Suzuki GSX-S1000 [2019-2020] vs Suzuki Katana

The Suzuki GSX S1000 is a lot of things. It is Suzuki’s first litre-class naked. And one that isn’t just fashionably late to this naked party, it is late, period. And we say that because everyone from the Japanese to the Europeans to the Italians and even Aprilia already seems to have one. It has superbike championship winning DNA. And more importantly, it has sabre tooth and nicely filed ones at that. To us, however, the GSX S1000 is a motorcycle with minimal bodywork, lovely noise, and superhero performance; it’s one of those bikes that make you reach for your cheque book, only to realise that at Rs 14.5 lakh it’s also one of the most expensive in its segment.  

Now the new Katana was originally launched in 2019, but recently it got a bunch of updates to meet emission norms and give it a fresher look and the updated bike was recently launched in India too. So does this new blade really cut it? Let’s find out.