How many GSX1000SZ Katanas left in the world?

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general_piffle
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How many GSX1000SZ Katanas left in the world?

Post by general_piffle » Tue Jun 04, 2024 9:24 pm

Good evening all, I wondered how many GSX1000SZ bikes were ever made in the first place, so the big Kats qualified for homologation? 

And if there's a register for the 1000s, or if we have any idea of how many are left? Thanks!

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Kryten
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Re: How many GSX1000SZ Katanas left in the world?

Post by Kryten » Wed Jun 05, 2024 12:27 pm

Hi

As far as I am aware there does not seem to be a definitive number of the Kat 1000’s made, and for which markets.

I have heard figures ranging from 2000 to 3000.

There are a number of them in the club ranging from highly polished show goers to well used riders.

Also, at the risk of being classed as a resurrectionist, I’m bringing one back to life. Slowly :lol:

I’m sure there will be others along to further muddy the waters……



As for a register. I think the closest we have is the one run by Alexander and Katana France. The club did try to run one but it did require owners to actually tell Fossie what they had tucked away in the garage/shed/workshop/front room.
Jim

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1000 SZ in bits
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fossie
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Re: How many GSX1000SZ Katanas left in the world?

Post by fossie » Wed Jun 05, 2024 5:51 pm

The actual question of how many are left really can't answered with honesty because it's too broad a question ...
Perdantic it may seem but the US market were not the same as the UK market ( which are the sort after limited edition)
Now if we come forward to life after the 1990's and the grey bike explosion , many 1000cc Katana's found their way over here from Other markets many USA & Canada in this case not Japan as they had restrictions on large cc machines...the the few that came from Japan were actually US imports in the first place.
There was no real stock levels from Heron Suzuki at the time (1982-3) and because they were used for racing many remained unregistered anyway...
So0 fairness you can quote anything it ain't checkableanyway ...A guess is the best anyone can do.
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Re: How many GSX1000SZ Katanas left in the world?

Post by zed1015 » Wed Jun 05, 2024 6:53 pm

Around 3000 GSX1000S's made with 1000 of those fitted with vm32 ovalbores to qualify for homologation and 166 of those were allocated to the UK.
You can knock three of those off the UK survivors list as i have their carbs :lol:

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Re: How many GSX1000SZ Katanas left in the world?

Post by general_piffle » Thu Jun 06, 2024 8:49 am

zed1015 wrote:
Wed Jun 05, 2024 6:53 pm
Around 3000 GSX1000S's made with 1000 of those fitted with vm32 ovalbores to qualify for homologation and 166 of those were allocated to the UK.
You can knock three of those off the UK survivors list as i have their carbs :lol:
Thanks for the info zed! Most enlightening. I've now discovered that as well as the US bikes (with CV carbs, and of which more were produced) the rarer round-slide carb/different cam 1000s were all bound for Europe, Australia and South Africa.

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Re: How many GSX1000SZ Katanas left in the world?

Post by zed1015 » Fri Jun 07, 2024 1:49 pm

general_piffle wrote:
Thu Jun 06, 2024 8:49 am
zed1015 wrote:
Wed Jun 05, 2024 6:53 pm
Around 3000 GSX1000S's made with 1000 of those fitted with vm32 ovalbores to qualify for homologation and 166 of those were allocated to the UK.
You can knock three of those off the UK survivors list as i have their carbs :lol:
Thanks for the info zed! Most enlightening. I've now discovered that as well as the US bikes (with CV carbs, and of which more were produced) the rarer round-slide carb/different cam 1000s were all bound for Europe, Australia and South Africa.
Yes! There is a record somewhere online of how many went to Oz ,NewZealand and elsewhere etc that i had saved on my last PC before it went bang which i haven't managed to find since and it's only the 166 to UK sticks in my mind

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Re: How many GSX1000SZ Katanas left in the world?

Post by 64Hip » Wed Feb 11, 2026 3:00 pm

If I may dip a toe into the water of this one?
This is just solely about the UK 1000SZs which as far as I am aware, usually have a frame number of GS10X-500*** and an engine number of GS10X-100***. I know the American 1000s (with the CV carbs) have a different frame prefix - GT72A, but I can't speak for any other markets.
Because I do this for a couple of other motorcycle clubs (I'm the Registrar of the Marston Sunbeam club, which of course are in a different world to Katanas, but as they say, variety is the spice of life) and because I own a UK-from-new 1982 GSX1000SZ Kat, during my ownership I have compiled a small register of UK 1000SZ's.
The popular belief and understanding is that we got 166 of them in the UK. Of that 166, I currently have full or part details of 23 of these bikes. This info has come my way from a variety of sources - auction sites, ebay, the generosity of some owners and the wonderful Alexandre at Katana France.
If I can help in any way, or you wish to add to this list, please get in touch. I very much respect GDPR and the integrity of individual owners. If I'm wrong with any of the above, please let me know and it will help me correct my info. Happy to help.
Cheers. Mick
1982 GSX1000SZ

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