Robins Suzuki

Robin Hofstede likes all motorcycle brands, but Suzukis are often even more so. So, he traded his unique GSX 1100-EFE with 1216 cc, powered by a drawthrough Mikuni HSR 45 carburetor with an induction-suction compressor, for his Harley. Some people found this an incomprehensible trade. A genuine Harley-Davidson for an old, rebuilt Japanese machine. It couldn't be more bizarre. But a unique opportunity to own the bike he'd dreamed of since he first read about it online in the early days? An opportunity like that you can't pass up!

Robins Suzuki

That old Suzuki is a truly special machine. It was built by Gert-Jan Geurts in the early days of the internet. Under its two owners after Gert-Jan, the Suzuki continued to evolve to the same high level of quality, and Robin plans to further perfect the machine in the same way. He has experience in that process. His blown Suzuki in a nickel-plated Martin frame has an "under construction!" sticker on the fairing. "Work in progress," in other words. You think, calculate, create, and test the result. Then things break, because even the most hara-kiri-prone Japanese never imagined pushing the calculated design so far beyond its limits.

You fix the things that break. And then the next weakest link appears in the chain. And so on. Moreover, the technology and tuning of an engine with a compressor that pulls the mixture from the modified carburetor are very sensitive. The mixture control throughout the rev range is particularly critical. That's why an air/fuel ratio gauge is directly in the pilot's line of sight. Oh yes: the fully programmable ignition is also a must!

A perfect starting point

Robin's proud acquisition is a perfect starting point. The builder and previous owners all worked thoughtfully and expertly, with surgical precision, using the highest-quality (and expensive!) materials and components. All those calculations, drawings, and notes were meticulously recorded and filed in a set of folders the size of serious Statenbijbels. And just running them on various test benches must have cost a fortune.

Very funny, and contrary to what you might expect from pure technicians—or rather, what you might expect from such perfectionists—a lot of attention has also been paid to the appearance of the longest Suzuki we've ever seen. The paintwork is in the original Suzuki colors, but in Hamamatsu, they've never applied it so neatly and richly in the paint shop. And the pipes on and around the compressor are perfectly laid out. Senseless violence has never looked so beautiful.

The roots of the beast

And all this despite the fact that the original was already quite a ferocious machine. The Suzuki GSX 1100 EFE was a motorcycle with surprising handling, to say the least. Due to the original 16-inch wheels and the chassis geometry, the unstable-riding Suzuki was even banned by West Australian lawmakers. Interestingly, the stability problems only occurred when the rider was wearing loose, flapping clothing. That flapping caused minimal steering movements, causing the Suzuki to wobble and sway. With the rider sharply dressed, the fat Suus rode like a charm.

Meanwhile, all sorts of speed freaks had discovered that the air/oil-cooled Suzuki four-cylinder engines (SACS Suzuki Advanced Cooling System) had almost endless potential for tuning. The engines were used in all sorts of ways to be the strongest and fastest in one place. And that's how Gert-Jan Geurts must have been inspired. And with the almost endless wheelbase, there's not much nervousness in the handling.