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Suzuki Hints The Possible Return Of The Katana Nameplate; To Unveil New Motorcycle At Intermot 2018
Suzuki has released the first teaser video of their brand new motorcycle. The teaser hints the possible return of the ‘Katana’ nameplate.
Suzuki Motorcycles has teased the launch of a new motorcycle at the Intermot International Motorcycle Expo. The Expo is scheduled to start from the 3rd October and will be held in Cologne, Germany.
Suzuki has released the first teaser video of their new motorcycle. Although the 22-second video does not show even a glimpse of the upcoming motorcycle, it does, however, showcase a sword being forged. The video also ends by simply stating 'Feel the Edge'.
The video has now started rumours, with the sword being a direct reference to the legendary 'Katana' nameplate. Rumours also suggest that Suzuki is planning to reintroduce the Katana name for its latest motorcycle which is scheduled to be unveiled at the Intermot 2018.
Apart from the 22-second teaser video, no other details of the new motorcycle have been revealed.
The original Suzuki Katana sports bike was first introduced in the late 1970s. It was designed by a small team led by Hans Muth, who was a former BMW Design head. The Katana nameplate was later taken over by the brand's GSX1100SZ offering.
The design concentrated more on aerodynamics and improved stability at high speeds. The design team followed the philosophy that a motorcycle should be designed as compact as possible with close fitting components.
When the motorcycle was introduced for the first time, the Katana offered a radical design, completely different from anything Suzuki had offered before. The motorcycle came with sharp lines and an edgy-styling, along with a performance to match.
At one point, Suzuki even claimed the GSX1100SZ Katana was the fastest mass-production motorcycle in the market in 1980. The motorcycle offered immense performance figures, with excellent handling as well.
However, towards the end of its life cycle, the Katana became more of a Sports Tourer, rather than a superbike.This wasn't received well by enthusiast, with Suzuki ultimately stopping its production in 2006.
Suzuki, earlier this year trademarked the Katana name and logo. This was the third time, the company has registered the name since 2010. The company even unveiled a concept motorcycle, with the name ‘Katana 3.0' last year, further fueling speculations of its return.
Thoughts On The New Motorcycle From Suzuki
Suzuki has stated that the new motorcycle will be brand new and part of a completely new category. The company is expected to unveil the motorcycle at the Intermot 2018, scheduled to be held between the 3rd and 7th October 2018.
Between now and the official unveil, Suzuki will be releasing four teasers. The remaining teasers will hopefully showcase more details of their new motorcycle.