THE 1970S WAS A REMARKABLE DECADE for motorcycling. In 1969, riders who wanted a big, powerful mainstream motorcycle would be offered a British 650cc ohv parallel twin. Just seven years later there had been huge technological advances; the speed at which the Japanese factories could create a new model was undeniably impressive.
Suzuki had a lot of two-strokes in its range that were about to be killed by looming emission regulations, while its top-of-the-line model was the RE5 Rotary, an expensive flop that almost bankrupted the company. After years of building sporty and touring two-strokes, Suzuki knew that emissions regs in that all-important US market were going to kill its stinkwheel twins and triples, and it was going to need a four-stroke range if it wanted to stay in business.
Suzuki had to come up with something fast, and work began on its new range leader in 1973. The company looked at what its rivals were offering and the first Suzuki GS750 prototypes were offered to select US and German dealers to try out in 1975. The dealers loved them – here was a four-cylinder DOHC 750 sports tourer, a Suzuki that would wipe the floor with the opposition – and production models were being sold in those same showrooms less than 18 months later. Of all the other Japanese offerings of the period, only Kawasaki’s Z900 was faster.
Suzuki didn’t launch just one
