Update 9.20.21: This bike has SOLD! Congratulations to buyer and seller! -dc
Update 9.13.21: Price reduced to $12,000. Contact Chris with your interest. Oh and don’t miss his Bimota SB6R either! -dc
Many have fond memories of the glorious excess of the 1980s. A time when more was better, and yet seldom enough. Currently there is a new found appreciation of some of the iconic design and memorable machines from the era. Take the Suzuki Katana, long held in high esteem with a cult following. Suzuki recently announced it would be revive the name in a modern take on the classic design. The original Katana was a defining bike in many ways for Suzuki. All of this has caused a surge of interest in the original Katana, and rightfully so.
The 1982 example featured here is no run of the mill Katana, but rather the rare and sought after 1000cc version of the bike. In an attempt to further broaden the appeal of the Katana line, Suzuki decided to take the bike racing. The rules stipulated that they could not use the 1100 variant sold it many markets, so they reduced the bore size 2.6mm to bring the displacement to 998cc. The reduction in engine size did little to effect the power. With 90hp on tap and a top speed of over 140mph no one doubted the performance credentials.
In the words of the seller:
This 10,872 mile 1982 Suzuki Katana GS1000SZ has been resurrected with the intent being to treat the project as a bike that was ridden and maintained as an owner would have over the years using skill and quality OEM parts, not as a museum show piece. As such, the heart of the motorcycle was left intact. The frame has not been painted and still retains the original sticker near the left rear foot area and wear from the previous owner. The motor has not been removed, but has had a light cosmetic treatment and is a 10k mile running unit. All mechanical issues with this bike were addressed with OEM Suzuki parts whenever available. The bike was started and ran to assess the mechanical status.
The clutch made some excessive noise so the entire clutch, from the primary drive (no longer available, thanks Mick Hone Suzuki AUS) fiber and steel clutch plates, new pressure plate, as well as all springs, bearings and washers replaced with OEM parts.The carburetors were then removed and disassembled, sonically cleaned and rebuilt. The tank is solid and the fuel has been rinsed out. A new Suzuki petcock with a new gasket and fresh fuel line installed. Carbs are jetted with the jets it ran on. Has a factory airbox, K&N filter and the Air/Fuel mixture screws 2 1/2 turns out. Clutch and carb work was performed by Jeremy Lanier of Lanier Racing.I would like to thank Jeremy Lanier of Lanier Racing for his assistance, expertise and wit, also Mick Hone from Suzuki Australia for shipping some hard to find vintage Suzuki parts to the USA and Seminole Powersports North for the great parts and service departments.
The bike has patina and wear from previous years of use, specifically the frame and swing arm that were not disassembled or painted. There are lots of hours of work and plenty of dollars in parts spent on this 39 soon to be 40 year old bike. If you have any questions on the build or my reputation as a seller and member of the motorcycle community, do your due diligence. I have been building GSX-R’s for over 30 plus years and have built a number of various sport bikes sold on this site.Ready to assist in the shipping logistics, but buyer is responsible for setting up arrangementsInterested buyers can contact me directly with any questions or legitimate offers on this bike or any other build you would like to commission.
The bike sits in a dry, ready to start state. Oil in the crankcase, no fuel in the tank or carbs.(Fuel last for about 2-3 weeks stagnant here in the Florida summer)New Yuasa battery,New Michelin Pilot tires,New chain and sprocketsPowder coated wheels with new wheel bearingsNew replica seat coverFreshly painted tank and bodywork using PPG products including liberal amounts of DCU2021 clear if you wish to wet sand and buff to a show finishNew OEM Coils/ Caps and NGK plugsNew airbox rubber and clamps (air side), as well as the fuel side intake rubber inlets making carb removal and service a non drama eventAll new OEM engine side covers, some not available anymorePowder coated rotor carriersNew left side switch gearNew Suzuki mirrorsNew Suzuki tail lightNew throttle cableNew OEM front and rear turn signalsNew OEM hand gripsTriple tree bearingsClutch pivot shaft bearingRebuilt front and rear master brake cylinders (Suzuki dealer)Vintage Vance and Hines exhaustComplete list of parts and receipts for verification of all work performed.