Dual-Purpose Dazzler Awash In New Ideas

DUAL-PURPOSE DAZZLER AWASH IN NEW IDEAS

NEXT WORLD DESIGN says its Highlander is the dual-purpose bike of the future.

Included on the bike is the V-Tex exhaust system that is said to control the bike’s power and noise levels. The system is a response to pressure on off-road riders to keep noise to a minimum, says Next World’s Glen Laivins.

The project also shows possible new directions for dualpurpose styling and features, says Mark Hyde, Suzuki’s dualsport coordinator, who had a hand in the Highlander’s design.

“We worked on this to shake things up a little, to show people that there are some different ideas out there,” he says.

The V-Tex system has a muffler-mounted knob allowing riders to dial up the performance mode for the street. Once on the dirt, where Hyde says many dual-purpose riders find raw power to be less important, the quiet setting will make the bikes less displeasing to hikers, campers or nearby homeowners. The V-Tex exhaust’s stealth mode would involve a loss of four horsepower, according to Laivins.

An adjustable exhaust is but one of several intriguing features on the Highlander, which is actually a heavily modified Suzuki DR350S with its engine enlarged to 400cc. Night vision is improved through fiber-optic tubes channeling light from the headlight to the area around the front wheel. The headlight is easily detached for use as a camping lantern.

A plastic front mudguard has a built-in watertight compartment for storing sparkplugs, maps and such. For larger items, like a first-aid kit and food, there’s another storage area under the lengthened seat. Plastic sidepanels double as one-gallon canteens, suitable for taking along water or extra fuel. Some of the concepts displayed on the Highlander are production possibilities and could show up on future Suzuki dual-purpose motorcycles, or as optional equipment, says Hyde. -Robert Hough