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

Chris Ulrich Takes Passengers on Charity Record Ride

During the eighth annual Roadracing World Action Fund (RWAF) at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, Team M4 Hammer GEICO Suzuki rider Chris Ulrich felled every existing record for a two-up track riding charity event During the course of the two-day event Ulrich, on his GEICO Suzuki GSX-R1000,  carried 71 passengers around the Speedway 213 times for a total of 489.9 miles. This beats previous RWAF records for most two-up rides and also sets new fund-raiser records for most laps completed in one day with a passenger (114) and over two days (213), plus the most miles ridden in one day with a passenger (262.2 vs. 248.4) and over two days (489.9 vs. 432.2 miles).

Sixteener wheeler

Dunno 'bout you but most of my sixteenth year was spent picking gravel out of my knees. I think I probably fell of my Fizzie at least once a week. All of it was my fault, of course.

Suzuki Reports Q2 2012-2013 Results

Suzuki made headlines earlier this week when its American subsidiary filed for Chapter 11 and announced it is quitting the automobile business to focus on motorcycles and its marine operations. American Suzuki‘s car business has been struggling for a while and it remains to be seen how these developments will affect its motorcycle business. Today, Suzuki released its report for the first half of its 2012-2013 fiscal year, providing much needed context to the earlier news.

Take A Picture, Win A New Suzuki

Free is always good and Suzuki is offering its enthusiasts a chance to win big. To start, simply stop by an authorized Suzuki dealership for a photo op with the motorcycle, scooter or ATV of your choice and a Suzuki salesperson. Then, post the photo and corresponding information on Suzuki’s Facebook page under the “Take Your Pic 2012 Giveaway” tab and voila, you’re qualified to win.

Suzuki to Close Spanish Motorcycle Factory

The digital ink is still wet on news of American Suzuki declaring bankruptcy and shutting down its car business to focus on powersports and marine products, and now there’s more bad news for the Japanese manufacturer. Suzuki announced it will close its motorcycle factory in Gijón, Spain, in March, 2013, shutting the company’s sole European production plant. The factory has been producing motorcycles and scooters for Suzuki since 1984, with the manufacturer taking 100% ownership of the factory.

Suzuki Files Chapter 11

From an American Suzuki Motor Corporation press release: AMERICAN SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION (“ASMC”) ANNOUNCES RESTRUCTURING AND REALIGNMENT TO FOCUS ON MOTORCYCLES/ATV AND MARINE DIVISIONS ASMC to wind down and discontinue new automobile sales in continental U.S. Consumers will be protected and all warranties will continue to be fully honored BREA, Calif., Nov. 5, 2012 – American Suzuki Motor Corporation (“ASMC” or “the Company”), the sole distributor in the continental United States of Suzuki Motor Corporation (“SMC”) automobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles and marine outboard engines, today announced that it plans to realign its business to focus on the longterm growth of its Motorcycles/ATV and Marine divisions.

Suzuki GW250 Inazuma Reportedly Coming to Canada

The Suzuki Inazuma is coming to Canada, according to multiple reports. The entry-level motorcycle was displayed at a recent dealer meeting in Mont Tremblant, Quebec, though it appears Canadians may have to wait as bit longer for the Inazuma to arrive in showrooms. According to Canadian sites CMGOnline and MotorcycleMojo, Suzuki is in the initial stages of introducing the 248cc streetbike to Canada, so a 2014 launch may be more likely than 2013 availability.

Londoners: free motorcycle wash!

London-based motorcycle dealer, Motoden, are running a Suzuki test-ride event this weekend and are offering FREE motorcycle cleaning and FREE coffee. Book your slot by calling Tim on 0207 241 6363 and mention Visordown. You'll get yourself a test ride on a gleaming brand-new fancy Suzuki while some poor sod cleans your filthy, dry-chained, bald-tyred, hanging excuse for a motorcycle.

Suzuki RM-Z450 Giveaway for New Ricky Carmichael Video Game

Motocross racing legend Ricky Carmichael and 2XL Games are giving away a Suzuki RM-Z450 in a promotion for their new video game. The Suzuki RM-Z450 is the grand prize for the Ride Like A Pro Sweeps contest in support of the new “Ricky Carmichael’s Motocross Matchup Pro” game for iOS, Android and PCs. The game features Supercross and Motocross racing action against other players online.

Hopkins to Sit Out 2013 Racing Season to Recover from Injuries

American John Hopkins announced he is taking a sabbatical from racing for 2013 to recover from a number of significant injuries. Hopkins’ once very promising racing career has been hampered by both a series of bad luck and injury. It seems so long ago that Hopkins finished fourth overall in the 2007 MotoGP Championship with Suzuki.