After dialing in the motor the next major step in the build was to lighten the load, and we started with the wheels. Reducing unsprung weight is the name of the game in performance, and a set of Galespeed's "Type M" magnesium wheels knocked off nearly 7 combined pounds front and rear. Though it might not sound like a massive amount, the effect on the bike's flickability is immediately obvious. While U-turns in the parking lot don't offer much feedback, once we got a groove on in the canyons the lighter wheels made the gap between the two bikes that much more noticeable-more power and lighter weight are usually a winning combination in any scenario.
Had we not installed a mega braking system our project bike might have proven unmanageable, however. Equally obvious to the engine's dramatic power increase and exhaust tone is the brutal braking power of the upgraded system.
At the first pull of the Brembo "19RCS" master cylinder's lever the immediate bite is immense, and the consistent power builds as more pressure is applied. A two-finger tug is all it takes to hoist the rear wheel easily with the adjustable master cylinder set on the 20mm position, while when changed to 18mm the immediate bite isn't quite as eye popping, but instead more progressive and manageable.
In either case the combination of the Brembo master cylinder and HP calipers, Braking USA's SB Wave rotors and HEL lines make a vast improvement over the stock brakes. What initially felt to be "above average" stoppers on the stocker seemed wooden and incompetent in comparison to the upgraded system.
Teach gives it two, but one...
Teach gives it two, but one finger on the lever will put the Gixxer on its nose.
Bazzaz's quickshifter works flawlessly.
Our new and improved front end left the stocker for dead.
A Scotts steering damper keeps the lighter front end in check.
The Brembo 19RCS offers more power than most of us will need. It's a nice bragging bit too!
Some spray paint for the passenger pegs did the trick.
The '08's paint scheme is...
The '08's paint scheme is smart, but that's the only leg up it had on the '07.At a glance our street killer looks stock. But it instantly feels sharper and lighter.
Woodcraft rearsets offer more...
Woodcraft rearsets offer more clearance than stock.
Despite the 2008 version's stunning paint scheme we found that even the mildest cosmetic upgrades really helped separate the two. Aside from the screaming performance bling we smartened up the rear with a Competition Werkes fender eliminator, then complemented the tidier rear with a prettier face thanks to a smoked Hotbodies Racing windscreen. Believe it or not we took a can of spray paint to the passenger peg hangers as well as the stock brackets mounted behind the blacked-out Woodcraft rearsets. Some may say it's taboo to perform such "low end" tactics, but why not save a penny here or there while improving looks and finishing the theme?
We set out to build a beast and ended up with a monster-albeit a friendly one. Sure it would cost more than most of us can spare to do all in a single weekend, but the beauty of a project like this is that each upgrade can be installed as the time and finances permit. We wanted the ultimate streetbike and happened to use the GSX-R1000 as our base, but these same applications will transform any ride into a super streetbike.
2007 Suzuki GSX-R1000
Front end: Galespeed "Type M" magnesium wheel, HEL brake lines, Brembo HP calipers, Braking USA SB Wave rotors, Brembo 19RCS master cylinder, Brembo clutch master cylinder, Scotts steering damper
Rear end: Galespeed "Type M" magnesium wheel, HEL brake line
Motor: Bazzaz Performance FI-TC box, Micron Serpent headers and MotoGP silencers
Paint: Glidden spray paint
Accessories: Rizoma reservoirs, Hotbodies Racing windscreen, Competition Werkes fender eliminator, Gilles swingarm spools and axle adjusters, Woodcraft rearsets, AFAM rear sprocket
Teach's 2nd opinion:
"In stock trim the 2008 GSX-R1000 certainly doesn't lack any horsepower or braking strength, but it's amazing the difference some aftermarket parts can make.The 07's increased horsepower made for some super-hard acceleration out of the corners-enough to playfully spin the rear tire. The next major improvement was the braking system-it's simply amazing and puts the bike in a totally different class than the stocker. This is one mean ride!"