Suzuki Shows Off Its Katana At The Expo

While most two-wheelers at Suzuki’s expo stall are boring BS6 updates of existing models, there are a couple of exciting displays as well. One of these is the Katana that’s proudly being shown off at the Japanese bikemaker’s stall. Based on the GSX-S1000, this litre-class rocket resurrects a legendary Suzuki model name last seen in the 1980s. It was unveiled at Intermot 2018 and this is its first appearance in India.

The 999cc inline-four motor powering the Katana churns out 152PS and 107.9Nm, mated to a 6-speed gearbox via a slipper clutch. But what separates the Katana from the S1000 is its oddball appearance. It derives inspiration from its erstwhile namesake, resulting in a deliberately boxy look characterised by straight lines rather than curves.

To tame all the power on tap, Suzuki has given the bike 3-stage traction control system, twin front discs bitten on by Brembo radially-mounted calipers, and dual-channel ABS. Suspension duties are handled by a USD fork and linkage-typed monoshock.

Competition for the Katana comes from other litre-class nakeds like the Honda CB1000R (also a neo-retro), the Yamaha MT-10, Kawasaki Z1000, and BMW S1000R. There are no details about an India launch yet but Suzuki says it could bring it as a CKD if customer reception is positive enough.