Features

What’s not for sale in the U.S. – April 24, 2006

Suzuki recently revealed an all-new motorcycle, the GSR600, to its European dealer network. The bike, already available and retail priced at £5,199 ($9,025) in the United Kingdom, joins more than 60 other motorcycle models built by Suzuki, Honda, Yamaha and Kawasaki that are not offered in the United States.
“The GSR is a ‘hyper naked model’,” said Hiroshi Iio, chief engineer of Suzuki’s Motorcycle Engineering Division. “It has not only a very high performance, but it is also targeted to entertain all sort of customers by achieving good torque delivery at low- and mid-rpm range for daily use or user-friendly upright riding position.”
Iio, part of a team of designers, said he felt a lot of pressure in designing the bike, “as it is one of the most important new models for Suzuki.”
“The direction of the styling design was to have an advanced image yet dynamic design that instills the impression of motion, even when it is not moving,” said Toshiyuki Nishino, manager of the Styling Design Team in Suzuki’s Motorcycle Engineering Division. “In our motorcycle business as well as in other industries, customers’ eyes are becoming severer and severer, and they are always looking out for more stylish design. Year after year, we felt that we want to, and have to, satisfy this specific customer need. I was strongly conscious about this when designing GSR.”
Nishino calls the GSR, first presented at the Paris Motorcycle Show in October, a “sports naked model with innovative styling.”
With output of 90 hp at 12,000 rpm, the six-speed GSR has an engine and fuel injection system based on the GSX-R600, but is tuned for a broader powerband and more low-and mid-range torque.
The 599cc liquid-cooled inline four is cradled in a twin-spar aluminum-alloy frame suspended by a 43mm telescopic fork with adjustable spring preload in the front and a link-type, oil-damped coil-spring in the rear.
The machine rolls on 120/70ZR17 front and 180/55ZR17 rear tires, and stops via four-piston calipers mated to 310mm dual discs fore and a single-piston caliper and 240mm disc aft.
Wheelbase on the 403-lb. bike is 56.7 inches, seat height is 30.9 inches, and the unit holds 4.4 gallons of fuel.
To aid appearance, the GSR is outfitted with a sleek cover that blends the front of the fuel tank with the main frame spars and the radiator cover. Slim frame side covers tuck in tight under the one-piece seat. At the rear, a unique tail section featuring round LED tail lamps wraps around a center-mount, underseat muffler.
Suzuki Great Britain PLC now offers consumers 11 models not available in the U.S. market: the V-Strom Touring, V-Strom Grand Touring, Marauder 125, Intruder 125, Bandit 1200/SA, Bandit 650/SA, GSX1400, GS500, Van Van 125, Katana R50 and Burgman 125.
Yamaha Motor Europe N.V. offers 21 models in Europe that are not available in the United States.
Yamaha scooters missing in the United States include the TMAX/A, Black Max, XC300 Versity, X-MAX 250 and Majesty 180. Missing motorcycles include the MT-01, MT-03, TDM900/A, XJR1300, XT660X, Tricker, BT1100, WR450F 2 TRAC, DT125R MX Everts, DT125X, DT125RE, XT125X, XT125R, YBR 125 and Euro edition FZ1 and FZ6.
The Europe-only naked FZ1 and FZ6 are different from the U.S. spec FZ1 and FZ6 — called the FZ1 Fazer and FZ6 Fazer in Europe. Both the MT-01 and MT-03 are categorized as Sport Roadsters, what Yamaha calls “a new breed of motorcycle” uniting big-piston engines with sports chassis.
Product offered by Honda Motor Co. Ltd. UK but unavailable stateside can be divided into four categories: 125, Traditional, Scooter and Adventure. The 125 category includes the ANF125 Innova, CBR125R, CG125, Dylan 125, FES125 Pantheon, SCV100 Lead, SH125i, Shadow VT125C, Varadero XL125V and XR125L. The Traditional category includes the CB1300 ABS, CB1300S ABS, CBF250, CBF500 ABS, CBF600 S ABS, Hornet CB600F, Hornet CB900F, CBF1000 and Deauville.
Honda scooter models not available in the United States include the ANF125 Innova, Dylan 125, FES125 Pantheon, SCV100 Lead and SH125i; and missing Adventure models include the FMX650, Transalp XL650V and Varadero XL1000V ABS.
Finally, Kawasaki Motors Europe N.V. offers the ER-6n, Z750, ER-5 and the KLE500.

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