Suzuki has re-trademarked the moniker Katana hinting an imminent return of the Suzuki Katana that was popular in the 1980s. But does it mean Suzuki Katana is launching soon? Considering that Suzuki trademarked the moniker in 2010 as well so as it’s not taken by someone else (because it is quite a cool name), it may mean just another of such rescue missions. But then, reports suggest that Suzuki is set to launch the turbocharged Recursion concept next year, which will be called GSX700T. It makes sense if they launch a new motorcycle with an old well-known name Katana.
The name Suzuki GSX700T can be decoded in a simple way – the GS refers to Suzuki’s inline engines (like the Recursion’s parallel twin), X for four vales per cylinder, 700 denotes engine capacity and most intriguingly T for turbo!
Filed on 8 February, Suzuki’s trademark says the Katana name is for ‘Motorcycles and the parts and fittings thereof’, along with which it specifies the trademark logo – the Japanese character for Katana with a Katana (Japanese sword) going through it.
While there is no confirmation that the new logo is for the turbo motorcycle, but Recursion concept’s styling could make one think of the Katana.
Last year’s EICMA show in Milan did not have much from Suzuki, but their stand was marked by the presence of a Katana concept, which was created by Italian magazine Motociclismo with the help of Rodolfo Frascoli, who designs Moto Guzzis, and Engines Engineering.
The Katana concept was based on the Suzuki GSX-S1000F as a tribute to the 1980s Katana – a tribute that was a modern and contemporary take on the old favourite. Whether or not the production version Katana will make a comeback next year still remains to be seen.
