• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

Newbie with a GS1000s

  • Thread starter Thread starter Clive Martin
  • Start date Start date
C

Clive Martin

Guest
Hi to all, Just introducing myself to the Forum.
I have recently bought a GS1000s with a few issues, which I am hoping to work through.
I have always been a standard bike person, having to have everything just as it came out of the factory, but I saw this one on Ebay and I fell in love with it.
I am sure some people may turn there nose up at it, but it makes me smile.
I thought that I would join the Forum as I am sure I will have some questions.
If there are any members in the south east of England with a GS1000s I would love to meet up, so get in touch.
gs1000s 002.jpg

Regards Clive
 
Hey Clive,

Welcome to the site. That is a great looking S you have there. Your bike looks very similar to another members S "NVR2OLD" is his screen name.
 
Welcome to the site, Clive.
Nobody here is going to turn up their nose at that beauty.
Always liked the look of the stubby Harris exhaust.
 
Wow! That's a beauty of a bike. Welcome and enjoy your way around here.

Ed
 
Welcome to the GSR Clive, there are quite a few members here with GS1000S's and all the knowledge you will need to get your bike sorted if there aren't any local to you.

Can you give me some background on your bike and what your history is with this model, if any?

BTW your bike looks great in the pictures, what are the issues with it?

I currently maintain a register of all known GS1000S's and would love to have your details to add to the list, frame number (VIN) and engine number if you could post them here or send them via a PM to me, it would be much appreciated.

I should be able to give you some more details about your bike once you send me that info.

Can you also check the rear wheel, is that a 17 or 18" tire?

More pictures would be nice.

Cheers,

David
 
Hi, Thanks for the kind words from those who have replied.

Hi David,
All I know about the bike is that it came in from Holland or Belguim (that bit didn't quite log in) The guy I got the bike from got it registered in the UK and then put it up for sale.
When I went and looked at the bike the starter was siezed, so it had to be bump started. It was a quiet engine But the carbs needed balancing.
I trailered the bike home. I got and fitted another starter motor, but upon starting the bike I was getting quite a lot of rattling from the rotor side. I took the rotor off and found the three bolts that hold the starter clutch on were loose. I have locktighted them back in, put it all back together and restarted it. Exactly the same noise, so I am now looking at buying a complete new starter clutch in the hope of sorting the problem out.

Being able to start the bike has ment I have been able to balance the carbs, which I have done today. While it was running my son went round the engine with a stethascope and said the noise was all coming from the starter clutch side.
The noise dissapears at about 1800 rpm and the bike sounds very nice. The stand flicks up as soon as you take the weight off of it and this concerns me a bit, I am not sur if this is supposed to happen.
Some of the gauges do not work at the moment and I think I wouls like to fit some indicators.
My frame mumber is GS1000-522779
Engine number GS1000-144855
My log book states decleared manufactured 1980
The bike has an 18 inch rear wheel.WP_000178.jpg



I seem to be having trouble posting more pictures.
Regards Clive
 
The other side. That all I have at the moment.
Regards Clive
WP_000180.jpg
 
What a beautiful Liter Bike! Thanks for sharing...all the way from En-ga-land!


Ed
 
Hi Clive and welcome. I'm a little to the west of you in Hampshire but you have Chris (user name Tatu) over in Kent with a a very pretty modded S. There's a few other Kent members on here as well. You'll have to sell a kidney if you need any of the unique S parts but fortunately the bike shares most of its components with the other GS1000s and other models in the GS / GSX range.

Are you sure about where that noise is coming from? The starter clutches on these bikes are pretty good though do sometimes rattle - they make a distinctive clacking noise usually when there's an issue. Far more common is a clutch noise at low revs. Some can sound horrendous, as if the engine is about to go pop, and the noise can sound like it's coming from somewhere else.

the stand isn't meant to flick up by the way.
 
Clive Martin said:
Hi, Thanks for the kind words from those who have replied.

Hi David,
All I know about the bike is that it came in from Holland or Belguim (that bit didn't quite log in) The guy I got the bike from got it registered in the UK and then put it up for sale.
When I went and looked at the bike the starter was siezed, so it had to be bump started. It was a quiet engine But the carbs needed balancing.
I trailered the bike home. I got and fitted another starter motor, but upon starting the bike I was getting quite a lot of rattling from the rotor side. I took the rotor off and found the three bolts that hold the starter clutch on were loose. I have locktighted them back in, put it all back together and restarted it. Exactly the same noise, so I am now looking at buying a complete new starter clutch in the hope of sorting the problem out.

Being able to start the bike has ment I have been able to balance the carbs, which I have done today. While it was running my son went round the engine with a stethascope and said the noise was all coming from the starter clutch side.
The noise dissapears at about 1800 rpm and the bike sounds very nice. The stand flicks up as soon as you take the weight off of it and this concerns me a bit, I am not sur if this is supposed to happen.
Some of the gauges do not work at the moment and I think I wouls like to fit some indicators.
My frame mumber is GS1000-522779
Engine number GS1000-144855
My log book states decleared manufactured 1980
The bike has an 18 inch rear wheel.View attachment 41207



I seem to be having trouble posting more pictures.
Regards Clive
Click to expand...

