The Suzuki Recursion - 588cc Turbo-charged Motorcycle
The Suzuki Recursion Concept is unique, and its singularity stems from its 588cc engine that powers the motorcycle, because this new radical parallel-twin engine marks the second evolution of the turbo-engined two-wheeler era circa the '80s, and it Suzuki's second attempt at a turbocharged motorcycle after the ill-fated Suzuki XN85, which you could find in the showrooms way back in 1983.
Fast forward to current time, and Suzuki now claim to have hit upon the winning formula, taking care of all the issues that had plagued the earlier attempts at turbo-charging motorcycles. The period between '80 and '85 was full of just such attempts, and this included the Honda CX-500 Turbo, the Yamaha XJ650 Turbo and the Kawasaki GPz750 Turbo, along with the aforementioned Suzuki XN85.
All of these motorcycles had two things in common they were all production motorcycles rather than concept and they all failed to gain any traction due to a monstrous turbo lag and a whole lot of mechanical issues. Ultimately the turbo movement for motorcycles was recognized as the botched experiment it was and shelved, and hasn't resurfaced until now.
The Suzuki Recursion will be powered by a liquid-cooled 588cc engine, turbocharged to produce over 100 horsepower at 8,000rpm and 100Nm torque at 4,500rpm. Judging by the images of the motorcycle, it sports a single-sided swing-arm for the rear wheel, a one-piece seat structure and, according to Suzuki, it will weigh only 174 kilograms. This Suzuki concept motorcycle will also introduce a full-color LED display for the instrument panel and an all-new touchpad-based system to replace the old fashion switches that controlled indicators, lights, horns and the like.
If, as Suzuki claim, they have managed to banish the ghosts that plagued the turbocharged motorcycles in the past, we can look forward to a new era of efficiency across the motorcycle and scooter industry. With vehicular efficiency laws getting more stringent in the west, and motorcycle manufacturers taking greater interest in sustainability, turbo-charging motorcycles was an inevitability, and if the Suzuki Recursoin is truly able to cut the pie, it will be hailed as a pioneer that led the charge of this new turbo-charged era. More about the turbo-charged motorcycles of the '80s can be found here What about Turbo Motorcycles?
