Suzuki’s lineup continues to underwhelm, with perhaps the most noteworthy machines being the Suzuki GSX-S1000 for 2015, and the Suzuki GSX-S1000F for 2016.
We say underwhelming because at the core of both bikes is the GSX-R1000 engine…circa 2008; but that’s ok, Suzuki has made enough subtle changes to warrant them being called new machines. Really.
Another new machine that is coming to the United States for 2016 is the Suzuki Bandit 1250S. Yes, this is of course the same machine that Suzuki first brought to market back in 2007, and has kept relatively untouched since that inception.
Suzuki’s latest additions show a focus that caters to the touring/commuter crowd, with a strong shrug towards the company’s sport offerings. All of this tepid movement from Suzuki is of course understandable if you remember the troubles the company had with its American division.
Now free of selling cars, and focusing on the divisions that made money, Suzuki is still finding its feet in the American market, as well as internationally. Thankfully this means the resurgence of the company’s Grand Prix racing presence, with the Suzuki GSX-RR looking particularly strong at Catalunya this past weekend.
No Japanese motorcycle company burrowed deeper into their shells than Suzuki during the recession, and while we’ve seen signs of life from the other major Japanese OEMs, Suzuki has yet to poke its head outside again for a look.
There’s a bit of a chicken and the egg thing going on now with Suzuki, with bad sales fueled by a stagnant product lineup; and a product lineup being stagnant because Suzuki doesn’t want to chase an industry where it’s sales are doing so poorly.
Hopefully we’ll see Suzuki executives wake up from their long slumber, take some pride in their company, and start producing the class-leading machines that once dominated their lineup long before the recession.
Source: Suzuki
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