For avid outdoor explorers, off-road bikes are a serious consideration or temptation. If you have never purchased an off-road bike, you may have a lot of questions as which bike is best for your adventurous lifestyle. Today we’ll highlight five of the top off-road bike models of 2019.
Honda CRF450L
The Honda CRF450L is a street legal dirtbike that has the best features that Honda has to offer, packed in a lightweight and easy to manoeuvre package. A true trail-to-trail bike, it features a powerful 449cc Unicam engine, twin-spar aluminum CRF chassis, six-speed transmission, and premium suspension.
This bike has an electric start and an all led-light package. It features a lithium-ion battery that is lighter than conventional batteries so you won’t have to worry about it weighing the bike down. The Honda CRF450L also has a number of features to make riding the bike a comfortable experience. These include a gear-driven counterbalancer that reduces vibrations and drives the water pump and a side stand that is now located higher on the bike than previous models. Additionally, the bike is equipped with a fuel mileage meter that shows current fuel mileage, your average fuel mileage, and how much gas you have used.
Kawasaki KLX450R
The Kawasaki KLX450R is another street legal dirtbike that is packed with cool features that newbies or experienced riders can appreciate. Some of these features include a high-performance 4-stroke engine that will provide you with all the power you need for your outdoor adventures. The bike features electric start and digital instrumentation which allows the rider to easily see what is happening in real time.
This bike also has smooth suspension so that you can stay as comfortable as possible whilst tackling the bumpiest of terrain. It is also equipped with powerful brakes that enhance the reliability this bike offers in challenging terrain. Lastly, this bike features a wide ratio 5-speed transition that was selected specifically for off-road riding. The design of the gear sets and center cases are compact which allows the bike’s frame to be narrower around the area where the riders’ ankles would rest.
Suzuki DR650S
The Suzuki DR650S is a motorcycle that can excel on the street or dirt paths. This bike definitely has the appearance of a typical motorcycle instead of a traditional racing dirt bike. It features a reliable, 644cc, oil-cooled, four-stroke, single engine carried in strong steel, and semi-double-cradle frame.
A cool feature of this bike is that the seat height can be reduced so a variety of riders can comfortably take it out for a spin. It features an electric start for a fast and easy way to get your trip started. This bike is also built for passengers. It features a long comfortable seat along with aluminium foot pegs and grab handles, all of which make riding it more comfortable to ride with a passenger.
Yamaha WR450F
The Yamaha WR450F is known for its potent fuel-injected engine and class-leading suspension. The potent fuel-injected engine includes a host of features that work together to give riders usable thrust and extended high rpm power. Yamaha utilizes KYB® spring-type forks of the WR450F to provide the bike which gives the rider easy tuneability in a wide range of conditions. Some new upgrades to the Yamaha WR450F from the previous model include a fuel level warning indicator and an aluminum folding kickstand that is mounted higher than before to allow for more ground clearance. Additionally, the Yamaha WR450F has now embedded Yamaha graphics so you won’t have to worry about them peeling or getting damaged.
KTM 500 EXC-F
The KTM 500 EXC-F is a bike designed for competition. All of its features are packed in a small package which means improved control for the rider even on the roughest terrain. This bike features a six-speed transmission. When you combine an engine that has the best of power and torque and cooling features, this bike is a notch above the rest. The bike is equipped with durable wheels that can hold up to any terrain that you feel the need to explore. The brakes on the bike are designed to hold up to quick decisions to stop or reduce your speed. The gas tank is designed to hold 2.5 gallons of gas at a time. Thanks to the see-through plastic tank, you’ll always be able to see how much time you have before your next fill up. KTM paid special attention to the details on this bike. Even the handlebars were specifically designed to give the rider customisable control. Another custom element to this bike is that you can pick decals to fit your unique style!
Overall, these are our five picks for the best off-road bikes on the market in 2019. They stand out from the rest due to their premium builds, flexibility and comfort. Whether you are looking for an off-road bike that has the appearance of a traditional dirt bike or a premium motorcycle, there is a bike on this list for you.
Motorcycle racing was reaching its peak of popularity in Japan during the late ’80s and early ’90s. Suzuki’s legendary GSX-R series played a huge role in that movement, and while the world remembers the original GSX-R750 as the game changer that started the “racebike for the street” design in 1985, the one that really started it all was the Japanese-market GSX-R400 the year before. In fact, the Japanese domestic market was a hotbed of race-replica engineering long before it caught on with the rest of the world. And with licensing restrictions that made it difficult and expensive to own a motorcycle over 400cc, the smaller-displacement machines dominated sales in Japan.
