Suzuki has seen fit to re-release the Katana…
Hot on the heels of the Kawasaki Z900RS’S success is this…
ere are the pictures many of us have been waiting decades to see: Suzuki’s new-for-2019 Katana. At the heart of the ‘2020 Katana’ is Suzuki’s legendary GSX-R1000 mill of 2005-2008 vintage. Yup, that’s the same 999cc motor that currently powers Suzuki’s GSX-S1000 and 1000F naked street bikes. Power from the liquid-cooled motor is quoted as being around the 150bhp mark at 10,000rpm. Suzuki says this motor (and not one from the latest GSX-R1000) is best for this fit thanks to its long-stroke layout for more torque and the fact that it’s proven to be eminently reliable. The motor is aided by a SET (Suzuki Exhaust Tuning) Exup-style powervalve, Low RPM Assist – for smooth throttle control low-down in the rev-range and three-level traction control. This all sounds very familiar if you’re a GSX-S1000 or 1000F (half-faired) naked bike owner. So, is this just a tarted-up GSX-S1000F then? Yes, it looks that way. The frame and swingarm look identical, suspension front (43mm inverted Kayabas) and rear (monoshock) and Brembo Monoblock calipers too. The wheelbase is also the same at 1460mm and the seat height of the Kat is higher at 825 (up on the GSX’S 810mm) while that ‘hunched-on-the-front’ look from the 1000F is the same too – albeit the Kat looks like, well, a Kat: just a slightly fat one. Interestingly, the low-down snatchy feeling some complain about may well have been solved by adjustments to the motor as well as some throttle cable re-routing.
Now, we don’t blame Suzuki for going down this route at all, as – like Kawasaki’s Z900/Z900RS – it makes sense to ‘platform share’ between an existing model to make the basis of the new Katana on the cheap, so to speak. The looks are almost there: our only criticisms would be the base of the 1000F means the front-end of this latest Katana looks too fat and – in typical current fashion – there’s not much of a rear-end/pillion to plonk your better half on. We can live with the flashy (and new) LCD screen/dash, the LED lights, the single (not twin) shocks and the low-slung ‘rear fender’ number plate and indicators. That said the styling cues are pure Katana and the bike will be available on launch in one colour only – that’s right, the original silver. A range of upgrade parts will be available, so with the announced red pillion seat, red Brembo calipers, various carbon bits and smoked screen, you can bet your bottom yen that Yoshimura is already converting a GSX-S pipe to look more ‘traditional’. Price is yet to be announced but expect it to be around £11,000-£12,000 and – despite being called the 2020 Katana – it is a 2019 model and should be arriving in the UK in March/april of next year. Let us know what you think.