I submit my 1978 GS1000 for
the Bike of the Month.
I had always wanted a bike,
but priorities dictated that the kid’s food and diapers come
first. My family moved out of town for the summer last year,
(meaning a longer commute to work,) and had a few dollars, so
I started asking around. A friend had two 78 GS1000’s sitting
in a grain shed. They had been there for 11 years. I was
shocked when my friend said I should just take it! I got the
other for a song.
The GS Resources were
instrumental in helping me get my baby up and running. There’s
no way I could’ve fixed all the little things that needed
attention without the help of my online community of fellow
GS’ers. I put about 6000km’s on it last summer without any
trips. I rode it almost every day. (The season is way too
short up here.)
The bike has undergone a slow
evolution to the point it’s at now. I set it up at first as a
touring setup, with a windshield, cruiser type bars, highway
pegs and a luggage rack/sissy bar. It worked well, but it
wasn’t how I wanted to keep it. I spent quite a few hours
tinkering in my basement last winter. It one point I had
everything but the frame and engine down there. I modified a
GS1150 fairing for a custom café fairing. Off came the highway
pegs and luggage rack, (I never used them anyway) and a set of
Euro handlebars went on. I shaved down the touring seat to
give it more of a “superbike” look. Clear flush mounted rear
signals replaced the stock ones. Progressive springs went into
the forks and it got dual brakes up front. A fresh coat of
paint this spring and a lot of elbow grease and I think it
looks great. It currently has 60,000km’s on the clock. The
bulletproof engine is stock. I’m amazed by how versatile this
bike is.
My bike turns heads wherever
it goes, getting nods of approval from lots of folks that
appreciate a classic. There are millions of cruisers and sport
bikes out on the roads, but this one is one in a million.