The 250cc category was another hot seller in Japan, and it wasn’t long before the Big Four OEMs found out that buyers were looking for supersport bikes in that class as well. Thus began a war among the manufacturers to compete for the Japanese public’s fascination with racing in the quarter-liter class. The 1988 Suzuki GSX-R250 is a classic early example of that trend.
Four-stroke, DOHC, inline four-cylinder engines were the only way to show you were serious about the class back then (no simple single or twin-cylinder engines here), and the GSX-R’s powerplant fits the bill. With four tiny valves tucked into each 49mm bore—that’s about the size of a large wristwatch—and a stroke of 33mm, the only way to generate decent power is rpm…lots and lots of it. One look at the Suzuki’s tachometer shows you it’s got plenty of that commodity; the engine redline sits at a dizzying 17,000 rpm. As if to drive that point home about lots of rpm, the tachometer doesn’t even begin reading until 3,000 rpm.
With such a sky-high redline, it’s easy to assume the Suzuki requires massive clutch work to get off the line, but that’s not the case at all. That high-rpm capability means first gear can be kept short to reduce the need for more torque to pull away from a stop, so the GSX-R doesn’t require any more clutch slip than any current small-displacement motorcycle.
Of course, there’s not much torque until the 248cc engine gets spun up to five-figure rpm, and so the Suzuki doesn’t really start pulling hard until 13,500 rpm. Accompanied by a wailing symphony not too far removed from the heralded F1 auto racing era of the early 2000s screaming V-10s, the GSX-R continues its run until around 16,000 rpm when acceleration tails off. This means making time requires some tap-dancing on the shifter to keep the engine on the boil.
The steel square-tube double cradle frame isn’t quite the same as the 750’s aluminum masterpiece, but the swingarm is an extruded aluminum beam piece just like its bigger brothers. Steering geometry is on the conservative side, with a 26-degree rake angle and 103mm of trail providing stability at the cost of some agility, but rest assured that the 53.9-inch wheelbase ensures the little GSX-R’s cornering lines are still plenty tight. The Suzuki’s riding position isn’t full-race like the 750, so the higher-set clip-on bars offer more steering leverage, and the pegs aren’t as high and rearset, so some ground clearance was sacrificed for comfort. Despite the primitive spring-preload-adjustable-only suspension, the chassis is competent enough to easily ramp up cornering speeds to the point where the footpeg tips will touch the ground frequently.
The brakes are one of the few areas where the GSX-R250 comes up short. Apparently not wanting to upset the chassis too much in novice hands, the dual 275mm disc/two-piston slide-pin caliper setup is very numb on feel, and demands a lot of lever pressure for any real stopping power. Although not up to the standards of the rest of the Suzuki, it’s an issue likely easily handled with a good set of aftermarket brake pads (but perhaps finding some to fit a 1988 machine might be difficult).
Another aspect where the GSX-R250 shows its age are the wheel/tire sizes. Although both hoops are 17-inchers, the Suzuki was built when bias ply tires were still the usual fitment, and so the rims are narrow by today’s standards. Both the front 110/70R-17 and rear 140/70R-17 Dunlop GPR-300 radial tires we had fitted on the GSX-R for our track test were pinched over a bit by the narrow rims. While nothing to be concerned about, it shows how performance technology has progressed in the past three decades. And how keeping a 30-plus-year-old motorcycle in safe running condition today has its own set of challenges.
While the market and customer profile of the latest 2019 Suzuki GSX250R and the 1988 GSX-R250 are obviously worlds apart, we can confidently state that the 1988 GSX-R250 is more than a match for its modern counterpart. It shows how much the competition between the Japanese manufacturers during that time drove the engineering design and production manufacturing capabilities of motorcycles to dizzying heights. Racing really does improve the breed. Here’s to the hope that same enthusiasm for racing will someday rekindle itself and bring that same excitement to the smaller-displacement classes.
For a limited time sportsbike customers can ride away on the Suzuki GSX-R1000 ABS for a special promotional price of $17,990 Ride Away including a bonus Genuine Suzuki Bi-Directional Quickshifter, from participating Suzuki Motorcycle Dealers.
Totally redesigned from the ground up, the sixth generation GSX-R1000 ABS embodies the work and professional ambition of Suzuki engineers who are extremely passionate about the GSX-R brand and its place in motorcycle history. It is the most powerful, hardest accelerating, sharpest handling GSX-R ever built.
