Suzuki has launched its third 'big bike' offering in India, in the form of its retro-styled litre-class bike, the Katana. Priced at Rs 13.61 lakh, it plugs the gap between the V-Strom 650XT and the Hayabusa in Suzuki's India line-up.

• Available in two colour options

• 999cc inline-four engine makes 152hp, 106Nm

Suzuki Katana: modern under that '80s skin

Styled after its 1980s predecessor but underpinned by modern machinery, the Katana sits in a class of its own. The inline-four engine configuration is, arguably, the most sought-after layout in the context of Indian ‘big bikes’ and the Katana uses a 999cc, liquid-cooled, inline-four cylinder engine derived from the legendary K5 GSXR-1000, making 152hp at 11,000rpm and 106Nm at 9,250rpm.

For this year, the engine has been endowed with new camshafts, valve springs as well as updates to the airbox and exhaust system, to make it meet Euro 5/BS6 emission norms.

A fully adjustable front fork and a monoshock adjustable for preload and rebound damping, both supplied by Kayaba, are on duty here. Twin radially mounted Brembo calipers clamp down on 310mm discs at the front. 

The electronic rider aids comprise a bi-directional quickshifter, five levels of traction control (plus the option to switch it off entirely) and three throttle maps to manage the engine’s power delivery. All of these aids are controlled via an LCD display – more basic than the TFT units we see on most modern machines. 

While the 825mm seat height shouldn't be a deal-breaker, the low 140mm of ground clearance will have to be dealt with caution over our pothole-infested and speedbreaker-strewn roads.

A few other small but handy features include Suzuki’s low-RPM assist which prevents stalling the bike at low speeds, as well as Suzuki’s Easy Start System which turns the engine over with just a single press of the starter button. 

India will get the Katana with the choice of two paint options, Metallic Matt Stellar Blue and Metallic Mystic Silver, both priced the same.

Suzuki Katana: price, rivals

Its retro-inspired styling and the fairly hefty price tag mean that the Katana sits in a niche of its own. This is further exemplified by its rather hefty Rs 13.61 lakh price tag, which makes it a good deal more expensive than the Rs 11.86 lakh Ninja 1000SX – arguably its closest rival.

Do you think the Katana justifies its asking price? Let us know in the comments section below.