Suzuki GSX-S300 May Be Launched In China Soon

Chinese automotive group Haojue Group is Suzuki's partner in China, and the company is now getting ready to launch a 300 cc naked roadster, the Haojue DR300. The DR300 was first unveiled in 2018, as Haojue's new flagship in China. The DR300 is significant, more so, because Haojue sells small capacity Suzuki motorcycles under the group name Changzhou Haojue Suzuki Motorcycle Co Ltd., a joint venture between Haojue Holdings and Suzuki Motor Corporation. While the Haojue DR300 will soon be launched in China, there is also the possibility of it making its way to other markets, as the Suzuki GSX-S300. And even though that seems like only a possibility, without any confirmation at this point of time, the Haojue DR300 does make for an interesting base for a 300 cc Suzuki naked roadster.

The Haojue DR300 is based on a new 298 cc, parallel-twin engine, believed to be derived from the liquid-cooled 250 cc parallel-twin engine of the Suzuki Inazuma

The Haojue DR300 was revealed at the Chongqing Mobo Fair in October 2018, and looking at the images of the bike, it does reveal fit and finish similar to small displacement Suzuki motorcycles like the Gixxer. The DR300 does have a very familiar streetfighter stance, more like the BMW G 310 R than the Suzuki Gixxer, and comes with premium features like LED lighting all round, a digital instrument console, as well as a USB charging port. The new powerplant is of 298 cc displacement, believed to be a re-bored unit of the now defunct Suzuki Inazuma's 250 cc parallel-twin unit. The liquid-cooled 300 cc engine is said to offer power output of around 29 bhp at 8,500 rpm, with 27.8 Nm of peak torque kicking in at 6,500 rpm. The bike uses KYB-sourced inverted forks and a seven-step adjustable monoshock at the rear, while braking hardware consists of petal discs at both ends with standard dual-channel ABS.

While a Suzuki GSX-S300 with a parallel-twin engine may be an exciting product in itself, it's unlikely that a 300 cc parallel-twin naked will be launched in India. Considering the way the Suzuki Inazuma was received in India, despite it being a well-rounded product, it remains to be seen if there's any India plan for a roadster with a 300 cc parallel-twin engine. And also considering Suzuki India already as a 250 cc model, in the Suzuki Gixxer 250 and the Suzuki Gixxer SF 250, so far, there are no indications of a 300 cc product anytime soon.