Leno recieves '09 GSXR1000
 

http://www.cyclenews.com/files/news_...eno-Suzuki.jpg

American Suzuki Motor Corp. (ASMC) announced today that the company presented "Tonight Show" host and long-time motorcycle enthusiast Jay Leno with one of the first 2009 Suzuki GSX-R1000 models off the production line. The presentation was held on Friday, April 10, 2009, at Leno's famed Big Dog Garage in Burbank, Calif.

According to ASMC, the presentation is intended as a "thank you" to Leno, for his years of supporting the motorcycle industry and for bringing mainstream awareness to the motorcycle industry.

"Wow, what can I say to a new Suzuki but ‘thanks,' " said Leno, who is retiring from the "Tonight Show" this year. "Not only will this bike make a great addition to my already extensive Suzuki motorcycle collection, it'll give me something to do with the free time I'm about to have on my hands. I've been a motorcycle enthusiast for years and I really appreciate Suzuki's sentiment in presenting me with this motorcycle."

The Suzuki GSX-R1000 is the flagship sportbike for ASMC. For 2009, the Suzuki GSX-R1000 was completely redesigned for ‘09. The new model boasts a brand-new frame, powerful and compact engine, and more aggressive and aerodynamic bodywork. The Suzuki GSX-R1000 has won the last six AMA Superbike Championships, it won every AMA Superbike race in 2008 and it's won the last 51 consecutive AMA Superbike races. The Suzuki GSX-R1000 truly does own the racetrack.

Leno is such a piece of garbage.

Unless it's MotoGP or WSBK. :idk:

It is a nice bike and I want Leno's garage...baaad.

or bsb.

I wonder how spies would do with his AMA team in WSBK. It would be interesting to see. I wonder how different the rules were last year before AMA fucked everything up between AMA and WSBK. Anyone know?

Hey now, in the last 10 years Suzuki has won the most championships of any "inline four" bike in BSB or WSBK by far! I can't help it that they keep changing the rules to favor Ducati.:whistle:

Good questions. Yeah it makes me also wonder how Mlladin would do in WSBK having seen Spies do so well.

What have you/they done for me lately ? :lol: They "ain't" ruling right now...that's all I'm saying. :idk:

why so?

i think he's pretty cool, a serious motorhead w/ $

iirc he hasnt had a whole lot of success elsewhere though i think he had a good showing as a wsbk wildcard a few years ago

Yeah I always thought he was pretty cool too but I don't really know him or watch his show regularly but man I love his garage. :rockout:

AMA is rigged for Suzuki. :lol::scared:

Jay Leno is a self described guy with more money than brains. He is my role model

He's a hack job. His show sucks. Period.

I don't mind him, I think he's pretty funny.

Sweet addition to an already amazing garage.

well he might be, and he's as funny as his writers, right? but there are alot bigger hacks out there who aren't nearly as car/bike crazy as he is.........

i believe he is a true fan of all things automotive, and he does thes things cuz he loves car/bikes vs getting him attention.

i'm sure most of us would LUV to be in his shoes.........more $ then brains.

i know i would.

well.....








redflip

Nice looking bike but that exhaust is frightening.

Yea... ever heard of Buell? They are running a liquid cooled, 1125 cc bike in the 600 cc class. Aprillia is running a 1000 cc bike in the class. I almost feel sorry for Ducati having to run a measly 850 in the 600 cc class. Not to mention that Ducati is running last year's WSBK championship winning bike (at 1200 cc, no less) in the super bike class. Oh yea, the AMA is sooooo pro Suzuki it's frightening!:lol:


Yea they'd find that piece in the parking lot after I left.

Pick up a penny.

Aw SNAP, Dawg! :zowned:

yeah i did multiple takes when i read that the 1125 races in the 600 class. kinda shitty that the old rsv is in there too but that makes a bit more sense considering its age.

fuckers are tax free! you'd be stupid not to






































nobody tell obama i said that ;)

Here's my beef, Jay Leno can afford to buy his bike, Suzuki should review their records for that loyal repeat buying "average guy" and give him a damn bike.

Life is not fair, I accepted that a long time ago, but Michael Jordan walks into a restaurant and his meal is on the house, same for a movie, and some ballgame. When do stars/icons actually have to spend their own money?:idk:

Exactly!!!

Jealous!!!

Damn. That was cold!!!

Leno on a GSXR? He probably uses it for wiping his ass. Who gives a shit about a fucking Gixxer, Sibber, Yizfer, or Zixxer when you have a Desmosedici...er and a Y2k kicking around in your (extremely large) garage?

