Engine, Ride and Handling
The engine is one department where the Slingshot absolutely shines! No, not because it uses glossy paint, but because it is a very refined mill with butter smooth gear shifts. Since it is the same mill that comes from the Zeus, it maintains its trait of providing a strong low end grunt. The 125cc mill produces a disappointing 8.5 horses at 7,500 rpm – even a Yamaha YBR produces 11 bhp! The peak torque figure is 10 Nm which is dialed in at 3,500 rpm. This gives the Slingshot the perfect amount of torque to skim through city traffic without needing to change gears frequently. Within the city limits, the Slingshot manages to return a decent 55-58 kilometers to a litre of petrol.
Take the Slingshot onto the highway and the little Suzuki trembles with fear. The slightest hint of headwind can start upsetting the bike even if you are maintaining the highway speed limits. The engine, which is tuned for a strong low end, feels lifeless at the top. If you do connect to this bike and understand the feedback it is giving you, you are bound to hear something like ‘I wanna go hooome’ or ‘I’m afraid of the open roads, please take me back’, you know what I mean.