interleaved with a red image of the same sword. “The sword first serves as a weapon, but a katana also has a mythological meaning in Japan,” Muth said when he presented the design to Osamu Suzuki. “If you don’t treat it right, its sharpness can be lethal. The same is true for a motorcycle.”" Production The production 16-valve Katanas of 1981 differed only slightly from the prototype; changes included a small wind deflector screen, paired mufflers, and black accent paint on the front fender and airbox covers. Target's design philosophy—keeping components compact and close-fitting—was applied to all areas of the bike's design to reduce production costs, weight, and number of components required. Examples include the overlapping dials on the instrument cluster, and the offset fuel cap, which allowed for a clean continuous seam weld on the tank. Upon the GSX1100S Katana's release in late 1980, Suzuki claimed it to be the fastest mass-production motorcycle in the world, ensuring that its new looks were matched by unprecedented performance levels. In comparative track testing Cycle Canada Magazine recorded a top speed of for the Suzuki 1100 Katana against for the standard GSX1100E. The next fastest tested was the 82 Kawasaki GPz1100 at followed by the Laverda Mirage 1200 , Yamaha XJ650 Turbo , Ducati 900SS and the Honda CX500 Turbo So radical was the design departure from previous mass-market cycles that most major motorcycle magazines of the era thought the design would not appeal to the masses. Nevertheless, the Katana was a sales success, and it had a lasting impact on motorcycle design. Portions of the design ethos are still visible in many current sport bikes, including the faired-in seat and tank. Factory variants Several variants of the 1982 (Z model year) Katana 1100SZ were produced by Suzuki to support racing. GSX1000SZ The GSX1000SZ (circa 1981) was a 998cc variant of the GSX1100SZ produced in sufficient numbers to homologate the bike as a production machine that was eligible for racing modification under the then-current international superbike racing rules (which included a 1000 cc displacement limit). The GSX1000SZ had frame serial numbers beginning with GS10X-500001~, and were fitted by the factory with a performance inlet camshaft (part 12711–49201) paired with the same exhaust camshaft as the standard GSX1100SZ (part 12700–45820). The 1000SZ also sported round-slide Mikuni VM32SS carburetors and was often fitted with optional wire wheels, which were lighter and—with an 18" rear—allowed