Suzuki B-KING 1300 2010 — Specifications

Six years. It took Suzuki six years to dare bring to production what the Tokyo Motor Show had unveiled in 2001 as a fierce, supercharged concept. The Suzuki B-KING 1300, introduced in 2007 and still in the lineup in 2010, remains one of the most outrageous roadsters ever to roll out of a Japanese factory. A muscle bike born from the Hayabusa, designed for those who find a Z1000 lacking in grunt and a Speed Triple too restrained.

The heart of the beast is the 1340 cc inline four-cylinder borrowed from the 2008 Hayabusa. Suzuki did drop the prototype's supercharger, but the 182 horsepower at 9,500 rpm and 146 Nm of torque at 7,200 rpm are more than enough to set the record straight. For perspective, the BMW K 1200 R of the same era topped out at 163 hp. The Suzuki B-KING 1300 slaps an extra twenty horses on top, with a rawer, more direct engine character. The 81 x 65 mm bore-and-stroke ratio and 12.5:1 compression ratio betray a powerplant built for sheer horsepower. The six-speed gearbox handles it all, and the chain final drive sends the power to a 200 mm-wide rear tire. Suffice to say, roll-on acceleration between 4,000 and 8,000 rpm feels like a kick in the back.

On the chassis side, Suzuki didn't cut corners. The aluminum twin-spar frame, 43 mm inverted fork with 120 mm of travel, and rear monoshock with 140 mm of travel all come from the GSX-R parts bin. The braking follows the same sporty logic with two 310 mm radially-mounted front discs and four-piston calipers, backed by a single 260 mm rear disc. At 255 kg wet, the equipment is well-matched, even if the machine demands a rider who knows how to manage corner entry. The 805 mm seat height remains accessible for an average build, and the 16.5-liter tank means frequent stops if you tap into the engine's full potential. The Suzuki B-KING 1300 spec sheet claims a 270 km/h top speed, a figure that puts this roadster on par with some fully-faired sportbikes.

The styling lost some of the prototype's aggression. The headlight has been toned down, raised handlebars replace the original clip-ons, and the massive silhouette, though still squat and broad-shouldered, plays the street card more than the track one. The large exhausts integrated into the tail section and the oversized swingarm are reminders, however, that this machine doesn't do things by halves. For customization enthusiasts, Ermax offers a full range of accessories for the Suzuki B-KING 1300, from flyscreens to fender eliminators.

What is the price of a 2009 Suzuki B-KING 1300? New, the price tag was set at 11,499 euros, which placed it head-to-head with the Kawasaki Z1000 and Triumph Speed Triple without disgrace. Today, a used Suzuki B-KING 1300 can be had for considerably less, making it one of the best power-to-price ratios on the roadster market. Its audience is experienced riders who want a roadster capable of sportbike performance without the riding position that comes with it. Not a beginner's machine, not an urban toy. A raw, generous machine with real character, one that ages rather well in a motorcycle landscape that has grown sanitized.