1980 GS1100L - Suitable project bike?

[J_C]

Hi folks! I'm going to look at a 1980 GS1100L tomorrow. This will me my first project bike, and I'm looking forward to acquiring more mechanical knowledge and fixing up a great machine.

I was just looking at ebay and I was dismayed at the lack of gs1100L parts out there... from what I've read on here there doesn't seem to be much parts interchangability. I suppose my question would be... am I getting over my head with this 80 1100L? The price is right, but that doesn't do me any good if I can't find what I need. Hopefully I just wasn't searching correctly.

Thank you so much!

[chef1366]

1100l

I have an 80 1100L and it is the best bike I have ever owned. It is not an E model more built for speed but a cruiser style. There are bike parts for this bike out there, believe me. If you need any help locating parts just shoot me an e-mail, I am tapped in. Any questions about jetting or carbs or just about anything just let me know. How many miles are on it? What condition is it in? This is a rare bike and if you can restore it, if you need to, it is quite a find. When and if you buy it I'd like to see a pic.

[J_C]

Thanks for the response chef! I'm leaving to see it in 4 hours so any additional info would be much appreciated. I'm not sure what the difference is between the E and the L. Aren't the engines the same, only differentiated by styling?

If I get this bike your offers of assistance are awesome and welcomed. It has 39k miles I think, supposedly no mechanical problems except for seepage of the head gasket and carb problems at highway speeds. Carbs might be gunked up arount the pilot jet it sounds like.

The bike is $500 and apparently in semi-rough cosmetic condition. I think it's been left out a long time. The only thing really worrying me is that it is a "rare bike," and I want to be sure that the parts are there if I need them.

[katoranger]

I don't think engine and drivetrain parts are rare, just the cosmetics like the seat and tank etc that make it the L instead of a E or something.

I am working on a GS450S and most of the parts from the L fit, except the body parts.

I think that price sounds good for a running bike.

Allen

[Billy Ricks]

GSX 1100 L 1980
Overall Length: 2 255 mm (88.8 in)
Overall Width: 760 mm (30.0 in)
Overall Height: 1 190 mm (46.9 in)
Wheelbase:
Weight: 243 kg (535 lbs)
Engine type: Air-cooled 1 074 cc inline-4, DOHC, 16 valves. 100 hp (105 ps)/ 8.700 rpm, 8,7 kg-m/ 6,500 rpm.

[J_C]

Thanks guys! Leaving to see it soon, and I'm very excited :-D

[chef1366]

E model is more of a sport bike. L model which does mean cruiser in suzuki land is made more for touring. It weighs more and it is made for comfort for two. The engines are totally the same along with the drivetrain, exect for the GL which is a shaft drive. 80 1100 motors only have one difference with the 80-83 1100s is that the head cover has two less bolts, I think they changed this because they were known for leaking oil. They also upgraded the stator after 1980. The Frame emblems and cosmetics are all still available, but the fuel tanks and seats are discontinued, thank god for aftermarket seat covers.
First things first, buy a new battery, rebuild your carbs along with o-rings and check all electrical connections. (clean and sand all your frame ground points.) Oh yeah, buy a manual.

[Jethro]

That looks like a 4 valve motor, is it? That's a very nice motor either way. The 4 valve is nicer IMHO.

[chef1366]

4 Valve

Yes, it is a 16 valve motor.

[J_C]

Just got back! Still mulling it over. It has a few more problems than I thought it did... Here's the run down.

The idle screw is stripped apparently. It won't idle without giving it a little gas at all times, but the engine seems to sound good. It took one of the four headers a lot longer to heat up; I think he needed to screw in the sparkplug more because once he did it heated up right away. The headers are totally pitted; I'll need new ones I think. The rear turn signals appear to have a grounding issue or similar (one didn't work, the other you had to wiggle) and the horn only worked sporadically.

The airbox lid is missing. There is very minor surface rust in the tank. I wont even call it rust. Reddish brown film. I noticed that the frame was slightly dented (and rusting on the front kind of level with the triple tree. It was also rusting in that spot. I wonder if someone wrapped a chain through it or something. Pictures...

Well a picture's worth a thousand words. GS experts, if you'd look these over I'd be totally indebted. I have also included three sound files of the engine running for your experienced ears. The link is here: http://socal-letsride.com/storage/GS1100L/

Thank you very much... I hope to give this guy a response by tomorrow around noon lest he sell it to someone else. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[chef1366]

Most airbox lids were removed from these bikes. Cheapest way to improve proformance. This poor baby has been left out in the rain a little too long. You have your work cut out for you on cosmetics. See if you can check compression on all the cylinders. If the engine and tranny are sound, that alone is worth five bills. Is the guy firm on five bills? I've seen worse come back from the dead. On the turn signals there is a screw inside the light itself that is one of the grounds and they sometimes need cleaned and tightened.(plastic crap) Any carb issues are not that difficult to deal with.(especially with this site) This bike needs alot of tlc but if you have the time and money it might be worth your while. I wish I was there to help you, this is a job I'd love to tackle. Burbank huh, only an hour and a half drive from Bako, hmmmmmm

[J_C]

I'm sure my father and I could use all the help we can get :-D I think he's pretty firm... could be a selling tactic but he says other people have called since me willing to pay the same. All in all is it worth haggling for 50-100 bucks?

I think we're probably going to do it.... it will be a ton of work. But I don't think I'm going to find much else that's running for $500. If you listened to the wav file it sounds pretty steady... I've only had vtwins so I'm not sure what these guys are supposed to sound like. Didn't get the chance to get it above 2nd but didn't notice anything major about the tranny.

Eeek! \\/

Thanks for the help chef! (and everyone else) Its a great knowing other people's opinions when you're launching into this :-D

[katoranger]

I would buy it.

I have paid more for worse. Try to haggle a bit. It needs some TLC, but the parts will show up and you will have a nice bike.

Allen

[J_C]

This has hit a major snag. I can't find anyone who offers replacement exhaust systems for the 1980 1100L. This is my last major parts reservation before moving forward. Anyone have any ideas? These headers look toast

[tkent02]

Start patrolling ebay...

A nice used system will turn up, and if you're not in a hurry you will find one cheap. Bike wrecking yards too.

Here's one:
Might need a little craftsmanship to make it go on an "L"

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NOS-SUPERTRAPP-CHROME-Exhaust-gs1100-GS-1100-1980-81_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6755QQitemZ4629380503QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

And by the way, those pipes look better than mine, which work just fine untill the pretty ones get here.