Does everything here look ok?

[MisterCinders]

I was already happy beautiful riding weather today.

[7981GS]

LOL!
You won't be sorry that you did.

We just want to see more pic's of your beautiful country garnished with a custom GS1100G for years to come, that's all.
See, we are only looking out for OUR self-interests.

[Flyboy]

Good choice, Chuck is right, and I believe, if you pull the head, you need to pull the base gasket as well, if it is disturbed, just a tiny bit, and chances are it has been, it is an oil leak waiting to spoil your day down the road sometime in the not too distant future.

[JimmyR]

Not such good riding weather here today! I would call it good cylinder removal weather. Very gloomy and threatening to rain here. Storms on the way I am told. So I don't mind having the engine in pieces so much.

One thing I like is that the engine seems relatively simple - a good thing for someone like me who has never pulled an engine apart before. The carburettors are way more complex. I have ordered quite a few new parts, like new head bolt nuts, as some of the stud nuts are rusted onto the studs. The chromedome nuts are fine, but the bolts outside the outer sparkplugs are toast. It's funny because there was very little rust on the rest of the bike. I guess the heat must have taken the toll.

[JimmyR]

I am keen to placate you all who will never ride or even see my bike in the flesh! So now the jugs are off and the pistons too. I'll take pics to prove it later. :-)

Now I am well and truly out of my comfort zone, so I have dropped off the head, barrel and pistons with a reputable engine rehab machinist place and they will measure everything up, replace what needs replacing, hone, tweak and massage my engine bits for me. I am really looking forward to having a clean, like-new engine out of all this. I think the trickiest bit for me will be reinstalling the barrel. Not looking forward to that. it sounds very tricky.