Segment: Sport / Super Sport
Production years: 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989
3 Photos
At the beginning of 1984, Suzuki launched the GSX-R 400, which was the first mass-produced racer replica that featured an aluminum cradle frame and an inline-four liquid-cooled DOHC engine with four-valve per cylinder.
The model was based on the GS1000R racer and had rivals such as the Yamaha FZ400R and Honda CBR400R which were 13-31 kg (29-68 lbs) heavier. Like other bikes of the time, the GSX-R 400 motorcycle was very light with quick handling and featured a powerful four-in-one exhaust system and a 10 kg lighter engine than the previous GSX-R400 model.
The 1984 Suzuki GSX-R 400 packed an aluminum angular pipe double cradle frame with a non-adjustable aluminum swingarm on the rear and a telescopic fork on the front, while the braking power was handled by two discs with four-piston calipers on the front and a single disc with a two-piston caliper on the rear.
In the power department, the bike had at its core a 398cc four-troke four-cylinder liquid-cooled engine that developed an output power of 59 hp at 11,000 rpm and 39 Nm (29 lb-ft) of torque at 9,000 rpm. Equipped with a six-speed manual transmission and with a dry weight of 152 kg (334 lbs), the 1984 Suzuki GSX-R 400 was the fastest and best-selling 400cc bike in its class.
