Katana is back!
After teasing fans for more than decade, Suzuki has finally announced the Katana is returning.
Unveiled at October’s Intermot show in Germany, the new Katana follows the ‘Stratosphere’ factory concept from 2005 and last year’s ‘Katana 3.0’ design study that was built by Italian company Engines Engineering.
The choice of venue to confirm the return of the Katana was appropriate, as the original was also presented at Intermot way back in 1980.
Based heavily on the current GSX-S1000, the new Katana takes that model’s frame, 999cc inline-four engine, transmission, wheels and other componentry and wraps them in a modern take on the classic Katana knife-edged styling.
Classic Inspiration
When the original Katana made its debut in 1980, it looked like nothing else in the two-wheel universe, and riders responded to make it an instant classic. The styling back then was the product of Target Design in Germany, led by Hans Muth, a former head of BMW’s design department.
Officially known as the GSX 1100S, the Katana was defined by its sculpted fuel tank and wedge-shaped bikini fairing, within which nestled a rectangular headlight and atop which sat a small wind deflector.
Minimal side plastics, an equally minimal tail and two-tone seat were other features that set the 1100 Katana apart from the pack and made it a standout in the early ’80s motorcycle market.
The fact that the Katana had the go to match the show didn’t hurt its chances, either. Upon its release, Suzuki claimed the Katana, with its 83.9kW/97.1Nm 1074cc engine and 220km/h top speed, was the fastest mass-production motorcycle in the world.
Spawning a 750cc companion, as well as smaller versions for some markets and a 1,000cc version for racing homologation, the Katana 1100 would remain in Suzuki’s lineup until 2001.
Modern Motivation
The new Katana, while clearly inspired by the original in terms of its styling, is no clone of it and has its own personality.
The fairing is more aggressive, with exaggerated facets and angles, while the same approach has been applied to the deeply-sculpted fuel tank. Within that fairing, the lighting set-up consists of a pair of vertically-stacked LEDs, with LED DRLs added below.
Facing the rider is a full LCD dash from the GSX-R1000 but reconfigured for the Katana with speedo, ribbon-style tacho, odometer and trip meter information, as well as gear position indicator, fuel gauge, fuel range and average consumption, traction control mode, temperature and clock, as well as battery voltage and even lap time displays.
The fairing’s centre section is blacked out, like the 1980s original, with a more obvious nod being the silver paint and bold ‘SUZUKI’ tank decals.
At the rear, the tail unit is pared back to the essentials, giving a touch of streetfighter style to the new Katana. Moving the numberplate mount and indicators to a swingarm-mounted bracket helps here, as does a hugger-style mudguard, but one must wonder if those repositioned indicators will meet our ADRs.
The LED tail light has cuts and angles to mimic what’s going on at the front end, while the pillion section of the one-piece seat adds a two-tone colour scheme in homage to the original Katana.
It’s hard to get a read on the new Katana’s ergonomics, based on the handful of images released so far, but riding position appears to be fairly neutral, with a relatively high and wide single-piece handlebar and 825mm seat height.
Familiar Bones, Familiar Heart
Under the all-new styling is the same twin-spar aluminium frame as Suzuki’s GSX-S1000, with Suzuki describing the new Katana’s frame as being as light as that in the latest GSX-R1000.
Suspension is KYB at both ends, with a fully-adjustable 43mm USD fork at the front and monoshock rear with rebound and pre-load adjustability – more or less the same as the GSX-S1000.
The swingarm comes from the 2016-spec GSX-R1000, with braking lifted from the GSX-R, too, consisting of twin 310mm floating front discs gripped by radial-mounted Brembo four-piston calipers. A single-piston Nissin unit grabs the rear disc, with Bosch ABS standard.
The 999cc powerplant is the same unit from the GSX-R1000 K5 and while this engine is now a decade old, Suzuki says it’s reliable and produces plenty of power. Tuned for “street-based performance” (presumably more mellow and less snappy than the GSX-R), listed maximum outputs from the long-stroke (73.4mm x 59.0mm) inline four are 110kW at 10,000rpm and 108Nm at 9,500rpm, with good power across the rev range and a new control for less abrupt acceleration when the throttle’s opened.
A 4-2-1 exhaust system, liquid-cooled oil cooler, 6-speed gearbox and back-torque limiting clutch are standard, as are the Low RPM Assist and Easy Start System found on other Suzuki models, but a step up in the rider-assist tech is delivered with a 3-mode traction control system. Monitoring front and rear wheel speeds, throttle position, crank position and gear position, the traction control system immediately reduces engine output when wheelspin is detected by adjusting ignition timing and air delivery. Suzuki says this ensures smoother traction control operation and less-noticeable intervention. The traction control can also be switched off.
Other specs include a 12-litre fuel capacity (smaller than the GSX-S1000’s 17 litres), 1,460mm wheelbase, 17-inch alloy wheels front and rear (with 120/70 front and 190/60 rear tyres) and 216kg weight.
2019 Arrival
The new Katana will reach European markets in Q2, 2019, with Australian release confirmed for Q3, 2019, as a 2020 model. Pricing and full specs will be revealed closer to local launch.