He can use it to run to his mailbox and back each day

I wonder what the most miles he's driven/riden on one of his vehicles and bikes.

anyone who does burnouts in johnny carson's parking spot is ok in my book

Leno is the man... period...

Marko is just salty... PERIOD

seen another show where leno pulled up in a Can Am spyder

Leno is jabrone.

Well first of all I was joking...sorry if you didn't catch the sarcasm and I guess I should have said AMA Superbike instead of just AMA.

Speaking of AMA Superbike...humm...must be rigged...Suzuki has won how many in a row ? :idk: *sarcasm* :dt:

Yes it is.

agreed life is not fair, they get their freebies because having them use your product or business sells to thousands of star struck wannabes.
it is some of the cheapest and most effective advertising a business can get. how many thousands of posers will now be going out to buy a new gsxr1000? they don't need to give you a bike you'll pay for one willingly.

I think it's cool that he's into cars/bikes. Like it or not it's nice to have a "star" on our side when they all stand up and start preaching the greener life style with no motors and what not.

Well this is probably true. :lol:

Leno is pretty cool.

Im guessing quite a bit. I once heard him talk about how he drives/rides everything he owns. I have a lot of respect for him for that. I realize some of them dont get used a ton, but at least he REALLY enjoys his vehicles. Nothing i hate more than collectors who have museums in their garages.

I think he's a pretty cool guy. I'd go for a ride with him.

Regarding AMA superbike, The rules use to be 750I4's vs 1000V2's, as you can make more power with 4 cylinders rather than 2. I think the best thing DMG/AMA did was make plans to adopt FIM superbike rules. Now I think they switched the rules in a rather poor fashion, But the new rules should get much better manufacturer support because they only have to worry about constructing one version of their race bike, not two.

I'm hoping Leno will turn his garage into a museum one day.

See but here's my problem with that. If your engine configuration sucks then don't expect the sanctioning body to change the rules to accommodate you. Maybe Buell, Ducati, Aprillia, etc should take a page out of BMW's playbook. All I ever hear from V-twin lovers is how much "better" that engine configuration is (V-Twin FTMFGDW,right Cutty,Marko) , well prove it straight up. I mean how proud can Buell owners be that the only way they could compete was if the rules were tailored to benefit them? The most embarrassing thing right now is that they STILL aren't totally running away with the races. You mentioned the "good ol' days" when it was 750 I4 vs 1000 V2, well you should be loving 600 I4 vs 1125 V2!

:lol: Grabbing the popcorn and pulling up a chair.

A second Barber...

Leno will be in knoxville this weekend if any of you want to find him.

I'm hoping Leno will stop taking dongs in his butt one day.

Well, it isn't straight up equal. You can't get as much valve area in 2 cylinders as you can with 4 at equal displacement. Because of this and the power pulses coming half as frequently as an I4, it feels different, this is what people like from twins. BTW opposed twins have additional issues compared to V-twins.

Now you can write the rules to favor I4's which will reduce the number of other configurations racing, or you can handy cap differences to make for a more diverse field.

Hey I don't want them to write the rules to favor anything. If the I4 is a better engine package then Buell,Ducati, etc needs to walk away from V2 motor if they want to compete. I mean you are basicly saying that the I4 is a better configuration for racing so why should companies that choose to use a weaker design get an almost DOUBLE cc advantage? You don't see the FIM allowing Ducati to field a 1600 in MotoGp. If Suzuki/Honda were smart, they'd quick develop an 1100 cc V2 motor and drop it in their liter bike chassis and wipe the floor with that Buell.

I'm not saying that an 1125 should be in a 600 class, just that a liter twin has different potential than a liter I4.

As for FIM they allow Ducati about 1200 cc vs the 1000 I4 in WSBK, and with MotoGP, you haven't read the rules very closely have you? The FIM has a weight penality based on the number of cylinders, a performance based handycap.

And the reason they have these rules in the first place, is that with more cylinders you can make more hp for a given displacement. A 6 will make more power than a 4, 8 more than 6, 12 more than 8. And you can see the same progression, and then rules to limit performance in F1.

