'80 GS1100E rebuild

[Turtleface]

Damn it all. All these pretty pictures of Bandit swingarms with Ohlins shocks is only increasing my desire to own such a set-up. Thanks a lot guys, looks like I'm going to be broke well into next years with all the mods I'm starting to plan. Also, what size rear tire are you looking to run with that set-up?

[cavehamster]

Nice work Sir. Your shock mounting tab location appears to be about an inch forward of where I mounted mine on my Bandit arm. That should give you a little more ride height in the rear which is good for ground clearance if you go with a shorter front end. The center of my bushing is about in line with the vertical weld on the Bandit arm.

Its been a while since I did mine and I did quite a few side by side comparisons with the stock unit. I'm pretty sure the stock 1100 swingarm bushing location is where I have mine but I wished I had moved mine forward a bit. Pic below has it laying on it's side for a dry fit. I have 7K miles on the shocks at that location. It may work out well in the end for me as I'm looking at mounting some new inch longer Ohlins from a CB1100F. I would think a more forward location will raise the rear and give sharper faster handling a more rearward location should provide more stability.

Interesting. I put the bike up on my 'jack stand', ie, a plastic box with a piece of plywood on it, and removed the rear wheel and etc. I measured out the location of the stock by tying off a wire to a tab on the frame at the top and measuring down to the axle location on the stock swinger. I repeated this for the new swinger, moving it until they lined up and looked at where the shock tab landed. I then moved it back about an inch from there, so I was expecting it might be a tad lower. I have a friend who was wanting me to go really low with it, but I want to be able to ride around town and not just on the drag strip with it So, interesting that yours ended up an inch further back.

Thanks for the info and the compliment. I wish I had more time/money to put into this project, it seems like I have one good build weekend a month and the rest of the time is lustfully staring at the goods on ebay and etc, haha.

[cavehamster]

Damn it all. All these pretty pictures of Bandit swingarms with Ohlins shocks is only increasing my desire to own such a set-up. Thanks a lot guys, looks like I'm going to be broke well into next years with all the mods I'm starting to plan. Also, what size rear tire are you looking to run with that set-up?

Tell me about it!

The wheel I bought, off a RF900 (same part number as the bandit rear, and hub compatible with the GS original hub, $35 plus $30 shipping off ebay), came with a kinda used 170 on it. I'm aiming to build such that I can stuff a 180 on it later.

[cavehamster]

Last night, I sat down with the calipers and the front forks I bought off some random guy on the local classifieds for $150. I forgot what he said they came off of, so I did the research and measuring and determined they are ones off a '03 GSXR-1000.

Right now, I have the bottom triple tree clamp, the steering post, and the forks. So, I started to piece things together. First, I went to figure out what axle goes in it. As always, searching for anything with 'gsxr' in the title on ebay is pricey. Like... $50 for the axle pricey. Thankfully, the parts finche and a reverse lookup at Babbitt's came to the rescue, and I bought a $8 axle with the same part number off a SV1000.

I still need to dig up a wheel and tire, and some brakes. I found a deal on some 4 pot brakes, but I'm holding out for 6 pot right now. I figure I will probably end up machining the top triple clamp myself, as I am a bit concerned about the right height with the slightly shorter GSXR-1000 forks.

I think the next thing I will tackle is to rip the foam off the seat pan, get it blasted and painted, build up some new foam and have it upholstered. EVERYONE asks me about that damn seat... are you going to fix it? when are you going to fix it? it looks ugly... Alright already, I'll fix the seat

[jwhelan65]

Damn it all. All these pretty pictures of Bandit swingarms with Ohlins shocks is only increasing my desire to own such a set-up. Thanks a lot guys, looks like I'm going to be broke well into next years with all the mods I'm starting to plan. Also, what size rear tire are you looking to run with that set-up?

Here would be another...

[cavehamster]

That is a sweet looking machine you have there! What rear sets are you using? I need to come up with something in that regard soon myself.

