Despite getting listed on the Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya stock exchanges in 1949, it took Suzuki a few more years to get back into the swing of things. In 1952, the company reentered the vehicle market with the launch of its first motorized bicycle — the Power Free, powered by a 36cc, two-stroke engine attached to the bike frame. It had a special double-sprocket gear system allowing riders to cruise along under the engine’s full power, pedal with some help from the engine, or shut it off entirely and go full human pedal power. It was a revolutionary feature at the time and a huge success.
In 1953, the 60cc Diamond Free sold more than 6,000 units a month, and the company changed its name to Suzuki Motor Co., Ltd. and launched its first motorcycle in 1954. The Colleda CO (meaning “This is it!” or “This is the one!”) was powered by a 90 cm³ 4-stroke OHV 1-cylinder engine generating roughly three horsepower.
The following year, the Suzulight “mini car” was unveiled with a 360cc, 2-stroke engine. The now well-known Suzuki “S” became the corporate emblem in 1958.
Although Suzuki stopped selling cars — like the popular Samurai 4×4 — in North America in 2012, it still makes them in other parts of the world. It also sells some of the best superbikes on the market (including the legendary Suzuki Hayabusa), ATVs, outboard motors for marine use, other internal combustion engines, and even motorized wheelchairs.
[Featured image by Rainmaker47 via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 3.0]
