Working on a 2011 Suzuki GSX-R1000

One of our customers bought a new Suzuki GSX-R1000 K11 for a special price from Suzuki Thailand. The 2011 Suzuki GSX-R1000 doesn't really want for much, but it's still gonna get a stack of modifications, and by the time it's done it will be quite a motorcycle.

For the future we have a complete replacement brake setup, discs, calipers, everything. The customer wanted to try some new 'special' pads to see how they would work, but after waiting nearly a month they still haven't arrived, so total conversion it is.

Add to that a Yoshimura Y-piece to join with some stainless steel pipe and Akrapovic cans, and further some Power Commander V fine tunning.

There are also some new rearsets, a wealth of crash protection, levers, a special hose kit and at least three other sets of tires to review. Incidentally, the Dunlop tires are still on and performing very well, but the client prefers Pirelli tires. So, a fair amount of work waiting for the one month Suzuki GSX-R1000.

I started with the protection, I've always Yoshimura's crash stuff, and the Yoshimura engine case-savers look great, and take no time at all to fit. I did also receive some Yoshimura bungs but they require drilling the fairing, if it was my motorcycle I wouldn't have any problem doing this. But having, er, hurt the odd Suzuki already over the time I work with them, I need special confirmation from the owner before creating holes in the fairing. The quality of the Yoshimura protection bungs is very high, the price is also pricey.

Next up was ditching the standard steering damper, the customer doesn't have too many issues with the electronic damper during normal riding, but he told us that it can be a bit behind on track riding, which creates a vague damping action, like it's trying to decide what to do. Personally I'm super keen to try a real sport steering damper, I never had experience with riding a motorcycle with a sport steering damper.

For now the Suzuki GSX-R1000 is waiting for the owner to sign for the permission to drill holes in the fairing....