GS1100E born again into a Streetfighter

[patrickmcp]

Well I'm gonna breakaway from 80GS1000's thread and start one of my own.
80GS1000 and YoshiJohnny have been a great inspiration for me to start this.
I would like to also thank all the others that I may have forgot to include.
Thanks to all here at the forum.

Bike = 1982 GS1100E back from the brink of death.

Plan is a 1996 front end, 2005 front wheel, 2005 swinger and wheel, clipons, 180 tire, monoshocked of course, VROD headlight, Electrosport Acewell Speedo, all electrix tucked away out of sight.

All welding done, monoshocked, primed and primer sealed. Didn't powdercoat it yet in case I change something. Paint coming tomorrow.

 

[jwhelan65]

Nice job patrick!, the weld and placement of the mono bracing looks first class. Cant wait to see this thing breath!!!

 

[Zooks]

Ditto, nice job. What do you do for a living Patrick?

 

[drhermanstein]

Well I'm gonna breakaway from GS1000's thread and start one of my own.
GS1000 and YoshiJohnny have been a great inspiration for me to start this.
I would like to also thank all the others that I may have forgot to include.
Thanks to all here at the forum.

Bike = 1982 GS1100E back from the brink of death.

Plan is a 1996 front end, 2005 front wheel, 2005 swinger and wheel, clipons, 180 tire, monoshocked of course, VROD headlight, Electrosport Acewell Speedo, all electrix tucked away out of sight.

All welding done, monoshocked, primed and primer sealed. Didn't powdercoat it yet in case I change something. Paint coming tomorrow.

Very nice work. If you intend to ride "briskly", and install a motor with extra power, have a look at the extra frame bracing these guys suggest.
http://oldskoolsuzuki.info/
somewhere on the front page will be a gsx/efe button then look for the frame stiffening article.

 

[patrickmcp]

Thanks JWhelan6: I hope to have it roadworthy in test mule format before months end. I still have to make a voodoo electronics tray, battery tray, headlight brackets, rearset brackets.

Zooks: I work with computers in the corporate world = it's a job until I win the Lotto.

DrHermanStein: I know I'm missing the big brace above the carbs and the X brace by the front where the headers come out. I'm just building it it have something different and to enjoy it, I'm not too much of a speed demon. I may do it in the winter when I take it apart again to pretty her up. I may need to brace it again if I decide to make it a 1 seater and chop the rear seat tubing off, plus I may hop up the motor or find a gsxr1100 or bandit motor. I'm not a purist, one life and I do what I want with it.

 

[Zooks]

Zooks: I work with computers in the corporate world = it's a job until I win the Lotto.

That welding is very neat, did you do it? If so, you've missed your calling.

 

[patrickmcp]

That welding is very neat, did you do it? If so, you've missed your calling.

A fine gentleman 1 block away from my house who has been welding for probably 50 years did it for me.
My Mig welder broke and I am not proficient yet at playing with my Tig welder.
I am just glad to be done with most of the grinding and metal shaping.
My tube notcher worked for scheiss and I had to hand do all the tube joints.
Lots of dust and mess in my basement.
No more time for moaning and groaning, just want to get out and ride.

 

[YoshiJohnny]

Nice.....

glad you aint had the "don't do it" brigade on your case 'coz it looks to me to be a little too late...

Good luck with the build

Mine should be ready without the new megamotor unfortunately but still up and running shortly.

New frame, braced as yours is, monoshock like yours even down to the stopper for the shock not to turn when you mount the nut!

loads of new things too, drilled everything to look cool and save some weight, ti exhaust, left loads off to minimalise everything loads of little nice touches....oh and paint like you wouldn't believe...it's gorgeous like a billiard ball all airbrushed graphics with a zillion coats of lacquer..lovely.

YJ

 

[YoshiJohnny]

oh a link to the new build

http://forum.oldskoolsuzuki.info/cgi-bin/Yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1229794905/246#246

 

[patrickmcp]

Looking back at some other threads, I'm thinking of hacking off the side panel tabs to clean up the look.

On 80GS1000's and YoshiJohnny's it looks great and right with that style gas tank, but with my 82GS1100, not sure it would look right???

Guess I have to get it all back together and then decide, but its sooo easy to paint the frame right now.

Got it gloss black but I am going to go Satin Black.

 

[patrickmcp]

With the help of a few friends we lowered the frame to the motor and bolted it back up. Still gotta make some trays for the battery and electronics then redo the wiring. Gotta take the swingarm off again and attach the chain guide rubber thang. At least its on two wheels.

 

[posplayr]

Nice progress shots. So what issues do you run into with that 2005 swinger? How is the pivot spacing compared to GS? Are there any Travel restrictions with the swinger? What shock/dog bone are you going to run?

