Suzuki Katana
Retro and modernist at the same time, the Katana shows there’s life in the ol’ inline four
CRITICISING THE SUZUKI is a hard thing to do. There’s little you can class as a flaw. It’s silly-fast, sounds great, has safe usable handling, yet at the same time offers a plush ride, easy ergonomics, just enough gadgets and day-to-day manners. ‘It’s a bike you could ride every day, for all sorts of journeys, and not fail to be impressed by,’ says Martin. If the above paragraph seems vaguely familiar, that’s because we’ve printed these exact words before. They’re lifted from the verdict of a 4000-mile test we did on the GSX-S1000 back in 2015 – and the new Katana is basically the existing GSX-S dressed up with bodywork inspired by Suzuki’s famously-futuristic superbike from the early 1980s. My point? Well, that test went on to say the only thing we could really criticise the 999cc naked for was a lack of character; with forgettable styling that could have been from any Suzuki of the last 15 years, the GSX-S didn’t really get under your skin. Surely by turning the bike into something so striking and using a name that reverberates for folk of a certain age, the new Katana must be the perfect motorcycle… Claiming perfection would be pushing it, but the Katana is very good. Physically more imposing and weightier to manhandle than the other three, it enjoys the same how-bikes-used-to-be air as the GSX-S. This is a good thing for anyone with a history of riding large-capacity, four-cylinder Japanese bikes. The EX-GSX-R inline four has a smooth, progressive and long-geared delivery, rather than smacking you in the mush every time you look at the twistgrip – rev it harder and you go faster. This doesn’t mean slow, though: the Kat has a measured 147bhp reaching its broad rear tyre, and scorches easily and repeatedly to 60mph from a standing start in three seconds flat.
At 215kg fuelled the Suzuki isn’t the heaviest bike here, but has the most weighted handling. I don’t mean the bike feels heavy, but that it has a secure, pulled-down feel in corners. It’s safe, solid, steadfast. There’s a road-ready sense to the suspension – it’s not as supple as the Yamaha, but has been set up with as much focus given to ride quality as control, feedback and handling capability. It’s far less choppy than the Indian. Talk to testers who are also racers, and they tell you the rear shock is a tad bouncy, and that
the fully-adjustable front forks only really work when you brake hard and stuff the Kat hard into turns. I suspect they’re talking as people who prefer harder, sportier machinery and are comfortable scorching between hedgerows at three-figure speeds.
The Katana has slightly more upright ’bars than the GSX-S, with an inch-higher seat and a more pinched-in middle. It feels quite different. The Indian’s stance has more attitude and the Yamaha’s arrangement puts less weight through your arms, however the Kat is comfy and supportive for at least a full tank of fuel. Although that’s not far – the styling job has seen tank size reduce to 12 litres, so at the Kat’s average 45mpg you’ll be pushing before 120 miles. A dinky tank isn’t the only niggle. There’s a step in the throttle response, which isn’t overly noticeable when you’re romping down sunny roads but a snatchy annoyance when you try for a small throttle opening at big lean in a slow corner. The Indian reacts in the same way when it’s in Sport mode, but unlike the Suzuki the American V-twin offers alternative modes to sidestep the issue (the Kat has a mode button on the left switchgear, but it actually toggles through the three levels of traction control). There’s also something funny going on with the redesigned GSX-R1000 digi display. There’s nothing wrong with the info or function, but it’s a bit faint. Like there’s a tinted film stuck over the top. I’ve tried to avoid rabbiting about how the Katana looks. One bloke’s masterpiece is another’s messy scribble. That said, Steve and I (and everyone else, actually) think the Suzuki looks better in the metal and plastic than in pictures. There are decent details too, like the passenger-securing strips on the pillion seat, and quality feels high – GSX-S owners rate build and reliability of their bikes and the Kat will be no different, especially as it’s knocked-up in Suzuki’s new factory with even tighter quality control.
For me, the new plastic and famous moniker are enough to resurrect my interest in Suzuki’s big four. It’s a proper thing. But… well, I just cannot help thinking it’d be better with shorter gearing to increase the fizz factor, and maybe riding modes to imply it’s more up-to-date (even though it doesn’t need them). Then there’s the fact that, at £11,545 on the road, it’s three grand more than the Yamaha.
‘Claiming perfection would be pushing it, but Katana is good’