Looking For Direction in 1100E Rebuild

[Mark M]

Oh yeah, if anybody is sitting on a complete 93-98 GSXR 1100 front end and wanting to unload it, PM me. I am currently in shopping mode and have cash in hand for the right parts.:-D

Mark

[isleoman]

"Bonanzadave, that is without a doubt the sweetest 1100E I have ever seen. Is that a GSXR swingarm in there as well as the 17" wheels and front end? My problem here is that to make mine look that good will take 75+% of the time, cost and effort that a complete new chassis would take. And I am trying to weigh the worth of that extra 25% to get to the full chassis level...:?"

Mark,

Thats actually my bike. I very much appreciate Dave suggesting it as a well done GS. That's a 99 Bandit swingarm (ala Katman's concept) with a RF900 170 rear wheel and a complete 98 GSXR 1100 Front Assy. It also has the Ohlins piggy backs, ZX12r rear sets, RS38s,Yosh Stage I cams and Yosh 1133 pistons, HMP ported head, and Dyna Ignition and 530 chain. With the Yosh header it dynoed at 120 hp. Which sounds conservative.

Thats also brand new old stock body work which I picked up from Andersen for a song before he went south with his customer service. That picture was taken this summer with 102K miles. I've owned it since new and have built it slowly over time. The Yosh decal on the rear is just a Photo chop.

If your a bike addict like me and need to ride then I suggest you get another bike to ride in the mean time, so you can take your time building the GS of your dreams. If your more into building than riding then you can skip that suggestion.

I'm extremely happy with the final product and it handles very well. Depending on what I'm going to do and where I'm going, I switch back and forth between the GS and my first generation FZ1. They are giving used FZ1's away and they make a great two up sport tourer. My wife keeps begging me to add back some passenger pegs on the GS which will probably happen this winter. I'm having Ohlins' rework the shocks and add beefier springs soon.

The thing that I love about my GS is its "feel". It really is fun to ride. Going through the gears is more like an old 70's Chevelle muscle car than a modern street bike. I'm not a big fan of loud exhausts, but I have to admit it sounds great with that short Yosh.

If you building for the fun of it like I do then have a ball. If you want ultimate performance then buy something new or even five years old. I really don't think you could convert an old GS into something that can touch the handling or smoothness of new bikes. While we think the late 90s era GSXR1100 forks are slick, owners of modern GSXRs think they handled like a cow.

Good luck or your build!!

[Mark M]

Thats actually my bike. I very much appreciate Dave suggesting it as a well done GS.

<snip>

If your a bike addict like me and need to ride then I suggest you get another bike to ride in the mean time, so you can take your time building the GS of your dreams.

<snip>

If you building for the fun of it like I do then have a ball. If you want ultimate performance then buy something new or even five years old.

Thanks for clearing that up, it is a truly gorgeous piece of work. I am indeed an addict, but check out my sig. The GS is not a daily driver (mostly due to it's condition, it is very enjoyable to ride) and I am covered on and off road in the meantime.:-D

I agree, there is no way the GS will compete with new stuff. I don't want it to. But I do want to get it so that the age of the chassis is not so apparent on every ride... Just updating to decent suspension (you are correct that the 90's GSXR stuff is not top drawer, just decent) and getting 17" radials with real brakes will be a huge step in the right direction.

Mark

[Billy Ricks]

Use the CBR954 triple setup like Katman describes in his thread. It's stepped to give you extra ride height that you won't get out of a GSXR triple. I used one on my latest round of mods. You'll need to alter your upper bearing like I describe in one of the last posts in Katman's sticky thread.

Just ditching a stock exhaust can save you 20 lbs easy and if you can get your hands on a stainless exhaust you can get exhaust weight down to about 10 lbs.

[Griffin]

Every time isleoman's GS1100 comes up in a thread, I just stare at it for a few moments. I'm going to put it up again:



That is, without a doubt, the nicest custom GS1100E I've ever seen. Lots of truly functional mods to improve the rideability of the machine, but tastefull and skillfully done so as not to take away from the overall lines and impression of the bike.

That is a work of mechanical art, both beautiful and functional. I would recommend anyone looking at modding their 1100 take a good look at it, and really think about what they are trying to accomplish with their mods.

[mriddle]

Every time isleoman's GS1100 comes up in a thread, I just stare at it for a few moments. I'm going to put it up again:



That is, without a doubt, the nicest custom GS1100E I've ever seen. Lots of truly functional mods to improve the rideability of the machine, but tastefull and skillfully done so as not to take away from the overall lines and impression of the bike.

That is a work of mechanical art, both beautiful and functional. I would recommend anyone looking at modding their 1100 take a good look at it, and really think about what they are trying to accomplish with their mods.

Exactly !


Mike

[isleoman]

Guys, thanks for the compliments, you've made my day, I apologize to Mark M, I didn't mean to hijack his thread.

