Suzuki and the Katana

Not all motorcycle companies started out by manufacturing motorcycles, or even bicycles for that matter. Some motorcycle companies – Suzuki specifically, actually started out far away from anything close to motorcycles – by making cotton and silk. And yet, despite no connection whatsoever with the machines they build today, Suzuki is known globally as one of the foremost names in motorcycles.

Suzuki’s slogan “Way of life” tells it all and tells how they became the name they are today.

But don’t let the simplicity of the slogan fool you into thinking that it means only making motorcycles. Suzuki’s “way of life” is more than that. They are not simply about “making” or manufacturing but more about evolving, changing, improving & adapting. That is the Suzuki way of life – to never stay in one spot but rather to go forth and conquer new territories, breach new boundaries and cross new lines. You see this in their history from making cotton and silk, then making cars, then bicycles with clip on motors, then motorcycles, then boats, then more cars and motorcycles, then racing, then being the fastest in the world, then being dominant globally; there is no end to Suzuki’s ever changing, ever evolving plethora of breakthroughs and innovations the span multiple industries, countries and generations.

And one innovation that speaks so well of this “way of life” is its legendary motorcycle called “Katana”. The name is born from the age of the Samurai & the long single edge sword they used to carve out Japanese history. Its birth name was GSX1100S in 1981 and it was, in modern words – highly influential in both design and engineering. Riders all over the world clamoured its high level performance that was wrapped in such a unique and impressive style. A style that was nothing short of a close derivative of the sword it was named after. Contemporaries at the time looked nothing like it and that is the reason for its longevity through the decades.

Recently in 2020, the Katana was reborn and it has shed its 20 year old technology and skin in favor of the highest possible light-weight, lightning fast, cutting edge design and up to date tech available in the market. In its heart is a high-performance 999 cubic centimeter, liquid-cooled, inline-four engine shared from the racing bred GSX-R1000 and custom-tuned for street use. It is wrapped in a body that pays respectable homage to the original Katana design and this is something that is not easy to pull off but Suzuki has done so in spades. Precision fuel injection controlled by advanced engine control management keeps the beating heart in top form through the rev range and tuned to perfection with the Suzuki Exhaust Tuning (SET) system. Everything is held together by an aluminum frame propped up by a lightweight & ruggedly braced aluminum swingarm at the back & fully adjustable KYB inverted forks up front. Owners are treated to not just design nostalgia but also modern amenities like 3-mode traction control system, Low RPM Assist, Easy Start System, Back-torque limiting clutch, ABS, & a host of other fun tech toys to make the experience of looking retro while feeling 20th century. And last but not the least, let us not forget that signature design with its sloping lines, sharp angular corners, and headlight front assembly that is unmistakably 20th century Katana.

When one looks for carving out a way of life that is your own and no one else’s, do not use a blunt edged tool. Use a sharply designed Suzuki Katana and make your own history as the Samurais did – a history that speaks of your personal “way of life.”

Suzuki Katanas are sold at an SRP of P817,000. Visit your nearest Wheeltek Suzuki bigbikes showroom and we guarantee you heart will skip a beat the second you see it. And to give you a fun little jumpstart, Wheeltek is selling the Katana at the moment for only P777,000 (P40k less than SRP) will throw in one Arai Katana designed Helmet (worth 45k, by the way), one Go Pro Hero 8 acton camera and 1000 Shell points. It doesn’t get any better than that.

For more information, visit wheeltek.com.ph or visit us on Facebook at “Wheeltek Nationwide”.

You may also visit any of the Wheeltek Suzuki BigBikes Showrooms nationwide: Makati – 09155390205 I Cabanatuan – 0998-842-3159 I Pampanga – 09437093673 I Pangasinan – 09338271952 I Davao – 09427428754 | 09163602342

Letsridena!