The Quest: 1983 Suzuki GS750E

Reader Contribution by Mark Rooyakkers
Published on December 8, 2016
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1983 Suzuki GS750E. Photos by Mark Rooyakkers.

Many years ago I owned a 1980 Suzuki GS1100ET that I rode everywhere, in all kinds of weather, and anywhere I needed to go. At the time I did not own a car, and once even carried a pony keg of beer to a party, that bike was truly one of those UJM “do-it-all” motorcycles and it was used as such. My feeling was without a car I could own whatever bike I wanted, and at the time, that big Suzuki was an alpha dog. I truly felt like I was king of the road on it and happily went everywhere on my big Suzuki.

Due to my fondness for that Suzuki, awhile back I started looking for a Suzuki from that era, 1980 to 1983, spending a good bit of time trolling eBay, Cycle Trader and Craigslist, to see if I could find a suitable one in hopes that it could magically transport me back to those heady times 30 years ago when I’d enjoyed some of my fondest motorcycle riding. I managed to eventually find the perfect bike and bid on it, only to lose it by $50 at the last second. I am admittedly a novice when it comes to playing the eBay game.

Fueled by frustration, I started looking for other GS models from that era in different sizes. The ten years from 1978 to 1988 saw an unprecedented array of new machines come into the market, making this period one filled with many very interesting motorcycles. In the course of looking, I stumbled upon a 1983 Suzuki GS750E that was available. It appeared to be in nice shape, and had fairly low miles, but it was over 1,000 miles away.

I had to ask myself, “What do I really need a 33-year-old motorcycle for when I have a number of perfectly good bikes?” It was a logical question, but this quest was not logical, nor is my love for bikes. So, I called the seller, asked the questions, made an offer and struck a deal! Entirely fitting when one’s motto is “You can’t have too many bikes.”

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