It makes you wonder why Suzuki never released that color combination in the states. As far as I can tell the red/champaigne was only released in the UK. I got the tank and right side cover from Anderson Vintage but it took me 18 months of searching to find the left side cover that had been sitting on a shelf for 20 years in a Suzuki shop in London.

Billy brings up a good reminder that lowering the ride height can be a problem. In fact have you ever seen an after market or stock exhaust on Ebay that doesn't have scrapes on the bottom?

I didn't use the 954 triples but it would have been a good idea. I do keep my eye out for speed bumps. The GSXR forks don't compress nearly as much as the stock forks so that helps compensate for some of the height reduction. I've put 3000 miles on since the suspention upgrades and haven't touched anything yet.

Heres how it actually looks without the photochop decal on the tail.

[NoBars]

130hp is not that hard from the 1100 4 valver. I did a lot of research a few years ago and 36mm flatslides and stage 1 cams will get it around 125-130rwhp depending on details. If you can find a 1150 head you would for sure be over 130rwhp because the bigger exhaust valves really open it up. Some light porting (my choice would be filled ports ala Motoman's site) and you would be close to your 140hp number with tons of torque.

Mark

I have been around this game for a while, I have a leftover 28.5/24 1100 head that made 170+ on a 1428. That, on a stock block 1260 with a set of G4 cams and 39 keihins(because of the light throttle action)should make in the 130+ range pretty easy. I have a 3000 mile 83 motor for the bottom end and the same exhaust as the bike pictured (yosh) except with a megaphone. I'm in the process of putting a new 1500 cc all muscle motor (Block is on its way back from APE) in my ex shootout bike that as a nitrous bike made 208 on motor and went 7.87 on the bottle with my fat azz on it. I'm hoping for 230 on muscle now and 8.50s

One of these days a chassis will come up for sale close and it will be on. Problem is, I have too many toys now and cannot justify another one at this time.

Get a modern bike to ride and build something that is as fun to look at as it is to ride, it sounds like you have the talent and resources to do so.
Anyone can write a check for a new bike, but a beautiful classic is art.

Anthony

[Mark M]

Guys, thanks for the compliments, you've made my day, I apologize to Mark M, I didn't mean to hijack his thread.

<snip>

Billy brings up a good reminder that lowering the ride height can be a problem. In fact have you ever seen an after market or stock exhaust on Ebay that doesn't have scrapes on the bottom?

I didn't use the 954 triples but it would have been a good idea. I do keep my eye out for speed bumps. The GSXR forks don't compress nearly as much as the stock forks so that helps compensate for some of the height reduction. I've put 3000 miles on since the suspention upgrades and haven't touched anything yet.

isleoman, that isn't hijacking, it's enhancing. Your bike is a superb example and an excellent goal for me to aim at.

According to Katman (and he should know), the 954 triples only work with the 750 forks, which are 1/2" shorter than the 1100 forks. So it is pretty much a push in terms of ride height. I had planned on 1100 forks because I want to use a tubular bar with risers and that lets me sink the fork tubes flush with the top of the triples to gain all the length the 1100 forks have to offer.

The GSXR forks shouldn't dive any more or less than the original forks once everything is sprung properly. They should offer much better damping once the shim stacks are sorted compared to the old damper rods in the stock forks, though. And full external adjustability to boot.

Mark

[Mark M]

Get a modern bike to ride and build something that is as fun to look at as it is to ride, it sounds like you have the talent and resources to do so.
Anyone can write a check for a new bike, but a beautiful classic is art.

Anthony

You have the engine side better sorted than I ever will, from the sound of it.

Well said, too, I couldn't have put it any better myself.

Mark

[NoBars]

I am a machinist by trade, although now I work outside that industry. I do ok with chassis work too.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/forumdisplay.php?f=101

a couple of my bikes. I also have a 2000 hayabusa as a streetbike, although it seems to see the track more than the street. fast and reliable, minimal maintenance.

[NoBars]

That did not work out so good. page 116 of "post a pic of your bike".

[Mark M]

I am a machinist by trade, although now I work outside that industry. I do ok with chassis work too.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/forumdisplay.php?f=101

a couple of my bikes. I also have a 2000 hayabusa as a streetbike, although it seems to see the track more than the street. fast and reliable, minimal maintenance.

The new bikes are amazing in that respect. My 1K is bulletproof and astounding, all I do is change oil and put gas in it and ride. As amazing as it is, it doesn't have the character that the GS has, though.

Mark

[Mark M]

That did not work out so good. page 116 of "post a pic of your bike".

We'll do it this way:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=3152&d=1196832172

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=3153&d=1196832229

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=3150&d=1196831838

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=3151&d=1196831975

Wicked bikes, NoBars. Your id makes perfect sense now too.:-D


Mark

[bonanzadave]

As long as your posting pictures........



NO ! Its not mine.

Sorry Isleoman, I was not trying to steal your bike. Altho now that I think of it...... That little Jap symbol on the back is cool. Id make it pemanant. Or maybe a rising sun flag.