Suzuki Stratosphere - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Suzuki Stratosphere is a Suzuki

Suzuki

is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...

concept motorcycle, powered by a 1100cc transverse narrow-bore 24-valve inline-6 engine, rated at 180 HP. According to Suzuki press materials, the engine produced above 100 lb-ft of torque from just above idle all the way to redline. The engine was reported to be three-quarters of an inch narrower than the Hayabusa 4-cylinder engine due to the narrow-bore spacing. The prototype was first unveiled on October 22, 2005, at the 39th Tokyo Motor Show. Its general design is based on and harks back to the original Suzuki ED1/ED2 Katana

Suzuki Katana

The original Suzuki Katana was a then-novel sport motorcycle designed in 1979–1980 by the southern Bavarian firm of Target Design at the request of Suzuki of Germany specifically for their market....

created by Target Design.

Specifics to the prototype shown in Tokyo:

Electrically adjustable windshield
Four LED headlights
Adjustable handlebars
Built-in GPS navigation system with blue-tooth tie-in for audio; matching blue-tooth helmet shown at show
Attachable saddlebags with hidden (recessed, not visually apparent) attachment points
Combined selectable manual and automatic transmission modes using a servo operated manual transmission, akin to the Yamaha FJR1300A.
Integrated Anti-theft electronic wireless keyfob system, akin to the Kawasaki Concours 14
Kawasaki 1400GTR
The Kawasaki 1400GTR, also known as the Concours 14 or ZG1400 in some markets, is a motorcycle produced by Kawasaki. The 1400GTR was introduced in September 2007 and is based on the ZX-14 platform....

Ki-Pass keyfob system.

Actual Production Approved

Suzuki

confirmed in August 2007 the Suzuki Stratosphere will enter production, although expected release date, initial model year, initial pricing, and specific list of changes from the original prototype shown in Tokyo were not released, aside from the fact that it would retain the six-cylinder narrow-bore engine (Source: Bike (UK) Magazine (print edition), April 2008, page 17). Given Suzuki's experience with the BKing, it is likely that the Stratosphere will appear, at least visually, very similar to the prototype, although the aluminum fairings are apt to be replaced by ABS fairings, and many of the specialty electronics (GPS, HUD, etc.) are unlikely to see production.

According to Bike Point Australia, the Stratosphere will enter production as a 2009 model.

Oil-price hikes, the weak dollar driving declining motorcycle sales, and mandatory compliance with Euro-5 pollution control standards in Europe (effective September 2009) may have changed the production date of the actual production model (arriving in 2009 as a 2010 model), or may have eliminated the production potential all together. There are also unsubstantiated rumors that Suzuki is intentionally keeping the Stratosphere in the wings as a way of stealing thunder from a possible Honda introduction of a 1-liter VFR model (expected fall 2009 or spring 2010).

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.