[82kat1000]

Hey guys, new to this forum, Always wanted a vintage Kat and came across '82 1000 for sale in a local paper. Owner wants $2500 US. Mostly original, has 50K on bike, 1100 cc motor currently in it, but he has the original 1000 cc to go with it. Original paint, ripped seat, tach needle fell off, kerker 4 into 1. Pretty much just ridden over the past 30 years.

Is this a good deal? What scares me a little about this restoration project is the availability of things like seat, windscreen, etc. Are there any good parts sources out there for these vintage kats?

Any way to "decode" the VIN to see if it's truly one of these so-called early (and rare?) 1000's?

thanks for the help!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28352044@N02/?saved=1

[katman1260]

http://www.suzuki-katana.com/katana_specifications.html

At the bottom of the page you will find a vin decode chart. Just click on it.

Welcome to the kat family M8.

[Slofuze]

Scott....... that is one really great ride! Congrats bro!!!!

[82kat1000]

Thanks Katman. Looking at your earlier post, is it safe to say that the $2500 asking price for this 1000 might be on the high-side (if that local guy in your area couldn't sell a nice '83 1100 for the same $)? What do you think from the pic I posted?

The seller of the one I'm looking at is firm on his price. I personally think he's a little high. I know I'll be dumping plenty of time and $ to make it right.

[katman1260]

Thanks Katman. Looking at your earlier post, is it safe to say that the $2500 asking price for this 1000 might be on the high-side (if that local guy in your area couldn't sell a nice '83 1100 for the same $)? What do you think from the pic I posted?

The seller of the one I'm looking at is firm on his price. I personally think he's a little high. I know I'll be dumping plenty of time and $ to make it right.

Looks in real nice shape. I think they are a steal at that price and don't understand why they are not bringing more cash. I have one here with a braced powder coated frame, new harness and controls, fresh 1166 engine, fresh paint, seat, new screen, polished engine covers and gsxr conversion suspension and I don't think I will get 3.5k for it. That doesn't even cover the engine rebuild.

Don't worry too much about a couple hundred here or there. If you love the bike grab it. Mario (the local guy here) was bid up to 4,200.00 for his '83 kat on ebay and didn't take it.

[Chookykat]

There are a few 1000 Kats floating around here in Canada. A friend of mine bought one in the 80's but destroyed it in a potato field.

[Mel Wainwright]

There were quite a few of them over here in South Africa. They were known as Katana Striker 1000cc. I think they were produced to homologate them for super bike racing which was restricted to 1000cc.
Regards
Mel

[katman1260]

The U.S. only got 1000s in '82. Canada got 1100s. AMA was restricted to 1000cc that year.

[Mojoe]

The U.S. only got 1000s in '82. Canada got 1100s. AMA was restricted to 1000cc that year.

since this thread was started, I tried doing a little more research on the subject to see who was right, who was wrong, and who was close. it seems we are all "right" in our combined information.

the 1000 was indeed designed for racing, but not just to meet AMA regulations, but production racing worldwide....and the distinguishing difference between the 1000 and 1100 was 32mm slides on the 1000 and 34mm CV's on the 1100.

In 1980 at the Cologne motorcycle show, the world saw its first Katana. it was released for the public in 81.

[1982SZ]

Gs1000sz

I have one. The 1000SZs were produced for SuperBike racing homologations, a total of 3500 were produced with just 1500 going to the U.S. in '82. Designed in Suzuki's German design house. (Sorry, designed by the Bavarian design house Target Designs, for Suzuki Germany.)

[Don Giablo]

why is it that most people who mention the kat first hitting the market say that it was in 82?

well y'all are off by two years. the katana appeared on the market in 1980. the 1100 kat had already been sold 2 years before they introduced the 1000 kat.
and then they only made it two years. the reason it is "rarer" than the 1100....well just do the math. 5 yrs production for the 1100 vs 2 years production for the 1000.



Look up Wes Cooley and Suzuki racing. He gave suzuki their first AMA championship in 79 on a gsx1100, and in 80 on the katana 1000. and you want to know why it ended there? it wasn't for lack of bikes to race. it was lack of reliable bikes to race. the 1000 katana was a nightmare for suzuki. it was a lemon, so to speak. it was just a load of mechanical problems. Cooley couldn't win sh*t with it after the AMA win. So he switched over to the gsx1100ef. then 2 years later Suzuki pawned the 1000 off on the public, hoping to get the same appeal as the 1100 was getting. but it didn't gain any popularity as people just preferred the 1100.

so you see, there is nothing really special about the 1000, unless you consider it's "questionable" history, special. it was basically the runt of the katana litter. you know...weak and fragile so to speak. that is why they scrapped production after 2 years. if anyone has an 84 katana, it is most likely an 83 leftover that they sold as an 84.

Here you are again. Speaking out of your a$$. The issue was, when it came to market. (for sale) Not a prototype or show display. Stop regurgitating erroneous information. El G.