GS 1100 Help Needed

[mike J]

Hey guys I'm new to the list and this topic has probably been covered before but I have a few questions to ask. I just bought a GS1100 drag bike. I plan on taking the motor apart for inspection this winter so I can check everything out for next season. My question are what needs to be done to make the almost bullet proof. The bike is supposed to have a 1168 kit in it. It also have 33 Mikuni smoothbores on it. The guy gave me some paper work and the bike looks like it ran 6.50's in the 1/8 with no air shifter or wheelie bar, there were no mounts on the swingarm for bars. Also the bike has a nice D&G swingarm and a 6" drag race rim on it. Thanks for the help, Mike

[SqDancerLynn1]

GS1100 so you have a 16 valve motor Lots of thing can be done One of the main things to do while you have it apart is to have the crank straignted and welded, & Make sure it has a reinforced clutch basket
Otherwise It all depends on how much you want to spend
As they say Speed costs money- How fast do you want to go?
Some of our racers will give you more ideas

[mike J]

I know that the crank needs to be welded but I hear things about the cranks being different. My bike is an 80 model if it matters. I also hear things about transmission bearings needing to be replaced. Also want to know about oil pump gears, topend oilers, clutch baskets etc. I'm not looking for speed from the motor yet just want to make it bullet proof so that I don't have to worry about breaking it. Maybe someone can tell me about things like straight cut gears, 750 gears lockup clutches. I know I'm asking alot of questions but I want to get started on the motor soon. Thanks, Mike

[scotty]

bullet proof may mean dont drag race it.

[robinjo]

Which raises this question with me: are oilcoolers any use on a dragbike?

I think the crank and clutch mods are good ideas.

[lecroy]

bullet proof may mean dont drag race it.

Agree!


If it's just used for E/T racing (which it sounds like), learn to be the mouse.
Slower = less problems.

[mike J]

Guys I'm not after more speed I just want the thing to last right now. I'm just interested in the stuff that will beef the motor up, even it's it's overkill for a bracket bike

[lecroy]

Same old story, assuming that your not over weight, 6.50's in the 1/8 with an 1100 should not be a problem for a stock engine as long as the basket and crank are welded. Also assuming that the motor is already in great condition.

I would just have fun with it. Look at Texas Jake's bike. He beat's that thing and I don't think it has any mods. to the lower end. I think he is running around these times and weighs in a bit over 200.. Did I get that right TJ??

[cbxchris]

If I had it apart I would use a straight cut gear on the crank and billet basket with the crank welded. Undercut the tranny while out. Ditch the stock cam chain tensioner. If it is running a offset sprocket USE a bearing support of some sort. That should run a 6.50 bike a LONG time.

[RacingJake]

Did somebody call me?

6.50 in the 1/8 is fast for a non bar GS. Do you have an extended swingarm?

The previous owner may have already welded the crank and basket. Best bet is to just pull out the clutch basket and see what you have and also look at the crank while the basket is out to see if it's welded too.

I got a 82 1100E with the 13-1 1166 kit and the crank is not welded, I do have the modified basket that Suzuki came out with to replace the oem one. To date I've not had any crank or basket failures. Granted I only run the 1/8 and got over 700 runs in 20 months. With a 14/46 gearing I go through the traps in 4 gear at 9K. I do have a few mis-shifts going from 2nd to 3rd each time at the track were the rpm hits the rev-limiter but that's normal for my bike after 10 to 30 runs a night.

The only big problem I had was a crack at the front motor mount. That was cause by me dumping the clutch at 7K with 7" slick and wheelie bars. To fix it after welding the crack I made a home made rear motor mount, check my other post under It aint pretty but it should work since I installed it not another crack has popped up yet.

The GS motor are strong but this is what I would do

:arrow: Rear motor mount mod if you plan on using wheelie bars

:arrow: Rev-limiter

:arrow: HD basket or the modified one

:arrow: Then maybe a welded crank during the winter months.

With a strong basket and a rev-limiter that should stop you from having any major problems later on. As for my bike I run the *@%^$*@%^$*@%^$*@%^$ out of it even to 11K and not one problem now. I'm alittle afraid to get the crank welded do to the saying if it aint broke don't fix it.

