Thus the older GS750S, GS1000S, and GS1100S Katanas are now becoming highly collectible, so Rob Wilton doesn’t like starting his custom projects from a complete bike. And though the widely popular GS850G was available for two more years, the original GS/GSX line was terminated. However, Suzuki’s air-cooled four was reaching the end of its development in 1984, the new GSX-R motor was introduced with SACS (Suzuki Advanced Cooling System) air/oil cooling. The Katana was a critical and commercial success (even in the heyday of “custom” cruisers with stepped seats), so much so that it spawned imitators from the other Japanese manufacturers: Kawasaki’s GPZ range and Honda’s Vee-Four Sabre. They called it “Katana” after the single-edged sword used by 15th century Samurai warriors. (Though many a GS850G owner fitted a voluminous Vetter or Windjammer fairing, these were hardly sporting.) It was therefore a bold move by Suzuki to create a café racer, combining its powerful 16-valve motor with sporty, angular bodywork by Hans Muth. Until the early 80s, the Japanese “muscle bikes” came naked: sporting bodywork was exclusive of Italian and German manufacturers.
This was sold as the GS in North America but in other markets as the GSX. Suzuki’s answer was a new 16-valve cylinder head with “TSCC” (Twin Swirl Combustion Chambers) introduced in 1980. But in 1979, Honda introduced a 16-valve DOHC design. All established a reputation for bulletproof reliability and longevity, especially the G-suffix shaft drive machines.Įarly GS bikes had double overhead camshafts with two valves per cylinder-state of the art when the GS750 arrived in 1976.
#SUZUKI KATANA 1980 PRO#
(So strong, in fact, those Suzuki GS-based engines are still found in the fastest pro stock drag racing bikes.)įirst of Suzuki’s four-stroke fours was the GS750, then came the classic GS1000, the GS850, and the GS1100. Though expensive and time-consuming to assemble, the GS crankshaft was stronger and more durable than the plain bearing cranks of the competition. Borrowing from its long experience in two-stroke engines, Suzuki used a built-up crankshaft, running roller bearings in the mains, and big ends for its GS range. But Suzuki’s approach to producing such machines differed substantially from its competitors. Suzuki was the last of the “Big Four” Japanese motorcycle manufacturers to produce an across-the-frame four-stroke overhead cam four, the configuration that became known as the “UJM” (Universal Japanese Motorcycle). He has at least three similar machines under his belt, with GS fans knocking on his door looking for replicas. Rob doesn’t only build custom bikes for himself. “I promptly blew through my budget, then tripled it!” “Just as some are into stockers, I dig an old base with modern upgrades,” says Rob. Ten years later he found a 1983 Katana 1100 “in a basket” and started a ground-up rebuild to his own custom specification. “I kicked myself for selling my ‘82 Kat back in 1985,” says Rob. So what does Rob do to fill the hours between gigs? As a talented mechanic with a passion for early 80s Suzukis, Rob has made a name for himself as the builder of some of the finest custom Katanas around. Making movies consists of lots of “hurry up and wait”-short bursts of activity with a good amount of down time in between.
#SUZUKI KATANA 1980 MOVIE#
Rob is a stunt coordinator and stunt performer with a long list of credits in the movie and TV industry, so when he does appear on the screen, he’s usually standing in for someone else. You’re not usually supposed to recognize him.
#SUZUKI KATANA 1980 SERIES#
4 min read Fans of the long-running TV sci-fi series Stargate SG-1 and the movie The Fantastic Four will likely have seen Rob Wilton on their screens without realizing it.
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