Suzuki Motorcycles

About Suzuki

Suzuki Motor Corporation is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Minami-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan, which specializes in manufacturing automobiles, four-wheel drive vehicles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines.

In 1909, Michio Suzuki (1887–1982) founded the Suzuki Loom Works in the small seacoast village of Hamamatsu, Japan. He was making looms, did some cars for a short time, faced cotton market collapse in 1951 and so he came to new products.

Suzuki's first two-wheel ingenuity came in the form a bicycle fitted with a motor called, the "Power Free." Designed to be inexpensive and simple to build and maintain, the 1952 Power Free featured a 36 cc, one horsepower, two-stroke engine. An unprecedented feature was the double-sprocket gear system, enabling the rider to either pedal with the engine assisting, pedal without engine assist, or simply disconnect the pedals and run on engine power alone. The system was so ingenious that the patent office of the new democratic government granted Suzuki a financial subsidy to continue research in motorcycle engineering, and so was born Suzuki Motor Corporation.

In 1953, The Diamond Free is introduced and features double-sprocket wheel mechanism and two-speed transmission. That year Suzuki scored the first of many racing victories when the tiny 60 cc "Diamond Free" won its class in the Mount Fuji Hill Climb.

By 1954, Suzuki had officially changed its name to Suzuki Motor Co., Ltd. S mark was adopted as corporate emblem in 1958.

In 1955 the Colleda COX debuts, a 125cc bike equipped with a steel frame. It features a 4-stroke OHV single-cylinder engine with three-speed transmission.

Using MZ’s technology (Ernst Degner defected to the west while racing for MZ in the Swedish Grand Prix, and he took knowledge of Walter Kaaden’s expansion chamber designs), Suzuki wins the newly created 50cc class in the World Championship. The company will win the class every year until ’67, and win the 125cc class twice in that period, too.

The T20 is released in 1965 (aka Super 6, X-6, Hustler). This two-stroke, street-going Twin is one of the fastest bikes in its class. The ‘6’ in its name(s) refers to its six-speed gearbox. The T500 ‘Titan’ (1968) is an air-cooled parallel-Twin two-stroke.

In 1971 the GT750 2-stroke surprises people with its three-cylinder liquid-cooled engine. In North America, it’s nicknamed the Water Buffalo; in the UK they call them Kettles. Also the TM400A motocrosser goes into production, a 396cc bike designed for 500cc motocross races.

With the GS750, Suzuki finally builds a 4-stroke, four-cylinder road bike in 1976.

The 779cc DR-BIG, dated by 1990, has the largest single-cylinder engine in living memory. The much-loved 16-valve, 1156cc air/oil-cooled Bandit 1200 appears on the scene in 1995.

In 1996 Suzuki calls the new GSX-R750 the ‘turning-point model’ thanks to its twin-spar frame instead of the older double-cradle frame. The engine is also redesigned and featured 3-piece crankcases, chrome-plated cylinders and a side-mount cam chain as well as Suzuki Ram Air Direct (SRAD) system.

Moto blog

Yoshimura GSX1250FA EEC Approved Slip-On End-Can

JAPANESE TUNING house Yoshimura has released a series of EEC-approved Slip-On exhausts suitable for the Suzuki Bandit GSF1250SA and the new fully-faired Suzuki GSX1250FA.At over 3kgs lighter than the OE Suzuki item, each Yoshimura Slip-On comes with the pipe work to mount to the standard front section plus all parts (including muffler clamp) required for installation. The EEC-approved silencer features two dB-killer baffles, one in the link pipe, one in the can and when both are removed power and torque are increased over stock, claim Yoshimura. With full EEC silencing both torque and power curves are identical to the standard output, but a dB-Killer in the link-pipe when used with an open exhaust gives solid gains, the company say.Part Number/Sleeve Type/Weight/RRP including VAT1A0-177-5L50 (Stainless Steel)    3.4kg  £597.751A0-177-5L80 (Titanium)              3.2kg  £666.731A0-177-5L81B (Titan Blue)*       3.2kg  £747.191A0-177-5L20 (Metal Magic)        3.4kg  £689.72For more information on this or any other Yoshimura product contact 01782 569800 or visit www.phoenixnw.co.uk to find your nearest dealer. 

