1978 GS1000 Complete Engine Overhaul With Mods

[Hoomgar]

Two packages arrived last night. One contained a set of Pops Yosh Stage II cams and the other one had a set of 33mm smooth bore Mikuni?s in it.

What do I do with this stuff now?

8)

Send them to me of course! :twisted:

Or get of your butt and finish your bike before the end of this century...

Tell you what robinjo, if I don't finish the bike by the end of this century I will send them to you no charge and free shipping

[Hoomgar]

To what degree do we put our trust, time, money and possessions into the care of another individual? I am learning. I have had my bike pulled down for a major engine overhaul since October of 2003. Even though it was a big job, the work certainly could have been performed by a qualified mechanic in short of a few weeks. Maybe less. maybe more. But not well over a year. :?

I haven't been taken for a ride. Not at all. My mechanic is tops as far as know how on these vintage Jap street bikes. Especially the Suzuki GS. He is also a good friend and I have been a loyal customer for almost 24 years now. Many many refferals and lots of saticfied work has been done by him. For me as well.

But for some reason, and I am at a loss to to know why, my bike this time got put on the back burner and he has let me sit. And wait, only to have my hopes in ever getting this thing restored fad away as I start to become ever more discouraged by the passing time, and no GS1000.

As of yesterday when I called. he still has not started work on my head. All that needs done is getting the ports polished and the new valves and springs installed. Then the top end can go back onto the already (for 1 year plus now) finished bottom end and the carbs can be rebuilt and jetted then installed. Setup is a brease for him.

Yet I wait, and wonder, what did I do? I paid in advacne, offered my loyalty as a customer and my friendship as a friend. I even gave him a microwave oven for the shop over the winter

I am a better man because of this though. Because I can tell you that I will try my hardest to do any and all work myself from now on. only the actual balancing of cranks or the boring of cylinders will be sent out but the assembly done by myself.

Anyway, the latest news is I am being told that this week something will happen. Are you starting to see a patern here?

I have to run, I'll post more later.

[wrench]

Hey Mark,

if i were you i would go pick up all the parts, cut your losses, and have the work finished by someone who can guarantee it will be done by a certain date.
It's total bs the amount of time this guy is taking on your engine.

Just my.02 cents worth

[Jethro]

Jeez, the guys at OCC can build a $120k chopper from frame to paint in 2 weeks!

Seriously, I'd tell this guy that enough is enough, you are ready to go somewhere else. He needs a fire lit under him, maybe that will do the trick.

[80gs1000e]

I'd tell him...."Hey bro, I have just taken possesion of an old Seca which I'll need a lot of engine work done to ASAP. I want you to do this project but you'll have to complete the GS first. If you can't finish my GS, I'll have to take this next project and the GS to another shop. No offence, but time is of the essence now."

[Hoomgar]

These are all good suggestions guys, thx. I am considering my options at this point.

The thing about this is that I do not have any other mechanics in my immediate area that are even 1/4 as qualified to do this work as Joe is. He is tops. I have never seen anyone be able to even tune a bike like he does. He is one of those guys that has a natual gift to find each engines sweet spot and tweak those few extra ounces of stomp out of it that no one else knew it had. And his work lasts and is always top notch.

Things that are confusing about this are the fact that (outside of this situation) Joe has always been good to me. I buy product from him at his cost almost always. So much so that he will not bill me or ring me up if there are other customers in the shop because he cuts me big breaks. Gives me parts, cuts labor in half most times. And does the best work that can be done as far as I am concerned.

So you take all that combined with the history of 24 years that I have with him and you think, if I do something like suggested above (which is what I have been considering) am I cutting off my nose despite my own face?

I am so wrung out about this. I am hoping it will just complete and I can get it out of there on a friendly note. Joe is still great for tune ups and inspections. But I fear I will never use him again for any rebuilds or other major work.

If you met him, you would understand my struggle. This guy is one of us, he is a vintage Jap bike enthusiast and that is his area of specialty. He is super nice and loves to talk bikes. It's kind of like having Earl and Dink and all the other guys on here that know their stuff about these bikes wrapped up into one person that you know personally and can go see.

Thx for allowing me to let my brain out in here guys. I just needed to know I am not going crasy and to see that others would feel the same way. It's an emotionally confusing situation.

I am going to talk to Joe about it but only after the bike is done. I want an answer as to why this happened to me. He owes me at least that or we are not the friends I thought we were.

