1992 GSX1100G project

[GS1000G Shopper]

Fuel lines are hooked up, pump is in place, gauges are installed, and the fairing is bolted down with pockets & covers installed. Really looks like a bike again. Waiting on some tank & side seals to button up the shaft drive assembly, then it's just a matter of getting fuel to the engine and seeing if it runs.

[GS1000G Shopper]

Here are some outdoor pics from today of all 4 of my bikes. I have shifted the red GS1000G to the end of the shop for its upcoming engine upgrade, and placed the Sabre into front line status.

[GS1000G Shopper]

I've been spending time with my red GS1000G getting ready for a big bore kit and fuel injection mod due to being on parts hold with the GSX-G. I'm waiting for some seals. My clutch pushrod had some pitting I couldn't smooth out, so I made a new one. I got a 6mm stainless rod and cut it to length and rounded the ends:

[themess]

Get one of these wire wheels for lees than $10 anywhere, I used one in my 3/8 drive Bosch drill, and it took off all the paint down to the metal in no time flat, I was skeptical at first when someone else suggested it, I figured "wire wheel" it'll just scratch it a lot, nope, paint went bye bye lickity split!

I was helping a friend strip paint from her cast iron bathtub. Mostly we used methanol/methylene chloride gelled paint stripper and wire brushes by hand. But for a few minutes I used a cup brush in a hand-held electric grinder. I used it until I saw it removing cast iron.

Therefore, I'd be very careful about the cup brush used on thin, soft sheet metal.

[GS1000G Shopper]

Thanks. The tank is done, and it came out fairly good (just waiting on some tank seals to install it). I found another YouTube video and learned what I was doing wrong. For a $600 bike, I'm satisfied with the results.

[GS1000G Shopper]

Two steps forward, and one back. The seals for the shaft drive finally arrived, and I see the o-ring placement is fine art. The o-ring goes between the housing and two shims, and in the process of doing this you have to line up the output shaft. Invariably, the o-ring falls off. I used some Hylomar to hold it in place and it looked like it was in place, so I hand tightened a couple of bolts and saw the o-ring bulging out at the bottom. I flat-spotted it, so back to square one.

It is too loose a fit, and 88 x 2mm, so I'm going to try an 85 x 3mm one that McMaster sells.

The gas tank seals and labels also arrived, so I guess it is 2.5 steps.

[GS1000G Shopper]

A little more progress today. I ended up using a slightly smaller & thicker o-ring (85mm x 2.5mm, item # 9262K737) from Mcmaster.com here. It has next to nothing to grip when reinstalling, so I used some tack & seal to hold it in place. After re-installation, I refilled the oil and so far so good. I'm leaving the side cover off there until I can run the engine and see if anything is leaking.

After doing this, I re-installed the clutch slave cylinder with new stainless push rod and bled it. I can see the rod moving, so it looks like success.

As of now, I'm waiting on some shorter stainless screws to re-install the fuel sending unit. I got the tank end of the petcock installed yesterday.

[GS1000G Shopper]

It is semi-reborn.

The good news is it started up fairly easily, and after it had run a while, I did some driveway laps. This is the smoothest-shifting bike I've ever ridden, and it ran very smoothly in 1st and 2nd gear. Also no visible oil leaks from any of the hoses I made.

All of the new GSF650 controls work, to include the headlight flasher and hazard flashers.

The list of bad news is:
Fuel leaks! First was at the tank, the spring clamps are not the best, but I was able to re-position it and stop that. Next, the hose at one of the filters is leaking (wet). I'll have to pull the tank to get at it. Third, I saw some drops from one of the middle carbs.

Smoke from the motor. I know this was to be expected, the V65 did the same thing for a while, so this is not really bad news.

Oil pressure. The sender may be bad. The idiot light goes out after the motor starts, but my gauge reads way low, like 7-13 PSI at lower rpm. Will have to check the sender ground. Oil temp warmed right up.

I'm rethinking my fuel pump setup. It runs constantly with the key on, and I think this is flooding the carbs. I don't fully understand the circuit the stock pump uses, and apparently my attempt to duplicate it has not worked.

Having just designed a returnless fuel injection pressure control for the GS1000G project, I think maybe I could do the same thing here if I can get the right type of sender. I'm sure the GSX-G pump is only like 4 PSI or so.

EDIT
I found a used pump in good shape for $60 shipped, so I will try that first.

All in all, not a bad day. I shot a short video of it running and will upload it.

[GS1000G Shopper]

Link to video:

1992 Suzuki GSX1100G First Run in 15+ Years

[GS1000G Shopper]

Once sorted out this could quickly become my favorite "modern" bike. Maroon GS1000G models hold the sentimental edge though.

[eil]

Nice! Sounds good too.

[themess]

Once sorted out this could quickly become my favorite "modern" bike. Maroon GS1000G models hold the sentimental edge though.

I can understand why.

[GS1000G Shopper]

Fuel pump came today and it was a quick install. I can see why it leaked, it only pulses as needed. Took it out on the road for the first time, and

WOW!


The first thing I doscovered was I didn't tighten the left mirror all the way- it blew back at the top of 2nd gear. It started smoking noticeably on the return leg (only went 2 miles). The V65 did this also as the Marvel oil & other crud blew out of it. This bike hits 90 MPH in next to nothing. It is just as smooth as the ST1100 was at 60 MPH.

How is it Suzuki didn't sell a million of these? If this bike runs this good after sitting since about 1998, it must have been really awesome when new.

Now it is just a few more things to sort out and it is good to go.

[themess]

....This bike hits 90 MPH in next to nothing. It is just as smooth as the ST1100 was at 60 MPH.

How is it Suzuki didn't sell a million of these? If this bike runs this good after sitting since about 1998, it must have been really awesome when new....

Just a guess: Most people buy motorcycles with their eyes and emotions. They aren't transportation, but fun and social positioning. Buyers want motorcycles that look like the motorcycles ridden by people who they themselves want to be like.

The GSX1100G was sort of like the ultimate GS-G. It was a 1970s concept sold in the 1990s. Buyers ignored it because they didn't see it because they wanted something that looked different.

[GS1000G Shopper]

Just a guess: Most people buy motorcycles with their eyes and emotions. They aren't transportation, but fun and social positioning. Buyers want motorcycles that look like the motorcycles ridden by people who they themselves want to be like.

The GSX1100G was sort of like the ultimate GS-G. It was a 1970s concept sold in the 1990s. Buyers ignored it because they didn't see it because they wanted something that looked different.

Well, I think "forgive them for they know not what they are doing" applies here also. It seems to have done better in Europe. I noticed the modern UJM-styled GSX1400 (air/oil cooled chain drive) was not sold here, but see a few of them FS on eBay England. IMO, THAT would be an ultimate GSX-G if it had a shat drive (and I bet it could be adapted).

I'm going to use my HD cam and shoot some video on it and take a few more outside/exterior pics. I think it is a nice looking bike. As my friend ddaniels observed earlier in the thread it doesn't have the same feel when turning that the GS does, but it's great going down the road.