Suzuki GSX 1300 B-King

Suzuki first introduced the B-king as a concept bike in 2001 at the Tokyo Motor Show. In it's original form, the B-King sported a Hayabusa 1300 engine equipped with a supercharger. At that time the Hayabusa engine produced 175 bhp. Brake Horse Power is the HP at the crank prior to loss that would come from the gearbox, exhaust etc. With the addition of the supercharger the engine muscled up an enormous 240 bhp. Some of the materials used in construction of the B-King were carbon fiber, stainless steel, aluminum and leather.

The rear tire was a whopping 240mm wide. The B-King had an alarm system with on board audio so that the owner could contact the bike via cell phone and be heard over the audio system. I'm not sure at that point what use this would be other then to beg the thief not to take it or if he did, to treat it right.

In 2007 Suzuki introduces the B-King to the world as their new production muscle bike. Over the years the B-king had a few changes. The original 1300 supercharged Hayabusa engine was replaced with the 2008 Hayabusa 1340cc engine. The engine was not left untouched. Suzuki changed the valve dimensions, intake and exhaust dropping the Horsepower at the wheel by 9.4 hp. Torque was reduced by 6 ft. Lbs. as well. In the grand scheme of things these reductions are minor as the power plant still generates enormous toque and hp at the rear wheel. On the road, torque is king. The B-King produces approximately 70 ft. Lbs. of torque @ 2,500 RPM. This low end torque reduces the need for shifting and provides for quicker times off the line.

Suzuki went way over the top with the bold futuristic design of the B-King. The body style and colors are very polarizing. This is evident if you stand around any show room or cycle show long enough to listen to people's reactions or read the forums for that matter. Bottom line is that people either like the bold style or they hate it. I personally like it and found that the all black model seemed to draw me in.
 

Brakes - Suzuki gave the B-King Radial mount front brake calipers which feature an all new design built specifically for the B-King and work with 310mm brake rotors to provide superior braking performance. On the rear a lightweight single piston brake caliper works with a 260mm rear disc. The front brake master cylinder has its own reservoir tank as well as the clutch master cylinder. Both of these components were designed specifically for the the B-King.

Chassis - The B-King got an all new twin-spar cast aluminum alloy frame that provides optimum rigidity balance and superb handling. The swing arm is newly made of cast aluminum alloy constructed of 3 main sections for minimal welding lines and a clean overall look. The front forks are new as well. The KYB inverted front forks are specifically designed for the B-King and are fully adjustable for compression, rebound damping and spring preload to suit rider preferences. As for the rear suspension, it's new aluminum alloy rear shock absorber features three-way adjustability with excellent damping characteristics of Suzuki's super sport models. One really nice feature is the standard steering dampener that sucks up any energy from the road and provides added stability.
 

Instruments - Suzuki gave the B-King an all new instrument cluster with an analog tachometer, digital speedometer, fuel gauge, water temperature gauge, twin trip meters, clock, maintenance interval, running time, average speed, gear position indicator, and a S-DMS mode indicator. The S-DMS mode switch allows the rider to select A or B mode. Each mode provides a different fuel and ignition mapping. A mode is the full mode and the default. B mode limits the Hp to approximately 114 Hp. This would be used in a wet pavement situation. As for the instrument cluster, it's one of the nicest gauge cluster's I have come across.

Ergonomics' - The rider position is closer to upright with a slight lean into the bars. The rider position is similar to that of a sport touring bike. The pegs are a bit high for a rider with a 32" + inseam but still comfortable. The bike is beautifully balanced. The B-King weighs in at 518 lbs. but feels as if it weighs much less. The bike is very easy to maneuver at low speeds and feels like it's riding on rails in the turns. The wide cowls on each side of the tank actually play a positive role in reducing wind on the riders lower extremities. In fact, the wind felt on the rider is from the mid chest up.
 

It's big, it's intimidating and it turns about as many heads as an NBA player at Grandma's Bingo night. Now, we're not talking about an oversized jewelry-clad basketball player; we're talking about Suzuki's B-King. Originally debuted seven years ago at the Tokyo Motor Show, the B-King is one ultra-cool streetfighter prototype that actually made it into production.

The B-King is proof of Suzuki's unequivocal embrace of America's 'bigger is better' mantra. It is the largest, most powerful muscle bike ever manufactured, period. With this one it's hard to find anything that isn't big: big power, big brakes, big proportions and big weight.

I can't help but feel just a little bit intimidated as I gaze at its bulging body pieces and huge twin underseat exhaust canisters protruding like trapezoidal double-barrel artillery guns. Twin ram-air intakes large enough to inhale witless birds sit underneath the fashionably integrated front turn signals. Stylized pieces like the chrome bezel on the top of the fuel tank, sculpted brake and clutch master cylinders and the refined-looking instrument package give the Suzuki a high-end, premium feel. Equally impressive is the high level of overall fit and finish. Unsightly fasteners are kept to a minimum and the body components fit together as if they were crafted out of one complete piece.

Once in the saddle, there's no hiding its 578-lb mass (fully fueled, ready to ride). Due to the substantial width of the gas tank your legs are spread far apart, so riders with minimal dexterity better bring their A-game when riding the B-King. But things get better as soon as you reach out to the widely-spaced tubular handlebars. The relaxed, upright riding position and tallish bars make it a very comfortable machine. However, the high mounted foot pegs force the rider's legs into a more aggressive bend than seems necessary.

