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A skunk in disguise?

J

John Kat

Forum Sage
I restored my GS 1000 EC a couple of years ago but I didn't realize it must be one of the early skunks.
The gas tank is obviously more recent as it doesn't have the indents but the tail cover has them.
More significantly the rear swingarm is of a larger diameter ( 43 mm) than the later GS 1000's (38 mm).
The engine is also missing the front little bolt between the cylinder head and the cylinder block.
The airbox has the caracteristic fins also.
I'm sure there are other differences I haven't spotted?
The frame vin is : 513829 and the engine: 120517
Here a some pictures:
345aa6ae.jpg

Katana2014.jpg
 
Last edited:
Couple of other things you could check, a '78 Skunk carbs have the choke lever on the left carb bank instead of the pull knob on the rubber cover, and the oil filter cover on the '78 has a drain plug, the '78 rear set pegs are round, the '79's square.
As far as the tank, if it has the lever it's probably a '79, repainting won't change the location of the badges which are a little higher, lower on a ' 78.
Obviously the case emblems are for an '80 model.
Regardless of whatever it is, it sure does look nice.
 
sedelen said:
Obviously the case emblems are for an '80 model.
Regardless of whatever it is, it sure does look nice.
Click to expand...

Naw, those aren't 1980 emblems, they are later. Agree the bike looks nice.:D

As for the swingarm goes, all the chain drive 1000's use the same part as far as I know.
 
sedelen said:
Couple of other things you could check, a '78 Skunk carbs have the choke lever on the left carb bank instead of the pull knob on the rubber cover, and the oil filter cover on the '78 has a drain plug, the '78 rear set pegs are round, the '79's square.
As far as the tank, if it has the lever it's probably a '79, repainting won't change the location of the badges which are a little higher, lower on a ' 78.
Obviously the case emblems are for an '80 model.
Regardless of whatever it is, it sure does look nice.
Click to expand...
You are right, my choke lever is on the left of the carb bank and there is a drain plug on the oil filter cover:)
The rear pegs were missing when I bought the bike but I have a set of round pegs that I will use!
I saw Nessism post about the swingarm beeing identical on all GS 1000's?
Could you check please?
 
Nessism said:
Naw, those aren't 1980 emblems, they are later. Agree the bike looks nice.:D

As for the swingarm goes, all the chain drive 1000's use the same part as far as I know.
Click to expand...
Here's a picture of the swingarm.
You can see how the brake hose is held in place.
I've never seen this on any later GS 1000 ?
6ac18600.jpg
 
If you reduce the diameter of the tubes, you reduce the unsprung weight. Makes it easier for the shocks to dampen the suspension.
 
John Kat said:
Here's a picture of the swingarm.
You can see how the brake hose is held in place.
I've never seen this on any later GS 1000 ?
6ac18600.jpg
Click to expand...

I have the same swingarm on my '79 GS1000EN, but it has a bolt and slotted for a phillips screwdriver.
 
John Kat said:
I restored my GS 1000 EC a couple of years ago but I didn't realize it must be one of the early skunks.
The engine is also missing the front little bolt between the cylinder head and the cylinder block.
Click to expand...

My '79 GS1000EN is also missing the little front bolt between the cylinder head and the cylinder block, however the area is built up for it unlike the '78's. Clearly the parts fische shows the bolt for the '79 GS1000. Only thing I can think of is maybe they were in a hurry to produce the '79's
and even though it had the build up of the cylinder head and cylinder they at least never drilled a hole in the cylinder for the bolt, whether there's threads in the cylinder head or not I don't know. My bike is an early produced '79 with an Aug 78 manufacture date as per the sticker on the frame.
The missing bolt is item 11 and shows it applicable to a "N" "EN" model.
http://www.alpha-sports.com/suzuki_parts.htm?fpg=/spst/1979 GS1000N,EN/15.htm
 
rustybronco said:
If you reduce the diameter of the tubes, you reduce the unsprung weight. Makes it easier for the shocks to dampen the suspension.
Click to expand...
I appreciate your positive thinking on this one:cool:
The future of motorbiking showed however how important it was to get a very solid swingarm...
 
sedelen said:
My '79 GS1000EN is also missing the little front bolt between the cylinder head and the cylinder block, however the area is built up for it unlike the '78's. Clearly the parts fische shows the bolt for the '79 GS1000. Only thing I can think of is maybe they were in a hurry to produce the '79's
and even though it had the build up of the cylinder head and cylinder they at least never drilled a hole in the cylinder for the bolt, whether there's threads in the cylinder head or not I don't know. My bike is an early produced '79 with an Aug 78 manufacture date as per the sticker on the frame.
The missing bolt is item 11 and shows it applicable to a "N" "EN" model.
http://www.alpha-sports.com/suzuki_parts.htm?fpg=/spst/1979 GS1000N,EN/15.htm
Click to expand...
Here's what mine looks like.
You can even see the gasket that protudes with the hole for the later models!
83783dbc.jpg
 
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