Thought a Suzuki GSX-R600 might be a good idea? So did we. Now it's here - by special appointment only

THE NEW SUZUKI RF600F is a fantastic bike. It may yet topple the CBR600 to become a fantastically popular bike. And it may prove able to commute, scratch, tour, race, look good, pick up birds, lick the end of its nose with its tongue or even make a storming cup of tea. But one thing it never, ever will be is a GSX-R.

And that, for many, is a fantastic shame. Over recent years, while the 600 class has largely moved on apace without Suzuki and its dull but moneywise GSX600F, the one question on every Suzuki devotee's lips has been: "Why on earth doesn't

Suzuki build a GSX-R600?"

It sounds straightforward enough. Suzuki's forte, it's piece de resistance, has always been the GSX-R whether

it be in 750, 1100 or even 400cc guises. While at the same time, the UK's biggest selling class has been the hotly-contested 600s. So, surely, Suzuki building a GSX-R600 would have been as safe a bet as getting rat-arscd on 27 pints of Old Scrote.

But they didn't, did they?

They did. And here's the GSX-R600 that never was. It's no special and it's no one-off. It's brand new, made by Suzuki Japan especially for the American market and now, courtesy of the resourcefulness of one Yorkshire dealer, it's over here.

Cobb and Jagger Mote Shipley, near Bradford, i handful of US-spec G direct from Florida to t over here. The bikes an sleeved-down GSX-R75 launched in the US early 1 response to requests from Suzuki dealers. And the : that, faced with the prosp ing to flog the new, more 750 in a dead superbiki Suzuki USA lobbied the Japan to build something t actually sell. And in middleweights, cspeci, sporty middleweight^ capable of being tarted up like fag packets and winning races, sell like Mates in Marbella.

Visually, there's little to distinguish it from the 750. Paintjobs, US-spec reflectors everywhere, wider-spaced indicators, a blanked-off lights on/off switch (compulsory riding lights in Florida, y'see) and funny stickers apart, the 60()'s identical to the 750. Which is good news if you fancy a more substantially-sized 600 for comfort or pillions' sake. And better still if you're in the habit of lobbing GSX-Rs into the shrubbery - 'cos UK GSX-R750 plastics will fit.

The bad news, of course, is that it isn't as quick - even as much so as other current, cutting edge 600s. This sleeved, shorter stroke, re-carburated GSX-R750 mill (bore is down 70 to 65mm, rods are 2.5mm shorter and 36mm carbs replace the 750's 38s) was always going to struggle against the purpose-built power-plants that gun ZZ-Rs and CBRs - and it shows. Squeezing things from 749cc down to 599 has left the GSX-R gasping and screeching. Peak power has tumbled to a comparatively feeble 90bhp at the crank (the CBR600 and RF600R have lOObhp) while the wringing revs required to produce it have climbed to a heady 12,500rpm (the 750 peaks at 11,500rpm). And if you then remind yourself of the full-size chassis this emasculated 750's supposed to push around you'd be forgiven for thinking everything's starting to sound a bit sad and, hey, there's that Pegaso 125 over the page...

Wait. It isn't. This is an exciting, relcvent, practical bike in its own right. Think less underpowered 750 and more man-sized, pure sports 600 that sounds ZXR400-scrummy and wears the best chassis kit in the class. Then you'll start to get the idea.

Gelding the 750's lily may, from a cynical point of view, simply leave you with an underpowered three-quarter-litre machine. But from a more positive one it's produced a bike that's part screaming-demon 400, part scratch GSX-R and part full-size comfort and practicality. A bike with most of the 750's good bits that's now within range of 600 buyers. And a bike so sharply different from average 600 fare you wonder even more why, RF or not, Suzuki doesn't bring it into the UK.

Like your screaming-eagle 400, the 600's quicksilver throttle zings a fluid wow-wow-wow WAAAAA-

AAAOOOOW cacophony that compensates totally for the fact that, up to 7000rpm, the motor pulls about as pathetically as Bernard Manning at a male strip club.

But it doesn't matter. The gearbox is as slick as the waters off Shetland. The cable clutch is as smooth and lightweight as Des O'Connor and the gear changes necessary to keep this 400-and-a-half buzzing about 8000rpm are a toe-tapping joy rather than a pain. Yes it lacks mid-range, but that's more in comparison to the 750 than its likely 600 rivals. Yes too its performance figures, considering the peak power deficiency and 501b it carries over the likes of the CBR600, are never going to top the class. But that certainly doesn't mean it's a tub of lard.

Like a 400 you keep it boiling and concentrate on the superb chassis.

And revel in it. What other 600 has the brakes (310mm discs, four pot Nissins); tyres (750-sized 17Q/60 x 17 rear, 120/70 x 17 front) or suspension (fully-adjustable u-s-d forks and rear shock) to match the GSX-R?

And that's where this grey import scores. Many who buy 600s would go for 750s if they could afford them and the insurance. Not just for the power, but for the added sports sophistication, the size and the comfort both for rider and pillion.

Until now there was no alternative. No pure sports 600 in the way only a GSX-R can be. No 600 as substantial as a 750 can be. Now, with the GSX-R600, there is. It's the only pure sportster in the class. It has the most sophisticated suspension, sounds divine and is only marginally behind the others in the class in terms of outright performance.

Cobb and Jagger will happily supply you with one (including a year's Wisebiker warranty) for £5750 - or £500 less than the 7. In the US, Motor Cyclist magaz: rated the GSX-R600 ahead of I FZR600 and a close second behi Honda's CBR600. Over he however, the main difference is tl there are ten million CBR6( about the place and, as far as ' know, there's only one oth GSX-R600. Tempting, isn't it? [