Suzuki have done a great job commemorating their heritage at Motorcycle Live over the years, with loads of classic bike build projects and celebrations of its racing champions at the annual show, and this year the Japanese manufacturer will have a special display marking 40 years of its most famous model line – the GSX-R.
It was back in 1985 when the first GSX-R750 came along and changed the world of race replica sports bikes, being a super-focussed crotch rocket based around Suzuki’s successful factory world endurance racers. It drew up a blueprint for future sports bikes, which became lighter and more powerful in a bid to win buyers’ hearts and to provide a base for race bikes in the new Superbike World Championship racing series.
Technically the GSX-R750 wasn’t the first ‘Gixxer’, an honour that goes to the Japanese-market GSX-R400, which came in 1984 (so technically it’s the 41st anniversary, Ed). The name came from Suzuki’s traditional ‘GS’ designation for four-stroke motorcycles, with the ‘X’ meaning four-valves per cylinder and ‘R’ standing, of course, for Race. The original 750 was soon joined by an even more extreme 1100, with 250cc and 400cc versions made for the Japanese home market. The mid-1990s saw a completely new GSX-R family introduced, with a twin-spar aluminium frame chassis based on that of Kevin Schwantz’ 500cc Grand Prix world championship winning RGV500 race bike and a ground up new engine design famed for its high power and compact dimensions. Known as the SRAD (which stood for Suzuki Ram Air Direct) these GSX-Rs came in 600cc and 750cc versions to meet supersport and superbike racing regulations, before the ultimate GSX-R – the GSX-R1000 – arrived in 2001.
Sales of powerful superbikes nosedived with the global financial crisis of 2008 and development of the GSX-R range stagnated. The GSX-R badge would also appear on learner legal 125s (and 150s in some other markets) in 2016, with a brand new 1000, the GSX-R1000R, coming a year later. That GSX-R produced a staggering 200bhp, double that of the 1985 750, thanks to some clever technology derived from Suzuki’s MotoGP programme, but public interest in these road going superbikes dwindled and, rather than update the various models to get through tightening emissions laws, all but the 125s would fall out from the company’s range over the years.
But the GSX-R has remained a cult model with a huge following and Suzuki’s Motorcycle Live exhibition not only celebrates the legendary models of old, it also marks the UK debut of a new-for-2026 GSX-R1000. The new machine, which is based on the 2017 model, has been brought up to the latest Euro5+ emissions laws and incorporates much of the latest suspension and aerodynamic developments.
As part of their Motorcycle Live celebration, Suzuki is hosting a VIP party on the opening day of the show – inviting customers who’ve put down a deposit on the new machine along to a special preview before doors open to the public. It’ll be hosted by TV presenter Grace Webb and Suzuki GB’s director of motorcycles, Paul de Lusignan, with special guests John Reynolds (a former GSX-R factory rider who won the 2004 British Superbike Championship on a GSX-R1000) and Dan Linfoot, who has won the 2024 Endurance World Championship and 2005 Bol d’Or with the Yoshimura Suzuki Endurance Team. For the rest of us, a display of the most significant GSX-R models from over the years will be showcased on the Suzuki stand throughout the nine-day show.
As well as the GSX-R celebrations, we expect to see a pre-production version of Suzuki’s new SV-7GX on display. The V-twin powered middleweight crossover machine, which appears to be based on the venerable SV650, was shown at Milan’s EICMA show recently and, although it won’t go on sale until the second half of 2026, it’s likely to be front and centre on the Suzuki stand ahead of its arrival in showrooms.
Suzuki isn’t the only brand commemorating a 40th anniversary at Motorcycle Live. Carole Nash will be at the show and has plenty of activities lined up to celebrate our 40th birthday. We’ve got some VIP goodie bags lined up for the first 40 visitors to our stand on opening day, a competition to win £440 by setting the fastest lap of the Silverstone MotoGP circuit on our racing simulator game and a chance to get up close to a stunning Kawasaki GPZ900R Ninja, the world’s fastest production motorcycle from 40 years ago.
There’s loads and loads to do at the show, with exhibits from most of motorcycling’s major manufacturers, live chat shows and bike action, test rides and plenty of non-biking entertainment for all the family. It takes place at Birmingham’s NEC between 15-23 November and we’d love to see you there. For more information and book advance tickets, visit www.motorcyclelive.co.uk
