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Posted by Brad Puetz
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Wednesday, 21 February 2007 |
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Page 2 of 3
| Turn ten and eleven at Fontana are more of a kink than a turn, leading on to the back straightaway. This is one of the most important parts of the track for a fast lap time. It's also a place that can be very intimidating on a poorly handling motorcycle due to some pretty good bumps and a transition in the pavement. In fact whenever the nationals roll around I always tell friends who are viewing a race for the first time to pull up some grass in the area exiting the kink. They are bound to see some of the most frightful tank slappers known to man. The whole idea is for my companions to watch these savage headshakes lap after lap leaving them with the impression we racers are some type of fearless warriors. Just need to make sure I wear an extra dark visor so these same friends don't see the look of panic coming over my face as I get rag dolled down the back straight with my arms being wrenched out of their sockets. |
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| This might have me looking a little more lily-livered than like a modern day gladiator. This was not the case however on the GSXR 750. I was able to take the kink wide open and fully tucked in with the confidence that the Suzuki would never get out of shape. In fact the section of the track that normally had me a little weak-kneed had now become my favorite part of the track. |
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The chicanes at Fontana are a great test of the chassis and require a lot of trust in the handling and suspension of the bike. The GSX-R's inverted 41mm Showa front forks and Showa rear shock met the challenge and was turning California Speedway into a track I was actually starting to enjoy. What a difference a good handling motorcycle can make. A few clicks to stiffen up the front end were all that was needed to have the bike behaving the way I like. |
| Fontana has two hard braking areas where the brakes and ramp-type slipper clutch can truly be tested. This is another place where the GSX-R really started to shine. The GSX-R750 features 310mm brake discs work with radial mount calipers and radial front brake master cylinder. The brakes were exceptional and I found myself out-braking many racers in the group who were surely not running stock lines and pads. Right out of the box the GSX-R brakes coupled with a flawless slipper clutch felt race ready. |
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The motor on the GSX-R750 has a very smooth seamless delivery with an electric feel to it. There are no big hits in the powerband, just a steady heightening of power. The motor is a little lacking in the mid-range forcing you to keep the revs up on corner exit. You have to ride it more like a 600 than a 1000 to get the true potential out of GSX-R. Keep the motor close to its rev ceiling at 15,000 rpm and you'll have the GSX-R singing nicely. The 750 has a compact combustion chamber design, 12.5:1 compression ratio, large intake and exhaust ports for optimum intake and exhaust efficiency and high power output. The Suzuki puts out around 126 HP to the rear wheel but I'd love to see what Matsushima Performance (the successful AMA Formula Extreme roadrace team) could do with this motor. Sounds like a recipe for the ultimate club racer! |
| Bridgestone's new BT-002 Pro tires were fitted for my day at Fontana . I have quite a bit of experience on Bridgestone's and have always been impressed by their handling characteristics. Their newest sport tire is first-rate and they are still the most stable tire I've ridden on. Grip level and feel were excellent the whole day with no excessive wear. |
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