The 80s are probably my favorite decade for Japanese motorcycles. With all the weird experimentation, technological advancements, turbos, rotaries, and square headlights there was a real Wild West energy at the Big Four. I'm a huge sucker for any Japanese machine built between 1979 and 1991, so when this phenomenal Suzuki Katana 750 popped up on Bring a Trailer I knew I had to tell you all about it.
The Unsheathed Blade:
Located in the frozen northwestern wastes of Michigan's lower peninsula, this middleweight Katana is a vision in silver and red. Purchased new in 1983, it's been in storage since 1986 and still wears its original plate, tags, and Bridgestone tires. Even when it was on the road this thing didn't get too much use, as the 2,000 miles on the odometer can attest. The current owner picked it up from the original owner's mother at the end of 2019, gave it a basic tune-up, and is offering it on Bring a Trailer.
According to the listing, the Katana 750 was a one-year-only model here in the States and was offered only in silver and red livery with a silver frame. At its heart is a stout 747cc, DOHC, inline-four that put down somewhere in the neighborhood of 80 horsepower new. All those ponies made it to the road via a five-speed gearbox and a chain final drive. It also features Suzuki's extremely weird anti-dive system (I have the same setup on my '83 GS550E, which is nearly identical to this thing), a very 80s instrument cluster, and that glorious square headlight.
If you want this super clean piece of 80s motorcycle nostalgia, you have about a day to snap it up since the auction ends February 20, 2020, at around 5:00 pm. It's currently sitting at $4,500 Yankee Dollars, which is honestly a steal for this bike. For as clean as it is and as rare as it is, I'm surprised it's not going for more despite it not being the more popular big boy 1,100. You can read more about it, see more pictures, and bid to your heart's content at Bring a Trailer. Good luck, and if you do pick it up, swing it by Detroit so I can have a gander at it.
Source: Bring a Trailer