Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

This is my first "big bike", but I have rode a GSXR1000K5 and others eg Bandit 650, Hornet 600, CBF600, GSR600.

This bike is very forgiving and the handling is unreal, so good you will get yourself in some interesting situations, unfortunately not as good as the GSXR 1000, but the one I rode had three years technical advantage, and once again, on the road you're talking nothing really.

The only thing I can really comment negatively on are the brakes - they are good and will still easily stop the bike, but they do not fill you full of confidence when you are using them, as you feel like if you squeeze them anymore, the front will lock.

The note of the exhaust and engine is mad, especially at high revs, listening to it sucking in the air, it's wild honestly.

Performance figures speak for them self really:

0-60 3.2 seconds

Tops out at 168mph.

I've seen 159mph with my girlfriend on the back and it was still shifting before her kicking made me back off (This was off road obviously).

Max Power 138BHP.

Faults:

I had a short bout of having to change the spark plugs. Finally went with the really expensive ones and no trouble since.

The blinker capacitor blew-out.

Nothing major to complain about mechanically.

General Comments:

My previous ride (first bike) was a 1996 Bandit 600. I recommend that bike to any new rider. A great starter bike.

The goal of my next bike was to get a bike with more power and less weight. I was looking for a 600 or 750 from any of the Big Four. The 1995 GSXR 750 has about 25 more hp and is about 20 lbs lighter. What a difference this makes! I tried a Yamaha YZF600 and a Gixxer600 in my quest. The YZF did not give me the impression I wanted, and although the Gixxer6 was very nice, it was much newer and more $$$.

I LOVE my Gixxer7, and have since made it my personal hobby. I will not buy any other bike for myself other than a new model. It is the bike that started the modern sports-bike. Since I bought the bike, its value has not decreased much. I could sell the bike for about $500 less than what I paid for it 4 years ago!

This past spring, I "accidentally" bought a 2004 Gixxer7. My wife said one of the bikes had to go. I sold the 2004. The old bike is more "comfortable". It has all the power I want and is fast becoming a classic ride. They had not yet cut too many corners on the '95. I hear the '00 and newer sacrifice some strength for weight.

I use synthetic oil and change the oil every 3000 miles. I get about 50mpg average mileage, which I am very happy with :-)

Faults:

It pulled the chain buffer (rubber chain guide) right off the swing arm and into the front sprocket. This did about $300 in minor damage.

2 of the 6 headlight mounting tabs broke, you could probably chalk this up to abusive wheelies more than anything else.

General Comments:

This is a terrific handling bike, if I ever buy a track bike, it will be another GSX-R 750. 1997 was the last year 750 without a stock steering damper, and this made the bike a little prone to head shakes. But this also made the bike steer very light at speed, which I prefered.

The power was not what I expected. I was hoping for a little more low down grunt than I had with my previous 600, and what I got was the same limp feeling low down in the rev range as a 600, but with much more up top. Basically it rides like a really powerful 600.

1997 was also last year with carbs, these were a little finicky, especially in the cold. Once warmed up they worked well.