1981 gs1000et

[Suzuki Mad]

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Here she is... My 1981 GS1000ET. She's been sat in the garage unloved and unworked on for nearly 8 years now. It all started when I has a slight weep from the No 1 side head bolt seal in the head gasket. Then all of a sudden the cam chain tunnel started to leak and I didnt like oil seeping out everywhere so I rolled her in the garage hoping to fix her up.
Time went by and money got tight so I couldnt afford the cost of gaskets so she sat.
Then one morning I find that the forks seals have gone and fork oil is all over the floor and her. Brake pads are ruined and still no money.

Well life has changed a little and she was rolled out a week ago to be assessed. She needs a good clean and polish to start with. The cases have got a load of rubbish on. A local friend (not on this forum) has offered to ultrasonically strip and clean the carbs for me while I pull the head and barrels off to sort the motor and also why I do the fork seals.

Sadly two days ago I ruptured my Achilles Tendon and the work that was going to start this week on her has been put back till I am fit.

And why a GS1000ET I all hear you ask..... Well when I was 19 I had one. A black one! Rode that to the 38th FIM Rally in Melk, Austria from the UK. MY kids have already been told. 'This you will have to sell after I am gone.' So she's a keeper even if she isnt working at the moment.

Suzuki Mad.

[Suzuki Mad]

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I have all the new NOS OEM Suzuki parts for the front end rebuild. A little over kill but I am hoping it wont need to be done for another 37 years. lol

[Suzuki Mad]

She sits in the garage with another Suzuki. You've all seen her.

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MY beloved GS(X)1100ESD. I've owned her since 2005 when I did a full nut and bolt strip down, shot blasted frame and full restore with new decals etc costing me in excess of £5,500 at the time. She ran to the VJMC rally of 2006 on her first run out and was slated for not being original as the 'colours' were wrong. She sits in the back of the garage next to the GS and is never being sold. She also will never go back out on the road as she's just to precious to me. After 35 years the rear indicator rubber has rotten and disintegrated so I will have to source some new ones so she looks great and probably needs a polish. Only thing on her not standard is the VITO end cans as they are unobtainable here in the UK. Only sold in 1984 here, they are rare and nobody wants them. So she's another keeper even if she never goes out and turns a wheel in anger.

Suzuki Mad.

[roeme]

She sits in the garage with another Suzuki. You've all seen her.

(...)

MY beloved GS(X)1100ESD. I've owned her since 2005 when I did a full nut and bolt strip down, shot blasted frame and full restore with new decals etc(...) She ran to the VJMC rally of 2006 on her first run out (...) She sits in the back of the garage next to the GS and is never being sold. She also will never go back out on the road as she's just to precious to me. After 35 years the rear indicator rubber has rotten and disintegrated so I will have to source some new ones so she looks great and probably needs a polish.(...)

So am I understanding this right..? You invest hell of a lot of labour/time/money to make it a very nice bike, drive it once, and then let it rot?

I mean, I see three possible uses for our vintage bikes; as an investment, to be used, or as an keepsake/display piece of sorts. None of these seem to apply here?

I understand that some people enjoy looking at nice things, but those are usually on display in places where one usually lives. Not left in a garage to rot. And if it's a keepsake or whatever remembrance item of sorts, then leaving it in a garage doesn't do it justice, does it..?

[Suzuki Mad]

My choice roeme.

[roeme]

My choice roeme.

Sure, I'm just not certain on what your choice exactly is.

[Kiwi Canuck]

Hi there Suzuki Mad, I was wondering if you could send me the VIN and Engine Number from your 1980 GS1000ET.

I started a registry for the GS1000S models and Suzuki has given the ET the same starting numbers as the ST, so I'm also collecting the ET VIN's so I can get a rough idea as to how many of ST's were built for the 1980 model year.

It should start with 53XXXX, I just checked my registry and I don't have any ET's from UK, they must be rare over there, most are from USA and Australia.

BTW if your bike is an ET it's a 1980 model, so that's the manual you would need. (from 1981 onwards they came with 17 digit VIN numbers)

http://www.ozebook.com/compendium/suzi/engine-nos/page3.gif

Good luck on getting healed up and getting back to working on your bikes.

David.

[gsrick]

I'm curious as to how they determined it was the wrong colors(sorry colours)? The pic below is one being offered for sale here and even though it looks like a different shade, I believe that is the pic and lighting difference and not the actual bike. Did they have two other examples there to compare it to? I see there is an exhaust difference and the rear reflectors.

[Suzuki Mad]

Hi there Suzuki Mad, I was wondering if you could send me the VIN and Engine Number from your 1980 GS1000ET.

I started a registry for the GS1000S models and Suzuki has given the ET the same starting numbers as the ST, so I'm also collecting the ET VIN's so I can get a rough idea as to how many of ST's were built for the 1980 model year.

It should start with 53XXXX, I just checked my registry and I don't have any ET's from UK, they must be rare over there, most are from USA and Australia.

BTW if your bike is an ET it's a 1980 model, so that's the manual you would need. (from 1981 onwards they came with 17 digit VIN numbers)

http://www.ozebook.com/compendium/suzi/engine-nos/page3.gif

Good luck on getting healed up and getting back to working on your bikes.

David.

ET's were the first CV carb model with slotted disc's. She's missing her decals but thats how I got her. Air ride front and rear is standard, crash bars are from the same era.
I'I look up the Vin number for you and message you.

[Suzuki Mad]

Sure, I'm just not certain on what your choice exactly is.

Not letting her go.

After the amount I spent I was having her stolen and I'm to afraid of dropping her or having an accident with her while out. So she sits under cover in the garage. For 12 years she hasn't faired too bad. Theres no rust on the frame and only a little on the exhausts and footrest hangers. She was taken to a show in 2012 but the club has since folded.

Its a good point to raise. What do I intend to do with her.

If I had the carbs cleaned and a check over plus a new battery she would fire up and probably be fit to go for a UK test prior to the road. Next job after the GS1000E.

[ddaniels]

I would at least take her out periodically on a warm sunny afternoon with no traffic just to blow the cobwebs out, and really enjoy what it's intended for. Then put it away again. But, that's just me.