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Suzuki Motorcycle India launched its third big bike offering Katana in India. The new Katana plugs the gap between V-Strom 650XT and Hayabusa—two other models in this range.

Named after the famed Japanese sword wielded by a Samurai in combat, Katana follows a design template inspired by the same.

2022 Suzuki Katana styling: modern blended into retro

The styling of the 2022 Suzuki Katana, the latest iteration of its naked sports bike, harks back to the original Katana of the 1980s but is underpinned by modern machinery.

The bike features a hexagonal projector LED headlamp cluster with a short windscreen mounted on top of it. It also has LED DRLs integrated into a centrally mounted horizontal bar within the headlamp cluster.

The front end of the motorcycle is encased within a quarter-fairing, improving its aerodynamic properties and giving it a distinct appeal.

Katana’s legacy is further established with the sharp creases and cuts along the motorcycle’s body panel. Other visual highlights include a muscular fuel tank, a single-piece contoured seat, a floating tail section and colour-coded alloy wheels. 

Overall a perfect blend of modern and retro elements, Suzuki is offering two colour options for the latest version of Katana in India namely Metallic Matt Stellar Blue and Metallic Mystic Silver.

Powertrain specs

Powering the 2022 Katana is a 999cc inline-four cylinder liquid-cooled motor that pumps out 150 bhp at 11,000 rpm and a peak torque of 106 Nm at 9,250 rpm.

The motorcycle’s engine has been derived from Suzuki’s K5 GSXR-1000 and is mated to a six-speed constant-mesh gearbox with an upgraded slip and assist clutch.

In fact, Suzuki has also made some tweaks to its equipment. The company has added an updated suite of electronics called Suzuki Intelligent Ride System (SIRS) to the 2022 Katana comprising features like a revised five-level traction control system, a ride-by-wire throttle, low-RPM assist and three riding modes. It also features a bi-directional quick-shifter as standard.

The 2022 Katana also benefits from a fully digital instrument cluster that gets a new ‘night mode’ for better visibility. The LCD console displays readouts for the speedometer, odometer, trip metre, gear indicator and engine temperature. 

Hardware specs

The new Katana is underpinned by a twin-spar aluminium alloy frame, making it lighter and suitable for a high-end performance bike, suspended on upside-down forks up front and a linked mono-shock at the rear tuned for adjustable rebound damping and spring preload.

The bike gets twin front discs and single rear disc brakes complemented by a dual-channel ABS. The flagship naked street racer rolls on 17-inch alloys shod with 120/70 front and 190/50 rear tyres.