Suzuki’s GSX-R1000 now available for $17,990 R/A (MY17)
The bonus racing-type bi-directional quickshifter is the same system as featured on the GSX-R1000R is now available as standard on the GSX-R1000 ABS as part of the current Special Ride Away promotion.
The quickshifter allows the rider to upshift and downshift without using the clutch or the throttle. The quick shift system allows the rider to upshift smoothly and quickly at full throttle, without closing the throttle. For quicker and smoother downshifts without manually blipping the throttle twist grip or using the clutch, the system automatically opens the throttle valves just enough to increase rpm and match engine speed to the next-lower gear ratio.
2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000 ABS
At the heart of the new GSX-R is the all-new inline, four-cylinder powerplant which produces a staggering 148.6kW (202ps) at 13,200rpm with 117.6Nm of torque at 10,800rpm. The design target was simple, “Increase top end power without sacrificing low and mid-range output” to achieve this Suzuki engineers had to employ advanced MotoGP derived technologies known as the Broad Power System.
An advanced electronic management system incorporates feedback from the Continental Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) which tracks the motion and position of the motorcycle in six-directions, along three-axis, Pitch, Roll and Yaw. Monitoring these motorcycle motions in real time allows traction, braking and cornering control to be more precise and effective. The GSX-R1000’s IMU-based systems are a product of advanced engineering, developed in MotoGP competition.
Suzuki’s GSX-R1000 now available for $17,990 R/A (MY17)
Suzuki’s advanced Motion Track TCS (Traction Control System) allows the rider to select 10 different levels of traction control intervention, depending upon road or racetrack conditions as well as personal preference and experience level.
Showa BPF (Big Piston Front) forks out-perform the suspension fitted to the standard models sold by competitors. The BPF forks feature adjustable compression and rebound damping and spring preload. The Showa rear shock works with a progressive linkage and features adjustable high-speed and low-speed compression damping along with rebound damping, spring preload and rear ride height.
For further information on the Suzuki GSX-R1000 ABS and the $17,990 Special Ride Away Offer, interested customers should visit their local Suzuki Motorcycle Dealership, who can be found through the Dealer Locator on suzukimotorcycles.com.au
The Fine Print
*Allow up to 4 weeks for supply of Genuine Suzuki Quickshifter. Cost of fitting the Genuine Suzuki Quickshifter will be covered by the selling dealership Free-Of-Charge. We recommend fitting to be scheduled for during the First Service. Offer only applies to MY17 GSX-R1000 ABS (GSX-R1000AL7) model. Advertised Ride Away price of $17,990 includes 12 months registration costs and dealer pre-delivery charges. Terms and conditions apply. Contact your Suzuki Motorcycle Dealer for full details.
Workshop Coordinator & Marketing Support at Suzuki Australia
Job Opportunity
Suzuki Australia are looking for someone to join their team in a ‘Workshop Coordinator & Marketing Support’ role, at the Suzuki Australia head office in Laverton North. Check out the details below, with more information available interested applicants at the contact details provide:
2019 Suzuki GSX-S1000
Are you looking for a career path with a professional organisation that has the fun factor and you love motorcycles then this job is for you.
The role involves preparation and maintenance of Suzuki’s motorcycle press fleet and the administration associated with the fleet. It’s not all day on the tools with this role and once the workshop jobs are complete you will be working inside the office with the other staff from the marketing team.
There you will support the team working on wider marketing projects. Occasionally you will be required at weekend activations such as Suzuki Ride Days or events like the Australian MotoGP.
The selected applicant will hold a current trade certificate, a background in the motorcycle or automotive business (ideally with experience in a comparable role), and be an excellent communicator. You will be able to work with limited supervision have PC literacy, as well as holding a current driver’s license for both vehicle and motorcycle. Tertiary qualifications in related fields will be viewed favourably.
A detailed position description is available by contacting Suzuki Human Resources by phone on 03 99315500 or email at [email protected].
Applications should be in writing and addressed to HR, Suzuki Australia Pty. Ltd, PO Box 84 Laverton, Victoria 3028 or [email protected]. Closing date for applications is 3rd of May, 2019.
So it seems the future for motorcycle engines might be blown, either with forced induction or exhaust.
Blown filing
The Yamaha patent filing shows drawings of a turbo in an MT-09 which is actually powered by a triple-cylinder engine.
However, patent drawings don’t necessarily mean they will build the engine, the bike or use the MT-09 to house the engine.
If it’s the MT-09 engine with a cylinder lobbed off, it would be about 588cc which would be the same engine capacity as the Suzuki Recursion turbo concept unveiled in 2013 with a single-overhead-cam parallel-twin turbo engine.
