MSRP new: $9399 (2000)
Blue Book retail value: $3390
Basic specs: A fully faired, fuel-injected, ultra-light repli-racer powered by a 750cc inline-Four engine.
Why it won: We had little choice. Although the GSX-R750 has been around since 1986 (1985 outside of the U.S.), the 2000 model was—and still is—one of the greatest sportbikes of all time. Its handling is near-telepathic, seeming to lead the bike precisely where you want it to go at the very moment you even think about it. Between 10,000 and 14,000 rpm—the meatiest part of its surprisingly broad powerband—the engine cuts loose a piercing shriek that raises the hair on the back of your neck while yanking you forward at a rate that’s almost disorienting. From the impeccable feedback it provides to the unbridled confidence it inspires to the sheer excitement it delivers, the 2000 GSX-R750 is the personification of sportbike performance. If you’re lucky enough to find one still in good shape, you’re in for an unforgettable ride.
From the 2000 Ten Best story: “Near-170-mph top speed puts it among the 900cc elite. Its 398-pound dry weight makes it lighter than any 600cc sportbike on the market. Need awesome chassis feedback at the limit? Got it. Flickability and lean angles that’ll leave you dizzy? In spades. A 124-horsepower, 14,000-rpm wail equaled in frenzy only by the joyful screams inside your helmet? Waahhh! It’s all here.”
Useful resources: GSX-Rs of all years and sizes are mechanical legends in their own time, so it’s not hard to find volumes of information about them. And, once again, the Internet is the quickest and easiest source of any- and everything GSX-R. As with many popular motorcycles, there is virtually endless information about these Suzukis on the Internet, including forums dedicated exclusively to GSX-Rs. You’ll also find a cornucopia of other related “stuff,” such as Gixxer 750 road tests from the present all the way back to the original ’86, tons of tech information, all manner of owner feedback, more hop-up and racing equipment than you could count, along with GSX-Rs for sale, related photos, T-shirts, posters and a whole lot more.
