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Is Suzuki Philippines (SPI) preparing for war?

By this, we mean the company appears to be readying itself for a fierce battle in the entry-level dual-sport segment, by unleashing the 2020 Suzuki Raider J Crossover.

Rider J Crossover — PHOTO BY ARIS ILAGAN

Raider J Crossover promising versatile on- and off-road performance

The Raider J Crossover is powered by a 113cc SOHC four-stroke, air-cooled engine with an advanced fuel-injection system.

Suzuki claims a fuel-economy figure of 66km/L, and, without identifying a particular motorcycle brand or model, says that the Raider J Crossover beat its closest competitor by 33 milliseconds during a series of acceleration tests on a 200-meter sprint run.

This is despite the said competitor’s higher-displacement engine. (Did we hear someone whisper ‘Honda XRM 125’?)

Raider J Crossover: Speeder than you thought

In another internal test conducted by SPI, the Raider J Crossover also outran its nemesis by 4kph within a 500-meter stretch, reaching a top speed of 102kph.

They are able to validate these claims during the scheduled endurance run for a group of select motorcycle media at the end of the month.

Stylish Motorcycle for less

Fitted with all-terrain tires, high-mounted fenders, and a radiator guard, it is ready to take a beating on rugged, unforgiving roads.

It packs lots of awesome features: petal disc brakes, a large front fork, double-cylinder rear suspension, and semi-block tires designed for both tarmac and dirt roads. All that for the price of P63,900.

Suzuki Raider J Crossover — PHOTO BY ARIS ILAGAN

Hence, two of Suzuki’s top motorcycle stylists, Tatsuya Nakamura and Kaori Seki, shared the rationale behind the bike’s design concept,

particularly the revival of the yellow paint scheme for the flagship variant.

“Yellow is the color most closely associated with the Suzuki off-road-model image, but we’re also using variations of red, blue, and black,” adds Seki.