Clive, thanks for the response, your bike is a 1979 model and it looks like it's a fairly early one, I have 3 other VIN's from the UK with VIN numbers in the same range as yours. ( the 1979 "S" models first unit started with VIN 521285 apparently) the earliest number I have is 521306
Your engine number quite a bit higher than the others in the UK I have listed, but it may still be the original engine as Suzuki didn't have a very organized numbering system from what I can tell.

BTW your sticker on the headstock will show the date of mfg if it's still in good condition.

Parts are still available for these engines/bikes, so you shouldn't have too much trouble getting parts and sorting out the issues described.

Suzuki UK have the Vintage OEM parts program available to you and the GS1000S is included in their list of bikes supported, so hopefully you can find what you need over there.

http://www.morebikes.co.uk/gs1000s-added-to-suzukis-vintage-parts-programme/

If you want stock turn signals plenty are available on ebay or from a bike breaker in your area, same for all GS1000s 78-1980 C/E/S etc.

As far as modification done to your bike, apart from the obvious items, Seat and Front Fender, it looks like you have drilled front disks and stainless steel brake lines, rearset foot pegs, Pods rather than standard airbox, 4-1 pipe, black painted engine and missing the very rare OEM mirrors.

Not that much work to bring back to original if that's your thing but it looks pretty nice the way it is.

Regards,

David
 
Clive, I just did a comparison between Parts Outlaw in Florida USA and the Suzuki UK site linked in the article I posted above.

Parts Outlaw is selling the Starter Clutch Assembly, item #4 for $163 US and the UK site lists it at $231 pounds ($360 US) more than double, looks like you guys are getting an awesome deal on your parts, ............... NOT.

https://www.suzuki-gb.co.uk/motorcy...e-parts/vintage-bikes/vintage-bikes/gs1000sn/

http://www.partsoutlaw.com/oemparts/a/suz/50d402e7f8700230d8b4e949/starter-clutch
 
Last edited:
Hi Guys,
What a lot of information in a short space of time.
I have noticed that the starter clutches are quite a bit cheaper in the US than in the UK. There is a few about but all the part numbers are different from one and other. Will they all fit ?
I am pretty sure the starter clutch is my problem. It has made some clanging noises while trying to start, but I forgot to mention this before.
Thanks for the info on the sidestand, I need to investigate further.
I will be going for a set of handlebar mirrors because of the cost.
Regards Clive
 
You dont need to buy a starter clutch just yet..what you need to do is get the valves adjusted and do a carb rebuild and gauge sync them first. If the noise goes away around 1800 RPMs its NOT the starter clutch..its the cylinders fighting each other from out of adjustment maintenance issues. If even one spring is broke in the starter clutch the dowels will not grip the crank. Since you started it tells me the starter clutch works. Sounds travel down the crankshaft and just because it "sounds like " its at the left side doesnt necessarily mean thats so.

The one thing that breaks a starter clutch is the springs..they are fine wire and weak. I use the springs from clicker style ink pens when i rebuild a starter clutch..drop right in and tougher.

Go here and scroll down on the right side and follow the carb rebuild guide.

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/images/vm_carb_rebuild.pdf
 
Last edited:
chuck hahn said:
You dont need to buy a starter clutch just yet..what you need to do is get the valves adjusted and do a carb rebuild and gauge sync them first. If the noise goes away around 1800 RPMs its NOT the starter clutch..its the cylinders fighting each other from out of adjustment maintenance issues. If even one spring is broke in the starter clutch the dowels will not grip the crank. Since you started it tells me the starter clutch works. Sounds travel down the crankshaft and just because it "sounds like " its at the left side doesnt necessarily mean thats so.

The one thing that breaks a starter clutch is the springs..they are fine wire and weak. I use the springs from clicker style ink pens when i rebuild a starter clutch..drop right in and tougher.

Go here and scroll down on the right side and follow the carb rebuild guide.

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/images/vm_carb_rebuild.pdf
Click to expand...

Chuck, good call on that, I didn't mean to suggest that you needed a new starter clutch by my post above, just showing the price comparisons.
It's worth taking care of the maintenance items suggested by Chuck and then see if that takes care of the noise, if not then a repair of the starter clutch could be all you need.

Here is what I found in my Canadian Cooley sump once I pulled it off, a blowed up starter clutch apparently, also found a few fragments of a clutch plate, always interesting to discover the history of your bike.



David
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the advice. I will do what Chuck has suggested and see how it goes.
Regards Clive
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

L
Another newbie - 1987 Suzuki GS450L
Replies
7
Views
157
salty_monk
salty_monk
Gr8uncleal
New member from UK.
Replies
4
Views
121
rphillips
R
KGB
It's been a VERY long time
Replies
12
Views
279
Peppermint Patti
P
administrator
  • Sticky
The NEW forum software is here!
2
Replies
20
Views
418
administrator
administrator
administrator
Hackers and our forum
Replies
6
Views
187
GSXR7ED
GSXR7ED
Back
Top