GS 1100e getting some slightly updated parts

[Weapon]

Just back from its first shakedown cruise. It sure handles different with that 16 inch front

. don't think I like the factory clip-ons either to much turn in, kinda like riding a wheel barrow

. I will probably put the aftermarket clip-ons on. The front forks need some nitrogen but other than that it feels ok. the rear wheel is about 6mm offset from the front but I cant feel a difference in the turning. I will get some new spacers made though just the same. all in all I am very happy with the end result.
my jbweld repair on the side cover didn't hold. what do guys use to glue those mount pins back on? jb kwik weld didn't work.
still need to color match my front fender

 

[posplayr]

You should not be running any air; get new springs or cheap out and cut those down. If you can invest some more money I would see about a fork brace . These are long forks but the same diameter as the gs1100.
Next step after that would be emulators but that eliminates the anti dive functionality. Worth it though .

how would you characterize the 16" wheel mod? Understand that it is hard to separate it out from the other changes. You are still running bias ply tries? Are radials available for that front?

 

[posplayr]

BTW I just did a google search and GSR links started to show up. Much better than the websites builtin search

 

[Weapon]

well those forks are supposed to have air or nitrogen, they are getting nitrogen. I might preload them a bit though as they are at their lowest setting I'm sure after the shop rebuilt them. also they don't have anti dive I guess that was dumped in 83 ? maybe? definitely not linked to the brakes. that valve in the anti dive spot is to set damping. Also that front fender has a huge chunk of aluminum that makes me think it is a fork brace in disguise, it bolts to the top of the lower tubes with 4 very large allen head bolts. or are you thinking the upper tubes need more bracing?

it is a bias tire. a really old one too, cracking and everything. it will get a new one. bias again likely. it is hard to separate the feel of the tire size change though I think the whole upgrade made the front end a lot faster. Ie really snappy side to side. the bars on the other hand seem to fight that as they are too turned in. they gotta go. one friend of mine as soon as he saw it said the front wheel looks weird and out of place. lol it kind of does. the dash is too big as well as its interfering with my front brake master. so some details left to work out but I am confident enough to plate it and get some seat time in before it snows next week.

 

[posplayr]

well those forks are supposed to have air or nitrogen, they are getting nitrogen. I might preload them a bit though as they are at their lowest setting I'm sure after the shop rebuilt them. also they don't have anti dive I guess that was dumped in 83 ? maybe? definitely not linked to the brakes. that valve in the anti dive spot is to set damping. Also that front fender has a huge chunk of aluminum that makes me think it is a fork brace in disguise, it bolts to the top of the lower tubes with 4 very large allen head bolts. or are you thinking the upper tubes need more bracing?

it is a bias tire. a really old one too, cracking and everything. it will get a new one. bias again likely. it is hard to separate the feel of the tire size change though I think the whole upgrade made the front end a lot faster. Ie really snappy side to side. the bars on the other hand seem to fight that as they are too turned in. they gotta go. one friend of mine as soon as he saw it said the front wheel looks weird and out of place. lol it kind of does. the dash is too big as well as its interfering with my front brake master. so some details left to work out but I am confident enough to plate it and get some seat time in before it snows next week.

It is your bike so do what you want, however to be clear:
(1) Those are Anti-Dive adjusters. See the 1150 manual
(2) If anything was eliminated it was this type of 1150 manual adjuster. The GSXR that followed had hydraulic(same as GS1100E) or electric actuated anti dive. All of this was eliminated once cartridge shocks came about (2nd gen GSXR). Which is why with cartridge emulators you also eliminate them.
(3) Generally the first thing people do that know what they are doing is to get rid of the air in their forks. It is too hard to keep balanced and was a factory band aid to begin with.
(4) all these bikes came with something considered a "fork brace", and that is what provided such a great opportunity for aftermarkets braces.

 

[Weapon]

I stand corrected. I just read up on it, and ya its apparently worse than the brake linked version. I think I will be ok with it for now though as I really don't ask that much of my bike on the roads we have here. other than that considering the sacked out front end the bike was riding on previously this is all an upgrade

 

[dorkburger]

Regarding the air in forks. I understand about upgrading springs, eliminating the need for air, etc, which is a mod id like to do at some point. The the 1150 has a hose that runs between the forks to equalize the pressure.

 

[posplayr]

Regarding the air in forks. I understand about upgrading springs, eliminating the need for air, etc, which is a mod id like to do at some point. The the 1150 has a hose that runs between the forks to equalize the pressure.

