What it is:

Careful copy of the Kawasaki Zl engine installed in the best big- bike chassis of the era. Murdered the Z-1000 on road and track. Can be tuned to produce monster power with little loss of longevity.

Others in its family tree:

Developed from the GS750. S model got two-tone paint and dinky BMW-esque cockpit fairing. G model was the hefty shaft- drive tourer. GS850 was only available as shaft drive and is (a bit) lighter and more manageable than the 1000G.

It’s good because:

You’ve got a reasonable chance of coming out of a fast corner on the correct side of the road. Good reliability, too.

It’s bad because:

If you want an air-cooled big-cube Suzuki the GSX1100 is better. The GS’s charging system isn’t up to much either.

Other Alternatives:

GS850G if you want the shaft drive, GSX1100 otherwise.