Suzuki Recursion
Blown era
The switch to smaller, lighter, more powerful yet more fuel-efficient blown bikes makes a lot of sense given the stricter emissions rules in Europe and California, as well as tough imposts such as a charges for or restrictions on older bikes entering CBDs.
Turbo was the “next big thing” back in the ’80s with models from several of the Japanese manufacturers, including the Honda CB500 Turbo, Yamaha XJ650 Turbo, Suzuki XN85, and Kawasaki GPz750 Turbo.
Honda CX 650TC Turbo
1984 Suzuki XN85 Turbo
1984 Kawasaki GPZ750 Turbo
They had manic light-switch power that made them not only difficult to control, but dangerous. They were also temperamental and unreliable.
However, modern low-boost mini turbos and superchargers which have revolutionised the car industry in recent years would be a lot more controllable and reliable than the temperamental rocketships of the ‘80s.
Turbo problems
Turbos and superchargers require a fair bit of plumbing and coolers.
They are easy to fit in a car where space is not scarce like on a motorcycle.
The Yamaha patent presents two different solutions to the problem.
In one filling, the exhaust headers merge into one to pipe the gas through an intercooler into a low-mounted turbocharger in front of the engine with the catalytic converter underneath.
The other filing (top image on this page) has the turbo upside down and closer to the headers, allowing the cat to be mounted in front of the cylinders.
It is not only more compact but would also heat the cat faster and decrease emissions.
Until June 30, 2019 Normally $17,490 (MSRP) Ride Away
The 2019 iteration of Suzuki’s supersport GSX-R750 has arrived in Australian dealerships in two striking new colour schemes, and available under the ‘Own The Racetrack’ special ride away promotion for $13,990 ride away.
The GSX-R750 continues a legacy dating back to the model’s launch in 1985, where it took race replica motorcycles to a new level, with a direct link between the racetrack and the streets, delivering powerful performance with supreme handling, making it a truly individual street machine.
2019 Suzuki GSX-R750
Powered by an advanced 750cc, four-cylinder engine, containing high quality internals such as forged pistons, shot-peened connecting rods, chrome-nitride-coated control rings, a race proven back-torque-limiting clutch and lightweight titanium valves.
Producing 110kW (148hp) of power, the GSX-R750 charges strong off the bottom, similarly to a larger 1000cc engine while it building high-pitched revs much like a 600cc in-line four cylinder powerplant, a combination that cannot be truly appreciated, until experienced.
2019 Suzuki GSX-R750
The Suzuki Drive Mode Selector (S-DMS) optimises engine output and provides riders a selection of two engine maps to suit the conditions or their riding preference.
2019 Suzuki GSX-R750
The GSX-R750’s chassis has been designed with an emphasis on weight reduction and compactness to improve overall handling and provide an ideal power-to-weight ratio. The lightweight twin-spar aluminium frame, made from just five cast sections and cast swingarm, delivers superb cornering with optimal rigidity.
2019 Suzuki GSX-R750
Three-way adjustable foot pegs, adjustable shift lever, and short fuel tank help compose a comfortable riding position that allows for unrestricted movement when extracting maximum performance on the racetrack.
2019 Suzuki GSX-R750
The GSX-R750 features inverted, lightweight Showa Big Piston Forks (BPF), developed on the racetrack for even more supreme handling. For superior stopping performance, Suzuki’s 750cc powerplant incorporates four-piston Brembo monoblock front brake calipers and 310mm dual floating discs, and a single piston rear brake caliper with a 220mm disc.
2019 Suzuki GSX-R750
For further information on the 2019 Suzuki GSX-R750, interested customers should visit their local Suzuki dealer, which can be found through the Dealer Locator on via below.
It used to be a person would have to work to get a café racer. Or at the very least, pay someone else to do the modifications. These days manufacturers make it simple, styling bikes with the café aesthetic right from the start.
Whether that’s a positive shift or negative one we’ll leave to you to decide, but it’s our opinion that the more options riders have the better. And with the current crop of café racers on showroom floors, it’s clear that some companies are taking the genre seriously enough to make a compelling case for factory-built versions of these previously garage-fabricated machines. We sorted through and found five available in 2019 that are particularly appealing.
Trigger warning: We kept our selections to bikes that chase a more “pure” café racer configuration. Clip-on bars (or clip-on-style bars at least), racier ergonomics, straight(ish) lines running tank to tail. Of course, some of our picks break the rules a bit, but we didn’t dive into the neo-café pool (looking at you, Honda) for this list.