You are correct the forks without equalization are much worse. And yes my forks also have the cross tube. If fact I had my ED air collars bored out to fit on my 41mm GSXR forks even though they are all non functional. But that doesn't keep it from leaking. The pressure is also a function of temperature so it only stands to reason that whatever pressure you set the forks to will always to a moving target.

If you have an overriding desire to keep a bike stock, OK fine. But leaving the valves in but changing the springs leaves nothing observable from the outside so unless you are willing to give up performance for something hidden inside of your forks, I would say eliminate the need for air.

 

[dorkburger]

Agreed. Id love to eventually do emulators and a good shock in the back....someday, I suppose.

 

[posplayr]

Agreed. Id love to eventually do emulators and a good shock in the back....someday, I suppose.

A monster shock in the back helps a lot and should not cost an arm and a leg. I know Chef1366 (Bill) was telling me recently about the improvement for his daily rider (1150) after putting a OEM Monster shock on.


Google now seems to have access to the GSR posts.

A Ducati 900 Monster shock works well. The headlight you will have to replace with an "E" unit as the ES headlight you have is missing parts to just install as is. You would need at least the 2 "ears" & the bucket, if the ES light will work with those parts. Good luck, those are EXPENSIVE parts you need.
Ray.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/1999-Ducati-Monster-750SS-900SS-750-900-SS-Rear-Mono-Shock-Reservoir-Absorber-/191294260707?hash=item2c8a06c5e3&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rear-shock-Ducati-Monster-900-750-SS-99-/201220665456?hash=item2ed9afb070&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1994-DUCATI-M900-SHOWA-REAR-SHOCK-ORIGINAL-OEM-/161432282841?hash=item25961d26d9&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1994-DUCATI-M900-SHOWA-REAR-SHOCK-ORIGINAL-OEM-/161432282841?hash=item25961d26d9&vxp=mtr

That was after looking all of 2 minutes on Ebay.
Ray.

http://www.ebay.tv/sch/i.html?_sop=12&_nkw=ducati+900+shock&_frs=1

 

[Weapon]

Im actually kind of hoping nitrogen limits some of the movement of that moving target as its less influenced by temperature

 

[posplayr]

im actually kind of hoping nitrogen limits some of the movement of that moving target as its less influenced by temperature

ok ............

 

[Weapon]

Well I took the bike for its first real ride yesterday. Other than some trouble with the Chinese hid headlight everything went great. Ones of the guys at capitol (our local bike shop) put 15 lbs of nitrogen in the front forks for me. what a difference that made! I absolutely love the way the bike handles with the smaller front wheel, in traffic and some higher speed curves. If there is a negative its that the bike does feel very twitchy and top heavy at walking speeds. End result, very happy with the mods I have done. I am even starting to get used to the severe turn in of the ef bars.

 

[posplayr]

Well I took the bike for its first real ride yesterday. Other than some trouble with the Chinese hid headlight everything went great. Ones of the guys at capitol (our local bike shop) put 15 lbs of nitrogen in the front forks for me. what a difference that made! I absolutely love the way the bike handles with the smaller front wheel, in traffic and some higher speed curves. If there is a negative its that the bike does feel very twitchy and top heavy at walking speeds. End result, very happy with the mods I have done. I am even starting to get used to the severe turn in of the ef bars.

That is great to know, remember you can probably also get some radials for those wheels; what size is the rear? 3.0" or 3.5"?

Regardless of how you get your spring rates(air v.s. torsion), you should also check your sag numbers.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?140521-Ohlins-Preload&p=994640#post994640

 

[Weapon]

well its been on the road about a month now and no issues at all. I love the way it handles now that I am used to it. very happy with the end result.

 

[posplayr]

Bike looks great and you did not have to mix parts eras

You did this in record time or at least seemingly very painlessly; good job.

 

[dorkburger]

Looks great.

 

[Weapon]

Thanks guys! Ya i guess two months all told. Lots of that time spent awaiting parts from ebay. And it was completely painless. Probably because i stayed in the same era like you said. Newer gen upgrades would be more fiddly im sure. I think i will do this to my katana though as well if i can find another front end and a 3.5 rear next time.

 

[Weapon]

I ordered a set of these to try them out. cheap enough hoped they wouldn't be too bad. well above expectations! I have never had an easier clutch pull on any of my 1100s or 1150s. and the master works really well too, lots of lever not mushy at all. I will order another set for my katana. if you don't care about the factory appearance I highly recommend these.

http://r.ebay.com/qdPPon

 

[dorkburger]

Sweet! I've half heartedly been looking for an aftermarket M/C to allow me to place my (non stock) handlebars where I want them.
Currently, the stockers reservoir hits the top of the fork.