Basket Case - Suzuki GSZ1100SZ

Article by Stuart Bell

“FOR SOME IT IS A PASSION, FOR SOME IT IS A CALLING, FOR OTHERS IT IS AN ADDICTION. AND FOR SOME IS ALL THREE!”

Having owned a 750 Katana back in ’84 and always regretting selling it, I dipped the riding boot back into the water a few years ago with another 1982 750SZ. Was a good barn find and only gave the old girl a cosmetic make-over and some minor mechanical servicing ( full chassis bearing, new clutch plates, tyres and brake rebuilds ). These iconic pieces of motorcycling history always look good and still turn heads and generate debate.

Whilst I love the 750 I always was on the lookout for an 1100 and like so many others I jumped in with both boots with the “BasketCase”. This was going to be a full bolts up rebuild including the engine, transmission and frame / cosmetics right in the middle of 2020, guessing I would have lots of time to get the work done before the 40th Anniversary in 2021.

This decision became a very much Glass if both half full and half empty as my expected excess free time was whittled away by my work in the healthcare industry becoming super busy and so many hospital projects steamrolling ahead, but fortunately this also provided the significant funds required for such a venture. The list of new parts is too numerous to put on paper, with it being easier to state what is retained and either repaired or rebuilt. That being the wheels (powder coated black by the previous owner), the frame (requiring straightening and paint), Swingarm vapour blasted and polished, the engine main cases/barrels & head, the front forks (re-chromed and fully re-built). All work on the bike has been done personally except for frame straightening/blasting/ painting, cylinder re-boring, head valve re-seating.

What I had hope would be achieved in 6 months, inevitably took 12, for which in retrospect I’m glad for. The result I am very happy with, and hope it passes muster and scrutiny. Now just for lockdowns to end so can get some decent K’s behind us!