Suzuki Katana (2025 - ) review

When launched in 2019, the revived Katana drew some criticism for being essentially a restyled GSX-S1000 with a hefty price premium on top. Though true, that now seems a little harsh. The GSX-S foundations were already excellent, the Katana look is striking and classy – not to mention more appealing than the GSX-S1000 – and the 2025 updates improve things further with a new blue option alongside our favoured silver with gold wheels. Pricing has also been made more palatable. The Katana’s not perfect and the small tank continues to be a frustration, but it’s been subtly improved, its dynamics and chassis are as good as bike of this type, and it has a classy, desirable, distinctive aura few bikes – and even fewer Japanese ones – can match.

Slightly more upright than the donor GSX-S1000, the Katana also benefits from a small headlamp cowling. The result is easy and natural to get on with, yet has a slightly sporty gait coaxing you into corners. As a roadster, we had no complaints, and the Katana feels just ‘right’ in a way few bikes manage. Even the mirrors are decent. Inevitably the windblast takes its toll at higher speeds when you do start thinking that a taller screen would be welcome but it’s essentially a naked bike anyway, and there is an optional screen offering a fraction more protection if you want it. Even the seat is sufficiently comfortable for a two-hour ride.

The Katana is a four-cylinder retro roadster, so there’s only so much practicality to be wrung out of that recipe. That said, it’s well-proportioned and comfortable, capable of motorway cruising and also perfectly at home as either a bend-swinging Sunday backroads blaster or town-friendly commuter or poseur. Even if riding one through winter salt and grime would be a crime against all those beautiful finishes and quality touches.

Dynamically, the Katana impresses more than you might expect of a show pony. That’s because its GSX-S1000 underpinnings were already so good. The 999cc four is a derivative of that of the ‘old’ K5 GSX-R1000 superbike, the hearty 152 horsepower and 106Nm up a fraction over the 2019 original due to the revised cams, exhaust and other changes required to hit Euro5 in the 2023 updates. That also brought a quickshifter and three tweaked riding modes, A being the sharpest, B the ‘street’ option while C is for rainy conditions. After working through them we settled on B for its slightly more manageable response. Braking impresses, too, with the front stoppers comprising superbike standard Brembo Monobloc four-piston radials biting onto massive discs which have more than enough power and feel for a street bike like this. You can even get saucy red calipers as a £200 extra!

Again, thanks largely to its GSX-S1000 origins, the Katana handles far better than you might expect for something presenting as a retro. The GSX-S was already better than its oddball looks suggested, and the Katana shares the same multi-adjustable inverted KYB forks and monoshock with a ride that, if anything, is a little on the firm, sporty side. Though that does mean it can hang together should you up the pace. Steering is neutral and precise without being twitchy or laboured and despite being a four, the Katana feels relatively slim and lithe in one benefit of that small tank.

Although a premium, prestige machine, the Katana is also an upspecced, variant of an already budget, affordable one so things aren’t as pricey as might be otherwise. Yes, the Katana is also a performance machine so you might expect the hunger for consumables such as tyres, chain, brake pads and so on that goes with that. But it’s not some 200 horsepower hyper naked. Nor is it the style of bike that owners are likely to thrash and abuse. It’s also worth saying here that, although initially expensive, the Katana’s pricing has also since been adjusted. It’s now just £1,700 more than its sister GSX-S (and seems entirely worth it) and although, as we write, there are some tempting offers offsetting a list price that makes it look pricier than the Kawasaki Z900 RS or Yamaha XSR900.

Rarely do we have the opportunity to be so confident about a ‘new’ bike’s reliability. Although updated with new colours for 2025, the Katana dates back to 2019 and, even then, was based on the proven GSX-S1000, which in turn was based on the decade-long proven mechanicals of the old GSX-R1000 K5. On top of that, the Katana was updated in 2023 with engine revisions primarily to get it through Euro5 when it also received subtle tweaks elsewhere to its electronics, dash and so on. Throughout it all there have been no major mechanicals concerns, build quality is excellent and the quality of cycle parts such as the suspension and brakes is first-rate, too. All told we have no concern over reliability whatsoever.

Again – and perhaps to the surprise of some – when it comes to standard warranty and servicing, the Katana is up there with the very best. Suzuki’s standard manufacturer-backed warranty covering all parts and labour is now three years, which is better than many. This is also extendable at extra cost to a mighty seven years. Servicing-wise, the Katana’s stock interval is a substantial 12,000 miles, which is much better than the 6,000-9,000 miles of many rivals.

You wouldn’t usually expect much of a retro roadster but the Katana fares pretty well. At first glance, the LCD digital dash seems a little outdated compared to more modern full colour TFT affairs, but over time you warm to it and it feels more appropriate to the 80s vibe. Yes, it’s also a little fussy, but everything you need is there including range and gear indicators. On top of that, the quickshifter is welcome, the modes are now well-judged, there is five-way traction control. Yes, the 100-mile range on the 12-litre tank can be a pain, though didn’t prove to be as serious a one as we’d feared. That taller screen would also be on the shopping list for longer days out.

If you want a bike with litre-class modern roadster performance but a more retro style the updated Katana is up there with the very best. With its quickshifter and well-judged modes the K5 GSX-R powertrain outguns equivalents in the Yamaha XSR900 and Kawasaki Z900 RS, and gives the Katana a real edge. Its chassis is just as good, with quality suspension and brakes all assembled with a convincing quality and style rivals can’t really match. Yes, the tank and screen are too small, and it never took off as intended when first launched. But maybe now is the time to look at the Katana again.