Thumb the starter and the gigantic 1340cc liquid-cooled Inline-Four comes to life emitting a quiet, sewing machine-like purr. 'Man, how much better would this thing sound with some pipes' I think to myself. The engine is almost a complete carbon copy of the one used in the new '08 Hayabusa, except for a smaller airbox and a different 4-2-1-2 exhaust system that still uses Suzuki's exhaust tuning valve (SET) inside. Pump the hydraulic-actuated clutch a few times before you drop it into gear and notice its light feel, followed by a progressive engagement. Twist the throttle and it feels as you're piloting an F-18 being flung off the end of an aircraft carrier. Wide-open acceleration from a dead stop is that intense.

Yet the B-King is as obedient or as wild as your right wrist commands. Feel like stunting in front of your friends? Just hammer the throttle in the first two gears and you'll look like your neighborhood's most-wanted villain. Feel like keeping the peace? Keep the revs low and ride the B-King's smooth wave of 70-plus lb-ft of twist from just 3000 rpm. Power delivery is flawless throughout the 11,000 rpm rev range and is complemented by the precise throttle response afforded by Suzuki's Dual Throttle Valve (SDTV) fuel-injection system. The B-King is also outfitted with Suzuki's proprietary drive mode selector (S-DMS) which allows the rider to modify power output by choosing from one of two modes. By default the bike is in full-power 'A' mode, but all it takes is a simple push of a button mounted on top of the gas tank, (while the bike is at a stand-still, in neutral) and the rider can select 'B' mode which dramatically mellows its power delivery. The system works well and can allow a rider of less experience to have a more controllable ride. For those of us thrill junkies though, 'A' mode is all you'll ever use.

Power is transmitted to the gold-colored chain final drive via a six-speed transmission that utilizes a back-torque limiting clutch. Shifting action wasn't as smooth as other Suzuki's we've tested recently, but nonetheless engagement was precise. We never encountered any mis-shifts despite repeated full-throttle acceleration antics. Gearing is versatile for the streets, with a short first cog allowing for easy drag races, er, I mean launches from a stoplight. Yet, thankfully, top gear is tall enough for a low-rpm, buzz-free ride at freeway speeds.

But the lack of a front fairing or windscreen can impede triple-digit fun as above 120-mph it feels like the wind is trying to peel you off the bike. Suzuki realized that this might be a hitch in the equation.

Instrumentation is easy to see at a glance and consists of a swept analog tachometer flanked by a digital speedo, gear position indicator, and a multitude of warning and indicator lights. There's also a bar-style fuel gauge, coolant temperature as well as odometer, dual trip meters and clock inside of the tach. The B-King also has a cool miles until maintenance required countdown meter, so you'll always know when it's time for service.

With just shy of 160 horsepower at your disposal, you'd hope that the engineers would have endowed the B-King with a chassis stout enough to handle all that muscle. And we're pleased to report that they have. A clean looking twin-spar cast aluminum frame and matching three-piece cast aluminum swingarm is paired to a fully adjustable (preload, compression, and rebound) KYB 43mm inverted fork and equally adjustable rear shock. Suzuki claims that suspension damping characteristics are similar to that of their GSX-R sportbike line and after repeated "cloverleaf exploring" on the seemingly infinite freeway interchanges Southern California has, we're believers.

While cornering, suspension feels both firm and responsive with plenty of ground clearance, yet cruising down a pothole-laden L.A. street reveals a far plusher ride than that of a GSX-R sportbike. Despite the suspension's full range of adjustability, we didn't feel the need to change the settings as the stock setup is a good compromise between cruising the block and spirited canyon blasts.

Contrary to what your eyeballs tell your brain, the B-King is rather nimble in most situations. Sure it's not as flickable as a 1000cc sportbike, but it still maintains a reasonable degree of maneuverability considering its 5-foot wheelbase. It readily changes direction with just a light tug of the wide bars and once a turn has been initiated, subtle line changes can be made without drama. Simply look where you want the bike to go and it's there. Also impressive is its stability at any speed. No matter how hard we tried we couldn't get the front end to wiggle around or get out of shape. However, at slower speeds-especially in parking lots, there's no masking the B-King's girth. That, coupled with its non-adjustable steering damper, can make it rather cumbersome when you're crawling around.

Stopping is achieved via a pair of radial-mount Nissin front brake calipers that grab onto 310mm diameter rotors. A radial-pump brake master cylinder pushes brake fluid through rubber lines and there isn't a hint of fade, even during extra aggressive, repeated use. Considering that the brakes are stopping almost 600 lbs, there is a good amount of power and plenty of feel at the end of the adjustable brake lever. Out back a 260mm disc and single piston caliper helps keep control while you're riding around on the fat back tire. ABS is also available for $600 to help ensure stability during braking regardless of road or weather conditions.

The B-King rolls on a set of 3.5 x 17 inch front and wide 6 x 17 inch rear three spoke aluminum wheels shod in Dunlop's Sportmax Qualifier rubber (120/70R17 front, 200/50R17 rear). We've always been a fan of the Qualifier's due to their mild steering manners, quick warm-up times and gum-on-shoe levels of adhesion, but the B-King's OE rear tire lacked the same amount of outright grip that we've become accustomed to with the Qualifier. Maybe it's the extra weight or the immense amount of power that the 200mm wide tire has to deal with, but it's possible to spin up the rear tire on command during hard corner exit. Fortunately the tire has great feel so when it does spin it doesn't catch you off guard.

At the end of the day, the B-King really surprised us. It's a big, burly streetfighter that for the right rider could be the total package. It's got a fresh, futuristic look like nothing else on the street backed up with a powerful yet refined powerplant mated to a chassis that is both composed and agile. And while it may not ever fit in with Grandma and her crew, the B-King has us shouting BINGO!

Source Motorcycle USA