The Double R

Occasionally we get the opportunity to work on some pretty rare birds; this is one such avian. The 1989 Suzuki GSXR-750RK commonly known as “The RR” or “The Double R” to Suzuki aficionados, a race homologation special made for only one year and in a production run of only 500 bikes. She started her life on the wet roads of Belgium. Time passed…a lot of time…30+ years, and somehow she wound up in Canada.

The client’s request was very specific, “return her to brand new, just off the line.”

Other than in the case of fine wines, time is never kind. The Double R was showing her years, some shipping damage and suffering several dodgy repairs. To add insult to injury she endured a topple off a one metre-high work stand in a storage incident in the owner’s garage. Nonetheless, she oozed speed, beauty and desirability, despite her dishevelled appearance.

The client’s request was very specific, “return her to brand new, just off the line.” Pretty easy for a new bike, not so easy for a 30+ year old gal requiring a multitude of parts, some bespoke. As an indication of her true pedigree, most haven’t been made for almost a third of a century. It took almost a year to locate a replacement sub oil cooler that feeds the head of the engine, a prominent feature that set her apart from her more pedestrian siblings.

She received a full to the nuts and bolts restoration, cleaning, fairing repairs, resprays, electroplating et al. Once every trace of her former life was shed like a wet rusty veil, the Double R received a tune that unleashed her true potential; the bike was built to race and now she actually could.