1994 Suzuki GSX 1100S Katana

There is no more significant name in Japanese motorcycle history than the Suzuki Katana. Japanese for “sword”, the Katana was for a whole family of bikes, beginning production in the early 80s until the mid-2000s, before being re-released in 2019 and continuing to be produced today. In the late 1970s, Suzuki had become concerned about the stagnating design of the ‘Universal Japanese Motorcycles’ of the era and wanted to make its bikes stand out with a European-type design. They made sure to set the Katanas apart from the crowd, drawing on sharp angles, and blended-in bodywork, seats, side panels and tanks to create an iconic design, which made the space-age newcomer stand out. Elements of ‘Katana style’ didn’t just dribble down across Suzuki’s range in the early ’80s, it lives on to this day.

The first Katana, the GSX1100S was released in 1981. The bike debuted at the 1980 Cologne Motorcycle Show, its design being unveiled and receiving extremely positive feedback, making the GSX1100S destined for success. Production began the following year. The GSX1100S KATANA combines a high-performance engine with sharp-edged styling based on a Japanese sword motif. The design of the GSX1100S attracted a great deal of attention, including the unique instrument cluster, synthetic suede seat cover, and large choke dial on the side cover.

Having huge success throughout the 80s and early 90s, it was decided by Suzuki that the GSX1100 would get a revamp in 1994, and be named “Final Edition”. This model was launched for the domestic market to mark the removal of maximum motorcycle engine displacement limits in Japan. Retaining the imposing silhouette and styling that makes the KATANA unique, the GSX1100S also features a newly designed power-assisted clutch and a lighter clutch lever. Other enhancements include a temperature-stabilizing oil cooler and inverted gas shock absorbers with a separate tank in the rear cushion unit.

The GSX1100S was massively popular worldwide, becoming a long-running seller that was produced up to the year 2000. The KATANA series was expanded widely into variations including 750, 650, 400, 250, and 125 cc models, and has attracted a large number of customers.