As for getting the engine in and out, I am using a generic free standing cherry picker. I put a strap over the motor, hooking it into the two tabs on the front and back of the motor that I assume are there for lifting the motor in and out (they look like a tab with a bolt hole, right at the parting line of the top and bottom engine halves). Adjust the strap such that it gives a couple of inches of clearance over the motor, and hook it with the hoist chain. I then lift it up, and push it into the frame. Make sure you remove the engine mount tabs from the frame, otherwise the top of the valve cover won't fit in there. I usually have to tilt it a bit to get the top of the valve cover to go into the frame, so... angle in the bottom of the engine first into the frame, lower the engine a bit, push it in and concentrate on getting the top under the frame. Then I sometimes need to lift it a bit more and push the bottom end until i get it roughly in position, let it down a little and get the motor mounts lined up. Usually I get the back end lined up first, and shove a bolt in, and then get the front one in and shove the bolt in. Verify that the other mounts are lining up and nothing is getting crushed that shouldn't be, get the last through bolt mount in the back with the spacer, and take the hoist away. Then I can add in the bottom front mount (although I have mounted up this mount first in the past, that works as well), and... done! I haven't tried to hard to avoid messing up the frame paint as that is something I will probably do for the winter anyway, but... have not hurt it either.

A cherry picker is almost required equipment to be able to easily work on a bike by yourself. I really want to get a bike jack and/or a lift table, but that's not in the budget for a while

Does that make sense? Oh, look, I did take photos of me installing it, here we go:

Put on the strap and get it in the air:




About to go into the frame. Note that the engine had rotated on me, I moved it around by hand to be in roughly in the right orientation before I tucked it into the frame


It's sat in there now. Note that the horns and coils are not on the frame, and it doesn't matter if the valve cover is in or not, you should have enough room with the lower frame mount tabs gone and the coils and horns gone.


Ick, soft focus in this photo, but, now it's bolted down and I've started re-connecting it.


All from this album

I've probably had the engine out 3 times so far, but that first time was quite the challenge! It can be hard to move the hoist around, I just have a small one car garage and too much crap in it

[cavehamster]

Ya know, that's some sexy looking rubber on those wheels. And yes, in retrospect I do feel a bit silly calling it 'sexy', hehe.

[cavehamster]

Here would be another...

That swingarm looks great in black. I'm going to have to paint mine up. I have a gallon of some Polane or however it's spelled at work that's an industrial coating that goes on like paint that is gloss black that I think will be just the trick for this too.

Also, looks like yours is right on that weld line too. Hmm... I tried looking for photos before I had mine welded but didn't find anything, so I just went off and did it. Hopefully that will not backfire on me, haha.

I thought about making something adjustable, but... got lazy. I could probably put on a second set of tabs if I really wanted to further back, though. We'll see how it turns out riding.

[jwhelan65]

I like the idea of the cherry picker, would be nice to have access to one. As far as the rear sets I am going with Isleoman's set up that he was kind enough to share. They are from a ZX12R, here is a pic...

[cavehamster]

Cave
I followed your steps and got my engine in today. Took about 2.5 hours by myself but I was going very slow to make sure I didn't scratch the newly powder coated frame.

The one thing I did slightly different was I got the engine 90% into where it belonged with it still sitting on the lower frame rails. Holding the right side of the engine with one hand, I disconnected the ratchet hook from the engine lift point behind the tranny and moved the hook and webbing up and over the upper center frame rail and re-connected it to where it was originally behind the tranny. I then just ratcheted it back up to being taught.

I was finding that the rear strap was striking the center frame rail as I brought it in initially and was not allowing me to center the engine. If you can follow all that.

I'm getting closer to being done. Hope to have it on the road and all sorted by Memorial Day. Which will be the one year anniversary of getting rear ended. Thanks

Well, best of luck. I didn't know you got rear ended; that sucks. I'm super paranoid at lights watching for cars that don't see me.

Went out to the Test and Tune at the local strip today, but didn't have the bike ready. I need to put a dish in the face of the counter sprocket to get the chain lined up, and I'm waiting on a harder endmill to arrive from MSC so I can make it happen. So, hoping to take it out to the Midnight Drags on Friday, with any luck.

[cavehamster]

In this blurry photo, I show off the jig I made up to hold the counter sprocket so I can put a 3 or 4mm dish into the face of it.



I had to go figure out how a chain sprocket was made so I could model it so I got the jig right, learning something new every day.

I verified the wheel alignment front and back tonight, and as near as I can tell, it's within 2mm of being centered, so I'm pretty happy. I'm using the stock GS sprocket hub and a 170 tire, and it would appear that I have about 4-5mm of space from both the tire and the frame. To goto a 180, I'd probably need to consider an actual offset counter sprocket and a little frame modification. In the meantime, with the small dish in the counter sprocket, I can move it over enough on the shaft that I don't need to go with a offset sprocket.