That's true and I considered an edit. Regardless, it's not a DOUBLE penalty. Besides, everyone should race with the best engine package technologically available. If it is an I4 great but if it isn't then change your package, don't change the rules to suit your 100+ year old engine set up. As far as limiting performance, I totally understand that and they can do that but let's not penalize the teams that are smart enough to arrange those cylinders in a way that makes the most power. For example, if the cylinder number limit is 8, an advantage shouldn't be given teams that CHOOSE to build an engine with those cylinders in a line, or radial, or a v, or boxer style, etc. Hey do your testing and run what you brung!

aprilia is a good example of a company that will experiment with configurations to suit the bike's chassis. strictly sticking to four strokes here but the milles and derivatives were twins (which at the time were the dominant layout for that series) the RS3 was an over the top triple on roids', and the new bikes are narrow angle V4. im kinda babbling here but they dont belong on your list.

They are racing a V2 1000 cc bike against 600 cc I4s so yes, they do belong on this list for now anyway. I hear what you are saying and I agree that Aprillia is better than Buell or Ducati in that respect. I still give the most props to BMW. They are a huge corporation and I believe were a sponsor at one time. They probably could have managed to muscle their way in with a 1200+ cc boxer engined bike if they had wanted to but they chose to build a bike that would be competitive without having a 40+% cc advantage written into the rulebook.

aprilia's ama effort is a stopgap measure, racing what they have now in what classes it slots into. they've already stated that they're switching to rsv4s next year. which definately wont be up against 600s :rockwoot:

Truth! Okay, you win Aprillia is off the list.

Woot! :lol:

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

Look deeper home boy. Its cheap advertising for Suzuki. Prolly costs 4k to build one of these and that is cheap for Leno to advertise.

You know thats a fact.

The 4k? LOL...Well if the dealer invoice is around 8500..I would say yes about 4-5K. Anyway cheap advertising.

While I make fun of it myself.. Buell is running a stock engined bike against race machines.

You can take that any way you see it. But, a company of less than 200 people (including receptionists, mail clerks etc) is doing their best to run against companies that have hundreds of thousands of employees and countless millions of dollars of development.

Besides, back when Nickey won ama in 2002(?). i4s were restricted, and the twins had an advantage. Soooo a huge corporation with limitless money had restrictions in place to help them run. Why not Buell?

I've never understood the knock on Buell. I really don't. Anyone who knows Erik's story and struggle to become what he has today should love this guy.

so they should be allowed to play with special rules because noone works there?

That is EXACTLY what I said....
Or you could have read what I wrote and realized that they made concessions so a billion dollar company could compete. So, why not a much smaller company?

I'm not overly defending them. I'd like to see them running with like displacment bikes, but is what it is. And if you don't like it, change the channel or found your own race org.

i've met Eric Buell 1x, he used to build bicycles before m/c's

funny you said that, i pay little to no attention to the circus that is ama/dmg. my end being covered, you missed an option. dont compete. everyone else builds race machines you can take on the street whereas buell builds street bikes that they are attempting to race. i still havent had the pleasure of throwing a leg over one but im sure they are great at what they are designed to do (street riding) but if they cant spport their effort they shouldnt be making it. also, they are hardly broke or that small. remember who daddy is, though HD might not be that willing to fund race efforts considering their own failures in that arena (specifically the vr1000)

BMW went with the I4 instead of some super duper boxer twin because they've learned from the past that a watercooled boxer twin wouldn't do it (google BMW R1). The current boxer twin did OK (mid-pack) against I4 in an endurance race, but will never be truly competitive. It may be competitive against a 600-cc (with some extensive mods like going from shaft drive to chain or belt drive and with shortened chassis) but no way in hell against a liter bike.

I just see it this way..

If a stock mustang with modded suspension was running against much smaller displacement formula cars, everybody would be impressed.

Buell does it with a bike, and everybody complains.

I don't have a problem with Buell or Erik...he and they are cool. I just have a problem with an 1125 or whatever size bike running against a little 600 and people making a big deal about it when they win. :idk:

I know what you mean..

Kinda irks me that a 6 or 7 litre chevy's direct competition are vehicles with half their displacement. :whistle:

:lol: Ouch.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/leman...ts/?sc_id=1677

And if you look here.. The acura had less displacement, and beat the chevy by about 3 laps..


I'm just saying. :idk:

What are those silly alpha-numeric combo's in the CLS column? :scratch:

Class
Prototype1
Prototype2
Grand Touring 1, etc

Thanks, Captain.

It was a jab at Tmall.

Different car types = different classes.

It was the quickest thing I could find. I was hoping for a gtr beating a zr1 on the track.. BUt, it was quicker and easier this way.. :lol:

What I don't understand is why someone doesn't buy a 999R and wipe the track with the entire class.

