Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The media guide for the 2004-model Suzuki GSX-R600 boasts Titanium valves, a significantly higher rev-limit and class-leading dry weight, but on the track at Daytona International Speedway during the annual Dunlop tire test, the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R600 Supersport racer is lacking.

At the end of day one of the test, 2002 AMA Supersport Champion Aaron Yates had turned a best time of 1:55.323 on the paint-less Suzuki compared to the fastest Supersport lap time of the day, a 1:52.792 by Yamaha’s Jason DiSalvo.

“It feels good, it’s pretty comfortable, it seems to handle pretty well, but it doesn’t pull too good,” Yates told Roadracingworld.com Tuesday. “We’re gonna try something and try it again tomorrow (Wednesday).”

Unlike the 2004 Honda CBR1000RR, which arrived at Daytona in a crate in ready-to-race condition, Yoshimura Suzuki’s 2004 lone Suzuki GSX-R600 arrived as a streetbike in a crate at their race shop in California 10 days before it was loaded in the truck.

“We only had a-week-and-a-half before it left,” said Yoshimura Suzuki team manager Don Sakakura. “We only had time to mount a pipe, do some slight (fuel-injection/ignition) mapping on the dyno and mount some bodywork.”