With Suzuki steering away from large capacity motorbike racing and now fully committed to the green revolution and smaller capacity two-wheelers, it’s no surprise that they have hit the nail on the head when it comes to the Address.
Fun, nimble, stylish, a fantastic fuel economy and some nice attention to detail make it the perfect fit for the short-run, urban environment and its simple twist-and-go throttle feels sharp off the line - perfectly suited to urban riding, where short, stop-start commuting is the focus.
Out on the open road the Address can comfortably cruise at up to 60mph and remains stable at those speeds despite its 12in front and 10in rear wheels.
The single cylinder air-cooled 124cc unit is quiet but lively (during the first 200 metres) with peak torque being reached at 6500rpm, which gives the rider confidence when pulling out of junctions or zipping into the traffic gaps on a roundabout.
The riding position is typically upright with ample space in the footwell for the biggest boots. Wind protection from the waist down is more than adequate as the traditionally styled front bodywork deflects wind around the rider. There is no fly screen to deflect wind over the rider’s helmet but due to the Address’s targeted urban environment where 30mph is the speed limit, it does not become an issue.
There are a few modern styling touches such as an LED headlight and two running lights fitted vertically down the front fairing. The Address's style grew on me over the course of the day as the humble Vespa-esque lines don’t promise anything the Address cannot deliver.
Suzuki also released the Avenis 125cc, which has the same chassis and engine as the Address but encased in angular, aggressive bodywork. It may look like a sportier and more capable machine, but other than some minor ergonomic differences it rides and handles identically to the Address.
A large, analogue speedometer dominates the dash and is easy to read and again suits the bike stylistically. This is flanked either side by an LCD segment showing basic rider information such as fuel level, indicators and high beam indicator.