But no matter what you do, any mod is an inprovement.

Jake

And as for Lecroy he's right on the money again

[lecroy]

"... stock cam chain tensioner"
Good point..... Then there's a new oil pickup, ceramic bearings and on and on and on



"straight cut gear on the crank and billet basket"

That's a lot of cost for a bike only running in the 6's. The mods may be more than he paid for the whole bike. May already have it too. Really need to just pull it apart and see what you have then post.

Mike, post a few pictures if you can so we can see this bad bike of yours.
Always good to have another drag race nut hanging around. Welcome to the group.

[mike J]

6.50 in the 1/8 is fast for a non bar GS. Do you have an extended swingarm?

Yea, it's got a D&G swingarm on it. It looked like the chain had come off and messed up the left strut mount. I sent it back to D&G and they fixed it cheap, also had them add a battery box and wheelie bar mounts. If thwe bike ran 6.50's with no wheelie bar or air shifter it should run low 6's or high 5's with them.

The previous owner may have already welded the crank and basket. Best bet is to just pull out the clutch basket and see what you have and also look at the crank while the basket is out to see if it's welded too.

I got the recipts from the guy who built the bike, it had and 1168 kit, cam chain tensioner and a few other things I don't recall. They did a ragged job on most of the bike, it was wired with speaker wire and junk like that. I'm in the process of cleaning it up now.

I got a 82 1100E with the 13-1 1166 kit and the crank is not welded, I do have the modified basket that Suzuki came out with to replace the oem one. To date I've not had any crank or basket failures. Granted I only run the 1/8 and got over 700 runs in 20 months. With a 14/46 gearing I go through the traps in 4 gear at 9K. I do have a few mis-shifts going from 2nd to 3rd each time at the track were the rpm hits the rev-limiter but that's normal for my bike after 10 to 30 runs a night.


700 runs? you don't drag race you run laps :-) Man, that's unbelieveable that one person could make that many with out breaking the motor. I have raced in the past just not with a Suzuki. I want to do all the bottom end mods and maybe even bore the cases in case I ever step up to a big bore. What do some people mean when they talk about transmission bearing breaking and crank with large ends on them? Suzuki motors are a new thing to me. For what it worth I just bought an 1150E street bike and rode it for the first time this past weekend. It was fun to ride but I would still like to have more power out of it. But for now I'm going to work on the 1100. Thanks for all the info you guys can pass along and as things progress I'll post updates. Mike

[RacingJake]

If thwe bike ran 6.50's with no wheelie bar or air shifter it should run low 6's or high 5's with them.

Depends what your 60ft times are. With bars I drop 2 tenths off my 60ft.

700 runs? you don't drag race you run laps :-) Man, that's unbelieveable that one person could make that many with out breaking the motor.

Yeap i own the track record for the number of runs, To bad the don't pay me for it.


What do some people mean when they talk about transmission bearing breaking and crank with large ends on them?

Being roller ball bearings the HD have more balls in them for strenght I think. I run oem ones with no problems. 1100 cranks have a smaller tamper on the left side where the rotor mounts. This was a week area do to some some hole or oil hole that could crack. The 1150 cranks are bigger there and the passage was elminated.

For what it worth I just bought an 1150E street bike and rode it for the first time this past weekend. It was fun to ride but I would still like to have more power out of it.

Go ahead and go one down on the counter sprocket. A 14T is cheap and should wake up the motor.

Thanks for all the info you guys can pass along and as things progress I'll post updates. Mike

Not a problem

[lecroy]

"What do some people mean when they talk about transmission bearing breaking ..."

The basic problem is the ball types are great for heavy loads at speed, but not for high loads at no speed.

" it was wired with speaker wire " Laughing Laughing

You could also check out:

http://dragbike.com

http://oldskoolsuzuki.info/

Post a few pictures of the before and after...

[RacingJake]

" it was wired with speaker wire " Laughing Laughing

Speaker wire might be an improvement for my bike.