Suzuki

Suzuki Celebrates 100th Anniversary

from https://auto.ndtv.com Michio Suzuki founded the Suzuki Loom Manufacturing Company in March 15,1920, and over the years expanded its business from looms to motorcycles, automobiles, outboard motors, and ATVs. Suzuki Motor Corporation is celebrating its 100th anniversary this month. Currently the third-largest manufacture in Japan, it was on this day, March 15, in 1920, when Michio Suzuki founded the Suzuki Loom Manufacturing Company. Over the years, the company expanded its business from looms to motorcycles, automobiles, outboard motors, and ATVs, and right now, it has 35 production facilities in 23 countries and 133 distributors in 192 countries. To celebrate its centenary, the company has created a new website that walks us through the biggest highlights, iconic launches, and achivements of the company, over the last century. While Michio Suzuki founded the Suzuki Loom Manufacturing Company 1920, it also started 11 years before that in 1909 with Suzuki Loom Works in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Later, in 1920, it was recognised, incorporated and capitalized at 500,000 Yen, which is approximately ₹ 3.42 lakh as per current exchange rates. However, it was 32 years later, in 1952, that Suzuki entered the world of motor vehicles with the launch of the Power Free 36 cc, 2-stroke motorised bicycle, and two years later changed the company’s name to Suzuki Motor Company. In March 1955, the automaker introduced its first motorcycle, the Suzuki Colleda 125 cc 4-stroke bike, and the same year, in October, the company debuted its first four-wheeler Suzulight. The car was powered by a 360 cc engine and was in production from 1955 to 1969. In 1961 the company also introduced pick-up trucks and vans under the brand, which were called Suzulight Carry. It was manufactured at the company’s new plant in Toyokawa, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The Carry brand name is still […]

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London Motorcycle Show on the horizon

by Fraser Addecott from https://www.mirror.co.uk/ Check out all the latest machinery, plus a whole lot more, at the capital’s big bike fest The post-Christmas winter months are probably not most bikers’ favourite time of the year – seeming cold, wet and miserable. One bright spot on the horizon, however, is the ever-popular London Motorcycle Show. This annual extravaganza continues to go from strength to strength and the 2020 edition looks like being no exception. Alongside the latest machines from the world’s leading manufacturers, visitors will be able to see explosive live-action racing, rare classic machines, biking celebrities and a UK-exclusive celebration of iconic racer Barry Sheene. All the new models from AJS, BMW, CCM, CF Moto, Ducati, Ecooter, Honda, Husqvarna, Indian, Kawasaki, KTM, Mutt Motorcycles, MV Agusta, Royal Enfield, Suzuki, Triumph, Yamaha and Zero will be on show. Nine of Sheene’s legendary race machines (including his two title-winning bikes) are being flown in from Australia specially for the show. And teammate Steve Parrish and Suzuki chief technician during Sheene’s winning years will be onstage sharing insight and anecdotes. Race fans will be kept enthralled with a completely revamped Michelin Thunderdrome live-action event once again taking over the centre of the show. The free races will see the world’s fastest road racer Peter Hickman going head-to-head with fellow Isle of Man TT competitors John McGuinness, Michael Rutter and James Hillier. Visitors can purchase a VIP paddock pass, which allows them access to the racing stars and an unbeatable view of the action. Alongside that, the Classic TT will officially be launched at the show, while, in between races, John McGuinness will be found propping up the bar at his own pub. The 23-time Isle of Man TT winner will be pulling pints and sharing tales from his incredible career with punters

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Could Kawasaki Be Planning A GPz900R Comeback?

