Suzuki did offer, however, that the idea of a new Katana, while ever present within the company, really gained momentum after the “Katana 3.0 Concept” by Italian designer Rodolfo Frascoli was presented at EICMA in the fall of 2017. It’s such an important model for Suzuki, for sure there were strong opinions on what form a new Katana could take.” But it was a dead end. ![]() What I’m after is the story behind that decision. To which I replied: “Respectfully, I know you did, the bike is right there. What followed was what I feared: a long silence, heads turning, then a long discussion in Japanese between the entire panel of Suzuki’s staff, and finally the answer: “We made the decision to produce this new Katana.” Still, I felt these are relevant questions in this particular case and as soon as the technical presentation ended, I asked. Manufacturers want to talk about the bike they’re presenting, not about the one they could have done instead, and they’re not always inclined to reveal internal talks. Why did they choose to revive the Katana as a re-skinned GSX-S1000? Considering the legendary status of the model within Suzuki’s history-I’d say it’s only second to the GSX-R’s-wouldn’t it deserve the full-replica treatment? Mostly, I wanted to know about the infighting between the two camps within Suzuki, I wanted to know which argument was offered by each side and why this direction was ultimately chosen. I really wanted to know more about the styling decisions. But ask about something more complex and suddenly their English becomes bad. Not if you’re asking something technical, like a dimension, that’ll be answered right away. I have quite a bit of experience questioning Japanese manufacturer staff and if there’s one thing I know, it’s that getting answers from them is an art. I was told the design team would be present and available for questions at the global press launch I attended in Kyoto, so I strategized a plan to actually get answers. But enough about me, and more about the new bike. I’m wondering that myself … although I’m almost thankful that it’s not the case and that the headlight doesn’t pop up, or I would have been in serious trouble. My guess is they would’ve preferred to see Suzuki put in the work and produce a true modern replica of the ‘81 or the ‘84, something with the authenticity of a Kawasaki Z900RS. the fact that it’s a re-skinned GSX-S1000 rather than the “all-new” Katana Suzuki’s promotional material talks about. My guess is that they too aren’t sure how to feel about the elephant in the room concerning that bike, i.e. See, my guess is the majority of those ogling this new Katana also have some sort of history with the original models. I can understand how to someone reading this little bit of personal motorcycle history I might seem biased toward the new Katana, but I believe that it instead makes me particularly qualified to judge. I never owned that Suzuki Katana and to this day, I get weak in the knees every time I see one. I didn’t keep the GS very long: after I got a taste of the fastest bikes of the time, I just couldn’t go back on anything slower and by age 18 I was riding a GSX-R1100. ![]() ![]() Which made me lust even more for the Katana as it was the same motorcycle with a different fairing. The idea of owning one never crossed my mind: considering my non-existent budget and the couple of years still separating me from a driver’s licence, the Katana was just as much out of reach as the Lambo Countach or the Porsche 959 (or Samantha Fox) on the posters pinned to the walls of my room.īut time went by, I got my licence and eventually ended up with a cheap but mint GS750ES as a first bike. It was pure admiration, however, as even the concept of riding motorcycles seemed far-fetched to my little brain. But something about that shape just hypnotized me. I was just a boy with a bicycle in the mid-eighties and, to be honest, without much of an interest for motorcycles. Not the original ‘81, which was before my time and still looks like an old bike to me today, but rather the ‘84, the one with the retractable headlight. ![]() The reason is simple: as a kid, the Katana was the bike I dreamed of. This time, though, has to be an exception. For MY 2020, Suzuki returns the model, but does it live up to the legendary 1980s original? We go to Japan for answers.ĭuring more than two decades reviewing motorcycles, I’ve never written a word about my personal rides. When it comes to motorcycling royalty, the Katana’s right up there.
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