SUZUKI GS1000
At
first sight Suzuki's GS1000 was an unlikely bike to be regarded as
outstanding; let alone as a machine that would be regarded as an
all-time great even decades after its arrival in 1978. Although
pleasantly styled, the GS was unexceptional to look at. Its
air-cooled, dohc four-cylinder engine design was entirely
conventional, as was its steel-framed, twin-shock chassis layout.
But
the GS1000
was
extra special, for two main reasons. Firstly, it was slightly better
in just about every quantifiable way than its direct rival,
Kawasaki's Z1000 - meaning that Suzuki's first ever open-class
machine was the best big four on the road. More importantly, the GS
could be ridden extremely
hard without wobbles or weaves, which arguably made it the first
Japanese superbike to match European levels of chassis performance.
Coming as
it did towards the end of a decade in which Japanese machines had
gradually assumed dominance due to their powerful and reliable
engines, without managing to shake off criticisms of second-rate
chassis, the Suzuki's arrival was significant. Here at last was a
bike that was not only faster than any other four in a straight line,
but whose stability and cornering prowess allowed - no, positively
encouraged - its rider to make the most of all that power.
The
achievement of Suzuki's engineers was all the greater given that the
firm's first four-stroke multi, the excellent GS750, had itself been
launched only one year earlier. The larger powerplant, which had a
capacity of 997cc from dimensions of 70 x 64.8mm, followed the 750's
dohc eight-valve layout and actually weighed slightly less, due to
features including a lighter flywheel, thinner crankcases and lack of
a kick- starter. But the bigger motor was considerably more powerful,
producing a maximum of 87bhp at SOOOrpm that was 19bhp up on the
GS750. and gave a 4bhp advantage over the Z1000.
The Suzuki GS1000 shared its overall look and steel, twin-downtube frame layout
with the GS750. But the new bike's frame was thicker in places, and
its tubular steel swingarm was stronger. The GS1000 also had wider
tyres, plus an extra front brake disc. Its new forks were
air-assisted, and its shocks could be adjusted through four rebound
damping positions - giving the GS the most sophisticated suspension
system yet seen on a mass-produced roadster. (So it did have some
technical innovation, after all.)kness,
This
added-up to a stunning new superbike that seemingly had no real weakness, and which made the Z1000, until now the dominant
big four, look slightly second rate. The GS stormed past the 1OOmph
(161km/h) mark at a phenomena! rate, on the way to a top speed of
135mph (217km/h). Cruising speed was limited only by road conditions
and the rider's ability to hang on. Even at high revs the motor felt
unburstable and reasonably smooth, and it soon proved to be
impressively reliable.
Better
still, that chassis really was capable of keeping all that horsepower
in check. One tester observed that the GS1000 felt safer at 1 lOmph
(177km/h) than most bikes did at less than half that speed. Although
it was not a particularly light bike, its frame was rigid and its
suspension was the best yet seen from Japan. Despite the bike's
high-speed stability, it could be flicked into corners with the ease
of a much smaller machine.
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| SUZUKI GS1000 |
Considering
that this was Suzuki's first attempt at a open-class superbike, the
GS 1000's overall performance was nothing short of sensational. Apart
from a few minor criticisms such as the lack of a pillion grab-rail
as standard fitment, the Suzuki GS1000 only real failing was a slight lack of
character. Given its speed, its reliability, and most of all its
handling, very few riders complained about that.
SUZUKI GS1000 prices 2014
MINT $10,000 £8,000
GOOD $7,700 £6,500
FAIR $5,400 £5,000
PROJECT $1,000 £850.
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