SUZUKI KATANA

Suzuki's all-new litre-class motorcycle marks the revival of an old legend in spectacular fashion

- ABHAY VERMA

SUZUKI KATANA

Engine: 999ce, inline four cylinder, liquid-cooled Power: 152PS @1000rpm Torque 106Nm @ 9250rpm Gearbox: Six-speed Weight: 217kg Price: ₹13.61 lakh ex showroom

There are few things that match the feel of riding a litre-class motorcycle fast, especially one powered by an inline four-cylinder engine screaming towards its redline. This feeling gets even more special when the motorcycle is a Japanese one. Sadly though, launches of such motorcycles are less than a trickle for us, but every time there's a new one coming to our shores, enthusiasts' ears perk up.

Like the new Suzuki Katana. It's a motorcycle that has big shoes to fill, as the original Katana that was launched way back in 1981 was a cult classic. Not many would also know that the original Katana was the world's fastest production motorcycle at one point in time, even if not for very long. Thanks to the purported 'gentlemen's' agreement, top speeds in excess of 300kmph have become a thing of the past in the motorcycling world, ridding the new Katana of the challenge.