The Scrambler platform has been a boon for Ducati. It’s approachable, affordable, stylish, and actually performs, both on the road and in terms of the brand’s bottom line. So it’s no surprise that variations on the base have been high priority for the Bologna-based brand. The Scrambler Café Racer for 2019 is one of the more appealing versions of the platform, and is why this one makes the cut. The nostalgia is there, with the slight fairing/headlight wrap and perpendicular fluidity marked by the bright blue trellis frame running under the tank back underneath the seat. The seat and tailsection pay due homage to the style as well. We also like the fact that as the Scrambler line maintains its presence in the industry, more and more aftermarket parts and accessories are developed. That means you can still put your personal stamp on this Italian V-Twin without having to be an experienced fabricator.
The 2019 Triumph Thruxton R has it all in terms of lines and heritage, plus it absolutely rips. This 1,200cc parallel twin is the biggest engine of the bunch and will have no problem surpassing the ton, plus with the R-spec you get some of the best Triumph has to offer in terms of mechanical componentry. These bikes are absolutely stunning in person, and are fantastic examples of a company honoring its past while moving forward into the future. Many claim to be hitting that mark, but Triumph absolutely does with its Thruxton R. Our only gripe is the price, which starts at $15,400. That undermines the café spirit somewhat, which was born in the garages of more modestly paid riders with an insatiable desire to go fast and eke out every ounce of performance a motorcycle could muster. But it’s not enough of a caveat to undermine the fact that this is one of the best café racers out there that’s ready to ride home from the dealer.
The W800 is an homage to an homage, a bike that brings back a defunct line (ended in 2016) that itself honored a ’60s-era British bike clone from Kawasaki. Does this fact alone warrant its inclusion in the list? Absolutely not, but the air-cooled, 360-degree-crank parallel twin and gaitered fork, front fairing, and unabashed retro styling make a strong case. This is the café that seeks to recreate the café of old with a bit more period-correct authenticity than some of the others. That’s not to say there aren’t a few modern comforts like an assist and slip clutch, but still. It’s a bold move from Kawasaki, which had a fairly enticing option in the café-ish Z900RS already.
At the other end of the spectrum is Husqvarna’s innovative-looking café racer, the Vitpilen 701. This bike has a lot of care paid to its aesthetic detailing, with crisp, clearly café lines thoughtfully accented by the shaping of the tailsection, minimal pinstriping, and trellis frame. It’s packing a playful 693cc single and comes with solid suspension, high-quality brakes, and some nice touches like the APTC slipper clutch and switchable ABS. Whereas lots of others are aiming to recreate a look that feels familiar, Husqvarna decided to take a different route and to us it paid off big time.
The Suzuki SV650X takes an immensely popular and fun platform and gives it a few updates to fit the café racer style. The stitched seat, front fairing, clip-on bars all provide a café look, but do so without feeling overblown. Similar to the Ducati mentioned at the top of the article, the SV650X makes good use out of a well-known, marketable, and enjoyable model with some styling changes to differentiate it from the pack. This may be the most personal choice of the bunch, so definitely subject to bias, but I think the SV650X is a wonderful motorcycle that has just the right amount of aesthetic embellishment in this case to be even more appealing. Plus it’s the most affordable of the bunch.
The big four Japanese manufacturers are believed to be working to standardise electric motorcycle batteries and charging infrastructure.
Noted electric vehicle website Electrek says Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki hope to standardise the technology to prevent any obstacles to its adoption.
No doubt it’s also hoped to avoid the Beta/VHS situation where new video recording technology went two different ways.
Standardised batteries and charging infrastructure would mean plugs on bikes and sockets on charging points would suit all electric motorcycle models.
Perhaps a standardised battery size, shape and output would also lead to a battery swap solution which would be quicker than waiting for a bike to recharge.
Slow revolution
So far Japanese motorcycle companies have been much slower to join the electric vehicle revolution than their car compatriots.
Meanwhile, Suzuki has done nothing, at least publicly.
But the fact that they are now collaborating on to standardise electric motorcycle batteries and charging means we may soon have to learn about terms such as volts, amps and kilowatt hours.
Learn electric terms
Living with petrol-powered motorcycles all our lives, we now find we will have to learn a lot of new terms.
We certainly don’t profess to know much about electrical terms.
But here is a very non-technical, idiot’s guide to the main terms. (Electricians may find this quite amusing!)
Volts: This is a measure between two points in an electrical circuit, sort of like the water pressure in pipes. The mains plug in your house has 240V (230V in UK, 110V in USA) and your motorcycle battery has 12V.
