Topic: 1980 Suzuki GS1100E

[Kelly E]

Kelly,those wheels & swingarm are looking nice  The tail section is intact on yours !

Yep the tail is intact but the front fender is so sun baked it looks like there's a bright light shining on it in the picture. The paint is cracked off and about half of the pinstripes. Good thing we aren't building a show bike, I plan on riding it a whole bunch.

[Kelly E]

Today we finished up assembly on the back half of the bike. Then we mounted the new carbs so I can make a stabilizing bar so they don't bounce around since the stock airbox won't fit anymore.

[grcamna2]

Oh !  You've got the Hot Rod Mikuni carbs !! 

[Kelly E]

Oh !  You've got the Hot Rod Mikuni carbs !! 

Yeah baby and we have a Delkavic stainless steel exhaust system to go with the carbs as well. Plus our buddy Jason the guru is going to tune it for us. When he's here he's going to tune the 74' 550 and the 90' Moto Guzzi 1000 Le Mans. We rebuilt the Guzzi carbs last fall and didn't get to ride it before the weather turned. We asked Jason for help and he offered to tune all three non stock bikes. It's awesome to have cool friends.

[grcamna2]

Oh !  You've got the Hot Rod Mikuni carbs !! 

Yeah baby and we have a Delkavic stainless steel exhaust system to go with the carbs as well. Plus our buddy Jason the guru is going to tune it for us. When he's here he's going to tune the 74' 550 and the 90' Moto Guzzi 1000 Le Mans. We rebuilt the Guzzi carbs last fall and didn't get to ride it before the weather turned. We asked Jason for help and he offered to tune all three non stock bikes. It's awesome to have cool friends.

I understand what you're saying

[Kelly E]

Yesterday we made patterns for a carb support rod. With the new carbs the stock airbox won't work.
The bottom and middle piece will be welded together with a length of 3/16" rod. That attaches to the carbs and sticks up between the two middle pods. It will swing up against the top piece that is bolted to the frame as the carbs are installed. Can't have the carbs bouncing around while out being a hooligan.

[MRieck]

36 RS's?

[Kelly E]

Yes, they came set up for the bike with the jets Mikuni recommended for the stock motor with pods and the exhaust as well as a set of jets a size smaller. The installation guide has fuel line lengths and routing, pod orientation and initial mixture screw settings.

[grcamna2]

Yes, they came set up for the bike with the jets Mikuni recommended for the stock motor with pods and the exhaust as well as a set of jets a size smaller. The installation guide has fuel line lengths and routing, pod orientation and initial mixture screw settings.

Those are a large bore set of carbs for running around on the street 

[Kelly E]

They are only one size up from the stock 34mm carbs. Mikuni said they will work great with the K&N pods and Delkavic exhaust.

[grcamna2]

They are only one size up from the stock 34mm carbs. Mikuni said they will work great with the K&N pods and Delkavic exhaust.

Those carbs. are Gobs more efficient at feeding your engine than the Mikuni BS34SS stock carbs. 

[Kelly E]

They are only one size up from the stock 34mm carbs. Mikuni said they will work great with the K&N pods and Delkavic exhaust.

Those carbs. are Gobs more efficient at feeding your engine than the Mikuni BS34SS stock carbs. 

The first GS 1100E we did had been stored indoors and we were able to rebuild the stock carbs. This is our first carb swap and we're trying to not screw it up. We've rebuilt a bunch of different carbs but straying from stock carbs it is easy to screw up. We're currently waiting for a Mikuni push/pull throttle kit since it is a single cable stock. The people we talked to all said it would be fine to use these 36mm carbs on the stock motor with pods and an exhaust system. I was worried that they will be too big. We were assured that they will work fine and support many improvements down the road especially if we do any top end improvements. The chance of us doing anything more than some port smoothing and a rebore is pretty slim. We're old hooligans.

[grcamna2]

They are only one size up from the stock 34mm carbs. Mikuni said they will work great with the K&N pods and Delkavic exhaust.

Those carbs. are Gobs more efficient at feeding your engine than the Mikuni BS34SS stock carbs. 

