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You know that time when you have done it all and the only thing that will change your mind is if your old bike re-appeared you’d just have to buy it back?
Well I’m in that place.
In 1986 or was it 1987 I sold my GS(X) 1100ESD and let her go. About 11,000 miles on the clock and in good condition. I always loved that bike even thought it was a pig at handling in the dry and even worse in the wet. Moving on to 2004, when my kids were young I needed a project so bought an Italian import into the UK.
Rode it for a year to find the faults then stripped it down to restore it and play homage to my original. Took it to a VJMC show in Kettering where the bike was slated by the judges and my decision to never do another but and bolt restore was formed. I rode the 1100 home, parked it and I was done as a restorer.
The bike languished in the shed as more bike classic Suzuki’s arrived, where loved and ridden, yet the 1100 never got ridden or sorted out.
Roll on Feb 2020 and the arrival of covid 19. I spent lockdown 1 in my garage sorting 5 bikes out to run and ride. Well I had retired from work after 41 years so I had the time. The last one sorted was the GS(X)1100. In June 2020 all 5 bikes ran and could be ready for the road plus be UK legal.
My time as a bike restorer and fixer were over. I’d bought a boat. The plan was to sort it out and then get on the water sailing. Lockdown 2 stopped that.
Moving to a month ago, a friend of mine, Ex UK military, has been hankering after his old bike. He knew that I searched for parts of my bikes in the past and I was looking for boat stuff so asked if I could have a look for a bike for him. Ever up for the challenge I said yes and the start of something unexpected happened. Over 3 weeks I sent him various lists of possible bike projects but nothing had fired his attention. Then just over a week ago I was doing a search. Here we use Autotrader, Gumtree, Ebay and Facebook Marketplace as just a few options. So there I was sitting at my computer looking at Facebook marketplace. Third picture of the day and I thought, ‘I recognise that back end.’
There on the screen was a 1984 GS(X)1100ESD not 25 miles from my home. Flicked to the next picture and I just stopped. I did a double take then had to pop out to the shed to check something. In my shed was the last part of my old GS(X)1100, the number plate I kept. I walked back in and sat at my computer for 20 minutes in totally shock.
There for sale was my old GS(X)1100. A few messages later, a planned Covid safe meet and i went and had a look. Yes, she’s very tatty and rusty. She’s not been road legal here in the UK for over 24 years. A few bits were missing but there was a lot of replacement parts available and I knew I had a load of spares stashed away (not like Mustie1 on YouTube though.) I weighed it up made him and offer which he accepted and he even offered to drop the bike back when I was ready.
So Friday my old GS(X)1100ESD returned home.
She’s going to need a lot of work to be right for my taste and how I do it will not be everyones idea. Its going to take time, I’m going to need a few used parts so I hope people will be willing to help as and when I need bits. I’m grateful to ‘Londonboards’ who’s already offered to sort the carbs out and offered a few rear indicators.
It looks like I will be working on the boat in the summer and dry winter days and at night time, wet summer, wet winter days on the GS(X)1100ESD.
So you never know what’s around the corner. Will I sell the 2004 fulled sorted GS(X)1100ESD to give me the room to actually do the right thing for my original. The answer is I don’t know.
SM
Well I’m in that place.
In 1986 or was it 1987 I sold my GS(X) 1100ESD and let her go. About 11,000 miles on the clock and in good condition. I always loved that bike even thought it was a pig at handling in the dry and even worse in the wet. Moving on to 2004, when my kids were young I needed a project so bought an Italian import into the UK.
Rode it for a year to find the faults then stripped it down to restore it and play homage to my original. Took it to a VJMC show in Kettering where the bike was slated by the judges and my decision to never do another but and bolt restore was formed. I rode the 1100 home, parked it and I was done as a restorer.
The bike languished in the shed as more bike classic Suzuki’s arrived, where loved and ridden, yet the 1100 never got ridden or sorted out.
Roll on Feb 2020 and the arrival of covid 19. I spent lockdown 1 in my garage sorting 5 bikes out to run and ride. Well I had retired from work after 41 years so I had the time. The last one sorted was the GS(X)1100. In June 2020 all 5 bikes ran and could be ready for the road plus be UK legal.
My time as a bike restorer and fixer were over. I’d bought a boat. The plan was to sort it out and then get on the water sailing. Lockdown 2 stopped that.
Moving to a month ago, a friend of mine, Ex UK military, has been hankering after his old bike. He knew that I searched for parts of my bikes in the past and I was looking for boat stuff so asked if I could have a look for a bike for him. Ever up for the challenge I said yes and the start of something unexpected happened. Over 3 weeks I sent him various lists of possible bike projects but nothing had fired his attention. Then just over a week ago I was doing a search. Here we use Autotrader, Gumtree, Ebay and Facebook Marketplace as just a few options. So there I was sitting at my computer looking at Facebook marketplace. Third picture of the day and I thought, ‘I recognise that back end.’
There on the screen was a 1984 GS(X)1100ESD not 25 miles from my home. Flicked to the next picture and I just stopped. I did a double take then had to pop out to the shed to check something. In my shed was the last part of my old GS(X)1100, the number plate I kept. I walked back in and sat at my computer for 20 minutes in totally shock.
There for sale was my old GS(X)1100. A few messages later, a planned Covid safe meet and i went and had a look. Yes, she’s very tatty and rusty. She’s not been road legal here in the UK for over 24 years. A few bits were missing but there was a lot of replacement parts available and I knew I had a load of spares stashed away (not like Mustie1 on YouTube though.) I weighed it up made him and offer which he accepted and he even offered to drop the bike back when I was ready.
So Friday my old GS(X)1100ESD returned home.
She’s going to need a lot of work to be right for my taste and how I do it will not be everyones idea. Its going to take time, I’m going to need a few used parts so I hope people will be willing to help as and when I need bits. I’m grateful to ‘Londonboards’ who’s already offered to sort the carbs out and offered a few rear indicators.
It looks like I will be working on the boat in the summer and dry winter days and at night time, wet summer, wet winter days on the GS(X)1100ESD.
So you never know what’s around the corner. Will I sell the 2004 fulled sorted GS(X)1100ESD to give me the room to actually do the right thing for my original. The answer is I don’t know.
SM
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