Oh and the Buell is FAR from stock Bro... really.

Read this...

http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/s...d.php?t=176482

From Mr Buell to Mr Dewan

Dear Mr. DeWan,
I do not read Superbike Planet, so am not aware of what they published and cannot comment. It appears that your comments are aimed at the Buells racing in the AMA, so to that I can respond.
The Daytona Sport Bike class was created by AMA Pro Racing as a class that would enable many brands to compete. This is similar to what has been done in the automotive Grand-Am series where Porsche, Pontiac, Cadillac, BMW, Jaguar, etc. all compete together with different displacements and engine types. During the season if any brand should appear to have an advantage, rules changes will be adopted to slow down that brand, It has worked in Grand-Am, and hopefully, will work in the AMA.
The factory backed 600's in DSB are very refined, as the top speeds of 180 mph at Daytona show. Great application of technology from huge companies, and out of reach for all but a few chosen riders. On the other hand, the 1125R's running in the class are very close to stock, and they make a very economical ride for talented privateers like Danny Eslick, Michael Barnes, Shawn Higbee, Taylor Knapp, etc. As an es-privateer AMA racer, I applaud what the AMA has done to break the stranglehold of highly funded factory teams. I am also quite happy to see the Buell patented American innovations like fuel in the frame and ZTL brakes be shown as competitive on the track.
If you check the facts of split times, you would see that other brands have higher top speeds, and that Danny's split times show he is quickest in the handling sections of the track. That would certainly indicate e don't have a power advantage. Of course the 1125 can make more power, but we are not pushing that at all since the goal is to have competitive racing between many brands. After Road Atlanta, the weight was shifted to add 15lbs to the Buell and remove 5lbs from everyone else. We are fine with that, as we understand the AMA is learning what makes the competition most close.
So how do I feel about my company and racing? Well, all of Buell is only 200 people, including design, test analysis, accounting, IS, HR, assembly, shipping, maintenance, etc. Ducati has more than that in their race department, and Honda has thousands in the racing alone - 170,000 total. Our race department is six people. So I'm proud of this little team. I'm proud that our patented innovations work. I'm proud to be part of enabling guys like Danny to prove their skills.
We at Buell are working towards getting a Superbike version of the 1125 ready. Yes, we'll be under the displacement limit, but the 1125 is all we have. Yes, our staff is tiny, but they work harder than anyone else. So, what are our chances when even a company like Ducati is a behemoth compared to us? Pretty slim admittedly, but we deserve respect that at least we we will be out there. No one in the US has tried harder, and we'll continue to do so.

signed by Erik Buell

I read it and he's full of shit. A casual glance reveals chain drive and other changes from stock... I don't know, but I'd have a hard time crowing if my bike had an almost double displacement advantage from a motor that I outsourced from one of those "huge corporations" he's blathering on about. Or are you going to try and convince everyone that Rotax is a "small 200 man company too"? It's bad enough that he's trying to convince everyone that he's doing this with zero support from HD.

exactly! looks like about 5000 employees at brp-rotax btw.

I really like Buells, and I want to ride one. They intrigue me- particularly the XB12S. That looks like it has almost everything I want in a streetbike.

I don't, however, think an 1125cc bike should be racing in the 600cc class, ever. It's not like in the old days with the XB where Buell could claim that they were handicapped by being air-cooled; the 1125R is definitely a liquid-cooled gigantic twin, and should have no excuse for not being competitive with literbikes from the big 4.

I understand Buell is a small operation, but what you're forgetting is that they have some help. The engines for the 1125s are outsourced to Rotax (who definitely know what they're doing), and they have financial backing from HD, who definitely have some deep pockets.

Erik, stop making excuses. Run the 1125 in Superbike or get out. :idk:

The Buell is classed to run in the 600cc Superstock AMA...and they are winning. I think some of you are just fucking jealous.

And Eslick is running damn good races.

Go BUELL

http://www.ebcbrakes.com/Assets/danny-eslick.jpg

hrmmm yup thatlooks like a chain drive :lol:

?? I don't see your point.. It allows for gearing changes to suit the track. I can do the same mod for a couple hundred bucks. It's not making the bike any more powerful. Just changing the revs at a given speed..


Is he running Corsa III's? Does he have the stock turn signals on there???

I'm glad that they're competing, I just think they're in the wrong class. An 1125cc water-cooled twin has no business racing against 600cc fours.

Put it in Superbike where the competition will be closer to the same displacement and see how things go then. I think that will make the Buell a better bike, and it will definitely increase the respect it gets.

