Suzuki has unveiled its complete 2019 street lineup, featuring a new SV650X cafe racer and adventure- and tour-ready V-Strom XT models, at the Intermot Expo in Cologne, Germany.
It also announced plans to bring the retro-licious Katana to the U.S. as a 2020 model, available sometime in 2019.
2020 Suzuki Katana
The original Katana 1100 was introduced in 1981, with futuristic (remember, it was the early ’80s) styling wrapped around a big-bore inline-four sportbike engine, and today it remains a cult favorite for early sportbike enthusiasts.
Suzuki teased a reboot of the Katana at EICMA last year, and now they’ve confirmed it will become a reality. The 2020 Katana features styling cues that pay direct homage to the 1981 original, and it’s built around the potent GSX-R1000 999cc inline-four.
Suzuki also says it will be equipped with “a variety of advanced electronics” like traction control, Easy Start and Low RPM Assist. It also mentions a twin-spar aluminum frame, braced superbike-style swingarm, KYB suspension, dual front Brembo Monobloc four-piston calipers, 310mm floating rotors and a model-specific LCD panel.
MSRP is not yet available, nor is a specific launch time frame; Suzuki is only saying it will be sometime in 2019.
Check out Rider’s Guide to New/Updated Street Motorcycles for 2019
2019 Suzuki SV650X
Leading the new 2019 lineup is the SV650X, a cafe racer version of the popular SV650. The new X variation features a headlight cowl and side panels that mimic a half-fairing, clip-on handlebars, a brown stitched appearance seat and new four-piston front brake calipers.
Meanwhile the SV650 and SV650 ABS are back with new color schemes as well as new four-piston Tokico front brake calipers.
MSRP on the SV650X is $8,399, and it will be available in dealerships in January 2019.
The 2019 SV650 ABS will be available in new Glass Sparkle Black with a metallic blue frame and wheels for $7,499, and will be in dealerships in January 2019.
The 2019 SV650 will be available in new Metallic Oort Gray with a metallic red frame and wheels for $7,099, and will be in dealerships in December 2018.
2019 Suzuki V-Strom 1000XT Adventure
Kicking off the V-Strom lineup for 2019 is the V-Strom 1000XT Adventure, a street-oriented ADV bike equipped with just about everything you need for your next adventure.
The Adventure now includes a pair of 37-liter aluminum side cases that easily clip on and off their stainless steel mounts, along with its accessory bar, center stand and heated grips.
It also features a 5-axis IMU that provides information to its ABS and Combined Brake System, selectable traction control, a hand-adjustable windscreen and off-road-ready tubeless spoked wheels.
The 2019 V-Strom 1000XT Adventure will be available in new Pearl Vigor Blue/Pearl Glacier White with blue wheels for $14,599, and will be in dealerships in January 2019.
If you don’t need the extra goodies and luggage, the 2019 V-Strom 1000 also features the IMU, ABS/Combined Braking, traction control and windscreen, and it retails for $12,999. It will be available in a new Candy Daring Red color with black cast aluminum wheels, in January 2019.
2019 Suzuki V-Strom 650XT Touring
The V-Strom 650XT is now available in two configurations, the standard version and the new Touring.
The 650XT Touring is ready to go with tubeless spoked wheels, removable plastic side cases, an accessory bar, hand guards, a lower engine cowl and a center stand. It also features a hand-adjustable windscreen, traction control, Easy Start, Low RPM Assist and ABS.
For 2019 it comes in new Candy Daring Red for $9,999, and will be available in January 2019.
The standard 650XT includes the tubeless spoked wheels, hand guards, lower engine cowl and hand-adjustable windscreen, and it comes in a new Pearl Glacier White for $9,299. It will be available in November 2018.
The base model V-Strom 650, meanwhile, does away with the hand guards, engine cowl and spoked wheels. It comes in Glass Sparkle Black with cast aluminum wheels for $8,799, and will be available in November 2018.
The complete list of remaining new 2019 street models for Suzuki is as follows:
2019 Suzuki GSX-R1000R – new adjustable swingarm pivot and stainless steel brake lines.
- Colors: Metallic Triton Blue and new Glass Sparkle Black/Pearl Red Mira
- Price: TBD
- Availability: February 2019
2019 Suzuki GSX-R1000X
- Colors: Pearl Glacier White/Glass Sparkle Black or Glass Sparkle Black/Metallic Matte Black
- Price: TBD
- Availability: February 2019
2019 Suzuki GSX-R750
- Colors: Glass Sparkle Black/Pearl Glacier White or Metallic Matte Black/Glass Sparkle Black
- Price: $12,499
- Availability: December 2018
2019 Suzuki GSX-R600
- Colors: Glass Sparkle Black or Pearl Glacier White
- Price: $11,399
- Availability: December 2018
2019 Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa
- Colors: Metallic Oort Gray or Glass Sparkle Black
- Price: $14,799
- Availability: December 2018
2019 Suzuki GSX-S1000FZ – replaces the GSX-S1000F for 2019
- Color: Metallic Matte Black
- Price: $11,599
- Availability: January 2019
2019 Suzuki GSX250R ABS
- Color: Metallic Crystal Blue/Pearl Glacier White
- Price: $4,899
- Availability: November 2018
2019 Suzuki GSX250R
- Colors: Candy Cardinal Red/Pearl Nebular Black or new Metallic Crystal Blue/Pearl Glacier White
