Bike Envy: 1981 Suzuki GSX1100S Katana

BIKEENVY

The local motorcycle parts store always has a few interesting bikes parked out front at any given time. I happened to spot this gem while driving past the shop and decided to pull into the parking lot for a vending machine coffee and a closer look. It's not everyday you spot a vintage Katana in such good condition. Though I was never a fan of the design, examining a pristine example up close definitely started warming my heart. What was this tingling sensation? Heartburn from the deep fried pork cutlet I just ate? Perhaps. Or perhaps this was a case of unexpected BIKE ENVY!

Hate it or love it, the first Suzuki Katana was an undeniable watershed moment for motorcycle design and arguably for industrial design in general. Prior to the Katana, most production motorcycles followed a fairly similar style brief and to the non-rider it might be difficult to tell a Honda from a BSA or a BMW - don't believe me, just google-image the phrase "1975 motorcycle" followed by a series of any motorcycle company you can think of not named Harley Davidson.

The 70's was also the era that gave rise to the superbike, starting with Honda's CB750 and Kawasaki's Z1. Fast-forward to 1980 and Suzuki's GS1100 (pictured above) was the evolution of that superbike concept. It garnered critical acclaim upon its release, winning superbike of the year honors from Cycle World magazine. However, as the first pages were turning on the new decade, Suzuki wanted to stand out from its competitors with a forward-thinking European influenced design, and they figured that the already successful GS1100 would make a great foundation for a daring new design exercise already in the works.

Rewind one year prior - in 1979 the German motorcycle magazine Motorrad hosted a competition between the top design houses in Europe with the mandate to create a concept worthy of the space-age. A firm called Target, founded by former Porsche and BMW designers Hans-Georg Kasten and Hans Muth, won the competition with their MV Agusta based 750S concept (below in red). Their striking new design made waves across the industry when it debuted at a trade show later that year in Cologne. All of this caught the eye of Suzuki whose European headquarters were in Germany, and they reached out to commission a concept of their own based on the GS1100 platform. 

It wasn't long before Target had a prototype ready for Suzuki. Code named ED-2 (for European Design), its shark-nosed fairings were wrapped around Suzuki's formidable 1074 cc transverse 4 cylinder mill with twin swirl combustion chambers making 111 hp at 8500 rpm and 71 lb ft of torque at 6500 rpm. Not only did it look fast standing still, it was legitimately one of the fastest production bikes at the time, capable of speeds in excess of 136 mph. The finished prototype was introduced at the Cologne motorcycle show at the end of 1980, and in 1981 it landed on dealership floors. The new model was called the GSX1100S, nicknamed Katana after its sharp faceted angles.

The design was polarizing and not universally praised by the media. Regardless, the Katana went on to become a sales success spawning many more iterations within Suzuki's lineup. Since the Katana's initial success in the early 80's, more and more motorcycle manufacturers began outsourcing to firms that specialize in industrial and automotive design in order to lend a dynamic and compelling shape to match the raw energy and excitement packaged within. When we see a beautiful new motorcycle design, when it speaks to us or makes our hearts quiver, we owe some small part of our adoration to the game-changing Katana. 

If you'd like to time slip into the 70's, please check out the previous BIKE ENVY featuring Kawasaki's Widowmaker! In the meantime, here are some specs for the 1981 GSX1100S. 

Power - 111 hp @ 8500 rpm
Torque - 71 ft/lbs @ 6500 rpm
Weight - 511 lbs (dry) 535 lbs (wet) 
Engine - 1074 cc, four stroke, transverse four cylinder DOHC
Transmission - 5-speed, chain driven
Top Speed - 136 mph
0-60 mph - 5 sec
Standing 1/4 mile - 11.9 sec at 119 mph