Amps: Together with the voltage, it determines the flow rate of the current. High amps with a low voltage means a lot of current flowing slowly, like a fat, lazy river. Low amps with a high voltage means a faster flow of less current, sort of like when you squeeze the end of a hose and the water spurts out.
Watts: It you multiply the volts by the amps you get the watts, which is the output power of the electric motor. You should already be familiar with kilowatts which are 1000 watts. One kilowatt is 75% of one horsepower.
Harley’s LiveWire electric motor
Kilowatt hours: This is the capacity of the battery. Think of how many litres you can fit in your fuel tank. A one watt-hour battery will power a 1W electric motor for one hour. The new Lightning Strike Carbon Edition has a 20kWh battery which means it can produce 1kW of power for 20 hours.
That’s just a start.
There are a lot of other factors involved and other terms for battery energy-density (watt-hours per kilogram), charging terms (AC, DC and fast chargers) and a variety of range calculations that take into regenerative charging.
Stands are flooded with onlookers peering over an asphalt circuit, the crowd full of bidders anxiously filling out their betting cards. There’s music, and as it grows faster, gates in the center of the track lift to reveal eight motorcycles rolling into formation. This is Japanese Auto Race.
Suzuki Chief Engineer Saturo Terada, made it clear to the assembled press contingent at the world launch, staged amongst the bamboo forests that line Arashiyama-Takao Parkway, that the new Katana is not a ‘retro’ bike.
Suzuki Chief Engineer Saturo Terada
It is instead a thoroughly modern interpretation of what Suzuki feels a modern take on Katana should represent. That said, there are certainly plenty of nods to the heralded past of the original Katana machines. Not least of course the name, but also elsewhere throughout the design language employed, which has clearly translated from the script of the original Katana.
2020 Suzuki Katana
When the design proposal was first unveiled two years ago at EICMA it caused much excitement among enthusiasts. Once the necessities for a production machine were added, such as a number plate, along with legal sized indicators and mirrors, the gloss perhaps faded a little. It started to look a little more pedestrian, something I guess that is largely unavoidable when you have to add those mandatory items to achieve road-registration.Upon seeing the machine in the flesh for the first time at the Australian MotoGP event last year I was still not overly enthused by the styling. After spending some extended quality time with the Katana in the place of its birth, it gradually did start to win me over.
Suzuki Katana
I love the head-light. It is a bit retro but at the same time thoroughly modern. I reckon Suzuki could have even made it a bit larger, for an even more nostalgic look, but overall it is beautifully executed. The hue of the LED lighting and the way it is stacked, with a small separator in the middle, flanked by two more small LEDs, I find incredibly appealing.
2020 Suzuki Katana
Two more ‘position’ lights, situated below and to the side of the main headlight, add further distinctive appeal to the face of the Katana. The way the bodywork is layered around the head-light and then extends into the almost flat-front binnacle that hides the instruments is clever.
2020 Suzuki Katana
The frontal silhouette of the Katana is a clever piece of design. I can’t illuminate you as to how well that funky headlight works at night though as we never got the opportunity to put it to the test.
2020 Suzuki Katana
The fuel tank cover, with its prominent Suzuki lettering, is a clear homage to the original Katana.
2020 Suzuki Katana
The stepped black-grey seat also has a hint of yesteryear to its shape, but has a much firmer form and padding than the bike it took those cues from. It is slim between the knees which aids ingress/egress to/from the bike and at 825 mm from terra firma, it makes getting on and off the Katana a thoughtless process.
2020 Suzuki Katana
The rider triangle positions you quite upright, but also gives a sporting rider plenty of room to move around the machine, positioning their weight where they want it for any given corner.It left me with nothing to complain about. Pillion accommodations look not too bad, complete with an old-style seat mounted panic strap to hold on to.
2020 Suzuki Katana
As with any largely naked motorcycle, the engine also forms a highly significant part of the look. For a donk never designed to be seen without a fairing covering it, the well-proven long-stroke version of the highly successful engine from the K5-K8 generation of the GSX-R1000 not only pulls hard, but looks good doing it.
2020 Suzuki Katana
I am a little concerned as to how easy it will be for owners to keep the engine looking good in the long term. But the smooth matt black finish on the engine does look high quality, thus hopefully my consternation will prove misplaced.
2020 Suzuki Katana
The massive swing-arm also comes from the GSX-R1000 parts catalogue, sourced from the 2016 model. The way its sturdy bracing bends its support is almost reminiscent of the banana swing-arms of the RGV 250. Be nice if it was bigger again though, and somehow managed to hide that monstrosity of a pre-muffler and catalytic convertor that hangs in shame beneath the machine.
