Topic: Don's 81 GS1100e Suzuki nearing good enoughness.

[Don R]

 I ordered a battery charger cord with a usb port/c port and voltage meter on it that clamps to the handlebars. Next up, I need a cell phone mount and a new bluetooth earpiece for my helmet and the GPS.
 I'll be able to move both to any of my bikes with a little effort.

[grcamna2]

I ordered a battery charger cord with a usb port/c port and voltage meter on it that clamps to the handlebars. Next up, I need a cell phone mount and a new bluetooth earpiece for my helmet and the GPS.
 I'll be able to move both to any of my bikes with a little effort.

How did your speedometer project do;did you solve it ?

[Don R]

How did your speedometer project do;did you solve it ?
[/quote]

 I bought another MPH speedometer off Ebay, it also won't re-set the odometer. The one on the bike works better the more I ride it so I'm going to sit on the spare and do nothing until I rack up enough miles to decide if it's getting better or not. The gas gauge is also working better with use, at the last fill-up it went up to 3/4 tank and also goes to reserve just before E. 

[grcamna2]

How did your speedometer project do;did you solve it ?

 I bought another MPH speedometer off Ebay, it also won't re-set the odometer. The one on the bike works better the more I ride it so I'm going to sit on the spare and do nothing until I rack up enough miles to decide if it's getting better or not. The gas gauge is also working better with use, at the last fill-up it went up to 3/4 tank and also goes to reserve just before E.
[/quote]

Have you had any warm days in the past few weeks?
I know you don't need any salt on your vintage bikes.

[Don R]

 It rained a week ago and washed the salt off, then got up to 50*, I snuck in a one mile ride but was on painkillers for a broken tooth and shouldn't have been on it. I did the neighborhood one lap.

[gpzkat]

I've been a huge GS1100E fan since I rode a new one 1160 miles in one day, from Daytona Beach to West Texas back in '83. (it was an '82 red one that languished in the showroom in Texas, land of the 'custom'.  So pardon my indulgence down memory lane.  I had bought a leftover '82 Kawi KZ1000J, black with a matched pinstriped black Wes Cooley fairing. Go figure. I wanted an Eddie Lawson replica but none to be found.

My buddy and I swapped bikes on the Daytona ride because he is shorter, and the KZ was lower and had a softer seat. As soon as I got on the GS I knew it was a vastly superior bike. I have owned about a dozen of them including an '82 Mr Turbo Bonneville bike (184MPH!). Most recently I got two free, yes free '83s, plus a load of NOS parts and a complete spare set of bodywork.  The red one came together quickly, a cosmetic resto. The PO had struggled with carbs but it was a coil issue. He had the original coil in the parts stash, so I junked the blue no-name Chinese ones on the bike.  I figured that out and the bike is flawless.

I swapped the better bodywork onto it for my current rider (pictured) and the 2nd bike is ready for the other bodywork. I am painting 2 full sets blue pearl metallic with original repro decals. I will have a spare set to sell.

These pics are:

(1) the red one I'm riding,

(2) the soon-to-be blue one that's running and has some extras (CBR900RR brakes, Oil cooler, HD clutch et). Also have K&N pods and a Hindle 4:1 but have gone stock airbox and pipes to set the baseline. Not a fan of a 5HP gain on the top end with a lack of midrange, but the weight savings (35 lbs) is significant with that Hindle/K&N).

(3) back in '83, going to Ciudad Acuna Mexico from Goodfellow AFB with pals - GS in foreground, KZ 2nd. 

(4) My turbo after restoration.  185HP on the dyno with smaller HSR42 Mikuni carb (vs S&S Super B racing setup), much lower boost, and about 120 degree day. I think a 220HP bike in race tune.












 

[Don R]

 I missed out buying a GPZ 1100 that was nice but needed a wiring harness a few years back, a guy had a barn full of bikes and would sell but my buddy kept complaining about his reasonable prices until the whole visit went south. Before I made it back there the guy had passed away and the bikes were gone.
 Thanks for posting the pics, I'd love a Mr. turbo GS, I'd bet you need to ride it with care.
  I'm collecting parts for an ATP turbo CB750, I'm thinking of using an F2 engine. I have the K2 modified drag bike frame the turbo was in originally. It has a spider header and the stock kit header. That said, I'm tempted to use a stock bike and the original kit just for the authenticity.

[gpzkat]

I missed out buying a GPZ 1100 that was nice but needed a wiring harness a few years back, a guy had a barn full of bikes and would sell but my buddy kept complaining about his reasonable prices until the whole visit went south. Before I made it back there the guy had passed away and the bikes were gone.
 Thanks for posting the pics, I'd love a Mr. turbo GS, I'd bet you need to ride it with care.
  I'm collecting parts for an ATP turbo CB750, I'm thinking of using an F2 engine. I have the K2 modified drag bike frame the turbo was in originally. It has a spider header and the stock kit header. That said, I'm tempted to use a stock bike and the original kit just for the authenticity.

Yes the power came on with a bang at 6500 or so, doubling the HP. Great for drags and LSR but street/track was not it's thing. I had a couple GPz1100s, B1 and B2 and have fond memories. These two I regret selling but that's life.

I return bikes to stock quite a bit. So many with pods and a pipe run like garbage. I have dyno charts for one of my 1100Es and it made 4 more HP above 8K with the K&N stage 3 kit and Hindle pipe. Everywhere else (i.e. where you ride it) was down 3 to 5 HP. The PO spend tons of time trying to tune it and it was the coil, not the carbs. Sheesh. I put back to stock and it rips but i may put the Hindle and pods/stage III stuff back on - it's a 40 lb savings. Just diminishes the midrange grunt tho, in my experience that big airbox plenum chamber makes the bike very torquey.

[Don R]

 I put the stock airbox back on my 81 KZ1000, it ran way better with it than without it. I had it for sale for a while and a guy asked if he could ride it home. I told him I'd do a 30 mile test and let him know. It ran so good I decided to keep it but when I got home another guy was on the way to look at it and he bought it.  That's what prompted me to look at the gs1100.
 At the time I also had a no-title KZ1100 and was tempted to take both engines to Tom Klemme to have him build me a hybrid big bore engine.