The Timeline and History of Suzuki Motor Corporation
Suzuki Motorcycles are a wildly popular brand that produces something for every taste of two-wheeled riding. From the Suzuki Boulevard, the cool and classy cruiser, to the fast and ferocious GSX-R line, Suzuki has dominated the racetrack and the hearts of consumers worldwide.
Here’s the timeline of the Suzuki Motor Corporation to give you a little taste of the history that made the company what they are today.
1909: In a small coastal village of Japan, Michio Suzuki first opens the Suzuki Loom Works to make weaving looms for Japan's massive cotton industry. The mission: to build better looms than anything on the market.
1952: Suzuki’s first motorized bicycle, a 36cc, two-stroke engine clipped to the frame of a conventional bicycle and called the 'Power Free,' hits the market. The bike was designed to be inexpensive, and easy to maintain.
1953: The Diamond Free is produced, although virtually unknown in the west. The Diamond Free was an air-cooled 58 cc 2-stroke. It had two speeds and two horsepower.
1958: The famous Suzuki “S” is introduced.
1962: This is the year that Suzuki became champions. Suzuki's first TT victory was when they won the 50cc race and the 50cc world championship. In the next six years, Suzuki wins five more 50cc titles.
1965: The 250cc, two-stroke twin puts Suzuki on the international map and sales is a huge success.
1976: Suzuki's first big four-cylinder bike, the GS750, is released.
1981: Suzuki releases its futuristic GSX 1100 S Katana. It becomes a huge success and becomes known for its aggressive styling and excellent performance.
1986: The Suzuki LS650 Savage (now called the Suzuki Boulevard) cruiser is introduced as a response to Honda’s Cruisers such as the Rebel 500. The S40's have essentially gone through minimal changes since the first release of the Savage.
1996: Suzuki reinvents their GSX-R 750 newly equipped with a twin-spar frame instead of the double cradle frame. Read more about the Suzuki GXS-R750 Timeline.
1999: This is the year the Hayabusa makes its debut. With an ultimate 1298cc liquid-cooled DOHC in-line 4-cylinder engine, this bike is hailed as one of Suzuki's best of all time.
2001: The launch of the GSX-R1000 introduces the ultimate sports bike. Suzuki says that in 2001, the R1000 wrote the rule books on performance, weight, handling, and styling. The bike soon dominates race tracks and awards ceremonies around the world.
2008: Suzuki launches the RMZ450, the world’s first production fuel-injected motocross bike. This year, Suzuki also debuts the new GSX - R600 and 750 models, and a second generation Hayabusa 1300.
2009: Four years after its initial introduction, the all-new GSX-R1000 is launched.
2012: The GSX-R series reaches 1 million units in total production since the introduction in 1985. This same year, Suzuki launched the second generation V-Strom 650 with a 645cc V-Twin engine and improved low-to-mid rpm performance, enhanced fuel economy, and environmental performance.
2016: Suzuki launches nine new models including the Flagship Model GSX-R1000 / R, V-Strom 1000 / XT, V-Strom 650 / XT, GSX-S750, BURGMAN 400, and more.
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