Suzuki XR69 is a joint project between the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer and Pops Yoshimura. At a time when Honda dominated the four-stroke category, another Japanese manufacturer, Suzuki, and Pops Yoshimura created a superbike in just a few years to turn this dominance on its head.

Up until the mid-1970s, Suzuki focused on two-stroke motorcycles.The GS-series was its turning point: the first models were the GS400, the GS500, and the GS750. The largest Suzuki GS1000 was released in 1977. The bike was equipped with the inline, 4-stroke, 4-cylinder GS750 engine. This air-cooled DOHC engine featured a 5-speed unit gearbox, two valves per cylinder. This engine became the basis for the Suzuki XR69, though very few parts would actually be carried over.

The Suzuki XR69 and Pops Yoshimura

The Suzuki XR69 project actually started in 1976,when Yoshimura approached Suzuki. He needed some help from Suzuki engineers on the new GS750-based racing motorcycle. It was fate. Suzuki had very little experience with high-performance four-strokes,so Yoshimura’s development work was invaluable.

Yoshimura and Suzuki were closely working on a new GS1000-based racing motorcycle designed to compete at the highest level. Although they didn’t have the resources or experience of Honda, but hard work and talent helped them.

They managed to tune the GS1000 engine to the point where it was producing 134bhp at 9,500 rpm and 72 ftlbs of torque at 8,000 rpm. Characteristics were too cool for the original frame, suspension and brakes.It became clear that a new chassis was going to be required. The frame was made of chrome-moly pipes, paired with Kayaba suspension in back.

In 1980, Graeme Crosby began performing on the Suzuki XR69 and the new four-stroke race bike impressed him a lot. It took him only a few weeks to win at Daytona before proving to be a dominant force for the rest of the year.His development work was put to great effect, the efficiency of the motorcycle grew rapidly.After winning at Daytona, Graham finished secondat the Isle of Man TT, plus a win at the Ulster Grand Prix,winning the TT F1 World Championship title for Suzuki.

In 1982, Mick Grant joined Suzuki forming part of a three-rider team with John Newbold and Roger Marshall.Grant finished 2nd behind Crosby at the Isle of Man and 3rd behind him at the Ulster GP,tragedy struck at the North West 200 when John Newbold died after clipping Grant’s rear tire.Grant won the race and immediately dedicated the victory to Newbold and donated his prize money to John’s widow.

The Suzuki XR69 took a few more wins and podiums before changing the rules in 1984. The TT Formula 1 category reduced the engine size limit to 750cc.This ended the reign of the Suzuki liter bike.

The motorcycle will be sold on the 28th of April with Bonhams. The estimated price is £90,000-£120,000.

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