Topic: Don's 81 GS1100e happy Suzuki.

[Don R]

Heat wave here with the temperature at a balmy 32°F. Perfect weather for cutting a big hole in the wall to install a back door in the shop.

 I have one of those to do myself, we have an attached garage but no inside entrance to the house. I drilled a hole a while back and measured, it works but the top of the door will be really close to the ceiling in the garage.

 There's a clutch cover on ebay, mine has chrome except where someone's foot rubbed it off. The brake pedal appears to be bent in and at one point was touching the cover. The funny part is I know the seller. He drag races and tuned up my KZ1000

[Kelly E]

Made some progress on the back door today. We got the old framing cut out and finished up rebuilding the door jamb. We glued and clamped the top joints and added screws to assist the crappy old staples. Then we redid the threshold attachment and used some oil based primer on the door jamb to seal it up.
Tomorrow we should get the door and jamb installed after installing the framing and header. It will cut at least 50' off of my trip to the woods when I got to go! 

[MauiK3]

Almost ready for the door!!
It will be a good feeling when it's in.

[Don R]

  I reminded my wife of our deal to cut in our door. She needs to re-locate totes of photos and old family stuff from her mom's house so her tanning bed can go in there and then I can cut the hole in the wall. 
 I attempted to air up the forks on the gs today, I didn't know about opening the bolt head valves on each fork though. I'll try again later. I didn't get in a vary spirited ride so don't really know how it handles. Servicing the forks and neck bearing need to go on my to do list.

[grcamna2]

  I reminded my wife of our deal to cut in our door. She needs to re-locate totes of photos and old family stuff from her mom's house so her tanning bed can go in there and then I can cut the hole in the wall. 
 I attempted to air up the forks on the gs today, I didn't know about opening the bolt head valves on each fork though. I'll try again later. I didn't get in a vary spirited ride so don't really know how it handles. Servicing the forks and neck bearing need to go on my to do list.

Don,go easy adding air to your forks;it's very easy to blow the seals out if you use a compressor w/ line pressure.
I like to see a regulated air line down to about 4-5psi.
I personally never liked air forks because the air causes stiction at the seals,imo.

[Don R]

 I used regulated air but see no change after airing them up. I did read that the two bolts also need backed out to add air. The forks seem pretty soft as is so I may need to learn the fork service procedure. I'm sure no servicing of that type had been done in at least the last 10-12 years.
 Reading the manual might be helpful.

[grcamna2]

I used regulated air but see no change after airing them up. I did read that the two bolts also need backed out to add air. The forks seem pretty soft as is so I may need to learn the fork service procedure. I'm sure no servicing of that type had been done in at least the last 10-12 years.
 Reading the manual might be helpful.

Those 2 bolts mentioned(one on each fork)are a tapered/point shut-off valve;when you loosen them,then you can add air to both forks at the same time through a connector tube with one fill valve. The lock-valve bolts then both get tightened to hold the equal pressure in each fork,independent of each other.
The o-rings on all the fittings,hose,etc. may be kind of dry which would cause them to leak-down a little.
I prefer.. to braze the little air fill hole on each upper fork tube closed,as mentioned before:I'm more of a non-air fork person. I had just removed the air filler plumbing completely on my own bike.

I like the fork spring preload caps on the GS1100E's. A flat blade screwdriver is all I needed.
I had the 82' Z and an 83' D model;they have the adjustable rebound damping too.   

[seanbarney41]

I have not felt the need to play with the air on mine in a really long time.  I have gotten very used to the feel of the front end and it is pretty good imo.  When I first started ridng this bike, after rebuilding the forks, I used 15 wt. fork oil, bottom pre-load setting, 1 or 2 clicks on the rebound, it was too soft.  Adding 5 psi made t pretty nice.  At some point, I stopped maintaining the air pressure and moved to 2nd preload and more damping and that feels good.  Also, my forks have the anti-dive, which can be disconcerting at first, but now I am used to it.  All the extra brake line results in much worse brake feel though.

The rear suspensiion?...not so good.

[Don R]

 I checked the title and the PO bought it in 2001. I'm not sure how many years it sat, a friend thought 10 years, Sam mentioned 4 or 5 years.
 Sam is a pretty good mechanic but often those guys don't get enjoyment from working on other things when they get home. He also has been a drag racer so that uses up some time too.
 When it's time to replace the chain I may go to a 530 kit, but for now I'm going to resist the urge to change a lot of things. I watched a couple you tube videos on them and picked up a few pointers but you guys have helped my knowledge base more than the videos.  Thanks.

[Kelly E]

We're running both GS front ends at #2 preload and #3 dampening with no additional air and use type F ATF fluid.
The rear shocks are at #2 preload and #3 dampening.

I weigh 125lbs and Paul weighs 240lbs and we don't change the settings. I ride harder than he does so it works out.

