Post Listing Update: Bidding got up to $8,701 but this bike was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown.
Suzuki shocked a lot of people with the GS series, particularly with their 997cc-engined entrance into the liter bike market. It was fast, it had great handling and brakes, and over time it’s proven itself to be one of the most reliable engines in history. In 1978, Yoshimura was running a KZ1000 with Wes Cooley, but they weren’t winning races. They switched to the GS1000 and then started dominating – Cooley won the ’79 and ’80 AMA Superbike Championships. While this was happening, Suzuki decided to release a Euro-only sport version of the GS1000. Once American dealers got a peek, they started clamoring for them, too. Enter the Suzuki GS1000S, of which only 500 were imported to the states in ’79. Another small batch was imported in ’80 of about 700 – supposedly one for every US Suzuki dealership.
The 997cc inline four cylinder produced 90 horsepower, which was good enough to propel the 524 pound bike up to about 130 miles per hour. It was never officially marketed with a Wes Cooley tie-in, but consumers affectionately considered it a bit of a replica. For more on the bike that changed many American minds about Suzuki’s sporting credentials, check out this profile from Motor Cyclist. As quoted in that profile, in ’79 Cycle Guide said that the GS1000S
“demands recognition as the finest all-around ride motorcycling has to offer.”
This specific Suzuki GS1000S has just 6,250 miles and is claimed to be in excellent condition – the photos don’t give a reason to dispute that. With the exception of the tires, this bike is completely original. If it matters to you, the seller is none other than Mitch Boehm, former editor of Motorcyclist and current editor of Moto Retro Illustrated. I think you can assume he takes good care of his bikes!
Find this Suzuki GS1000S for sale in Palos Verdes, California with bidding up to $6,700 and the reserve not yet met