The Team Suzuki CN Challenge competed in this year’s Suzuka 8 Hours with a GSX-R1000R equipped with more sustainable components and technologies, achieving a top-ten finish in eighth place.
The riders were Étienne Masson, Hideyuki Ikugata, and Sodo Hamahara. The fuel used was sustainable, comprising 40% biofuel, and the Motul oil that lubricated the engine was of biological origin. Emissions were controlled by an exhaust system developed and tuned by Suzuki in partnership with Yoshimura, complemented by a catalytic converter.
The fenders were made from natural flax fiber provided by Bcomp, while the fairings utilized recycled carbon materials. For braking, Sunstar Engineering’s brake pads emitted minimal dust, and Bridgestone tyres with an increased proportion of recycled materials were used.
Team Director Shinichi Sahara remarked: ‘At the start of last week I thought it was amazing that we were able to make it to the final without any problems, despite the unusually short preparation time. From then on, the team and riders worked perfectly, and we made it to the final day without any trouble. We not only finished the race as we had aimed, but we also finished in eighth place, so I feel a real sense of accomplishment. This doesn’t mean the project is over, and we still have work to do to gather data, verify sustainable items, and set our next goal’.
At Suzuki’s upper echelons, President Toshihiro Suzuki highlighted the commitment to sustainability: ‘We have been making efforts in re-allocating resources toward promoting the development of sustainability-related technologies. […]. By making development of sustainable fuel and other sustainable items of Yoshimura Japan, who has been working alongside us for a long time, and other partners in such a challenging environment, I believe that it will lead not only to improving Suzuki’s environmental performance technologies, but also to contribute to personnel development and to increase motivation’.
Executive general manager of motorcycle operations Tsuyoshi Tanaka added: ‘I believe this initiative has a very significant meaning to realise carbon neutrality, especially for mid to large displacement motorcycles, for which we believe combustion engines will still be needed. I can say with confidence that endurance racing, which simultaneously demands running performance and endurance, is the optimal place for testing and development of not only fuel but also various sustainable items, and it is an activity that would revitalise the future of the motorcycle industry’.