Suzuki Unveils 2016 Commemorative Edition GSX-R1000

New paint scheme pays homage to 1986 GSX-R750 and honors 30 years of GSX-R dominance, says Suzuki

Special graphics on the 2016 Commemorative Edition GSX-R1000 pay homage to the 1986 GSX-R750 and to the scheme Kevin Schwantz sported during his 1986 AMA Superbike campaign.
Just behind the admittedly awesome Yoshimura R&D pencil holders, you can see the influence for Suzuki's 2016 Commemorative Edition GSX-R1000.

Suzuki is almost positively on the verge of introducing an all-new GSX-R1000. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the GSX-R unveiled this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is not that bike.

Instead, the bike unveiled over the weekend is a Commemorative Edition GSX-R1000 that pays homage to the red-and-black GSX-R750s introduced in 1986, and to the scheme that Kevin Schwantz sported during his 1986 AMA Superbike campaign. The Commemorative Edition GSX-R1000 unveiled this weekend is also, by the way, a damn good looking motorcycle.

No, there are no electronic rider aids, updated engine components, or changes to the chassis. Instead, on the Commemorative Edition model you get a “30 Years of Performance” badge on the tank and special wheel striping. For some (namely Kevin Schwantz fans and/or those who loathe electronic rider aids) that may be just enough. And to others, it may not be. We’ll let you look at a photo of the new bike (above) and be the judge.

Note also that if you think you’ve seen something similar already, that’s because Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s Roger Hayden raced a red-and-black Commemorative Edition GSX-R1000 of his own during this weekend’s MotoAmerica Superbike races at the Indy Motor Speedway. Hayden finished just .040 of a second behind Cameron Beaubier in race one at Indy, and .015 of a second behind the Yamaha rider in race two. Maybe new graphics are good for some speed after all…

Unfortunately, at the time of posting, Suzuki had not announced pricing information on the Commemorative Edition GSX-R. For note, the base MSRP on a non-ABS 2015 GSX-R1000 is $13,899.