Not A Kz but one I wanted since....

Well more research in this Suzuki bikes.
According to this report the bike that we come to know as the Wes Cooley is NOT a special edition bike.
The name only came about when Kawasaki came out with the Eddie Lawson Replica. Suzuki never reconize the 79-80 gs1000s as a Wes Cooley.
Just a normal bike like the Katana
Click on the image for larger format.

A letter ”S” after a Suzuki model name normally means that the engineers have basically mounted a cockpit (bikini) fairing to the bike to make it (look) more sporty. That's even the case with the GS1000S. I believe it was the first standard Suzuki sold with a fairing.

GS1000S was based on the GS1000E but didn't have its pneumatic rear suspension. The fairing gained the bike's weight with 5 kg (11 lbs) and included a clock and oil temperature gauge on the instrument panel. The rear wheel diameter was increased from 17 to 18 inches on the S model.

Apparently the German version of the GS1000S did have the pneumatic rear suspension and had a 17-inch rear wheel. Slightly different bikes were sold in different parts of the world.

The GS1000S is also known as the Wes Cooley replica. The GS series worked well on the track, too, Wes Cooley and Yoshimura winning the young AMA Superbike Championship for Suzuki in the late seventies. The Suzuki GS1000S actually homologated the fairing for race use in the AMA Superbike class. It was very fast bike, being one of the absolute fastest motorcycles in the world. In today's standards, the model was a suicide machine with poor high speed stability but back in 1979 it handled as well as its competitors.

The beautiful GS1000S was manufactured under two years, 1980 being the last model year for the GS1000S. Then the GSX1100S Katana took its place being the fastest and sportiest Suzuki motorcycle. Apparently the nickname ”Wes Cooley replica” came some time after the model was released and the model was never officially known as the Wes Cooley replica by Suzuki. Apparently the GS1000S started being called that after Kawasaki released their Eddie Lawson replica years later (source: Daniel Kaplan, USA).

The GS1000S was available in color combinations Blue/White and Red/White.

Correct about the 1000S never officially being denoted as the Wes Cooley replica. That name was applied after Wes Cooley started racing, and winning, with the bike.

1979 was the first year for the 1000S. It was just a cosmetic update and most of the bike was same as the 1000E model. BTW, the US market never got the pneumatic shocks. The 1980 version 1000S received a substantial update. In addition to the various cosmetic parts from the '79 the bike received a unique frame with rearset pegs, a different seat with a step, a unique exhaust system, in addition to various upgrades all 1980 Suzuki's received (electronic ignition, new brakes, CV carbs, new head, etc).

The 1000S was most definitely a limited edition model bike but it wasn't overly difficult to obtain back in the day. There is a guy on the GS Resources which has a VIN list, so he can tell you how many were produced. Going off memory I think it was something like 5000 world wide.

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationSpeaking of rare Suzukis heres an XN85 Turbo. Only 1500 ever made worldwide and this one is 15 miles away from me



But imagine dealing with parts if and when you broke anything.

The GS1000S was really beautiful. Also the 1983 GS750 and 1100ES were very nice. All the GS were great. The turbo bikes never really clicked until Kawasaki got the GPZ750 turbo in 1985 I believe. From tests the Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki turbo bikes were no faster than the normal motorcycles of the time.

Wes Cooley....500 in the US for 79
And 700 for 80
But can't find total world wide.
With Cooley and Yoshimura winning on the track, for the 1979 season Suzuki launched the new GS1000S, a model originally meant for the European market only — until U.S. dealers saw the bike. They wanted them, and eventually they got a very limited supply — approximately 500 of the 1979 edition, and just a few more than 700 in 1980. One, the story goes, for every Suzuki outlet in the U.S. Thanks to the Wes Cooley racing connection, the sporty S was soon nicknamed the “Wes Cooley replica,” although Suzuki never officially marketed the 1000S under any such branding.

spdygon wrote: Wes Cooley....500 in the US for 79
And 700 for 80
But can't find total world wide.
With Cooley and Yoshimura winning on the track, for the 1979 season Suzuki launched the new GS1000S, a model originally meant for the European market only — until U.S. dealers saw the bike. They wanted them, and eventually they got a very limited supply — approximately 500 of the 1979 edition, and just a few more than 700 in 1980. One, the story goes, for every Suzuki outlet in the U.S. Thanks to the Wes Cooley racing connection, the sporty S was soon nicknamed the “Wes Cooley replica,” although Suzuki never officially marketed the 1000S under any such branding.

As mentioned previously, there is a guy on the GS Resources with a VIN list registry so to speak from known bikes. I just looked up a post he made on GSR and he says there were about 7000 '79's and 5000 '80's worldwide. There were a lot more than 500/700 sold in the US, which was the largest market for the bike, I just don't know the exact number .

Well finally turning some miles on this big Katana. Repaired the original harness and bout about $500 worth of new bolts , washers , grommets, etc.
This thing is fast...998cc at 108 hp.

God...looked at one (GS1000-SZ) on the showroom floor in Corpus Christi in 1982...just couldn't wrap my head around it then...sure can now

RonKZ650 wrote: Buddy of mine with a 1981 GS1100 spent $2000.00 or better in parts to keep the GS charging in 100,000 miles. Every failure, suzuki claimed a new updated part, but same scenerio every 15,000 miles like clock work.

He got ripped off.
I found "bad stator" problem once:
wire was touching cover. I used electrical tape. That is why I bought the bike for $200.

Yup...heard and read all bout the charging system. From what I found looks like that was the reason bike as park.
All that bend fix..13.2 t idle and 13.8 at 5k .
Stator was good at 80v and installed a new R/R

well I found myself another 82gs1000sz katana. this is # 42.