It's that time of year, when manufacturers begin to unveil next year's offerings. Competition in the motorcycle world is increasing - over 840,000 bikes are being sold world wide.
Many manufacturers, especially the Japan's "big four", Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha will figure large in the new offerings stakes - although "new" may often not be all that new.
It can mean anything from a new paintjob, through minor changes to distinctly new models. Recently we had the opportunity to attend Suzuki's showcase of 2004 models in Paris.
The first and smallest offering was a new look for their long running GS 500, now the GS 500F. The "F" presumably refers to the fact that now this machine has a fairing. In all other respects it's the same machine with added plastic. The attendant media throng predictably voted this distinctly unexciting.
Much more impressive was the new line-up of the GSX-R range in 600 and 750 guises. Suzuki's tradition of turning fine craftsmanship into perfection could be seen in the pursuit of lightness and ultimate performance. Pure "race bred" technology is there in abundance; smaller main journals on the crankshaft, lighter chrome-moly, shot peened, steel connecting rods.
Forged pistons with shorter skirts and thinner walls, titanium valves, new hollow camshafts, a lighter radiator and much more result, in the case of the GSX-R 600, in a machine which now weighs in at 161 kg and has a power output as yet unspecified, but certainly in excess of the 113 bhp of the current model. That equates to a power to weight ratio of around 700 hp per tonne! The larger GSX-R 750 has been accorded similar cutting edge enhancements.
All-up weight at 163 kg is a mere 2 kg more than the GSX-R 600. With a power output of around the 140bhp mark, we are into the realms of a power to weight ratio of around 858 bhp per tonne which, by anyone's standards, is truly awesome. The even bigger GSX-R 1000 remains, giving, so Suzuki's mandarins declared, a real choice of very high performance machines to suit a wide variety of budgets.
By way of complete contrast was the unveiling of Suzuki's 1,600cc Marauder, a massive, high-torque, cruiser-style beast in the V-Max idiom. Big it may be but Triumph recently announced a 2,300cc challenger!
Next in the line-up came the 650cc V-Strom, this is a smaller capacity version of the 1,000cc DL 1000 V-Strom which we tested earlier this year and which, to date, is heading our bike-of-the-year league. This addition to the sports enduro tourer options should, if the DL 1000 is anything to go by, be a sure-fire success. It even has, what its bigger brother lacked, a manually adjustable windscreen.
By way of the finale, we were shown the Burgman 650 Executive. This is an even more refined version of the now well-established Burgman 650 scooter, a scooter with a big difference.
The transmission has two automatic modes: normal and power. The normal setting gives a higher overall gearing and better economy, the power setting gives that bit more punch.
Then there is the manual setting. Simply by means of two buttons, up and down, the rider can select any of five gear ratios. Truly a motorcycle in scooter clothing. The Executive variant means modest extras such as a pillion backrest and electrical fold-away wing mirrors.
This Paris showcase was just that, a showcase. There was no opportunity to test ride the machines. We will be reporting on the current "non-executive" Bergman 650 in a few weeks.
Next year, probably around March or April, Ireland will see its first consignment of these new models. We hope to be able to tell you what they are like in action.