:roll:

[KGB]

Mark,
I had the same situation.
16 months to rebuild my motor. The guy did a great job, no complaints except time. Since then, the only business he's gotten from me is to buy some oil filters and inspection stickers.

I've known him for years, not a close friend, but a good guy.
My daughter baby sat his kids for a long time.

I approached him and asked, during the rebuild, why it was taking so long.
No real answer. He wasn't doing me a favor, I paid for labor and parts, no real breaks on costs.

Sometimes you need to light a fire under the guy.
He's probably not real busy right now. Tell him you need the bike by, say March 1. If it's not done, you'll find some one that can do it.

Patience is a virtue, but we need to be reasonable.
You've been both, now it's his turn to step up and do his job.

[katman]

!

Mark,

because he has become a friend and gives you so mony breaks you are paying the price. If you were a paying customer you could walk in and say "lets go...gidddy up"

Maybe because it has been with him soooooo long it has lost it's urgency. You did mention ealier that much of the delay in this project has been you?

All he needs is a shot in the arm to let him know it is time to get this done. Unfortunately with all the labour and parts brakes he can turn around and say...."who is this guy after all I have done for him" BUT. if he is half the guy you say he is he won't. If he does you have read him wrong. Either way he needs a shot in the arm. Just remind him you are a paying customer and it is TIME!

The probem is when the mechanic has been waiting for us and other issues then when we jump on him to get it done now. I don't think jumping on him is the answer but he does need to be reminded you should come before new business.....

good luck..

[Anonymous]

Who am I to truly know what you should do?

Only you know where your relationship is with this man. I believe you do know what you should do.

I think your posting is a way to restate your relationship and it's pro's and cons so you can decide more clearly what should happen.

One other thing...just ask him what is going on. And be quiet. And stay. And listen so he knows you're listening and expect an answer. And ask the question without emotion, if you still can, but with genuine interest, because it is true. Speak from your heart. He will hear you. Watch his reactions if he doesn't speak. You'll learn alot and have more information about what to do next.

And what do you want? What was the original promise made between you two? Was there a deadline? Was it money paid - business or was it an agreement to help with no clear boundaries.

I am not being cute. Seems you value this person, skill wise and maybe as a friend. Sounds like you two have a bond on some level. So ask him and listen and expect an answer. Good luck. I hope the best outcome happens for you. - Dieter

[Hoomgar]

Again this is more good stuff. Thx guys. Tony your right, I am kind of just pouring out my mind in here to collect opinions from some of you guys on how you would handle it in order to help me come to a decision. That's why I gave so much info about our relationship.

I think at this point I will resort to simply trying to get a deadline commitment from him and after we get it done and before any future work can be scheduled, I will talk to him.

There was a plan, a deadline and money paid. I paid late, that started it. But that was no reason to simply shelve my project and let me sit a year. Plus, going in, I wasn't told payment would be due in advance of every step.

In the past, I just paid when it was done. I'll get to the bottom of it.
I still refer people to him because he is the best around here.

And I will probably let this flow under the bridge if he will just finish my bike.

Time is wasting, spring and rides are coming. The pressure is on.

[Sandy]

I don't know what your personal time is like or how close this guy is to you but I do have an idea. Why not tell him that you really want this thing on the road this spring and that you would be willing to come over one evening a week and help put the thing back together with him. It could help to get him motivated. You might learn some neat stuff about your motor in the long run, not have to cut your losses and maybe keep a friend at the same time. If he's not receptive to that you will at least know where you stand.

[Hoomgar]

I don't know what your personal time is like or how close this guy is to you but I do have an idea. Why not tell him that you really want this thing on the road this spring and that you would be willing to come over one evening a week and help put the thing back together with him. It could help to get him motivated. You might learn some neat stuff about your motor in the long run, not have to cut your losses and maybe keep a friend at the same time. If he's not receptive to that you will at least know where you stand.

Thx Sandy, actually, he suggested that already. When he ever gets the head done, that's what we are doing with the rest of the project. I am going out there TONIGHT to drop off cams and carbs. I'll post back later.

[Hoomgar]

I had to hop back in here quick and post this. To those of you who have been following this painful thread, please sit down...

I just got off the phone with my engine builder and he tells me the head was worked on all day today and is almost done! Maybe 4 more hours total time to reassembly!

I need to get the cams out there ASAP!

WooHoo!

On a side note, he has a winter project going where he was paid to put a Harley engine into a tractor :?

Gotta love what some people will do. Anywho, I'm out, progress is being made, finally!

:roll:

[robinjo]

Good news!

[Mark Harrop]

Admit it, that's your tractor.......