[Don R]

 Good to know, thanks. We're having icy roads today. I'm thinking of coffee.
 After hours of online shopping, I ordered the BT46 tires from Chaparral. I didn't find matching Michelins from the same source in the sizes I needed. These were about a hundred $$ less than most sellers also.

[Don R]

 I got the BT46's. We're expecting to see 50* next week, it's been raining and melting the snow for two days but it has stopped now and I started to see dry spots in the streets today.  I may venture outside on a bike or two.

[grcamna2]

Good to know, thanks. We're having icy roads today. I'm thinking of coffee.
 After hours of online shopping, I ordered the BT46 tires from Chaparral. I didn't find matching Michelins from the same source in the sizes I needed. These were about a hundred $$ less than most sellers also.

I also chose the BT46's,but haven't installed/ridden on them yet.
Chaparral has many warehouses so you should have your tires right away.

[Don R]

 I saw a $250 fairing on ebay for an 82 gs1100, It resembles a vesco or hannegan but after comparing pics, it isn't. I doubt that I'd run it on my GS but I always watched for one I could afford. I think they use windjammer brackets, the downside is that it's beat up pretty badly. Windshield broken and the trim is roughed up.   

[grcamna2]

I saw a $250 fairing on ebay for an 82 gs1100, It resembles a vesco or hannegan but after comparing pics, it isn't. I doubt that I'd run it on my GS but I always watched for one I could afford. I think they use windjammer brackets, the downside is that it's beat up pretty badly. Windshield broken and the trim is roughed up.

Don,remember the CB400F and the Quicksilver? 
That Vetter does work well at speed and uses the same mount as a Windjammer? ;it cut's a nice path through the wind.

[Kelly E]

Don I have a Vetter Quicksilver fairing painted to match our bikes. The windscreen is busted and I only have the brackets that attach the fairing to the frame mount piece.

[grcamna2]

Don I have a Vetter Quicksilver fairing painted to match our bikes. The windscreen is busted and I only have the brackets that attach the fairing to the frame mount piece.

I remember seeing windscreens available.

[seanbarney41]

I think certain foreign versions of the 1100e had an oem fairing.  Maybe gs1100ES?  States did not get it til the '86 1150?

[Don R]

  A square headlight bolt-on fairing would be something I could get into, I won't be taking a lot of the bike apart.  I did see that Magical racing seat/rear cowl that Leino mentioned on WeBike, that's awesome.
  The Maier 005000 would fit the description, I'm not ready to dole out $300 for it right now. My financial overseer has been pretty understanding about me buying and re-commissioning a Suzuki when there are around 12 750's in various stages of usability taking up all of the space here already. At one point or another I had every year of sohc4 including the F's.

[Mark1976]

  My financial overseer has been pretty understanding about me buying and re-commissioning a Suzuki when there are around 12 750's in various stages of usability taking up all of the space here already. At one point or another I had every year of sohc4 including the F's.

Thus answering the age old question,  'how many cb750's do you have to own before you buy a gs1100?'. Answer, ' at least a garage full, give or take 6 or 7.'

[Don R]

   L0L! Truth spoken here.

   If there was a big old barn out back it would contain a cb750 re-cycling facility. As is, I'm limited to the 24x24 and 24x36 attached garages.  Our two driver vehicles and two hot rods take up a lot of the space. 1940 Chevrolet coupe street rod and 1969 firebird project. I got the bird in 70 and the coupe in 73.

[grcamna2]

   L0L! Truth spoken here.

   If there was a big old barn out back it would contain a cb750 re-cycling facility. As is, I'm limited to the 24x24 and 24x36 attached garages.  Our two driver vehicles and two hot rods take up a lot of the space. 1940 Chevrolet coupe street rod and 1969 firebird project. I got the bird in 70 and the coupe in 73.

How's that nice Firebird project Don ?

[Kelly E]

  A square headlight bolt-on fairing would be something I could get into, I won't be taking a lot of the bike apart.  I did see that Magical racing seat/rear cowl that Leino mentioned on WeBike, that's awesome.
  The Maier 005000 would fit the description, I'm not ready to dole out $300 for it right now. My financial overseer has been pretty understanding about me buying and re-commissioning a Suzuki when there are around 12 750's in various stages of usability taking up all of the space here already. At one point or another I had every year of sohc4 including the F's.

Don, if you want the paint matched Vetter Quicksilver fairing for your 81' GS 1100E let me know. I'll make you a deal you can't refuse. I'm not going to use it, I'm going to get a Maier GPZ style fairing.

[Don R]

 I'll pass on the Vetter, but thanks for the offer.

[Leino]

Thus answering the age old question,  'how many cb750's do you have to own before you buy a gs1100?'. Answer, ' at least a garage full, give or take 6 or 7.'

In my case one CB and six or seven Suzuki's