I'm going to stick with this rear setup for the time being and concentrate on getting the front together.

Oh, also got the rear brake pretty well bled. Need to go with some new brake lines; it feels a tad spongy, but I can lock the tire up pretty easy, so..

And so it goes on and on...

[TheCafeKid]

In this blurry photo, I show off the jig I made up to hold the counter sprocket so I can put a 3 or 4mm dish into the face of it.



I had to go figure out how a chain sprocket was made so I could model it so I got the jig right, learning something new every day.

I verified the wheel alignment front and back tonight, and as near as I can tell, it's within 2mm of being centered, so I'm pretty happy. I'm using the stock GS sprocket hub and a 170 tire, and it would appear that I have about 4-5mm of space from both the tire and the frame. To goto a 180, I'd probably need to consider an actual offset counter sprocket and a little frame modification. In the meantime, with the small dish in the counter sprocket, I can move it over enough on the shaft that I don't need to go with a offset sprocket.

I'm going to stick with this rear setup for the time being and concentrate on getting the front together.

Oh, also got the rear brake pretty well bled. Need to go with some new brake lines; it feels a tad spongy, but I can lock the tire up pretty easy, so..

And so it goes on and on...

If you do go to the 180, or even stick with the 170 and plan on running at the strip alot, you may want to also consider either making (or purchasing for 170 or so bucks) an outboard CS bearing support. With an offset sprocket, you'll be putting alot of excess stress on the very end of the CS shaft, and when doing holeshots that could lead to premature failure of the CS bearing...would require splitting the cases to replace im pretty sure as I dont see another way of getting it in and out...

[cavehamster]

If you do go to the 180, or even stick with the 170 and plan on running at the strip alot, you may want to also consider either making (or purchasing for 170 or so bucks) an outboard CS bearing support. With an offset sprocket, you'll be putting alot of excess stress on the very end of the CS shaft, and when doing holeshots that could lead to premature failure of the CS bearing...would require splitting the cases to replace im pretty sure as I dont see another way of getting it in and out...

Very true, and I've thought of doing this eventually.

I'll post some photos tomorrow, but I finished up the rear end swap. I ended up taking about 3mm off the face of the 530 counter sprocket and spaced it over on the output shaft just enough so I can still get that lock washer on and biting the splines. The chain has plenty of clearance to the tire and frame, but I still haven't measured it.

I spent a couple of hours messing up and then re-doing a simple chain guard. Not hugely happy with it, but it'll work until I can make up something better, and the local drag strip won't let you in the street legals without one.

I took it out on the interstate. Despite the 30 degree wind, it sure ran out well. Handling feels sure, motor runs smooth. The suspension is kind of rough right now, as I have the preload and damping turned up a bit so I don't lose so much to it at the drag strip.

So, feeling pretty good about things right now!

[cavehamster]

The first photo here is a shot of the pocket I milled as it came out of the machine. I know the spine area looks thin, but that's because the jig has a boss to hold the center of the sprocket, there is more than half of the normal material still there on the actual sprocket.



The second one is as it is installed on the bike:



My photos of the chain and etc were not coming out last night (silly no light ) but I will post some once I get around to taking some more. I'm going out to the street legal drags tonight, we'll see how it does.

[cavehamster]

Everything went fine, other than me having hell staging. Twice I rolled up, staged the first light, inched forward to stage the next, lit it, pulled back the throttle to be ready to go, and the red light lit without the tree dropping and the other guy went. I'm still not sure what was happening, maybe I rolled past the first stage and the system kicked me out? Ugh.

Regardless, 12.47 was my best time. Not quite the 11.60 I've seen before, but the altitude and humidity and my failure to stage certainly were contributing factors

The chain and etc worked out fine. However, I have an oil leak I need to address. I was hoping the valve cover gasket would seal better, but with the increased oil pressure, it is not happy. In addition, there are a few other places that are seeping a little, ie, the cam chain tensioner, and the oil pressure sensor. So more things to work out.

I think I may put slightly richer jets in for the time being, as the AFR data i collected a while back looked leaner than I wanted it to be. I need some better datalogging though to figure out what is going on. Test and tune at the local strip Wednesday night, perhaps I can throw something together.