GSX 1400

Steve Nichol

Thanks to an accident just over 51/2 years ago, I thought my biking days were over, (I decided to throw myself off the back of a wagon for the heck of it). I suffered a Scatzer Type 6 fracture to my upper tibia plateau, (the scale goes from 1 to 7, 7 being the worst), and fracture of the neck of my fibula.

The result of this injury, after much rehab, was a wasted right leg, a knee that would only bend 80º, and on occasion be pretty unstable, as well as painful. Three years later, I decided that a bike had to come back into my life, but no way could I ride any of the current sports, tourers, or retro's, so it had to be a cruiser to cater for my non-bendy right leg, a Kawasaki VN800 filled the void wonderfully for the next 2 1/2 years, she was a great bike.

New Year 2002, and a trip round Carnells at Stockport, and this blue and white beast caught our eye, yes I do take the missus round the bike shops. I had seen photos in MCN, but in the flesh the Suzuki GSX1400 was a proper machine, reminding me of the muscle bikes of the eighties. I tried her for size, and combined with the quite tall seat height, and greater than normal gap betwixt seat and pegs I thought this could be a possibility. Luckily for me, it was also lust at first sight with Mo, so away we went to think about it.

The thinking lasted a week, and after a deal struck at Motorcycle City, the trusty VN was history. On first riding the GSX, I could not safely operate the rear brake, my knee was fully bent, and my toes pointing at the tarmac, not very comfortable so a modification was needed. Next visit the NABD website, and a suggestion for the rear brake to be used as a heel brake. I had already talked to Boom Trikes from Bolton at the GMEX Show, and they said any such mod would not be a problem. So a week after purchase, my shiny new machine was in their workshops, and after some measuring up by Ian and Antony, the work was completed the same day to move the right footpeg in front of the brake pedal.

The job was first class, and as you can see from the photos could have been done in the factory. I'm training myself to heel brake rather than toe, hopefully this will soon become instinctive. The riding position is great, although a little unusual with my right foot being about eight inches in front of my left, and I have lost a little ground clearance, but this has not become a problem yet. If it does, there is room for adjustment, it would just need a further visit to Boom.

So here is to the next few years on my big Suzuki GSX1400.