Searching for my old GS1000G

[GS1000G Shopper]

I've decided to look for my old bike. I bought it new in 1981. It was "loaded" with a Vetter fairing and the guy that ordered it backed out. I rode it until the traffic in S. Florida got too bad. It sat in my garage for several years, and I sold it to a friend of a friend of my wife.

Now that I'm in rural N. Florida, I've gotten back into riding. As my signature shows, I have a Kawasaki Concours. I've decided recently to sell another car & try to find my old 1000G or if that fails maybe buy another 1000G or an 1100G.

Since I no longer have anything with the VIN on it, this has been a challenge. Florida won't release info on vehicles unless you meet certain criteria. I was able to find (online phone listings) the guy that I sold it to- he's since moved out of state. I've put in a call to him & will see if he calls back. I may also write to him on the chance that the number I called isn't his- it was a generic answering machine. His county lists vehicles he owns, and I saw he has a 2007 Kawasaki (I couldn't get that lucky), so he must still ride.

I'll update here as I make progress- should be an interesting GS story. Wish me luck.

 

[Dogma]

Should be an interesting process. I hope it ends well. Are you prepared to find grass growing through it? Or worse, the frame's been cut?

 

[GS1000G Shopper]

One of the first things that occurred to me was it had been totaled or was otherwise no longer with us. As the saying goes, I won't know until I ask. I'm not going to do a frame-up restoration if I find it- it has got to be viable.

From what I've found out, it looks like there were up to 10,019 1981 Suzuki motorcycles built. I need to find a site with production numbers to verify this.

 

[850 Combat]

Which color was it?

 

[GS1000G Shopper]

Red with a black fairing. I added a large JC Whitney trunk & a radio setup on the fairing. I don't have any good pics of it. I'll attach the only one I've found.

As another piece to the puzzle, it was sold new at Ft. Myers Cycle in Ft. Myers, FL circa fall 1981/early 1982. They were bought out some time ago, and the new dealer has no records for that far back.

 

[Griffin]

From what I've found out, it looks like there were up to 10,019 1981 Suzuki motorcycles built. I need to find a site with production numbers to verify this.

According to the book, A Century of Japanese Motorcycles, Suzuki production numbers for 1981 were as follows:

Total units built: 1,529,342
Home market (Japan): 705,792
Export market: 820,132

I imagine that about 40% of the export bikes made it to North America, so one can assume that approximately 330,000 Zooks were sold here that year.

Those numbers make sense. At the time, there were approximately 2,000 Suzuki dealers in the US and Canada.

 

[GS1000G Shopper]

Thanks for the data. Maybe it was 10,019 1000G models imported here?

 

[Griffin]

Thanks for the data. Maybe it was 10,019 1000G models imported here?

I have no idea, but that seems more likely.

 

[GS1000G Shopper]

I'm starting to think this is a lost cause. I called the DMV today & they were not optimistic about finding a 25 year old record. I have to send in a record request & am not thrilled with all the info it wants (like SSN).

I used a vehicle history service on some older VINs I found and there was no data on them other than shipping info back in the 80's, so even if I had my VIN it may not have been of much use unless the bike is currently registered.

My logical side just has to convince my nostalgic side that it would have needed thousands of bucks of work IF it could have been found, so another GS in operable condition would be a better choice.

 

[JEEPRUSTY]

I'm starting to think this is a lost cause. I called the DMV today & they were not optimistic about finding a 25 year old record. I have to send in a record request & am not thrilled with all the info it wants (like SSN).

I used a vehicle history service on some older VINs I found and there was no data on them other than shipping info back in the 80's, so even if I had my VIN it may not have been of much use unless the bike is currently registered.

My logical side just has to convince my nostalgic side that it would have needed thousands of bucks of work IF it could have been found, so another GS in operable condition would be a better choice.

DMV bureaucrats should not get you down. The information may be archived in a different form or in an offline storage system.
It may even be on hard copies or microfiche.

 

[850 Combat]

There seems to be about 4 or 5 850G's out there for every 1000G. But there are still a lot of them. I have 3 clean black and gold ones, and a super clean red one. All are '80's except the red one.

You might not find your original one, but if you want one, they are certainly out there.

I keep this one at my mom's place in So Cal. Its a beauty.

 

[GS1000G Shopper]

Took the plunge & went to the DMV today. Wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The clerk said they would have to look it up in microfiche and should know something in a day or two and will call. Seems they are concerned about personal information (as well they should be), but I explained I don't want any of that (since it would be mine anyway LOL), just the ID number.

The quest continues...

 

[GS1000G Shopper]

There seems to be about 4 or 5 850G's out there for every 1000G. But there are still a lot of them.

Tell me about it. That, and almost every 1000G for sale is in the northeast or northwest USA. Ironically, I have an 1100G within driving distance that is from my hometown, but was in Michigan with the current owner, who moved back a while back. I'm keeping this one in mind as plan B.

I have 3 clean black and gold ones, and a super clean red one. All are '80's except the red one.

You might not find your original one, but if you want one, they are certainly out there.

I keep this one at my mom's place in So Cal. Its a beauty.

Nice looking bike! Just watched an episode of Ice Road Truckers from up your way & it was like -28 for the high!

 

[850 Combat]

I saw one of those. They were actually delivering pipe to one of our projects in the Arctic. I've spent all the time there I want to.

Here in Valdez, its much warmer, but we average 326 inches of snow per year. The record is more than 19 feet more than that.

So here, we get about half of the amount of snow that falls at Thompson Pass, 30 miles from here. Unfortunately, Thompson pass is where the only road in or out of here is routed.

sometimes in winter there isn't much in the Safeway.

 

[GS1000G Shopper]

Surprisingly I got a call from the guy at the DMV today. He wanted to know the year & so forth (I own / have owned a lot of vehicles here). He said he was going to talk to the lady in records and will call back. Praying about this one! ray:

 

[GS1000G Shopper]

Looks like the search is over, and not in a good way. The guy at the DMV says their records only go back 10 years, so they can't find it. On to bigger (by 100 ccs ) and better things!

 

[ddaniels]

The 1100G is a fine motorcycle to be sure. From what I've heard/read, it's just a bit more finicky in the area of sync'ing the carb s and smoothness of running. But, what you sacrifice in smoothness, you gain back in more power.

 

[GS1000G Shopper]

The 1100G is a fine motorcycle to be sure. From what I've heard/read, it's just a bit more finicky in the area of sync'ing the carb s and smoothness of running. But, what you sacrifice in smoothness, you gain back in more power.

I'm all about More Power!

 

[850 Combat]

I owned an '82 1100G until last summer when I gave it to my brother. I don't like it as much as a 1000G. The seat and ergonomics of the 1000G suite me better, same as I prefer a pre 1982 850G to an '82 or '83. I like the styling better too.

Just personal preference though.

An 1100 top end on a 1000 might be nice.