GS1150 ES Makeover Project

[londonboards]

We Brits seem to have a love affair with imported US bikes at the moment. We are importing them by the container load. There are a number of reasons for this. Firstly, all of our bikes of this age have rotted or rusted out and most of them were used as a primary means of transport, so they are high mileage and well used. Secondly, these kind of bikes in the US were purchased mainly for recreation and are therefore usually very low mileage. And because in the southern states, the climate is drier, the bikes are in far better condition. There also seem to be hoards of old farts like me that have taken up this bike restoration hobby as a full time business. So there is a bit of background.

Tons of hi-res pics in the blog for the bike: See my Suzuki GS1150ES Restoration Blog

I have just taken delivery of this little baby:

This is my third project, running concurrently, (see signature) with my 2 Suzuki GS1100Gs. I just love these bikes.

I am going to do a makeover on this one. It's costing me a fortune to do a nuts and bolts resto on my Dad's old bike and I've spent quite a bit on my Road Runner project too. So we will getting this going (it's a non runner right now) to determine if the motor is OK first. If it is then I will tart it up and ride it.

Here we go.

It was owned by a guy in Nevada who obviously worked for the Department of Defense (soldier, sailor or airman?):

And looks like it was last used on the road in 2010:

It has a non-standard oil cooler which is twice as wide as the regular one with hoses that touch the headers and fins that have been well battered:

It has a great Supertrapp stainless exhaust system which I can't wait to hear:

 

[londonboards]

More about the bike

More about the bike

Forks look OK:

It has a non-standard or home made bellypan with cut outs for the engine cases:

And one of the case covers needs a little work:

Chain and teeth look to be OK but very dry:

And no covers for the end of the swing arm:

Seat has been modified by having most of the padding removed. Short legs:

Brakes are good and free:

 

[londonboards]

Even more about the bike

Even more about the bike

Lots of work to do on the body panels:

and lots of lugs missing from the push on panels (as usual):

No keys with the bike that fit any of the locks so get it off:

Mileage registers as 64,227:

If this bike used the same mirrors as the infamous Cooley ones then it is no surprise that they are missing:

 

[londonboards]

Getting under the covers

Getting under the covers

Let's pull some of the covers off and see what we have.

First off, we have no air box, filter box and associated equipment:

Perhaps this bike had K & Ns or similar. I will have to check the jetting. I will replace with standard air box.

Carb slides look very black:

Fuse cover panel missing:

Choke cable broken:

Non standard fuel hose:

Grips are toast:

 

[londonboards]

More under the covers

More under the covers

I got the carbs off.

Manual aftermarket cam chain tensioner. I will have to find out how to adjust these. Looks like it's blue anodized to match the bodywork (not):

Carb rubbers are quite hard but I will have a go at using them:

Frame number:

Engine number:

Head looks like it was painted crinkle black but it's now all coming off:

 

[Guest]

gsx11

gsx11

you get everywhere ! cheers nick

 

[Paul]

you get everywhere ! cheers nick

could say the same about you Nick

 

[londonboards]

you get everywhere ! cheers nick

You sent my stuff out yet? Actually, don't need it until next week so don't panic. Looking forward to getting going on this one.

Greetings

 

[Paul]

Nice to see some close up picks, looks good overall

 

[Guest]

I bought a Brit bike last year 84 GSX1100EFG that was built by a guy named Terry Kieser over there. I got a super deal on it too.

 

[londonboards]

Lots of money

Lots of money

Nice to see some close up picks, looks good overall

Cheers Paul. Putting it back to showroom would cost a fortune. All that body work, painting and so on would be ?100s and ?100s. Just going to do a quick makeover except I can see myself getting that frame powder coated.

 

[londonboards]

Carb Strip

Carb Strip

OK on with my very favourite (spelling is good guys!) job - the carb strip.

These are pretty similar to the 2 sets I have already done on my GS1100Gs. The differences being that they have tin caps on them which to be honest are a bit naff (translate = crap). Secondly, they are painted black and half of the paint is coming off. I think they were probably black from the showroom but these ones have a very amateur black paint job. I am going to run this bike with naked carbs.

Everything about them is black. Even the slides and butterflies:

All the mixture adjustment screws are free (phew) - the mallet is just in case:

Fuel drained from the bowls was very "fruity":

 

[londonboards]

More carb stripping

More carb stripping

Getting them apart was OK with a gentle impact driver and the correct bit:

Some pretty interesting **** inside. Tell me Doctor, how long has this bike been deceased?:

 

[dorkburger]

Fully on board for this one The carb slides come with some sort of black anodized coating on them, and the valve cover is a wrinkle finish, and tends to flake. The mirrors are not Cooley units, but are 1150es specific as far as I know. Good luck with the work. Im happy to see an 1150 resto.

 

[samboss260]

How, those carbies are gunked up !! Is that seafoam that has been sprayed in there?

 

[Flyboy]

O.M.G......O.M.F.G,

I hate you so intensely right now, you have no idea.

 

[eil]

Hey now, you Brits better leave our cheap, low-mileage vintage bike market alone! J/K. Such a beautiful bike. I'll be watching this.

Did you import it or buy it from someone who did?

 

[Nessism]

Great photos!!!

Keep going...

 

[londonboards]

How, those carbies are gunked up !! Is that seafoam that has been sprayed in there?

Not sure what's been through them. My first resto has stood idle for 10 years or so and was no where near as bad as this.

I am using Carb Cleaner spray to get the sludge out, an engine degreaser to clean the oil off, ultrasonic cleaner to get into the little bits and paint stripper to clean off the paint. They are looking pretty good under all that too.

 

[londonboards]

Hey now, you Brits better leave our cheap, low-mileage vintage bike market alone! J/K. Such a beautiful bike. I'll be watching this.

Did you import it or buy it from someone who did?

There are a couple of bike companies who do this full time. I bought from one of them DK Motorcycle Importers. They bring them in by the container load. They have a "scout" out in Denver and sell 100s of bikes here in the UK. Judging by the prices we are able to buy them for, shipping and other overheads, they must be picking them up for practically nothing. But I don't begrudge them any profit they make. It's a win win situation. They make money, we have great fun with the bikes and the best thing is these glorious bikes are saved from certain death. Some of them, if they do not sell, will be scrapped for parts but even that is a worthy cause if it keeps others on the road.

I feel like a missionary. I want to save them all!!