The first GS 1100E we did had been stored indoors and we were able to rebuild the stock carbs. This is our first carb swap and we're trying to not screw it up. We've rebuilt a bunch of different carbs but straying from stock carbs it is easy to screw up. We're currently waiting for a Mikuni push/pull throttle kit since it is a single cable stock. The people we talked to all said it would be fine to use these 36mm carbs on the stock motor with pods and an exhaust system. I was worried that they will be too big. We were assured that they will work fine and support many improvements down the road especially if we do any top end improvements. The chance of us doing anything more than some port smoothing and a rebore is pretty slim. We're old hooligans.

LOL  !!!  Yeah 

[Kelly E]

Today Cyclops got it's eye back. I had to make a connector for the new front master cylinder. The stock master cylinder has a rebuildable brake light switch that is hardwired to the leads that plug into the harness. When the master cylinder is toast all the new master cylinders have dual 5mm spade connectors so you have to make a connector for the wiring harness leads.

[RAFster122s]

How many GS1100Es were made? Any estimate of the number made remaining? How about of those numbers a guess on the number of them still being exercised?

Was a scorcher here the past few days... They think it is summer or something already... 95 at 4pm and now at 6pm it is still aa lovely overcast 95F but the wind and overcast make it feel like 92 instead of nearly 100F it felt like (AccuWeather loves to play with "feels like due to humidity and if you are in full sun or overcast... as well as the humidity playing a role.) Well, it is in 90s F and has been a hot one.
We normally are not in the 90s consistently until mid-late May. So it got an early start this year. Only 4% humidity. The funny thing is people complain about the humidity now it is because they are sweating a lot or they are in an area that is capturing humidity... You are sweating a lot but being so dry it is evaporating a lot. But, we have not acclimated to the heat yet so we are dehydrating faster and it is sneaking up on us. I have drank over 80 ounces of water today and likely will be drinking another 30 before bed just to not start getting muscle soreness and irritation from low hydration levels...
Meanwhile back in NE TN they have a hard frost warning tonight. Here we expect a low temp of 57F.

How's your weather in WA state been Kelly?
Bike is looking fantastic...

The tanks and look of the Suzuki GS1100E, 750, etc was great...
Always like the standard bikes that looked like bikes!

[Kelly E]

Thanks buddy. I have no idea on production numbers or how many are left and still running.
Lately here it's been between 50°/60° F but more towards 50°. We're running around 10°F below average. I need some better weather, I have some tractor work to do at the rental house before it goes on the market. It would be nice to have a warm sunny day to recover the seat of the Suzuki.

[grcamna2]

Thanks buddy. I have no idea on production numbers or how many are left and still running.
Lately here it's been between 50°/60° F but more towards 50°. We're running around 10°F below average. I need some better weather, I have some tractor work to do at the rental house before it goes on the market. It would be nice to have a warm sunny day to recover the seat of the Suzuki.

The middle of April.. C'Mon warm-up weather ! 

[Kelly E]

Today I made the carb support bracket. I only had the carbs on and off 20 times before I got the bends right. It works great, it's mounted to the carbs and as the carbs swing up into place it hits the frame mounted piece and put the bolt in.

[BenelliSEI]

Nice work! I had to make one for my chopper project and it’s tough to get it “just right”!

[RAFster122s]

Custom fabrication is time consuming for amateurs like me...  Fabricators make it look easy and television will make it look even easier. The power of edits and multiple takes...
It isn't real, it's Hollywood...

Nice work...looks good!

[Kelly E]

Custom fabrication is time consuming for amateurs like me...  Fabricators make it look easy and television will make it look even easier. The power of edits and multiple takes...
It isn't real, it's Hollywood...

Nice work...looks good!

Amateurs like me too 

[seanbarney41]

Lots nicer than what I usually do...twist up sort of a noose of safety wire

[MauiK3]

The intake manifold sure seems restrictive but of course there is no room for anything else.

[grcamna2]

Today I made the carb support bracket. I only had the carbs on and off 20 times before I got the bends right. It works great, it's mounted to the carbs and as the carbs swing up into place it hits the frame mounted piece and put the bolt in.

Nice work on that bracket.
I've seen Many bikes that have needed one.

[Kelly E]

Today before I went to cut down another tree I finished plumbing the carb fuel bowl vent lines and the fuel lines. These carbs have two bowl vent ports on each carb so I joined each pair with a tee. Then I routed the two pairs of vent lines up and over the carbs and to the rear like on my Concours. We're still waiting on the new Mikuni push/pull throttle cable set up. Suzuki only used a single cable throttle stock. We also need to get a new fuel petcock for it, I think Paul forgot to order one.