It is enough to take one look at this 1980s Suzuki Katana 1100 to see that the bike is hours and hours of work away from its original state and all the credit goes to UK-based Steve Adams, owner and customizer of what turned out to be one of the most beautifully reinvented legends among Japanese motorcycles.
Among the modifications brought to our Brit’s Katana we would have to name the 1,170cc Wiseco piston kit, gas flowed head, EFE 1100 cams with adjustable cam sprockets, Keihin 37mm carbs, titanium bolts and custom-made exhaust system as being the most important and this is only in the engine department.
The frame was reinforced and a Suzuki Bandit 1200 swingarm was bolted on it. This Suzuki now rolls on 17-inch Dymag magnesium alloy wheels supported by a GSX-R750 K4 front fork and Ohlins rear shock units. The high performance brakes feature Yamaha R1 and Suzuki TL1000 parts such as the Brembo radial master cylinder up front, while the rear brake is thumb-operated.
How’s that for a way to make an old motorcycle new again?
In 2010, Suzuki will celebrate 25 years of producing the GSX-R series and have created a limited edition GSX-R1000 for the occasion. Called the Suzuki GSX-R1000Z, the anniversary edition will only feature cosmetic differences compared to a standard GSX-R1000 K9 or K10 model (there’s no mechanical difference between the two model years anyway).
Only 1000 such bikes will be made and feature a gold or beige frame, swingarm and parts of the fairing combined with the dominant pearl white color on the fairing. Also, the Gixxer will feature 25th anniversary graphics on the fairing, mufflers, wheel rims and ignition key, as well as a serial number plate.
Suzuki plans to take the wraps off the GSX-R1000Z 25th anniversary edition this week at the NEC Show in Birmingham.
Leaving the parts of your Suzuki GSX-R spread around the garage turns out being an inspired choice as the magic attraction between these get the bike together in less than five minutes.
Actually, this video was done with the use of stop-action photography in order to show the most important steps of the assembly process without showing the actual people that got the job done. I wonder if that’s also the way things get done back in Japan.
This Suzuki Burgman 125 scooter is clearly having a bad day as the owner left it parked on the sidewalk and then workers came to pour concrete all over the place. It seems that the thing is now an integrated part of the Via del Porto Fluviale in Rome.
Hmm, last time I checked, Japanese scooters weren’t an ingredient of Roman concrete.
As we announced, Suzuki came to the 2009 Tokyo show with a mini version of the Gladius. Called Suzuki Gladius 400, this is simply powered by a smaller, 400cc version of the 650cc V-twin behind the affordable naked Japanese motorcycle currently selling with success in Europe. The new Gladius will also come with ABS and aims at the Japanese market too.
Master of backflips Travis Pastrana together with Ken Block and the guys at DC shoes have come up with a unique customization idea for the FMX Suzuki bike ridden by Travis. They thought at getting rid of the tires (they were too comfortable anyway) and slip the bike into something more stylish, like these pares of shoes. Said and done! The bike is featured in a DC ad and on an episode of MTV’s Nitro Circus, where you can see Travis doing a backflip and finally tearing the rear wheel apart in one of the sickest burnouts we’ve seen in a long time. See it all for yourself in the video attached after the jump. > More
Suzuki released BURGMAN FUEL CELL SCOOTER, GLADIUS400 ABS and BOULEVARD400 as its world premieres at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show 2009 on October 21.
The fuel cell of BURGMAN FUEL CELL SCOOTER is air-cooled and concomitantly light, compact, and structurally simple. A 70MPa hydrogen tank (the highest-pressure tank used on a bike thus far) allows a usable riding range. And the tank is mounted within a robust frame for safety.
The Gladius 400 ABS is a stylish naked bike with a 400cm3 V-twin engine. It features a truss frame that combines rigidity with great looks. And its newly designed V-twin engine delivers plenty of power in a rider-friendly way.
The Boulevard 400 is a performance cruiser with aggressive bikini-cowled looks and a 400cm3 engine. Low, flowing body lines that give an unmistakable sense of performance are combined with inverted front forks and stylish cast wheels. The engine is a narrow-angle (45°), liquid-cooled V-twin with fuel injection.
Suzuki has created a 400cc version of their versatile entry-level naked bike, the Gladius. The new model will even feature ABS, despite the much smaller newly designed V-twin engine.
Suzuki will have this exposed at the next Tokyo Motor Show and the bike will then start being sold in Japan. If it comes to the US, it will probably turn into a hot seller, but there’s no word on that yet.
It’s official! None of the 2010 GSX-R models will be technically new, as revealed by these photos. Still, Suzuki has come up with a new blue/white color scheme for their notorious supersport lineup and this even includes dark blue coating for the frame and swingarm. Prices of the 2010-spec GSX-R1000, GSX-R750 and GSX-R600 are yet to be announced. > More
Riding among all kinds of lunatics, a biker can never be too careful. That is why during motorcycle safety courses, instructors advise students to always check their mirrors, even when sitting at a traffic light, stop sign, or simply stopping along side of the road. But the thing is that nobody advises you about this sort of crap. I can’t imagine how that car ended up riding the Gixxer…I just hope the rider is ok.