The Suzuki we know today looks like a safe, no-risk two-wheeler manufacturer that relies on models with longevity and reliability. However, this was not always the case. Suzuki’s two-wheeler division has an R&D department that is at par with any other, should they put their minds to it (and get the budget from the bean counters).
Suzuki has become a safe manufacturer because sometimes it has taken risks and it has not worked out. When your company operates on thin margins, you can’t afford to take another bite of the apple. It’s a shame because there are some Suzukis that didn’t work out, but we wish they were back in the lineup today. Here’s a prime example with an iconic surname.
Some interesting models of Suzuki have not been successful
We know Suzuki has some incredibly successful models like the Hayabusa. The US market is also unique for Suzuki as its lax emissions standards allow it to keep stalwarts like the Boulevard M109R, DR650S and SV650 on sale. However, it has had models in the past that have hit the sales office for different reasons. Not many people will remember the rotary engined RE5 that was on sale in the 1970s. Its high fuel consumption and low reliability drove customers away at a time when fuel prices were at unbelievable highs.
Most people will remember the B-King of the mid-2000s. It was based on the brutal streetfighter Hayabusa, which promised to be a hyper naked bike. But its price was so high that many people in the American market did not want to buy it. However, there is one Suzuki that has been discontinued, that was ahead of its time, and it deserves a comeback in a big way.
The Katana is the Suzuki motorcycle that deserves a massive comeback
Suzuki’s inline-four 1,000cc naked bike GSX-S1000 goes on sale today, but it’s styled like a modern streetfighter. Although it’s on the budget end of the liter-naked spectrum, everyone is cashing in on the neo-retro styling wave these days, the latest entrant being the Honda CB1000F.
These are models that offer useful performance at an everyday-usable price, and the Katana, with its unique looks, would certainly stand out in current company. Plus, given the reliability of the GSX-S1000, the Katana would have performed great in that test, and its combination of price, performance, and looks certainly makes us wish Suzuki would give it another chance on American soil.
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The name ‘Katana’ has great significance
The Katana name has a lot of history, and not just on American soil. The first Katana was launched globally in 1982. It had a 1,100 cc engine, but we got one that was less than 1,000 cc so Suzuki could prepare it for AMA racing. It then shifted to a fully faired sport tourer design, with several displacements beyond 125 cc, some of which made it to the US market.
Finally, a few years ago, the modernized Katana was launched in the US market, but poor sales meant it was pulled from showrooms within a few years, and we haven’t seen it since… except for that one time in 2023 when Suzuki allowed customers to book one. It was a limited edition and only available on order.
It has held its value really well
Suzuki officially sold it in the US market for just one model year, the 2020 model year. You may find examples registered in later years, but they are from the same 2020 model year. However, there is one exception: the limited-edition 2024 model. In total, the 2020 model is now priced at $10,478.
This means that due to its rarity it is valued more as a collector’s item than a regular street bike. Of course, it is also easy to maintain as it is a global model that is still on sale, with the GSX-S1000 on sale in the US market. It is going to be an appreciable asset rather than a regular motorcycle.
GSX-R-derived inline-four powerhouse tuned for torque
The modern Katana uses an inline-four engine, and like the original US-spec Katana, it displaces just under a liter at 999 cc. This engine is derived from the K5 GSX-R1000 engine, but detuned for greater flexibility. Its compression ratio is 12.2:1 and it produces 148 horsepower at 10,000 rpm and 79.8 pound-feet of torque at 9,500 rpm. This tune is great because, on the GSX-S1000, it provides thrills without the stress.
However, if you take one of the 2024 models, it will have slightly different cams and valve springs, and it achieves the same peak power 1,000 rpm more than the 2020 model figure mentioned above. This was sent to the wheels via a six-speed gearbox and chain drive. Despite being a bit chunky, it is a fast motorcycle; It accelerates to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds and does a quarter mile in less than 11 seconds in the shade. Once again, a two-way quickshifter was standard on models produced after 2022.
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Surprisingly advanced chassis for a retro-styled bike
Metallic Mystic Silver 2020 Suzuki Katana leaning into a curve, front fascia zoom-out shot
The chassis is where Suzuki perhaps overstepped the mark as it wanted the modern Katana to reflect the capabilities of the original Katana, which Once claimed the title of “Fastest Production Motorcycle”. That’s why it has an aluminum twin-spar chassis and a sports bike-style banana swingarm. The twin-spar chassis is not only heavier than the trellis frame used in current competition, but it is also more expensive to manufacture.
The suspension is equally premium, featuring 43mm inverted KYB forks with full adjustability. At the rear, there’s also a link-type monoshock with seven-way adjustable preload and rebound adjustment. At the front, there are two 310 mm fully floating brake discs with Brembo radial monobloc callipers. At the rear there is a 240 mm disc with a single-piston Nissin caliper. 17-inch cast-aluminium wheels and tubeless radial tires complete the chassis features.
What about dimensions, you ask? Being a business looking one liter bike, it measures 83.9 inches in length and 32.3 inches in width. However, its wheelbase is 57.5 inches. Ground clearance is a standard 5.5 inches, as is seat height, which is 32.5 inches. It weighs 474 pounds, which makes it a bit heavy for its segment. The fuel tank can hold 3.2 gallons of fuel.
Nice electronics set, but no TFT screen
Katana offers a basic set of features at a price. The 2020-year model did not have a quickshifter as standard; Which was introduced on later models. You’ll find them on the limited-edition MY 2022 and 2024 models. It has ABS and traction control, neither of which are linked to the IMU. Another area of this bike that is in dire need of an update is the instrument cluster. It’s an old-fashioned LCD with a very interesting night-time color orange.
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No shortage of quality competition for Katana
The Katana is a design icon, and the power output is certainly exciting, but it will have tough competition in this segment if it relaunches. Trouble is, for $10,000 more, he already has a retro bike available in the form of the GSX-8T, which is based on a Suzuki that far exceeds expectations. Reintroducing the Katana would mean either pricing it higher than this product or undercutting the 800cc product, which would be the right thing to do as its performance puts it in the segment below the other two competitors.
However, if you want a full-size, litre-class retro naked, there’s the Honda CB1000F, which is probably the most balanced option here. It asks for the same amount of money as the Yamaha, so its value is undeniable. Also, it offers things like a six-axis IMU, but it doesn’t offer the same performance as the Suzuki as the engine is tuned at a little more than 120 horsepower.
Source: Suzuki Cycles, Suzuki Global
