Suzuki Katana (2023) Review

Cuts like a razorblade

The 80’s were a wild time for bikes, the industry was seeing the rapid departure of the upright cruiser and was heading towards race-inspired sportsbikes. Movies like TopGun would popularise sports bikes even further with legends such as the GPZ and give us names that evoked imagery of the culture from whence they came.

Related: Suzuki GSX S1000 GT (2022) Review

Ninja, Blade, and Shadow were bandied about a lot but there was one that struck fear into the hearts of all…. Katana

The Suzuki Katana of the 80’s was a thing of beauty, the bold square headlight with its swept-back fairings and exposed 4-into-1 exhaust. There was no mistaking the Katana for anything else and many a poster adorned the walls of bedrooms around the world as this was THE bike to have.

Skip forward a few decades and Suzuki has resurrected the Katana nameplate and placed it onto a bike that shares many of the same traits as its namesake and elicits the very same reactions from young and old alike but for somewhat different reasons. We spent a week with this silent assassin to see if it still cuts like the blade that it is named after.

 

Styling

The Katana does one thing very well, it seamlessly blends its hard stocky lines into smooth flowing ones. That is to say that the Katana looks blocky and square yet when you stand back it all blends together into a stylish and modern and retro-looking package.

The front end is really where the magic happens, Suzuki has moulded a square LED headlight into beautiful flowing curves of the front fairing that makes the Katana instantly recognisable. The tail section is neat and tidy if not a little square and bland and I can’t say that I am a fan of the number plate mounting arrangement.

Outside of the Katana kanji on the side and a set of gold wheels that pair beautifully with the matt blue paintwork, there isn’t much else that separates this from a GSX.

 

Tech

Although the Katana may seem devoid of tech at first glance, Suzuki has very cleverly hidden all that keeps this blade from cutting you, away. The only hint of what lies beneath is the LCD screen that gives you all the machine info, perched just in front of the handlebars.

SIRS (Suzuki Intelligent Rider System) which includes a ride-by-wire throttle and traction control with three levels of attack, keeps riders upright and heading in the right direction while Suzuki’s One Touch Start and Low RPM Assist keep the engine ticking over. One point of concern is that the screen does become a little cumbersome to read in certain lighting conditions and information is difficult to decipher at a glance.

 

Engine and Drivetrain

Suzuki has stuck with what works and the old K5 motor has been reworked ever so slightly and now offers up 110kW and 108Nm. The 1000cc power plant features a slick-shifting 6-speed transmission with its up-and-down quickshifter and slipper clutch making sporty riding a breeze.

The KYB suspension takes care of the bumps and even two up, holds its own in corners and busy city streets. Brembo brakes up front and Nissin in the rear, check up the Katana progressively while ABS and the aforementioned traction control ensure a controlled stop and confident cornering every time.

 

Let’s Ride

Outside of the normal jaunts around the city and runs to the office, the real test of the Katana came when we decided to do the 2022 Toy Run. Loaded two up and surrounded by thousands of other bikes we ventured out onto the highways and byways.

For a machine that is really designed for solo riding in the city, the Katana handled a passenger and low-speed activity very well. The quick shifter made keeping the engine in the right rev range super easy while crawling along and really helped with not having to pull a clutch lever every few seconds. The torque delivery was excellent with the bike pulling rider and passenger along at slow speed. When the road opened up, the Katana shined, easily getting up to highway speed and dropping into corners like a track bike. In short, it is a fantastic riding experience and turned heads wherever we went.

 

Pro’s and Con’s

• Retro styling
• Beautiful paint work
• Excellent quick shifter
• Torquey rev band
• Comfortable

 

• LCD screen difficult to read
• No wind protection

 

Model and Pricing

  Suzuki Katana           R 229 900

* Pricing correct at time of publication and subject to change without notice

 

Verdict

The Katana is a wonderful piece of kit that appeals to the 10-year-old in me, however, it must be said that if you take away the nostalgia attached to it it is very much the same as the other GSX-based offerings from the Japanese brand. At the price point, there are other brands that can do similar, ride-wise, even in-house, but it really will depend on whether potential buyers will buy into the sentimentality and want a piece of their youth back. The Katana is a great bike but will it stand the test of time against other offerings like the GSX R, GSX S, and GT? Only time will tell.