Just idle curiosity ; I dont really ever plan on doing a mono shock

 

[Road_Clam]

I gotta give you credit, for thinking outside the bun! I love pics of "old vs. new" type mods to the air cooled GS musclebikes! I wish I had the welding experience to pull off mods like this. I can weld ok, but NO way would I trust my novice welding skills in any type of major chassis modifications! Great job!

patrickmcp will you be able to retain the stock air box, or is the shock going to be in the way?

 

[oshanac]

PATRICKMCP:

Did you paint your frame's primer and primer/sealer coat yourself? If so, did you use a detailer gun (the smaller paint gun I think?) to do it? I know you mentioned something about getting it powder coated. I was just wondering what type of finish the grey primer coat was. It looks like it was applied very evenly.

Is the black a low gloss powder? Orr just the lighting? Thanks man!

 

[patrickmcp]

Nice progress shots. So what issues do you run into with that 2005 swinger? How is the pivot spacing compared to GS? Are there any Travel restrictions with the swinger? What shock/dog bone are you going to run?

Just idle curiosity ; I dont really ever plan on doing a mono shock

As long as you get new swingarm bushings made identical to the 2005 version but with the GS's axle diameter and the flange about 1mm thick you're cool. I did have to shave the frames pivots a hair, but where talking about using an abrasive gasket wheel not a grinder. No issues with centering. The swingarm is longer than stock. Same travel as the old one. Using the 2005 GSXR 1000 linkage and shock. We'll see how that goes if anything I'll try the busa shock or upgrade the spring. No real issues, everything running smoothly so far. 80GS1000's posting helped alot. I credit him for my madness.

 

[patrickmcp]

I gotta give you credit, for thinking outside the bun! I love pics of "old vs. new" type mods to the air cooled GS musclebikes! I wish I had the welding experience to pull off mods like this. I can weld ok, but NO way would I trust my novice welding skills in any type of major chassis modifications! Great job!

patrickmcp will you be able to retain the stock air box, or is the shock going to be in the way?

I wish I could take credit for the welding but an old chap with 50 years experience did it. What sucked was the grinding the fish mouths. My tube notcher sucked so I had to shape it all by hand and grinding stones and cutoff wheels and sanding rolls. Gotta find an old pro to weld up your stuff for a great price.

I have K&N pods and I'm making a battery tray and an electronics tray/storage space where the rear fender user to be.

Street creds for 80GS1000 for the idea.

 

[patrickmcp]

PATRICKMCP:

Did you paint your frame's primer and primer/sealer coat yourself? If so, did you use a detailer gun (the smaller paint gun I think?) to do it? I know you mentioned something about getting it powder coated. I was just wondering what type of finish the grey primer coat was. It looks like it was applied very evenly.

Is the black a low gloss powder? Orr just the lighting? Thanks man!

I used good old spray can paint. I sandblasted the frame with my portable sandblaster tank. Chemically degreased it, acid etched it, duplicolor self etching primer, then ceramic engine enamel, covered by satin black. The primer seems more durable than the enamel as it has chipped off. I painted it just so I can get on the road and do later mods rather than powder coating as I will do this winter. I noticed I have to surgically grind off a few tabs now to get my soon fabricated trays into place. So I cut and prime and topcoat as I go modifying along my merry way. Painting ala spray can is impossible to get right on a frame with soo many tubes, something always catches overspray. Oh well, thats what winter and powdercoating will remedy.

 

[patrickmcp]

BTW, anybody out there thinking about using a Bandit 1200 header, mine hits oil pan before letting the exhaust flanges seat up fully. Not enough distance between the flanges and the collector.

I picked it up in the winter off fleabay for nothing and I heard they fit.
I got it to replace my rusty dented Vance & Hines.
If I cant get the Bandit header to fit then I may chop them up to make a nice flat 4-2-1 out of them.

Has anyone out there successfully used a Bandit 1200 header on an 1100 or 1150 before?
I think maybe the 1110 has a different deeper oil pan than the 1000.

I'll check tonight again for clearance.

 

[patrickmcp]

Well the Bandit 1200 header(if it really is a 1200 and not a 600 header, sure looks like the 1200 though) doesn't fit, it hits the oils pan and won't clear.

Back to using the V & H surface rusted header (sandblaster!)

Didn't have much time to do anything. Made some simple headlight brackets. Attached them with some stainless clamps. Used the brace clamp off the dirt bike handlebar to use as a mount for the digital speedo.

Made an adapter bracket for the left rearset. It's mounted right no in it's basic form. I couldnt do the other side because the GSXR600 one I bought off fleabay didn't work out so well I had to get another for a different year 600-1000 GSXR. It should arrive today then I can cut and make that one. After they are both on then I can shape them to something other than blocks.

Will have to lengthen the linkage rod of the left rearset.

The electronics tray is a temp unit. I'll cut some up and get a welded one in there this week.

I hope to get the electronics sorted out by this weekend and get her on the road before month's end.

 

[jwhelan65]

Lookinn good man!! Are those rear sets in place? they look kind of far back. I like the the streetfighter look int he front. What top triple did you use?

Great Job!