Ever since it first hit the streets in 1980, Suzuki’s Katana has divided opinion.
The radical styling either hit you for six – or left you stone cold.
It was the work of the Target Design team of ex-BMW stylist Hans Muth, Jan Fellstrom and Hans-Georg Kasten.
The GSX1100S Katana they came up with was all about stream-lined aerodynamics, following many hours of wind-tunnel testing.
Everything was compact, close-fitting and moulded, with the number of components and the weight kept to an absolute minimum.
But it wasn’t just about looks.
At launch, Suzuki claimed the Katana was the fastest mass-production bike in the world.
But with older models seeing a resurgence among classics fans, Suzuki decided it was time for a revival.
This new Katana certainly looks the part and has, once again, divided opinion, with numerous nods to the original.
The tail section, in particular, with the swingarm-mounted numberplate hanger has come under scrutiny
Some find it ugly, but others, myself included, love the uncluttered look.
In truth, this bike is a GSX1000S, with some rather minor design tweaks.
The ride position is more upright and forward, due to a narrower, higher seat and upswept, one-piece bars.
There’s a good-sized LCD display. Speed, tacho and gear selection are clear enough, but the other info in the bottom right is cluttered and difficult to decipher at a glance.
In fact, the whole thing was a bit difficult to read in bright sunshine and a decent TFT screen would have made all the difference.
The GSX-S is a great bike and, as that is essentially what you’re riding here, you can’t fault the Katana.
The suspension on this bike is a bit firmer at the front and softer at the rear, to compensate for the extra weight over the front wheel.
It’s all adjustable and might need a bit of tweaking to get just right, but after that, steering and handling are sharp and reliable.
The excellent engine is from the GSX-R and tuned to give a bit more mid-range torque.
At low speeds, the throttle can be a bit snatchy, but other than that, it’s a sublime motor, with oodles of torque and power.
It also sounds delightful through that stubby exhaust.
Gear changes are slick, there’s three ride modes and four-stage traction control.
Braking is via Brembo calipers, with Bosch ABS and is powerful and controlled.
There’s also LED lighting, a one-push starter button and an anti-stall system. Weirdly though, I managed to stall it – twice.
An extra grand for a – slightly – upgraded GSX-S might sound a lot.
But hey, it’s a Katana and, as ever, you either love it or hate it – and I love it.
