Two test mules of a mysterious Suzuki adventure
tourer motorcycles have been spied during their road testing somewhere in
Europe. The launch of the all-new Suzuki Katana clearly indicates that Suzuki
is looking at bringing back the classics. The design of the two test mules is
resemblant of the DR Big 750S, which is said to make a comeback in 2020. Like
the DR Big 750S, the test mules spied in Europe feature a boxy headlamp design.
The headlamp is a full-LED unit, while the blinkers appear to be conventional
units.
The semi-fairing design is accompanied by a
tall-windscreen that enhances the touring persona of the motorcycle. The beak
design at the front adds an adventure-friendly look to the package. However,
the bikes are road-biased models as they are equipped with alloy wheels instead
of wire-spoke wheels. The tall-set handlebars will offer upright, touring friendly
ergonomics. The footpegs are positioned in such a way that they offer a proper
riding stance while standing up during off-roading.
The wheels, like the Suzuki V-Strom 1000, should
carry the 19-inch front and 17-inch rear combination to offer a balance between
on- and off-road riding. Suzuki will most likely introduce an off-road biased
version of the upcoming motorcycle and equip it with wire-spoke wheels wrapped
in tubeless tyres.
Propelling tasks will most likely be performed by
the 1,037cc DOHC, 90° V-twin, liquid-cooled engine that makes 101 PS of power
at 8,000 rpm and 101 Nm of peak torque at as low as 4,000 rpm in the Suzuki
V-Strom 1000. The DR badge motorcycle could have a revised gear ratio and a new
engine map. It will be safe to assume that the bike will arrive with Euro-V
compliance.
Braking department will include dual discs at the
front and a single unit at the rear while the safety net will most definitely
include switchable-ABS and traction control. Ride-by-wire tech for different
riding modes is a given.
The feature list is likely to include a
fully-digital instrument console offering Bluetooth connectivity to control
various functions like incoming calls, rider-to-pillion or rider-to-rider
communication system and music. The display could integrate turn-by-turn
navigation as well.
The road-biased model in the spy images will compete
with the likes of BMW F750GS and Tiger XC, while the off-road spec variant will
rival the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin.