With an exuberant powertrain and a futuristic design that seemingly comes straight from a comic book, the new and highly anticipated Suzuki B-King 1300 has everyone talking. Except for the GSX 1100 Katana of the '80s, the DR 750 with its beak-shaped front end and the peculiarly styled Hayabusa, Suzuki designers are usually very conservative when drawing a new model.


But here we have a standard-type motorcycle that defies every styling rule conceivable. Let's remember that Suzuki already gave us a taste of the Batman style with its Boulevard M50. While it will take time to get used to the daring lines of this newcomer, we can't help but applaud the Japanese manufacturer for its boldness.

Intense power
The concept was showcased about five years ago. Its heavy yet devastating styling as well as its fiery powertrain made up a lot of people's dreams. Unfortunately, Suzuki did not retain the supercharged 4-cylinder engine of the prototype. The good news, on the other hand, is that this super machine finally arrived in Canadian dealerships in October 2007, much to the delight of unorthodox motorcycle enthusiasts.

Before we get an opportunity to put the B-King's riding dynamics to the test, we can dissect its equipment and construction. In addition to the engine borrowed from the ultra-fast Hayabusa, the features seem to back up Suzuki's claims. The 2008 B-King uses an all-new twin-spar cast aluminum alloy frame and new inverted front forks that are fully adjustable for compression, rebound damping and spring preload. Also in the mix are 310-mm floating brake discs with four-piston radial callipers up front and a single 260-mm brake disc in the back.