term test.

[Cajun]

Okay I have owned my 2004 gsxr600k4 for just over 2 months how and done 2000kms on it in this time, from weekend thrash rides, daily commuting and touring.

This bike is such great fun to ride no matter what you are doing with it, around town nice small and light, and plenty of power low down. On the open road, it sits great on the road, and handles like a dream, enough power, even when you are sitting top gear at 100km/h, but that’s not often, you are most likely going a little faster, I have found it likes sitting at 120ish on the open road(but I have found this with most 600 sports bike it is where they like sitting), or you are in the lower gear so you are able to hear the amazing ram air growl.

This bike expects no wants you to rev it all the way to the red line, and crack it over as far as you dare. It inspires confidence in all aspects of your riding.

Over all build quality is Suzuki, not Honda, but good, apart from some of the paint cover on the some of the edges is a little thin, which seams to be a problem world over. Over my time I have had no problems with parts, apart from a faulty Suzuki oil filter on its first service which blew the o ring on it.

The seat height is tall 825mm but it doesn’t over all feel that tall, and peg positions feel fine and I am 6’2, and my wife at 5’6 feels fine on it as well. I have ridden this bike non-stop for 3 hours, and I still felt perfectly fine, no sore, legs/arms/ass. I couldn’t ride my old gsxr1100 this long with out being sore for the rest of the day.

The headlight, is great at night, its awesome on low beam, its good high beam, really needs a little adjustment higher, and maybe a brighter bulb, if you ride at night in rural/open road areas. The brakes, but much more you can say than long live radial mounted, two finger braking is wonderful even at well over 2 times the legal limit speeds.

It comes standard with Bridgestone 014, which if you believe what the hype tells you made for the gsxr 600/750 and cbr1000rr. I personally love Bridgestones, they are great tires, in the dry and in the wet, they are very controllable, they let you know before they start to slide.

Fuel wise, it is pretty good on fuel It does about 6-7l per 100kms, or It takes about

The adjustable shift light which the bike comes with standard, is a good posing toy, but after a while you don’t bother using it, due to you having to turn it on every time you start the motorcycle, and in the end you don’t use it, you just change gears like every other motorcycle by sound and feel.

I have only made a few simple modifications to this motorcycle, I installed from frame slides, from F1 engineering in Hamilton (they are the same as the gsxr1000) at a cost of $120, was good for piece of mine. I have had the standard exhaust changed, to get rid of the internal baffling chambers, to make it more of a straight thru exhaust, give gave a few more ponies, but it more responsive, and a little bit louder. One of the first that everyone has to do if they have one of these is great rid of that shovel of rear guard/number plate holder, it isn’t hard, and does not cost much to get a bracket made up.

At $15999 + ORC they are bargain, problem is there is none in the country until late august again. They come in three colours, Suzuki blue/white, black/orange, or the sexy yellow/black.

GSXR OWN THE RACE TRACK!!!

Neal the Cajun

P.S – Feel free to ask me any questions or queries.

UPDATEblack

Okay i am now sitting over 7000km i have owned it for 5 months. I have done a bit of touring on this bike(road trip to wellington) I am still amazed at this bike it tours, it does weekend scratching as well as everyday communting . I just need to get it to a track day to have a bit of fun.

750kms in one day, no sore ass/wrists nothing. Which is bloody good for a sports bike.

I had to replace the stock bridgestone 014 due to the rear looking square and not round at the rear, due to to all the straight road communting i am doing currently. I since fitted a set of pirelli super corsas sc1. Next might be a set of michilin pilots. At the 6000km service i added a bmc air filter, iridum spark plugs, as well as adding a TRE.

I still enjoy getting on it every day, and riding it around.

[vifferman]

Hey! False advertising! Two months / 2000km isn't long-term! It's barely run in.
Good write up though.

[Quasievil]

Hey Cajun, pick up the pace son, Ive had me Ducati 2 months and done 6000kms, what ya been doing riding it or cleaning it ??

[Cajun]

hahaha yeah well not really long term, but more than a test ride, sorta thing. but i done all but 55kms of those 2000, two times wife as riden it(50kms) and the bike shops services(5km). But its long enough to know its damn awsome, i am go glad i choose a 600 over a 1000cc after riding a zx10r(other bike i was thinking about getting)

Yeah quasi, some of us have to work during the week and can't get to go riding, I have been a bit slack, but i am also saving hard out for a house at the monent, so can't afford to go riding every weekend(other wise i would have my ear bitched at more than normal), i go for one decent ride a month and a couple of short ones, but like next week with traveling to auckland around auckland and home again, in one week, i will put close to 1000km on it(yes i am making alot of detours around place to visit friends and family and that while up there)

[750Y]

sounds good cajun, she's a really nice bike to look at and bristles with all the good bits you'd expect from a 2004 sportsbike. i bet the performance is awesome. is there anything you don't like about it?

[Cajun]

One thing i have found, is really tall first gear takes a bit of getting of the mark, is does 115km/h in first gear, which is great, but getting it off the line means giving it a big amount of gas. Only other thing i don't like about it, it not coming standard with a hugger, the kawa does, so does the honda i think. come on suzuki give me my hugger.

[White trash]

One thing i have found, is really tall first gear takes a bit of getting of the mark, is does 115km/h in first gear, which is great, but getting it off the line means giving it a big amount of gas. Only other thing i don't like about it, it not coming standard with a hugger, the kawa does, so does the honda i think. come on suzuki give me my hugger.

It does come with a factory seat cowl though, so quit your wingeing!

[vifferman]

One thing i have found, is really tall first gear takes a bit of getting of the mark, is does 115km/h in first gear, which is great, but getting it off the line means giving it a big amount of gas.

Many (most?) bikes are overgeared, to pass noise and emissions tests. Whack a 2-tooth bigger rear sprocket on it - it'll revolutionise it, and not just for takeoffs, but throughout the gears.

[Cajun]

YOU shut ya bitching, i was told what i didn't like so i siad, they are only really minor things really, i don't really need the rear seat, its not being used, cause rear pegs are coming off as well, just getting a nice bracket made up for the exhust to hang to,

[Cajun]

Many (most?) bikes are overgeared, to pass noise and emissions tests. Whack a 2-tooth bigger rear sprocket on it - it'll revolutionise it, and not just for takeoffs, but throughout the gears.

Yeah i know Firestormer, i am planning on doing that soon, thats just the one thing i have noticed on this, our bandit 600 is fine and my old gsxr1100 use to be good, and that did 120km/h in first

[Firefight]

Good write up Cajun, looking fwd to meeting up again for a blat, is it next week your up or the week after ?


Firefight

[Cajun]

next week, coming up sunday 20th, coming home saturday 26th, it be a fast trip back home, i got a wedding at 1pm on saturday, yahamaman is coming back with me, we taking a back road i have found in the car, never used the bike on it it be good.

Yeah be good to catch up with you again FF i might be able to keep up on the 600 couldn't on the 1100, the pig it was

[merv]

Only other thing i don't like about it, it not coming standard with a hugger, the kawa does, so does the honda i think. come on suzuki give me my hugger.

What's with wanting all this hugging - you feeling sad or something? Ask Lynda next time you see her, I'm sure she'll give you a hug.

[Cajun]

Ok merv i will ask her next time, i am a little sad.



smart ass

[Hitcher]

Hey! False advertising! Two months / 2000km isn't long-term! It's barely run in.
Good write up though.

Agreed!!!!