2019 bikesales Bike of the Year: Suzuki Katana

The Suzuki Katana stands out in this year's bikesales Bike of the Year pack as much for its back-to-basics approach as it does its distinctive, '80s-tribute styling.

In a pack in which even a scooter (the BMW C 400 GT ion) boasts TFT instrumentation and Bluetooth connectivity, the Suzuki Katana is refreshing in its simplicity – this is a bike you can simply jump on and ride, without first navigating your way through a multi-level menu system.

That's not to say it's low tech. The Suzuki Katana still has antilock braking, electronic fuel injection, multi-level traction control, LED lighting and a trip computer. However, there's just the one ride mode – full power – and it has a more basic LCD digital display.

The styling represents a modern interpretation of the evocative, early '80s original, the latter penned by German studio Target Design. For anyone who owned or hankered after one back in the day, this homage offers plenty of visual cues to get the nostalgia pumping, but with a modern twist.

Our Bike of the Year judges certainly loved the look, although the response was more mixed when it came to its ride.

The original Katana was a fire-breathing beast with a stump-pulling in-line four that, when pushed, found the limits of the bike's suspension, chassis and brakes with little fuss.

Today's Suzuki Katana is no slouch – it's based upon Suzuki's GSX-S1000 naked bike, after all – but some judges found it left them wanting a bit more.

This could be a case of the Katana legend growing beyond the original's actual capabilities with the passing years. After all, the new Katana puts out a claimed 147hp and 108Nm in a 215kg package (wet) – significantly more power and torque, and significantly less weight, than the bike to which it pays tribute.

The difference is, with the benefit of modern fuelling and four decades of chassis, suspension and brake development, the new Katana can effectively tame all that might and fury, allowing the average rider to access more of its potential with a far greater degree of precision, control, and safety.

With its slightly sporty yet comfy rider position, the newcomer is perfect for weekend rides through the hills and it's also a handy commuter, although its high handlebars are a little wide for tight filtering.

Where it really excels is when solo on a winding road or simply café-hopping around town. And we reckon it would be a blast at a track day, where its nimble manners, healthy ground clearance, and bulk power would really come to the fore.

With fairly linear power delivery, it's docile when you want it to be and a road-going ball of aggression when you don't – just twist the throttle as required.

It's also quite compact. The Suzuki Katana looks small in this disparate fleet of models yet the ergonomics comfortably accommodate a wide range of riders.

It steers beautifully, that wide handlebar requiring only minimal effort to tip in or change a line, while the suspension is on the firmer side but soaks up average surfaces well enough.

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While generally smooth at low to midrange engine speeds, a bit of vibration is felt through the 'bars from around 7000rpm on. If anything it adds a bit of an edge to the bike's character, which is also enhanced by a pleasingly rorty snarl from the stock exhaust.

The gearbox is a typically precise Suzuki affair but there's no quick-shifter and at times it felt like the sixth gear was a touch too short.

Some wanted a bit more from the front brakes but, to be fair, the four-piston radial-mount Brembos are far from weak (although they might feel a bit that way when ridden back to back with something like the BMW S 1000 RR M-Sport).

And the LCD instrumentation is difficult to read. The display is quite busy and its screen is tinted, making it all but impossible to discern if you're already wearing a tinted visor.

Fuel economy? The Suzuki Katana recorded a comparative figure of 6.3lt/100km, which puts it mid pack in this company. However, the tiny 12-litre capacity gives an effective range of around 170km – too short, in our opinion, given the fairly comfy ride position.

However, at $18,990 ride away, the Suzuki Katana is the second-most-affordable bike in this company – only the BMW scooter was cheaper.

The Suzuki Katana looks great, goes well and perhaps offers more value than anything else on the 2019 Bikesales Bike of the Year test. It's far more refined than its genesis, but then it offer significantly more performance and is far more manageable too, and it all adds up to one enjoyable, sporty ride with a neat retro look.

ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, 16-valve, four-stroke in-line four-cylinder
Capacity: 999cc
Bore x stroke: 73.4mm x 59mm
Compression ratio: 10.5:1
Engine management: Electronic fuel injection

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 147hp (110kW) at 10,000rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 108Nm at 9500rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet, multiplate, slipper assist

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Twin-spar aluminium
Front suspension: 43mm KYB upside-down forks, non-adjustable
Rear suspension: KYB shock with adjustable preload and rebound
Front brake: 310mm discs with Brembo radial-mounted four-piston calipers, ABS
Rear brake: 220mm disc with twin-piston caliper
Wheels: Cast aluminium, 3.50 x17 front, 5.5 x 17 rear
Tyres: Dunlop Roadsmart – 120/70-17 front, 190/55-17 rear

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Rake: 25 degrees
Trail: 100mmmm
Claimed wet weight: 215kg
Seat height: 825mm
Wheelbase: 1460mm
Fuel capacity: 12 litres
Measured fuel consumption: 6.3lt/100km

OTHER STUFF
Price: $18,990 ride away
Colour: Silver or black
Local distributor: Suzuki Australia
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres