Test: Suzuki Katana // Swipe with a sword

Yes, the Katana upset the motorcycle world and my hot teenage head at the time. "I'll drive a katana someday" I talked to myself in the early eighties and gazed dreamily at a large poster of the Katana, torn from a German motorcycle magazine and pinned to the wall of my room. First katanaThe predecessor to this new one was a long car with a distinctive rectangular light, a sloping nose and a recognizable seat. I didn't drive a katana when I was young, I was too young, and Japanese cars were for a select few with thick foreign currency wallets. Last spring, I sat on the Katana for a regional press presentation in Croatia. New since 2019. And so he realized his youthful dream.

What is katana?

Katana by the way traditional Japanese sword, in which the master captured all his art, craftsmanship and refinement of design... The two-wheeled Katana, officially designated the GSX-S 1100 Katana, was born in 1981 as a result of a search for new car routes, and the Italians crossed their fingers too, so it should come as no surprise that she quickly found many cars. buyers in Europe (as elsewhere). The motorcycle, however, soon gained cult status due to its uniqueness. When it first saw the light of day, it was the fastest production car ever and can still be seen on classic superbike racetracks today.

Rodolfo Frascoli is an Italian designer who was entrusted by the Japanese in 2017 to draw a new katana. At Suzuki, the new machine was quite late in bringing buyers to the attention of modern retro motorcycles. The new Katana is a good memory of the old, but modern in its own way. There is still the typical square (LED) headlight, but the two-color seat, which was painted in the second decade of this millennium, is perhaps most reminiscent of the previous model, with red Suzuki lettering on the sides of the small fuel. tank. The new Katana is available in classic silver, but you can also choose black. He drives it Block of 999 cubic meters with 148 “horses”, the GSX model known from home is the S1000. The transversely mounted four-cylinder engine is housed in a double aluminum frame that gives the motorcycle with a USD front fork and rear shock absorber the stability it needs. He sits upright on the bike, but you can still do a lap on the race track. Or in the vicinity of the Croatian city of Novi Vinodolski, Opatija and along the rocky walls of the old path in Preluk, where I rode Katana alone in sour, cold and rainy weather. The sensations at the time were an inexperienced story for me, as I was not able to use its full potential on a slippery road.

The versatility and sharpness of the sword

Well, the dry plot is even better. In addition to all these properties, there are a few more worth mentioning. Though it's a retro bike at heart, cornering the winding mountain road is a story without adrenaline. The unit is strong enough for the picky, and the frame, brakes and suspension are up to par. He may be meek; if you want tougher sport rides, it will suit you. Although at first glance the passenger seat (co) does not promise much, the ride for two is quite decent. But I was missing a quickshifter, which would definitely make the trip even more attractive.

• Basic data

  Sales: Suzuki Slovenia

  Base model price: 12.790 EUR €

  Test model cost: 12.790 EUR €

• Technical information

  engine: 999 cc, two-cylinder, in-line, liquid-cooled, with electronic injection

  Power: 111kW (148 KM) at 10.000 vrt./min

  Torque: 108 Nm at 9.500 rpm

  Energy transfer: 6-speed gearbox, chain

  Frame: aluminum

  brakes: front disc 310 mm, four-cam calipers, rear disc 250 mm, two-piston caliper, ABS

  Suspension: 43mm front adjustable inverted telescopic fork, rear swingarm, adjustable damper

  Tires: 120/70-17, 290/70-17

  Growth: 825 mm

  Fuel tank: 12

  Wheelbase: 1.460 mm

  Weight: 215 kg

We praise and reproach

look

cumulative

rolling stock

no automatic (quickshifter)

(also) small fuel tank

final grade

Katana lives up to its name. Suzuki has a long history of making its guns for retro roadsters and has put a sharp bike on the road that looks good and rides well.