Intermot show: Suzuki reintroduces Katana

Suzuki has unveiled a production version of an all-new Katana at the 2018 Intermot Show in Cologne, with the firm’s iconic moniker set to make a return to the line-up for the 2020 model year.

It's expected to go on sale in Australia around during the third quarter of 2019.

Based around the firm’s GSX-S1000 naked which uses a retuned version of Suzuki’s GSX-R1000 long-stroke K5 engine good for a claimed 150hp (110kW) set within a twin-spar alloy frame. The Katana tips the scales 6kg more than its naked stablemate, presumably thanks to the bulky front fairing necessary to achieve the look of the original and popular version of the bike from the 1980s.

It’s well equipped, with a GSX-R swingarm, a fully-adjustable 43mm upside-down front fork and radial-mounted Brembo calipers, while traction control, ABS and the firm’s Low RPM Assist and Easy Start headline the bike’s electronic features.

A very 1980s-looking stacked rectangular headlight is modernised with LED bulbs and the silver paint scheme with red a Suzuki logo makes it instantly recognisable as a modern take on the 1981 machine. And with a relatively small 12-litre tank, the Katana will be more suited to shorter blasts and commuting rather than long-distance touring.

Of course it’s not the first time a Japanese brand has looked to its past for future models, the new Katana follows the 2018 release of Kawasaki’s modern reinterpretation of its iconic Z900 which also enjoyed enormous popularity many decades ago.

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