- Price: $4,599
- Availability: November 2018
2019 Suzuki GSX-S750Z
- Colors: Matte Metallic Black
- Price: $8,499
- Availability: November 2018
2019 Suzuki GSX-S1000
- Color: Pearl Glacier White
- Price: $11,099
- Availability: January 2019
2019 Suzuki GSX-S1000Z
- Color: Metallic Matte Black
- Price: $11,099
- Availability: January 2019
2019 Suzuki Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S.
- Colors: new Glass Sparkle Black/Candy Daring Red or Pearl Glacier White/Pearl Vigor Blue
- Price: $15,149
- Availability: November 2018
2019 Suzuki Boulevard M90
- Colors: new Metallic Thunder Gray/Glass Sparkle Black or Glass Sparkle Black
- Price: $11,349
- Availability: November 2018
2019 Suzuki Boulevard C90 B.O.S.S.
- Colors: new Metallic Matte Fibrion Gray or Glass Sparkle Black
- Price: $12,549
- Availability: November 2018
2019 Suzuki Boulevard M50
- Color: new Metallic Matte Fibrion Gray
- Price: $8,699
- Availability: November 2018
2019 Suzuki Boulevard C50
- Colors: new Metallic Mystic Silver or Glass Sparkle Black
- Price: $8,299
- Availability: December 2018
2019 Suzuki Boulevard S40
- Colors: new Metallic Oort Gray or Metallic Triton Blue
- Price: $5,799
- Availability: December 2018
2019 Suzuki C90T Touring
- Color: Bright Metallic Mystic Silver
- Price: $13,049
- Availability: November 2018
2019 Suzuki Boulevard C50T Touring
- Color: Rich Glass Sparkle Black
- Price: $9,499
- Availability: November 2018
2019 Suzuki TU250X
- Colors: new Glass Sparkle Black with blue stripes or Glass Sparkle Black/Pearl Glacier White with yellow, orange and red stripes
- Price: $4,649
- Availability: November 2018 (note: not available in California)
2019 Suzuki Burgman 400
- Color: new Metallic Matte Stellar Blue
- Price: $8,199
- Availability: November 2018
2019 Suzuki Burgman 200
- Color: new Matte Metallic Black
- Price: $4,999
- Availability: November 2018
Granted, the top of the line-up (liter bikes) is already a bit crowded but an SV1000X, in the style of the new SV650X, would seem to be an alternative for all of us an hour’s (or a day’s) drive from a Ducati or KTM dealer.
No new Hayabusa?! Time to switch to Kawasaki i guess.
So much for an all new 20th Anniversary Hayabusa!! I love my 2009, the look, power, handling but ABS/Brembo’s aside its still the same bike. Even an offering in homage livery (silver & copper or silver & blue) would have made things more interesting.
I just read the review in the 2002-2012 DL 1000. I managed to pick up an ’02 model with 12,700 miles on it, from the original owner about six months ago.
It’s true; the bike is oriented more toward street use, but I live on a dirt/gravel road and the bike handles the rough spots just fine.
I will say the 33 inch seat height was a problem for me, and I lowered the bike nearly two inches, initially, in order to get the saddle down to a point where I wasn’t using a ladder to get aboard!
As I broke in the saddle, and it compressed from having my fat a** on it every day, it’s gone back up an inch.
Skid plates…
Because of the position of the oil filter, and a few other critical components, if you plan on getting halfway serious about off-road, it’s a necessity. I’d go so far as to recommend a steel plate, although you will pay a weight penalty.
Don’t sweat it. It’s not going to add that much extra weight, and the extra protection certainly won’t hurt! My bike came with case protectors, and I believe these are also a must-have.
“Chudder” was mentioned. Yep. Got it. Get down into the low rpm band in low gear, and you think your teeth are about to take a vacation. It’s annoying as hell, but not something that detracts from the overall performance of the bike. I think your biggest problem would be things getting loose over time from the excess vibration.
So much for negatives.
On the plus side… this thing handles very nicely in the pavement. Cornering to the point where I’m nearly dragging a footpeg at 70 mph in a turn posted for 40 is no big deal. Coming onto the throttle from low speeds and up through the gearbox is intuitive, and smooth as silk (at least for me). And tooling along in sixth gear at 65, behind something you feel the need to bypass? Don’t bother downshifting. Just grab a handful of throttle and hang on. About three seconds later you’ll find yourself pushing triple digits if you don’t back out of it. Very nice.
I think I’ll hang on to this bike for awhile. For what I paid for it, ($2800 from the original owner), and the little bit I’ve put into it since, for me it’s a keeper.