“It's a classic,” concluded Bike magazine’s glowing roadtest of Suzuki’s GSX1100 Katana in February 1984, noting that, despite having been around virtually unchanged for three years, the big Suzie was still the undisputed King of the Street. With a best one-way of 143mph, the Katana had the legs of rivals such as Kawasaki’s GPz1100 and Laverda’s Jota, while a standing-quarter run of 11.13s demonstrated that there was no lack of bottom-end grunt. Styled by the German firm of Target Design and first seen at the 1980 Cologne Show, the Katana represented a bold effort to produce an uncompromising sports bike in the European mould. The result was a machine that combined straight-line speed with secure handling like no Japanese bike before it. The speedy elevation of the original to the ranks of motorcycling style icon prompted its re-introduction in Japan in the 1990s. This unregistered example was bought as a restoration project by Her Majesty’s Prison Full Sutton and fully restored both mechanically and cosmetically to that institution’s exemplary standards of finish and presentation. Completed in September 2003, the machine was purchased by the vendor at Bonhams’ Stafford Sale in October 2003 and has not been used since. Presented in good condition throughout, it is offered with Classic Services dating certificate.
“It's a classic,” concluded Bike magazine’s glowing roadtest of Suzuki’s GSX1100 Katana in February 1984, noting that, despite having been around virtually unchanged for three years, the big Suzie was still the undisputed King of the Street. With a best one-way of 143mph, the Katana had the legs of rivals such as Kawasaki’s GPz1100 and Laverda’s Jota, while a standing-quarter run of 11.13s demonstrated that there was no lack of bottom-end grunt. Styled by the German firm of Target Design and first seen at the 1980 Cologne Show, the Katana represented a bold effort to produce an uncompromising sports bike in the European mould. The result was a machine that combined straight-line speed with secure handling like no Japanese bike before it. The speedy elevation of the original to the ranks of motorcycling style icon prompted its re-introduction in Japan in the 1990s. This unregistered example was bought as a restoration project by Her Majesty’s Prison Full Sutton and fully restored both mechanically and cosmetically to that institution’s exemplary standards of finish and presentation. Completed in September 2003, the machine was purchased by the vendor at Bonhams’ Stafford Sale in October 2003 and has not been used since. Presented in good condition throughout, it is offered with Classic Services dating certificate.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
