New Katana heads Suzuki new models at INTERMOT

The German motorcycle show INTERMOT in Cologne started, officially, today, and with it many manufacturers have showed some of their new creations for the near future, since other new models will only be revealed at EICMA Milan show in early November.

One such manufacturer that showed new bikes is Suzuki, and as expected, the Hamamatsu factory has brought forward its “old” new Katana!

Born in 1981, the Katana has now been reborn to new standards and specifications. The new Katana is very much alike the concept Katana 3.0 we’ve seen as a one-off creation during last year’s EICMA, a bike that captured a lot of attention from riders, and Suzuki has taken the hint and turned the concept into a production model.

The design of the Katana shown at the INTERMOT it’s very much what we remember how the old Katana looked like, featuring a design sharp as a blade of a traditional Japanese sword, the katana. That design is especially significant at the front fairing, dominated by the large rectangular headlight. This front fairing, unlike the one used in the early 80’s Katana, becomes an integrated part of the fuel tank. At the back, Suzuki wanted to achieve a clean look, so the rear fender is now fixed as close as possible to the rear wheel. Suzuki describes the look of the new Katana as sporty and refined, inspiring speed to those who look at the bike.

The inline-four-cylinder engine is an evolution from the one Suzuki used on the superbike GSX-R1000 from 2005 to 2008, having been reworked by the Hamamatsu factory to deliver 150 hp, which should be more than enough to easily propel the 215 kg (wet weight) of the Katana to speeds well over the speed limits.

As expected, the electronics take a huge deal in how the Katana works, and Suzuki has opted to give the rider the chance to chose one of three traction control levels. But control isn’t only achieved by electronic magic, so the suspension units are sourced from Kayaba, with braking power being delivered by Brembo calipers with the help of ABS.

Unlike the bikes from the old days, the new Katana features a fully digital dashboard, that besides all the usual information we expect to find on new bikes, also gets the iconic Katana logo inserted in the right side.

Also on the Suzuki stand at INTERMOT, the GSX-R1000 showed off its new graphics and colours, giving the Japanese superbike a fresh look for 2019.

The GSX-R1000, besides the new colours, will get quickshift (up and down) as standard equipment, while the R version will feature an adjustable swingarm that will allow the rider to alter the chassis so that the bike behaves differently on the racetrack. Both GSX-R’s will also benefit from a new exhaust, protected by an aluminium plate.

The GSX-R1000R will be available in Metallic Triton Blue, Glass Sparkle Black / Pearl Mira Red and Pearl Glacier White. The GSX-R1000 will be available in Metallic Triton Blue, Glass Sparkle Black / Metallic Mat Black nº2 or Pearl Glacier White / Glass Sparkle Black.