Founded in 1909 to make looms, Suzuki entered motor vehicles in June 1952 with Power Free, an auxiliary engine for bicycles.
It used a 36 cc air-cooled, two-stroke single-cylinder engine producing one metric horsepower. A wet multi-disc clutch and two-speed transmission formed part of the drive. The small engine gave the bicycle another way to move.
The Diamond Free followed in 1953, and the company became Suzuki Motor Co., Ltd. in 1954. Power Free reveals a connection between bicycle and motorcycle history: a familiar machine provided the foundation for a new direction in the company’s work.