In fine form, Suzuki has dropped her own, new adventure bike to the eager masses – and this new machine is making Honda’s new XL750 Transalp break out into a cold sweat.
She’s got a brand spanking-new, 776cc, liquid-cooled, versatile parallel-twin engine capable of running 22.7km/L. The 270-degree crankshaft timing means riders get a V-twin vibe, and the new forged aluminum pistons (and 9250rpm redline), as well as six-liter airbox under the caboose ensure top-end punch (and very happy torquedos).
New to the table also is the Suzuki Cross Balancer; a design made for ideal handling.
“…one balancer is assigned to each cylinder, which allows the system to be lighter and more compact,” explains the report from Ultimate Motorcycling.
“The two balancers are placed in a 90-degree array on the crankshaft, both equidistant from the center of the crank.”
That’s to say nothing of the clever integration of a new, steel tubed chassis, complete with a removable subframe.
Suzuki also believes in functional improvements; to that end, we have an oil-cooler (kicks in when your juice gets too hot), a three-position-adjustable windscreen, ECM-assisted, bi-directional quickshifter, and a nifty Suzuki Easy Start button.
Pop, rev, and go.
For electronics, Suzuki’s dropped quite the package; the Suzuki Intelligent Ride System allows 3 Ride Modes (Active, Basic and Comfort), as well as a neat G (gravel) mode in the traction control system, cancellable ABS for the rear brake, and Low RPM Assist for that smooth start everybody dreams of.
In short, we’ll be looking forward to the day that this bike is pitted against Honda’s new Transalp; our teammate Jim Pruner has had a good gander at the specs for both beasties, with the following anecdotes for the evening’s shenanigans:
- Honda has built a 2019 KTM 790 Adventure S with a higher center of gravity that is possibly a bit more reliable/less expensive to maintain.
- Suzuki has built a 2019 BMW F850GS that is less expensive, possibly a bit more reliable, and comes with luggage.
What do you think?
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*Media sourced from Suzuki*
