RUMOURS: Suzuki set to reintroduce its DR BIG? BASED on its V-Strom 1000.

We’ve heard whispers that Suzuki’s looking to reproduce its iconic DR Big trailbike from the bones of its V-Strom 1000 – and renowned designer Oberdan Bezzi has mocked one up to show what it might look like, ahead of its rumoured 2020 launch.

First released in 1988, Suzuki’s DR 750 S Big was built predominantly for racing – but became a hugely popular choice for adventurers looking for a serious bit of off-road kit, with a big fuel tank and plenty of room for luggage. And to this day, the large capacity DR still has a legion of fans around the world.

As a result, it isn’t too much of a stretch to believe that there’s a new DR Big on the way – particularly considering Suzuki’s recently reintroduced Katana, which blends retro aesthetics (well, sort of) with modern technology. While the Katana is based around the GSX-1000R, it’s more than likely that a new DR Big would make use of the current generation Suzuki V-Strom 1000 as a base.

The V-Strom 1000 was launched in 2014 (and received a small styling overhaul in 2017), while its engine is actually derived from the one developed for Suzuki’s TL1000 way back in 1997 – so with Euro 5 regulations fast approaching, there’s surely an update on the way soon.

Of course, if you look at the recently released Katana, it’s fairly unlikely that Suzuki is going to properly replicate the pure, unadulterated off-road ability of its now iconic DR Big – but regardless, we love the idea of its V-Strom 1000 being given a retro-inspired styling overhaul while being made more capable off-road.

Of course, at this stage, we’re simply speculating about Suzuki’s next step (based on whispers from Japan) – but thanks to the brilliant CGI mock-up of the new DR Big from Oberdan Bezzi (or Obiboi), we’re hoping it’s on its way very soon. To take a look at more of Oberdan Bezzi’s sketches, click HERE.