2008 Suzuki B-King | SMART MONEY

Whether you see it as a visionary, ahead-of-the-curve styling triumph or the best argument for taking sake off the menu in the Suzuki design department’s cafeteria, there’s no arguing the B-King is a stunning example of unarrested development. Born in 2001 as a concept bike with a supercharged Hayabusa engine and enough gee-whiz gadgetry to make the Millennium Falcon look like a Ford Falcon, the “Boost King” spent several years at finishing school before it was slotted into the 2008 lineup sans the blower and with the Hayabusa-sourced stomp muted but not muzzled.

Suzuki dialed the crazy down with a more restrictive exhaust system than that of the ’Busa, a smaller airbox, and the deletion of the ram-air system; the gearbox and final-drive ratios remained the same. Even with a lower rev limit, the B-King cranks out more than 160 hp at 9,500 rpm and 97 pound-feet of torque. The result is a big, hungry grizzly of an engine that’s a cuddly teddy bear around town. A Drive Mode selector lets you choose A (take me right to jail) or B (just give me a ticket and let me go).

For its frame and suspension the B-King said “no thanks” to the Hayabusa and went its own way with an aluminum twin-spar frame, an aluminum swingarm, an inverted fork with adjustable spring preload, compression, and rebound damping, and a single rear shock adjustable for preload, compression, and rebound damping. A pair of 310mm front brake rotors and a 260mm rear keep the velocity in check. The three-spoke rear wheel wears a Bigfoot-class 200/50-17 radial with a 120/70-17 up front.

Don’t let the B-King’s anime-inspired styling blind you to its real-world virtues. It looks like it wants to punch you in the face and run off with your date, but on the road its manners are more suited to Jeeves than juvie. Handling is better than you’d expect from such a blunt instrument, and while its cornering prowess is no match for its straight-line speed, bending the bike into a fast corner isn’t necessarily an express ticket on the first train to Crashville. Commuting on a B-King is like bringing a cruise missile to a darts tournament, but one good thing about overkill is there’s always more if you need it.

The ergonomics are surprisingly genteel. When you’re not trailing from the handlebar like a flag in a hurricane, you can dawdle down the interstate in comfort. The twin high-mounted mufflers and the obtrusive (and non-functional) air-intake scoops on the gas tank complicate luggage attachment, so travel light.

The B-King’s engine gets high marks for reliability and power, but the chain’s job is transferring all that torque to the rear wheel, so evidence of regular adjustment and lubrication is vital. Tire wear is another concern, but even if the rear is new, check under the fender for gobs of rubber from the old one, spit off during burnouts or backstreet dragraces. The plastic styling bits and bobs are susceptible to tip-over damage; check for cracks and broken mounting pegs.

Despite the B-King’s abundance of power, many riders want more and add performance parts. Make sure they were installed by someone who knows what end of the wrench to hit the nail with, and get receipts for the work, as well as the stock parts if they’re not already rusting in a scrap yard.

Out-there styling. Hammer-of-Thor power, inviting ergos. Perpetual smile generator.

Out-there styling. Constant questions about which Transformers movie it’s from. No room for luggage.

Torched tire, sagging chain, fractured plastic, ill-advised performance mods.

Flashy, ferocious, fast, and fun. The shy need not apply.

2008 / $6,800

Honda dipped its toe into the performance naked class during this period, though the tamed, CBR1000RR-based engine and careful styling might mark it as the cautious opposite of the B-King. Still, it’s a Honda, with excellent fit and finish, plenty of refinement, and a look your friends won’t give you crap about.

Quick where the B-King was fearsome, the original Brutale stands up with undeniable flash and plenty of power. Long-term reliability? Well, not so much. MVs of this period were a bit “onesy-twosey,” so there’s plenty of variability from one machine to the next. Best to have a backup bike to ride to work.

Okay, this is the one you really want. Long-running enough to have excellent parts and aftermarket support, plus it has a stellar reliability record for the big things. Just as aggressively styled as the B-King, the Speed Trip can’t quite hold with the big Suzuki’s ’Busa-based engine, but it’s a closer fight than you might think.