The word “Turbocharger” on a motorcycle might remind you of the 80s era with boxy profile bikes such as the Honda CX500, Suzuki NX85, Kawasaki GPZ750 etc. If these series of motorcycles sound alien to your ears, you probably might remember Ghostrider’s (nope, not Nicholas Cage) Turbocharged 499bhp Hayabusa popping up wheelies over 300 kph.
Talking of performance, turbochargers might seem to peak the horsepower advantage mostly on big performance cars- but then there are examples such as the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution that produces astonishing horsepower from a smallish 2 litre engine. Though forced-induction technologies have prevailed on motorcycles as aforementioned, but added production costs, inherent turbo lag and moreover present technologies that manage to produce colossal amounts of horsepower from a motorcycle engine ensured that turbo-charging stayed away from the two-wheeled species.
But Suzuki Motorcycles seems to have revived its interest somewhat into turbo-charged motorcycles by revealing the ‘Suzuki Recursion’meaning “flowing back, repeating” – a 588cc parallel twin liquid cooled motorcycle to be showcased at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show starting next month.
Putting aside all the disadvantages of a turbocharged motorcycle engine- here are some delighting numbers from the concept motorcycle. Mounted on a cast chassis, the Suzuki Recursion concept engine delivers 100 bhp @ 8000 rpm and 100 nm of twisting force- which might not sound too exciting when compared to modern age inline four 600s, but the Suzuki Recursion Concept unleashes it all from as low as 4500 rpm. This would make the Recursion an easier to ride motorcycle and eliminate the need for constant gear-shifts while trundling around in everyday riding conditions.
How Suzuki manages to kill or reduce the lag needs to be seen. We’re waiting for 23rd November when the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show officially opens.
On the concluding part, we’d like to ask the techie crowd amongst our readers whether a turbocharged motorcycles is indeed a good idea or should the manufacturer stick to conventional technologies. The following video might help- in case you understand Japanese!