2020 Suzuki Katana
The short upswept muffler looks okay, and its end cap is actually detailed quite nicely, but if I took a Katana of my own home then that ugly expanse of steel under the bike would have to be destroyed in some sort of ceremonial burning. Perhaps I would even wear a Hakama while doing it.
Katana
A Katana sword could probably do the job too, but it would be sacrilege to touch that gleaming precision perfect slither of steel, one of the most achingly beautiful things ever constructed from metal, against that tasteless travesty that is the modern cat/pre-muffler, one of the ugliest things ever to be created from steel. The standard exhaust does sound okay though, and is stainless steel throughout so should stand the test of time, if you can stand it…
2020 Suzuki Katana
At the tail of the machine Suzuki have gone for a very clean look, an LED tail-light formed into an interesting shape that almost tucks under the seat. I actually quite like it, and the normally bland surfaces of the inner guard actually look to have come in for some serious attention to detail. Suzuki explained that this took some time to get right in regards to the air-flow over the bike, to ensure there were no adverse effects on stability.
2020 Suzuki Katana
A small hugger is mounted to the left side of the swing-arm and carries the number plate and indicators. A lot of owners will be junking that as soon as the first good under-tray kit hits the after-market, but I don’t mind it.
2020 Suzuki Katana
It is the first time Suzuki has fitted such a number plate hanger, and like so many parts of the Katana, there is some clever attention to detail employed to carry it off. The overall silhouette of the Katana is not the most handsome in motorcycling by any stretch, but there are numerous instances where you can see the design work that has gone into making the individual parts of the machine. These touches are quite endearing.
2020 Suzuki Katana
Suzuki’s latest buzzword about their brand, which they are now seeking to underline, is ‘monozukuri’, which loosely translates to craftsmanship. As much as my jaded, 20-years as a motorcycle reviewer bloodshot eyes glazed over when I first heard it mentioned, in the details of this machine that word actually fits just fine. In fact, it was seeing all the work that had obviously gone in to all these little fine details, that really started to charm the Katana in to my consciousness.
2020 Suzuki Katana
Just as the original Katana itself was spawned from the GS/GSX models of the early 1980s, this latest iteration is based on Suzuki’s current generation GSX-S1000.That means modern clever engineering with a sturdy, but light, twin-spar alloy frame, suspension that works quite well, radial-mount four-piston calipers and contemporary electronic aids such as ABS and traction control.
2020 Suzuki Katana
Braking power proved strong and progressive, but with ambient temperatures not far above zero throughout the test I did not get to judge their maximum outright stopping power. The Brembo hardware though is lifted from the current GSX-R1000 no less, thus I am sure they are more than up to the task. The ABS system is not quite current top-spec kit, its sample rate is fast enough to be unobtrusive, but it does lack lean angle data in its algorithms. You can even option red calipers if you so choose.
2020 Suzuki Katana
Likewise the traction control system is not of the lean-angle sensitive variety, but in real world use it caused me no bother. Those freezing conditions, I actually saw snowflakes falling outside my hotel room window earlier that morning, and patches of damp asphalt, saw me exercising a little more caution than normal.
2020 Suzuki Katana
With the traction control on level three the TCS light was going ballistic on every corner exit, although I felt no real intervention or significant dulling of the power. I switched to level two which saw the warning lights settle down and just got on with the job. The system retards the ignition to reduce power when it senses tiny amounts of wheel slip, and only becomes more intrusive to the point of clear ignition cut and throttle butterfly modulation when the situation has really become quite dire.
2020 Suzuki Katana
Charging proper hard on a good day would see you run the system at level one, but I fail to see any scenario, apart from extended wheelies, that would require the system to be turned off. The lead Japanese rider from Suzuki controlled the pace of the ride in the conditions, despite me giving him the hurry up.
Suzuki Katana Video
The attractive TPR built six-spoke cast alloy rims were shod with new Roadsport 2 Dunlop rubber. Concerned senior Dunlop techs were on hand to check on their performance in the chilling conditions. They not only constantly checked tyre temperatures, but also the hardness of the rubber with a type of instrument I had not seen before.
2020 Suzuki Katana
Even after our most spirited runs, tyre temperatures never registered more than 26-degrees celsius. They had the pressures set at 36 psi in the 120/70-17 front and 42 psi in the fat 190/50-17 rear, which many people would consider quite high, but the wonders of science that produce modern road rubber mean that these days we don’t have to run lower pressures to get grip. Of course, racing straight off tyre-warmers on super sticky compounds that are only good for a dozen laps are another kettle of fish.
