82 GS1100E Mr Turbo Rebuild

[steve murdoch]

Great to hear that you are getting more comfortable on the bike.
It would be a shame to have ridden it without an occasional foray into the Turbo Zone.

[oldGSfan]

Fantastic! Your video is just like the bike...loud, lumpy and a bit rough around the edges.
Looks like the tach leaps from 6-8000.

The 79 GS1000E I just sold was extremely smooth, like a sewing machine. I have never ridden a smoother liter bike UJM. This one is lumpy with its cam, and definitely has more vibration, but it smooths out and is actually a fine long distance rider. I was super impressed with the 1000's overall feel, great brakes, suspension (Fox gas shocks in rear, front stock), and handling - they were all dialed in and made it a joy to ride.

But... I just got back from a 50 mile ride on the Turbo and it's really good too, it's grown on me leaps and bounds as I learned its capabilities. The Progressives I put on in the rear and the probably too soft front progressive springs and stock brakes are not top notch stuff, but they are working well, and I have a lot of confidence on it now. I'd say it's sorta like a Hemi GTX whereas the GS1000E was more like a Boss 351, to use a 60's car comparison.

[oldGSfan]

10k? What gear? At what revs did you open the throttle?

Please try to get video.

3rd gear. It's too much in lower gears for my old reflexes. I roll it open and dabble in the turbo area only. I don't just pin it and hang on because it hits so hard and fast once the turbo's on the boil that it's a bit crazy. A man's got to know his limitations. I have a bunch of aluminum rear sprockets for the EPM wheel, it's running stock 42 tooth but I have 33,34,35, 36, and 40. I think the 40 would be a good choice.

[93Bandit]

What a machine. What. A. Machine.

Thanks for sharing, always wondered what one of those sound like.

[Rob S.]

10k? What gear? At what revs did you open the throttle?

Please try to get video.

[oldGSfan]

Thank you so much. I first feared that you had sold it, but what a nice surprise.

The only thing I was wishing for was a close up inset of the tach and speedo. Perhaps you could divulge how high each went?

The middle one is the boost gauge? Does that move while riding?

Thanks again, from the safety of my couch!

I don't know what's up with the boost gauge. I know the turbo's working and the gauge works fine with a blast of compressed air. I never look down there anyway but it's a bummer to have something not work. I took a brisker ride yesterday and pinned it till about 10K but the video was too long and kept failing to download to my phone (it's a Rylo, a defunct less expensive GoPro competitor). It just keeps making power, probably should have a rev limiter. I don't just whack the throttle open, it's too much, I'd be on one wheel and on public roads I'm a bit leery of that.

[steve murdoch]

Fantastic! Your video is just like the bike...loud, lumpy and a bit rough around the edges.
Looks like the tach leaps from 6-8000.

[dorkburger]

Awesome... gotta love the 85 mph speedometer.

[Rob S.]

Thank you so much. I first feared that you had sold it, but what a nice surprise.

The only thing I was wishing for was a close up inset of the tach and speedo. Perhaps you could divulge how high each went?

The middle one is the boost gauge? Does that move while riding?

Thanks again, from the safety of my couch!

[oldGSfan]

Hey kids (and I mean you Rob), I finally did a cold start and ride video on Mr. Turbo. The bike always was fine, but the video camera, umm, not so much. Let's not even talk about the 'videographer'. No past-redline runs, I need to keep my life and license. Once it gets past 7K I just hang on. The forks are mushy but with the magnesium wheel (perhaps that's it) the thing just rides like a big train, soaking anything up. Sound on the video sorta gets annoying, it's not me, I promise! I put a piece of cloth over the mic but the wind tore back the tape and I think it began to sing.

What's really cool about the bike is that yeah, it's loud, lumpy, and a bit rough around the edges vs. the stock GS, but it's entirely comfortable to ride at a normal pace. Then I give it a bit of Welly and grin ear to ear. It's like Highway Star is always playing in the background egging me on.

[Rob S.]

Good on you. When the voting is that close, the outcome should be decided at the drag strip.

When do they certify the votes?

[oldGSfan]

Took the bike to its first show yesterday, a nice gathering in Huntington Beach that I'd been reading about online. Tied for 2nd place with a moped! Just kidding, it's not really a moped but at first I thought it was.

After the votes were counted I asked if the guy could just 'find' me what I needed to win, but no dice. Really nice folks, I'll be attending as much as I can. There were some very interesting bikes, including a Nimbus 4. A fellow from Japan took my #, he writes for a Japanese bike magazine and wants to do a story on it.

http://www.vintagebikeoc.com/news/feb21

[oldGSfan]

you must mean my sandals in the reflection - Flojos

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0777RS7SP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They wear like iron and are incredibly comfortable. I tried other types of same brand but this one is IT. There is something about the cushion, I never get sore feet even walking around all day. But in the garage it's a bit dicey.... In fact for most of my life I hated sandals of any type, and especially 'flip flops'. Now I wear them every day and get about 3 years out of them. The soles never wear out but the leather strap eventually does.

[Rob S.]

Where can I get a pair of those riding boots?

[GS1150Pilot]

That monster is beautiful, Tom.