SUZUKI GS750
TIMELINESuzuki would also collar Kawasakiina nother way
–winning over ace tuner Hideo ‘Pops’Yoshimura. In
the US, Popshad made hisname tuningZ1s for
AMAracing since 1973, but then in77 worked on
Steve McLaughlin’sGS750 AMA Superbike (winning
at Laguna Seca).From there on he would stickwith
Suzuki fortherestofhis race-tuning career,inf act
taking over the running oftheSuzukiUSroad-race
outfit in 1978. Given their similarity,Pops would
have been applyingalot of the lessons helearned
about engine and chassistuning with th eearlyZsto
the GSs. Nowit’s notgenerallythought that Pops
had anyinputintothe GS’sframe design–some
suggest the frame wasimproved throughexperience
with theRGracer –but those early frame mods Pops
applied to the AMA Kawasaki production-based
racers–suchasextra bracing andgusseting around
the headstockandadded cross bracing between the
frame’stwin cradles–could be found fromthe
outset on theproduction GSs. Whateverthe
inspiration/source, the Press’sconsensus was theGS
was the finesthandling fouryet.
Not everything was rosy withthe GS750. The
brakes followed thestandardJapanesepract ice of
stainlesssteel discs combined with single-piston
calipers.With justasingle front disconthe early
examples this set up wasweak in dry conditions and
reported as positivelydang erous in thewet. Suzuki
quicklyfittedaseconddisc to shor eupthe
situation. The paintwork,especially ontheframes,
was notably thin and pronetoc hipping–not good
forBritish winters.The instrumentationwas
considered only average, although the digital gear
indicatorwasanovelty and the orange glow ofthe
instrument lights at night also seemed coolat the
time.Fuel consumption averaged around42-45mpg.
So while th etechwas something borrowed,
something new,tomake something blue,the result
shone out beyond thestree tsleeper looks. The
frame,with slighter longer thanaverage wheelbase
and beingaltogether stronger,set anew benchmark
in handling, whilethe over-engineered engine
over-performedagainst the competition, while
retainingawhole lotof civility. The Pressandthe
public werein raptures–for awhile, avery short
while,forwithin ayear t he GS1000 rolledinto town
and theGS750 wasimmediately forgotten, and
withinthree seasons itwasgone from theSuzuki
cataloguealtogether.
Ultimately the GS750’slegacywasthat in
combining the reliability ofgrandfather’saxe with
class-leading performance,and handling, it laid
down solidfoundations for theGS1000. That it’snot
seen asareverential icon todayis, of course, dueto
the success of the GS1000, which immediately stole
the GS750’sgloryand created muchofi ts own,
notably through itssuccesses in AMASuperbikes
(Wes Cooley, etc.).GS750B
Wire wheels,early models
had single front disc,later
77s came with twin discs.
223kg, 68hp/44ft-lb,
125mph.1978
GS750C
‘Star’ cast wheels,twin
discs,chrome strip added to
seat.
1979
GS750N
Folding footpegs,choke
relocated to steering stem.
1980
Replaced by the 16-valve
GSX750.Mill pulls well from 6000rpm.http://www.classicmechanics.com /49