Contradictory Rumors Continue to Swirl Around Hopkins’ Plans

As we reported On Jan. 15, Team Hammer, which races under the name Team M4 Suzuki, announced on Jan. 14 that John Hopkins would test a Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., on Feb.

Electric Moto Corporation

After launching their website last week, the California based Electric Moto Corporation has now announced the IPG Group as their agency of record to help increase brand awareness and bring in some investor interest.  According to their website, other then the EMAX 72 DS electric motorcycle, there is a scooter, ATV, bicycle and a personal watercraft on the drawing board. Some available specs after the jump. Weight:  210 lb Voltage:  72 V Capacity:  14 kW Top Speed:  60 mph HP (approx):  21 Torque:  40 Nm Range:  3 hrs Construction:  Aluminum Wheels (front/back):  21/19 Hubs:  Talon Brakes:  Disc/F&R Type:  Brembo Suspension:  Ohlins Price (est):  $9,995 Mitch Leonard is the newly appointed CEO of Electric Moto Corporation and has more than eighteen years in the motorcycle industry.  Leonard, credentials include working with: American Honda Racing, Pro Circuit Racing, Suzuki Racing, Yoshimura Racing, Troy Lee Designs, Showa Suspension, Ohlins Suspension and Dunlop Tire.

Volkswagen Buys 20 Percent Share in Suzuki

Months of rumors and a more credible report yesterday have culminated in the official news that Volkswagen will take a 20 percent share in Japanese automaker Suzuki, worth $2.5 billion. Volkswagen has its sights set on becoming the world’s largest automaker and with Suzuli’s small-car expertise, it hopes to make a large expansion into developing markets, like India. The news comes just a day after VW officially took a 49.9 percent stake in Porsche.

2009 Carole Nash International Motorcycle & Scooter Show [video]

NEC Birmingham 2009 – The bikes, the babes, the kit and the people. Raptors & Rockets present the 2009 Carole Nash international motorcycle & scooter show from Birmingham, UK. Check out the video highlight list and Tor Sagen’s video walk through from the 2009 NEC show.

You Know the Economy is Hurting Manufacturers When…

Yamaha Motor Co. announced Monday that it is cutting the ringers from its company rugby team. The Yamaha Jubilo rugby club competes in the Top League, the highest level Japanese Rugby Football Union pro league.  The team currently sits fifth out of 14 teams with a 3-2-2 record with a roster of 17 professional players including nine non-Japanese imports.

Best Helmet Designs from the 2009 MotoGP Season

Unlike with most athletes, motorcycle racers’ faces remain hidden during competition. Except for promotional events or pre- and post-race interviews, the faces of our racing heroes are shielded under protective helmets with tinted visors. You don’t see the same human emotion in their faces like you can when soccer players score a goal or baseball players hit a home run.

Motorcycles at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show

Two weeks ago, I took a break from my regular duties gathering news for Motorcycle.com to fly to Germany to cover the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show for our sister site AutoGuide.com. For two hectic days, AutoGuide editor Colum Wood and I scrambled across the massive 6.2 million square foot Messe Frankfurt trade fair compound, running from press conference to press conference to get the latest on exotic sport cars, futuristic concept models and international unveilings from the automotive world. It was heaven for car lovers, but for me, it meant fighting my way through hordes of photogs, auto-journalists and car show models to get the first photos of four-wheeled goodies from MINI, Ferrari and Lotus.

Ring-a-ding-a-ding-ding goes Schwantz's RGV500

LISTEN IN as veteran Suzuki GP mechanics warm-up Kevin Schwantz's title-winning RGV500, prior to his demonstration ride at Indianapolis Raceway last weekend. The former 500cc Champion lapped the Grand Prix circuit, while waving to the crowd. He even popped the odd wheelie.

Visordown mag, issue 2 just landed

The latest issue of Visordown mag just arrvied in the office, fresh from the printers. And it's looking great! This month we've got the new KTM 990SMT up against Suzuki's Kayabusa, Honda's VFR800 and BMW's K1300GT - which one is the daddy for sports touring?