Suzuki developing a radical engine layout

Bruno Gomes

February 19, 2019

Photo credits: Aripitstop

Motorcycle manufacturers are trying to get ahead of each other by improving their technologies and motorcycles, but completely changing the engine layout is something that we usually don’t see them do. Some small custom bike workshops try to do it, like Nembo with the Nembo 32, but this time around it’s Suzuki that’s gets all out attention with a radical engine layout.

According to a patent file revealed in Japan, Suzuki has completely flipped the engine and transmission of the bike, rotating the engine upside down!

What would Suzuki gain by rotating the engine upside down?

There are three main reasons for that: Suzuki would be able to create a bike with a much shorter wheelbase than usual, improving agility. At the same time, this unusual engine layout would allow the Japanese brand to work on a different swingarm design, especially a longer swingarm, which would improve traction. And last, but not least, the upside down engine could help Suzuki optimize the position of the center of gravity, with direct repercussions on how the bike handles.

The schematics shown on this patent file seem to point to a sportbike, but Suzuki could very well adapt this engine layout to different types of bikes. For example, an adventure bike could benefit from this engine layout and extra traction resulting from the use of an extra-long swingarm.

For the moment, Suzuki is keeping this project in total secret and the Hamamatsu factory hasn’t issued any statement with information regarding the upside down engine. But we already know Suzuki to be working on a new Hayabusa, a new twin-cylinder turbo bike and also a new 300 cc bike, all of them part of a larger strategic plan to bring 10 new models to the market by 2020. So, this bike with an upside down engine might really become reality in just a few months!