Suzuki Philippines, Inc.

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Suzuki Philippines, Inc. The importing of Suzuki motorcycles to Philippines was started in 1959 by an enterprising Filipino, Rufino D. Antonio. The import business expanded and the Rufino D. Antonio and Associates, Inc. built a factory on nine hectares in Pasig, Philippines, to handle the starting production of Suzuki motorcycles on the Philipian ground. The factory is still standing, although the business has expanded dramatically. In 1975 the firm name became Antonio Suzuki Corporation, during the industry rationalization of the Marcos years. A few years later, during the unstabile years in Philippines, caused buy the assassination of Ninoy Aquineo, the goverment became short of foreign currency. That made it impossible for a number of businesses to import raw materials or semi-finished components from other countries. Even the Antoniuo Suzuki Corporation had to cut to a minimum staff, making just a few sales from their small inventory. The board of directors decided to sell all their holdings to Suzuki (Japan), who reorganized the company and Suzuki Philippines Inc. was born. In 1985 the new company was selling about 100 units a month but today it is selling almost its full capacity of 3,000 motorcycles a month. About 60% of each bike that leaves Suzuki Philippines is made locally, using Suzuki Japan's quality control techniques. Most of the parts are manufactured by local subcontractors or by the the company itself, like the frames, that are assembled in Pasig. The engines, drivetrain and electrical subassemblies come from Japan.

The Suzuki line in Philippines The Suzuki's line of utility motorcycles are the models which are most often used for commuting, therefor the nickname ”pantra” (pan trabaho = for work). 80% of them end up getting attached to sidecars. The X120 has only received a few upgrades since it's initial release in the early sixties, a testament to the durability of the original design. It is based on a pressed steel frame, and sports a 118cc engine which delivers 12 hp at 7,000 rpm, and peak torque of 1.33 kg-m at 5,000 rpm. Intake timing is achieved through a piston port to a 48mm piston, which has a 50mm stroke. Since it's introduction, it has been updated with new cosmetics, most notably a new tank. The original points type ignition has been replaced by a maintenance free CDI (Capacitor Discharge Ignition). It's a rugged design which has stood the test of time, and the X120 is the most inexpensive of Suzuki's line. The X-3 is a more modern design, based on a frame made out of steel tubing, stampings from heavy sheet steel, and a casting at the steering head. This frame just so you know, is completely made in the Philippines. It sports a 5 speed transmission, one more than the X-120. The engine is a single cylinder 2-stroke air cooled unit, but the resemblance ends there. The main difference is that it uses a rotary valve to control intake, a more modern design. The piston is a square design, which means that the bore and stroke are identical, in this case at 50mm. A square engine design offers the best balance between maximum torque and peak horsepower. An undersquare engine has a longer stroke than piston diameter, which gives it more torque at the expense of peak power. An undersquare design, with a bigger piston diameter than stroke, allows an engine to rev easier, and to higher rpms, at the expense of some peak torque, all other things being equal. The X-4 offers such an oversquare engine, with a 56mm piston on a 50mm stroke, which gives it 123cc displacement. Due to not only a bigger bore (piston diameter) but an improved cylinder head, the X-4 offers the highest power of the Suzuki pantra line, at 13.5 hp at 6,500 rpm, and 1.58 kg-m torque at 6,000 rpm. But other than the engines, the X-3 and X-4 are different in a number of other aspects. The X-4 has stronger fork springs, a square headlight, and a low oil indicator light. The X-4 has a slightly larger rear tire, at 3.00 inches, versus 2.75 for the X-3, and this means a wider rim. The X-4 also has heavier spokes, and a lower final drive. Both machines have 13 teeth on the front sprocket, and while the X-3 has 45 teeth at the rear, the X-4 has 48. For solo riding, the sprockets on the X-4 could easily be changed for higher top speed.

More: Suzuki X120

More: Suzuki X-3

More: Worldwide Suzuki

More: All Suzuki models

Sources: MotorcyclePhilippines.com

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