by Justin Hughes from https://www.rideapart.com It’s wild speculation time. Retro bikes are all the rage these days. As a GenXer whose first several bikes were UJMs from the early 1980s, I appreciate it. I am the market these bikes are trying to tap into. While the Suzuki Katana is one of the first to apply the retro formula to a true sportbike, I suspect that there may be another one potentially on the horizon: a remade Kawasaki GPz900R. The original GPz900R became famous in the original Top Gun as Tom Cruise raced an F-14 Tomcat down the runway. The trailer for Top Gun: Maverick shows him riding the same bike (albeit without a helmet, which is not only a bad idea but something the Navy would never allow him to do in the real world). We also know that he’ll be riding an H2R in the movie, so clearly Maverick isn’t against upgrading his ride while staying loyal to the Kawasaki brand. Kawasaki has also found success with the Z900RS retro naked bike. It has classic 1980s styling, yet packs all the performance and safety features you want in a modern motorcycle. I absolutely loved the Z900RS I rode last summer at a demo day. So did Kate, who would opt for the Z900RS Cafe. The standard Z900 is also a great bike, but the retro version is what speaks to me. With Suzuki throwing down the gauntlet with the Katana, there may be room out there for a competing retro sportbike. The Katana has a larger 999 cc engine, and Kawasaki would have to choose between competing against it with a Ninja 1000-based literbike or remaining true to the original GPz900R’s displacement. Either choice could be a winning proposition, particularly with Top Gun: Maverick providing a perfect opportunity to

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Suzuki Katana is the stuff that teenage biker dreams were made of

by Dries van der Walt from https://www.wheels24.co.za/ Let’s take a step back in time to 1981 when Suzuki caused a sensation with the most outrageous bike the world had seen up to then: the revolutionary GSX1100S Katana. When the Katana was launched, it changed street motorcycle trends in one fell stroke. In fact, the Katana’s influence is still evident in motorcycle designs 38 years down the line. Tickling the fancy Design by German design legend Hans Muth (who turned the ungainly-looking BMW ‘/5’ series bikes into classic beauties), the Katana was the stuff that my teenage dreams were made of, and when the new iteration came around I wasn’t going to allow the opportunity to test its modern iteration, so I added my name to a lengthy waiting list for the opportunity to review one. The new Katana, launched earlier this year but classified as a 2020 model, was also penned by an independent designer, Rodolfo Frascoli, who was also responsible for Triumph’s Speed Triple and Tiger 1050. Frascoli’s 2017 design concept tickled Suzuki’s fancy, and they greenlighted the GSX-S1000-based concept for production with very little revision to the underlying platform. Hitting the sweet spot Design-wise the new Katana is a worthy successor to the original. The lines that were so radically different in 1981 have aged well, and several younger onlookers who had never seen the original remarked positively on the bike’s looks. One unintended compliment that summarised how well the bike has captured its predecessor’s appearance came from a young hipster, who said: “I love it, except for the headlamp – it looks so… eighties!”Like the GSX-S1000, the Katana is a practical everyday sportbike. The seating position hits the sweet spot between sporty and neutral so that you only need to lower your upper body to transition from

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Alex Martin Charges to Podium Finish with SCORPION™ MX Tires in Front of Home Crowd at Spring Creek

Privateer John Short Captures Career-Best Finish in the 450 Class MILLVILLE, Min. (July 23, 2019) – The eighth round of the 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship kicked off under heavy thunderstorms at Spring Creek Motocross Park for the annual Spring Creek National. Following the morning rain, Pirelli riders opted to run the SCORPION™ MX32™ Mid Soft front and SCORPION™ MX Soft rear tires in both the 250 Class and 450 Class. JGRMX/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing’s Alex Martin raced to his best finish of the season in front of his home crowd, while TPJ Racing’s John Short earned a career-best result. Alex Martin collected his first podium overall of the season for the JGRMX team at Spring Creek. | Photo – Browndogwilson As the gate dropped on the opening 250 Class moto, Martin completed the opening lap in third aboard his Suzuki RM-Z250 and set his sights on the riders in front of him. With the 30-minute-plus-two-lap moto winding down, Martin closed in on second, eventually making the pass and holding the position until the checkered flag for his third podium of the season. At the onset of the 250 Moto 2, Martin launched out of the gate with his SCORPION™ MX tires and narrowly missed out on the holeshot, but was forced off of the track exiting the first turn and rejoined the race just outside of the top five. Martin continued his march towards the front, picking off riders one-by-one until he got into second. At the conclusion of the moto, race officials made the decision to dock Martin a single position for his excursion off of the track in turn one, giving him third in the moto. The 2-3 scores helped Martin capture a season-best second place overall. Pirelli riders got off to strong starts with the SCORPION™ MX

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