A GS1000s mod dilema...

[Tarbash 27]

I say restore it, or you can easily find a standard GS1000 cheap to hack up or modify. I would never mod a GS1000S with newer parts. Period correct only. But thats my opinion.

[jwhelan65]

I agree with pretty much everyone here, IMO mods should be done tastefully and blend with the lines of the bike without compromising the integrity of the original look. Simply put, it needs to be recognized for what it is.........A CLASSIC GS.

[kingofvenus]

I agree with pretty much everyone here, IMO mods should be done tastefully and blend with the lines of the bike without compromising the integrity of the original look. Simply put, it needs to be recognized for what it is.........A CLASSIC GS.

I wholeheartedly agree.

[nvr2old]

I really vacillated over my S. I thought about the fact that (from everything I've been able to dig up) there were only around 700 or so of these models imported into the U.S. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I'd honestly like to know the official count. That seems pretty rare in my book. It may all be in the body work, but boy, just try finding a dash for one of these bikes. A friend of mine did everything in his power to convince me to go mono shock and upside down forks. As cool as that would be, as evidenced by the many ultra-nice modded bikes I've seen on this site, I just couldn't do it. It just didn't seem right for this bike. I came so close to fully restoring it to stock..and I don't even own a bike that's stock..until I found a period correct Yosh race pipe. It was all over at that point. It had to become a tribute to that era of road racing. Finding all period correct stuff is painstaking, but it looks so right. All of my stock parts have been stashed away. It could be returned over the course a weekend. To me, that somehow seemed the right thing to do.

[1978GS1000custom]

it could wind up looking kinda like mine. i would save the S and keep it stock and restore it to original but if your inclined to upgrade the handling to match the power its kinda cool and a fun project. my old gs melded with a 1997gsxr1000 and i dont regret it a bit of the work and costs especially when i pass them and they see those old lunchbox side covers and that look of not understanding on their faces...

[Beaver]

it could wind up looking kinda like mine. i would save the S and keep it stock and restore it to original but if your inclined to upgrade the handling to match the power its kinda cool and a fun project. my old gs melded with a 1997gsxr1000 and i dont regret it a bit of the work and costs especially when i pass them and they see those old lunchbox side covers and that look of not understanding on their faces...

Yours is just what I am thinking of (but with a superbike seat) understated, but fast. I fell in love with old straight fours the first time I saw Mad Max. It has always been a dream of mine to own one(now I have 2 ) I loved the look of no fairing and the four pipes coming out the front, a muscle bike in my eyes, no bull****. Now that I have gotten deeper into it I am less and less interested in modern sportbikes, as in they almost do nothing for me.

I have an 80 S.
It has a 1100 swingarm, running a 130 tire.
A 150 will fit, with the wider rim.

The "thin" seat I have was made by ZERO.
I've never been able to find another ZERO seat.



Mod it, it is your bike, but please don't do a hack job,please?

Try Hagon for rear shocks. I replaced the rear shock on my Triumph with one, very nice setup and reasonable prices.

Ha ha, I promise no hack job! I woudn't dream of it!! But I must have a seat like yours Is the rear of it all foam or is it formed over a glass shell? It looks pretty solid.

[KGB]

The rear of the seat is all foam.

It does offer some resistance under acceleration

[Beaver]

STick a GS1100 Swinger on it, then get ahold of an 1150 3.5" rear wheel...can squeeze a 150 on there cake...MIGHT pinch a 160 on there too...I dunno.

I can find an 1100 swinger on German ebay, it took me a while to figure our what it was called though, but anything 1150 seems a bit tricky. I am assuming you recommended it as being the easiest to throw on, but are there any alternatives?

Cheers

[1978GS1000custom]

this is a option but the are hard to find. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Suzuk...Q5fAccessories

[Beaver]

I have found a guy stripping an entire GSX1100 F as I have found the '90 forks recommended, was thinking that the taking the wheels and brakes off it would make the whole process a little easier (even though the wheels aren't quite the ones I am looking for) There is about 3 80-83 1100 swingarms on the bay at the moment, so that shouldn't be a problem either. I just couldn't figure what to do about the wheels. The 1100 F wheels are a bit of a compromise as it seems like there is a sea of wheels that I like better, but they often come off newer machines.

[TheCafeKid]

It will be EASIEST and CHEAPEST to use the wheel style from whatever FORKS you choose. Matching up brakes, and rotors and bearings and axles can become a massive chore, and sometimes you end up totally screwed. So, if you go with the Kat stuff, stick with ALL kat stuff..

[rapidray]

I agree with Josh in keeping all the replacement parts from the same bike. I also am NOT a fan of inverted forks on 8 valvers as I feel they just don't look correct to me. I DO like them with the 86-90 GSXR frontends as the standard forks just look "right" to me. Plus, the handling & brakes are still WAY better & parts are available too. Just MY opinion & YOUR bike is YOURS to do with what makes YOU happy! Good project, keep us up to date. Ray.

[Beaver]

Thanks guys, that was exactly the help I was looking for. I had thought that the compatability would be a key factor. If no-one else steps up to the plate and bids then I could get the lot for a song almost too good to be true. I realise that the project is mine, but my opinions are also shaped by your own thoughts and ideas, and I very much appreciate hearing what you have to say.

Cheers

[Beaver]

Wheel questions again.

I have a 80-83 GS1100 rear swingarm, a 90 fork from a GSX1100 F, brake callipers front and rear also from said GSX, but I didn't get the wheels, or the discs. Now CK, you recommended getting wheels that matched my fork, what would happen if I broadened my search from 90 GSX to GSXR? Then I start getting rims up with the look that I really wanted:

http://cgi.ebay.de/Hinterrad-Rad-Felge-4-5x18-Reifen-GSXR-GSX-R-1100-750_W0QQitemZ220444842436QQcmdZViewItemQQptZKraftr%C3%A4der_Komplettr%C3%A4der?hash=item33538959c4&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1229%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

Not the colour by the way. ¨But these are 4.5 and I was told to look for 3.5, but where is the limit? Is it ok as I stick to 160 tires? The Wheelset off a 1100F is described as a GV72C and 16" and the orange ones are GU74C and 18"

This is a front rim at 17" x 3.5 GV73C does that mean it is closer to being compatable?

http://cgi.ebay.de/gsxr-1100-3-5-x-17-GV-73-C-Vorderrad-Felge_W0QQitemZ220443922550QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotorrad_Kraftradteile?hash=item33537b5076&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1229%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

Is there any help to be found in the numbers? (GV/GU/72/73/74C) In the ebay ads it say for example that this GSXR1100 GU74c is compatable with a GSX750 GR75A so there is aparently something to work with. I was fine looking for GSX1100 wheels then I saw this:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=106193&highlight=gs550+cafe&page=5

And it got me back to thinking, I must have those wheels...

[TheCafeKid]

THe problem will lie in the ROTORS AND BRAKES AND BEARINGS AND AXLE SIZES ETC ETC> This is why we suggest sticking with the SAME MAKE stuff... You start trying to throw whatever you can get a hold of on there and youre going to end up with a bunch of money spent, Parts you cant use with eachother, and a bike sitting in pieces in the garage...