And while we're at it- if the racebike has a chain drive, the streetbike should too. At a minimum, chain drive should be an option. :idk:

I didn't realize that was the topic. I didn't say anything about chevy's or whatever their direct competition is. :idk:

I was at a bikenight the other day and a guy with a Buell started talking smack to a friend and my wife who both ride R6's and I laughed and this thread reminded me of it that's all. :idk:

Yeah I've got a Z06...big deal. I had a Mustang before with a Vortech...again big deal.

Newsflash...I owned a Skyline GT when I was stationed in Japan in the Marines too...I'm not brand loyal so again...big deal.

I've owned Mazdas...Hondas...Toyotas...and oh yeah have a NEON SRT-4 in the garage as we speak.

Now back on topic...yeah I find it funny that alot of Buell fans are bragging about beating a 600. Run against the litre bikes and see how it goes. Funny Ducati can do it. :idk:

As I've already mentioned...I like Buells...just not some of the dick headed owners.

How I feel as well. :rockout:

:lol: Not exactly "direct competition" huh ? :whistle:

Whats your fucking point, douche bag?

It is...if you have a current race license. I have the Buell parts catalog at home.

That's stupid, IMO. I can go out tomorrow and buy an R6, throw track plastics and sticky tires on it, and go racing. Yamaha won't ask me for a race license for anything they sell; why does Buell? Do they think that only qualified racers can handle chain drive?

Again, I'm not anti-Buell at all. I think they make cool streetbikes and have some really innovative ideas. I just don't think they should need nearly double the displacement of Japanese machinery to be competitive.

You can easily get aftermarket chain set up for next to nothing.

what the hell Leno got a Buell too. lucky bastige.













LOL just kidding

Exactly, Ducati is a way smaller company than HD and yet they have managed to race in the Superbike class. It's bad enough that they have to have such a huge displacement advantage (from an out sourced motor no less) but to then crow about it like they've accomplished something spectacular is douchebaggery at it's very finest. I still don't understand why someone doesn't get out there on a Ducati and wipe their asses' with these clowns.

BTW Eslick has been on some reasonably competitive equipment before and couldn't win shit. If you put Hacking on that bike he would lap half the field. It's also my opinion that they are sandbagging a little to keep DMG from "slowing them down". I think that little note from Eric even says that they haven't "fully developed" the engine yet.

Whatever, it's bullshit and everyone knows it. I can't wait for the "we won the championship" ads to come out. I hope that they plan on racing for quite a while because I doubt Eslick will be able to get a job with any of the other teams after this.:lol:

That it's not stock is all... EB claims that they are racing his bike stock.:idk:

Here the other thing, what would you say if it were Suzuki fielding an 1125cc machine in the 600cc class?

...or the 600's with power adders. :lol:....sorry I just had to.

Yeah I know power adders aren't really good for roadracing...just saying...:lol:

But your 600 isn't going to lap anywhere near as fast as a factory 600 either.

That's mostly because of the hack in the saddle. ;)

Still, I would wager that the 600s are as close, or closer, to stock than the 1125R is. It really doesn't take much to turn a modern 600 into a Supersport race bike.

That still doesn't explain why the Buell needs such a huge displacement advantage. :idk:

I don't know that it does, it's just the only size that it's made in.

If Erik is right about what DMG was trying to do, the difference doesn't matter, the Buells will start getting weight added to them, didn't the same thing happen to Ducati in BSB?

Oh, if you think their bikes are breaking the rules, get a bike, and file a complaint, or get a buell and start winning?

Jealous? More like fed up with them being granted pardons to run their bike in the wrong class.

If Buell built a solid race bike and won races with it in the proper class, I would certainly be excited to see them do it and give them props.

They haven't.

If suzuki started bringing built literbikes to 600 Superstock races and was winning, would you listen when people started touting about the bike and the brand and how great they are? Or would you laugh? I'm laughing at Buell.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Plus motherfucking one.
Exactly.

my point is your useless fanboy post corroborated something tigger said earlier. it struck me as funny that you would unintentionally help him out so i commented. :lol:

I heard that the AMA dyno'd the top 10(?) finishers at Road Atlanta, and added 15#'s to the Buells.

So does that make you sissy girls feel better?

No, we think it's hilarious the only way they can compete is to race against engines much smaller than their own. It's fucking hilarious at the complete and utter incompetence of their engineering department that they can't make an engine that large to compete on the same level as other people operating twins in that displacement range.