Those Damn 600's!

[GILES JENSEN]

Just picked up an ol 1983 gs1100l model. I have been refurbishing it, engine paint, Vance & Hines pipe, new jetting, superbike bars and mirrors. Rebuilt the clutches and generally cleaned up the ol girl. Runs like a scalded dog! Something to be said for a 24 year old UJM with almost 40k on the clock. Question is........................should I try and make this bike fast enough to keep up with a 600 gsxr? In a stright line of course! If so, would a set of bigger carbs be the next logical step?
I owned a 82e model when it was new. Never like the L models, but thats what I now have. Is there any hope for a shafty to run with a newer 6oo???

[Commodus]

Just picked up an ol 1983 gs1100l model. I have been refurbishing it, engine paint, Vance & Hines pipe, new jetting, superbike bars and mirrors. Rebuilt the clutches and generally cleaned up the ol girl. Runs like a scalded dog! Something to be said for a 24 year old UJM with almost 40k on the clock. Question is........................should I try and make this bike fast enough to keep up with a 600 gsxr? In a stright line of course! If so, would a set of bigger carbs be the next logical step?
I owned a 82e model when it was new. Never like the L models, but thats what I now have. Is there any hope for a shafty to run with a newer 6oo???

Should you try and make your 1100GL keep up with a new GSXR600? No, that's silly, IMO anyways.

Are bigger carbs the next logical step? Well, different ones, for sure. A rack of Mikuni RSs are a good choice, but expensive. GSXR carbs will work too, some research will be required to figure out what size will work best.

I think GSXR600s are running 10s now, I think that'll be expensive. You'd be better served getting a chain driven 1100 to start with, I would think. A 1150 would be best.

[GILES JENSEN]

You're Right!

I shouldn't try. But, if I'm rolling along and one pulls up and wants to race? How does the saying go? "To race or not to race? That's a dumb question!" Sorry, that's just in my nature, like dogs chasing car tires.

Anyway, I digress. There are a set of carburetors on e-bay from a 1993 gsxr1100. Would that be an upgrade and will the work without much modification?

I guess if the bug bites me hard enough I'll just go get one of those new yellow and silver gsxr1000's. Then let the 600's just look the other way. hahaha!

[Commodus]

I shouldn't try. But, if I'm rolling along and one pulls up and wants to race? How does the saying go? "To race or not to race? That's a dumb question!" Sorry, that's just in my nature, like dogs chasing car tires.

Anyway, I digress. There are a set of carburetors on e-bay from a 1993 gsxr1100. Would that be an upgrade and will the work without much modification?

I guess if the bug bites me hard enough I'll just go get one of those new yellow and silver gsxr1000's. Then let the 600's just look the other way. hahaha!

Okay, but it'll be expensive. Like, thousands of dollars. I think your bike runs like 12s or 13s, you want to get into the 10s. Now take what I say with a grain of salt, I am not a drag racer and I don't build engines, hopefully someone who does will chime in here.

If it were me, and I was going to spend that much money (far more than the motorcycle will cost anyways), I would start with a non "GL" model, because I'm not sure how reliable the shaft drive will be once you start putting out the horsepower required to run 10s 1/4s.

I don't think the GSXR1100 carbs are a good choice, I think they will be too big for a stock GS engine. The SACS heads flow a lot gooder than our old GS motors.

No GSXR carbs will work without modifications, jetting changes and conversion to a push-pull throttle (I think, I believe all years of GSXRs used these, but I'm not 100% on that) will be necessary at the least. Also keep in mind you'll have to go with pods, or (better) build your own airbox. I believe, however, that the inlet spacing is right. Find that out for sure though, as I'm not an expert on the GLs which I believe all used the earlier 2 valve motor.

If you like GSs and wanna make 'em faster, hey, you're at the right place. But I think you should choose a different model, and I think you'll end up happier if you set a budget first, and some more general goals than specific performance numbers.

[sisu1970]

93 carbs

93 & up are the water cooled years, won't work the spacing is different. 86 to 92 are oil cooled gsxr's which have the correct spacing.

Sizes are as follows 86-88 1100 34mm, 87 750 34mm, 89-92 1100 36mm, 88-89 750 36mm, 90-92 750 38mm.

The early gsxr 34mm carbs are a good street upgrade and are easy to tune with great throttle response as are the 36mm but a little more touchy to tune in the idle area with my experience. All these carbs are cv carbs which work off the vacuum of the motor .

You do not need a push pull throttle cable set up for these carbs.

[GILES JENSEN]

thanks guys

thanks guys!

[lecroy]

LMFAO!!!! Friend just bought one of these. First street bike. Took it up to 170 MPH on the highway. My old 1100 tops out just under 115. I have beaten a few of the newer 600s on the 1/4, but only by riding skills. They are quick and fast! Does not help that I am a fat middle aged man. The kids have me be 60 pounds, not to mention the bike weight.

I have never seen a shaft drive at the races, ever. It would be interesting to hear about what you can get it to do.

[RJ]

Racing new 600's with a 25 year old bike is a losing proposition. IMO the aim of your efforts should be to use modern technology (ie suspension components, carbs, tires, shocks) to make your bike work as efficiently as possible. Any idiot can mortgage his future on a new bike payment booklet. Maximizing the functionality of the older bikes is the higher art. Oh yeah, when the 600 guy's carpal tunnel syndrome kicks in after about 1/2 hour of doing pushups on his clipons, you can whip his *ss.

[GILES JENSEN]

suspenion upgrade....are you kidding???

I think L models were built to do one thing.....................cruise. With a leading axle front fork and that high center of gravity I don't think it will ever to the twisties wortha ****. Could upgrade the ride maybe, or lower it and strut it and make it a drag race pos. Yes Yes we could get a vance and hines 1400 kit and smoothbores and cams and it would make a ton of hp and torque. But with a shaft it would prob just get me killed!!!!!! But hey I could say I whooped up on a 600.........but then there's the 750 and and and.................well youy can see where this ain't goin!

[GSWeergin]

If yours is a shaftie, I think that 1400 kit would grenade your shaft dirve in no time. The lash would be huge. Plus that kit on the street would run way too hot, I think.

[chef1366]

When my 1100 was stock I went riding with a guy with a SV650. Of course we rode through canyons and mountains and he smoked me, bad.
Look down and you'll see the mods I've done and the 650 will still smoke me. I'm keeping up now with the 80's and 90's GSXR 1100s. I might be able to take him (SV650) in a 1/4 mile with a 50 tooth rear sprocket.:shock:
These new bikes are torquey mothers with light suspensions and fuel injection. New tech takes over the old as usual.