2017 GSX-R1000R FIRST RIDE

Clouds arrive quickly then settle in above Phillip Island.

Ominous and unsympathetic, they have the power to bring this day to an end, to dampen every inch of tarmac and force us back into the garage—test over. All I can do at this point is cross my fingers and pray that the worst of the storm is behind us

Suzuki’s new GSX-R1000R—the bike I’ve flown to Australia to ride—is the light at the end of an equally ominous, near-decade-long tunnel. It’s a bike that, if successful, could push the GSX-R platform back toward the pointy end of the sporting literbike category. Or, if not, officially end what has been an incredibly successful three-decade-plus run for the legendary four-cylinder series.

Just as our day hinges on those clouds playing nice, so too does Suzuki’s future on the perceived performance of its new crown jewel. Engineers stand nearby as