Suzuki Katana review: A star is reborn

The Samurai, the knights of medieval Japan, are among the most famous warriors in history. Reputed archers, the Samurais were part of feudal Japan’s military. But today, when one thinks of the Samurai, what you immediately recall is their sword.

The deadly Katana sword they carried was forged by a unique folding method by some of the finest blacksmiths the world will probably never know anymore. This is what Suzuki took inspiration from when they launched the first Katana back in 1981 and so far, it is still one of the most iconic motorcycles.

Its design was unique and futuristic for its time and for a while, albeit a little shorter than we would have liked, the Katana held the title of the fastest production motorcycle in the world. Production finally ended in 2006.

Skip forward 14 years, and Suzuki has brought back the legend with a whole lot of modernity thrown in. Modern retro design motorcycles have been in fashion for a while and we have seen everything, from cruisers to bobbers to scramblers and café racers, taking up space in manufacturers’ portfolios. But can we call the Katana neo-retro? Its design was futuristic when it was first launched. It even won a futuristic bike competition held by the German magazine Motorrad.

Today’s Suzuki Katana takes its design cues from the iconic motorcycle, and the manufacturer has done a fantastic job of it. The square headlamp, the sharp lines in the bodywork, the scooped-out seat — everything has been brought forward into the modern age.

There are changes, obviously. Take the tail for example. It’s a lot stubbier than the original. Then there are the handlebars — high and flat compared to the original’s clip-ons. And it’s LED lighting all around. The instrument cluster, too, is a reverse LCD display that shines brightly enough even in direct sunlight.

Moving down, you see a set of 17-inch alloy wheels painted in beautiful gold. Connecting these are a set of 41 mm forks and a mono shock, all of which are adjustable. This bike is an attention grabber, for sure. I had heads turning at every corner and stop light. Everyone wanted a taste, from what the bike costs to, “please rev that engine for me, man!”

Speaking of the engine, the Katana is based on the GSX-1000. This means it gets the same legendary K5 inline four-cylinder engine. The engine is almost 15 years old, but Suzuki has been updating it constantly to keep it in line with today’s emission norms. We have new cam profiles, a new clutch and exhaust system, and electronic throttle bodies — the works.

But we’re all waiting for the numbers. This liquid-cooled powerhouse produces 152 bhp of maximum power at 11,000 rpm and 106 Nm of peak torque at 9,250 rpm. But the high rev range shouldn’t scare you. High-gear, low-speed riding is perfectly achievable thanks to the low-end grunt. The Katana also has Suzuki’s low rpm assist which allows you to take off and crawl without twisting the throttle. This makes the bike perfect even for riding in the city.

The mid-range is great, too, but the real excitement comes above the 6,000-rpm mark. The engine is so responsive in this range that if you check your speedometer even a split-second later, you’ll wonder what happened to all the numbers in between. Honestly, you’d have to be mad to be even trying to touch the 12k redline on anything other than a racetrack.

The entire experience is thrilling and surreal with everything around you turning into a blur, your focus solely on the road in front of you, and the traffic flying by in a streak of light and reflections. All of this is assisted by the up / down quick shifter that comes as standard. There’s absolutely no lag and the transition is so smooth, you’re left wondering if the gear-lever is just for show and if this is actually a CVT gearbox.

To temper the monster, however, Suzuki offers three riding modes – A, B, and C (pretty basic, I know). These alter the power delivery of the engine at different rev bands but leave the total power output intact. This means that even in its gentlest C setting, you can reach the same full potential of the bike as its most aggressive A setting. Then there’s the 5-level traction control to keep you from sliding off the road and into the valley.

Moving on to ergonomics and handling, the Katana gets a decent 825 mm of seat height. Not too tall so that you can plant both feet firmly on the ground, but not short enough for shorter riders to be comfortable.

The seat itself is very friendly. I was in the saddle all of 12 hours in a single day, and my rear end did not complain at all. This is also thanks to the suspension. It is adjustable and strikes a great balance between soft and stiff. Maharashtra’s roads are riddled with potholes, some of which you don’t see until you’re directly on top of them. The suspension was soft enough to throw me a little off the seat when we hit a bump. Paired with a perfectly balanced chassis, it’s also stiff enough to make the Katana ideal for attacking corners.

What is a little bit of a letdown is the tyre setup. The stock Dunlops that the bike ships with feel a little under-gripped. The rains have just ended so I didn’t get to test them out in the wet, but they obviously won’t fare too well on slick surfaces. The brake feel is decent. Both sides offer great initial bite and can bring the bike to a stop fairly quickly. Plus, the front brake lever is adjustable, so fitting it to your ideal position is as easy as turning a knob and can be done on the fly.

The other thing I loved about the Katana was the riding stance. The handlebars are flat and long. You sit almost upright, and if like me you sit extremely close to the tank, you won’t feel it in your back. The foot pegs sit right under you, and when you couple that with the easy-to-reach handlebars, the potholes and bumps can be tackled easily by lifting your posterior up. All of these make this ideal even for city use.

It’s just the fuel tank that puts you off. There is only a tiny little 12-litre box hidden under the large, beautiful thing pretending to be the tank. This means you get a total of just over 120 km for each tank of gas, and if you ride hard, you’ll find yourself stopping for fuel more often than that.

Finally, the price. At Rs 13.61 lakh, ex-showroom, the Katana is by no means cheap. Especially when you consider the kind of equipment that other bikes in the price range ship with. The Katana gets no colour LCD screen, no Bluetooth connectivity, and a cluttered screen that makes it difficult to see the speed and the tachometer when riding.

What the Katana does have in spades, however, is character. The nostalgia that it oozes is simply exhilarating. Any ’90s kid like me, even remotely into superbikes, knows of the Katana. Seeing an icon being resurrected with all the bells and whistles we’ve come to expect from the world of motorcycling today is a feeling like none other.

Not many neo-retros can do this, and if you’re looking for that hit, the Katana is the most potent. Like a buddy of mine said, it’s the sound of the inline-four that gets you, and it’s the sharp design that keeps you. Like the Katana on a Samurai’s belt, there’s no mistaking it. You know what it is and who that is from a mile away.