2020 Suzuki Katana
This is a road bike on a public road, and it is a great testament to the tyres, along with the grip levels offered up by the Japanese bitumen throughout Arashiyama-Takao Parkway, that our group all remained upright in conditions sketchy enough to put the fear of god in to many motorcyclists. A rider had gone down in a previous group when experimenting with the traction control off, this was not an opportune moment to be playing silly buggers.
2020 Suzuki Katana
The composure of the fully-adjustable KYB suspension also played its part in keeping us safe. After my first run saw the front deflect a little more than I would have liked, over some changes in surface and bumps, I did firm up the rear a little. So often it is the tail that wags the dog in these cases, and for any front end concerns, at road speeds, the rear shock is always my first port of call, and almost always is what helps to give more precise and settled steering. With a little more pre-load and damping dialled in at the rear my complaint was cured and, at the moderate for us, but probably still quite decent public road pace for most, I was a happy camper.
2020 Suzuki Katana
The long-stroke engine from the K5-K8 has earned a well deserved place in motorcycling folklore, and for good reason. The Katana sees it in the same somewhat moderated, but still pretty bloody impressive, 150 horsepower and 108 Nm level of tune that we first sampled in the GSX-S1000. They have changed the throttle cam for the Katana to help smooth initial application, with the first part of the throttle turning at lower ramp rate, to help reduce any abruptness on pick-up from closed. However, I favour the more linear throttle roll of the GSX-S1000. That might surprise as many testers, and owners, maligned the sharpness of the GSX-S throttle, but I thought it precise and enjoyed feeling that level of accuracy at my fingertips. It proved accurate enough on the GSX-S to do countless five-gear wheel-stands, and that’s without the get-out-of-jail-free card of a rear brake due to my fused ankle, so clearly I had no issue with the GSX-S throttle.
2020 Suzuki Katana
I always find it refreshing when I get on a bike without a ride-by-wire throttle, more care is need to be taken at the right wrist, but I find that fuels a big part of the riding experience for me. I want to feel all of that horsepower when I want, and coming on at the rate I decide, not at a rate the computer dictates after deciding you are too stupid to operate a throttle effectively.
2020 Suzuki Katana
It does have that low-rpm assist mechanism though to help prevent stalling. When you select first gear it raises the idle to help cater for people who really should just instead suffer the embarrassment of stalling and falling over at a stand-still.If they are not competent enough to operate a clutch and a throttle from stand-still, they are certainly not qualified to control a 150 horsepower motorcycle that weighs in at only 215 kg wet.
2020 Suzuki Katana
The 999 cc engine is a gem with tight switchback hair-pins negotiated in as high as third gear, once you have some corner speed confidence happening. It then builds into what really is still quite a storming top end that peaks at 10,000rpm, but with still plenty of useful over-rev in reserve, should you wish to save a gear change between turns.
2020 Suzuki Katana
To be honest the bike doesn’t really need more grunt, but I really wish that Suzuki had made this bike just that little more special by stretching it towards that 1074cc of the original GSX1100SZ. Cost and development time are of course the reasons why, and at least in this well-proven spec’ you can be comfortable that this engine and gearbox will probably out-last some of its owners.
2020 Suzuki Katana
There is no quick-shifter nor any electronic engine braking control. It doesn’t need them, the gearbox is faultless and the slip-assist clutch is light and effective.
The instrumentation is reminiscent of the current generation GSX-R1000, but uses a font that is a little Super-Nintendo style retro.There is a lot going on, but it is all fairly clear and logical. The LCD tacho is naff, as they all are, but the rest of the display works well.
2020 Suzuki Katana
After the speed readout it will be the range to empty display that gains the next most attention as the new Katana only sports a 12-litre fuel-cell, 10-litres less than the original. The difference in range between the two though would not be quite as marked due to the efficiency of the modern oil-water-cooled and fuel-injected power-plant. Unless you are stretching the cable out of high-speed fourth and fifth gear corners all day, your range will still be over 200 kilometres in almost every scenario.
2020 Suzuki Katana
Suzuki Australia have confirmed that the new Katana will start arriving in September this year (2019), and will retail for $18,990 Ride Away. 70 per cent of the first shipment of sixty units are already pre-sold to customers. Suzuki expect to sell 100-120 Katana, of what is expected to be a global production run of around 4000.
2020 Suzuki Katana
As an added bonus, all customers who pre-order their new Katana online from the first shipment will also receive a bonus exclusive Katana themed Arai QV-Pro helmet, valued at $995.
