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Amazing how good this GS1100E is

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    Amazing how good this GS1100E is

    I've got my low mileage original '82 GS1100E dialed in pretty nicely. I've only got about $2000 into it, 10K original miles, looks and runs like new. Rebuilt carbs, fresh tires, upgraded charging system. All stock. I'm just astounded by how good this thing is! I've been running around town and on shorter trips on all kinds of roads. It just flat out works. Smooth and plentiful power, super comfortable, steers and handles perfectly. I guess I'm just surprised how well this thing holds up compared to much newer and "better" bikes that I've had or ridden in the past ten years. Was this bike really that much ahead of it's time in the early 80s? Has anyone else noticed this? Perhaps that's why GS Resources exists...
    IMG_1894.jpg
    Last edited by dweller; 11-11-2017, 02:23 PM.
    1982 GS1100EZ, second owner, 11,000 miles
    2000 XR650R, plated

    #2
    Welcome dweller, post is useless without pics. But yes they have a good engine and ride well, well thought out.

    V
    Gustov
    80 GS 1100 LT, 83 1100 G "Scruffy"
    81 GS 1000 G
    79 GS 850 G
    81 GS 850 L
    83 GS 550 ES, 85 GS 550 ES
    80 GS 550 L
    86 450 Rebel, 70CL 70, Yamaha TTR125
    2002 Honda 919
    2004 Ural Gear up

    Comment


      #3
      The same thing could be said for bikes from all four of the major manufacturers of that time period-Yamaha with the Seca 900, Honda with the CB900f and 1100f, and Kawasaki with the GPz. They are all very nice rides when people take the time to get them up to snuff. Trouble is, many folks buy these bikes cheap, fail to make needed repairs or do proper maintenance, and then switch to newer bikes thinking the old machines sucked.
      "Thought he, it is a wicked world in all meridians; I'll die a pagan."
      ~Herman Melville

      2016 1200 Superlow
      1982 CB900f

      Comment


        #4
        If you look back when the bikes were new, Suzuki was seldom the first with anything that was really "new" and "ground-breaking", they usually introduced something about a year after the others. In most cases, it seems that that year allowed some more development and refinement, meaning they had a better product. Other forum members could give you better details about exactly what changes made the best improvements over the competition, but the end result was, as you found, a bike that simply WORKS.

        And if there was ever any doubt about the engine, just take a trip to your local drag strip. They are STILL running engines based on the GS1100 and GS1150, some of them producing hundreds of horsepower.

        .
        sigpic
        mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
        hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
        #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
        #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
        Family Portrait
        Siblings and Spouses
        Mom's first ride
        Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
        (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

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          #5
          This thing is so much fun to ride. No wonder it's considered one of the first "superbikes". Next on the task list for the winter is fork rebuild (replacing the Progressive springs that the original owner installed with Sonics and also installing cartridge emulators, new seals, etc.) and also front caliper rebuilds.
          1982 GS1100EZ, second owner, 11,000 miles
          2000 XR650R, plated

          Comment


            #6
            Actually, I think the CB750 was the first bike to be called a superbike, and that was nearly 15 years earlier. I could be wrong, but I think the criteria for superbike status used to be a quarter mile in under 13 seconds and a top speed above 120.
            "Thought he, it is a wicked world in all meridians; I'll die a pagan."
            ~Herman Melville

            2016 1200 Superlow
            1982 CB900f

            Comment


              #7
              Suzuki broke ground with tech a few times. The old 500 Titan was the bike that proved large 2 strokes could live more than a real short time. The GSXR was revolutionary for reliability in a very high hp 750. Was the Water Buffalo the 1st water cooled 2 stroke? They also, I think, were the 1st to fuel inject a motocrosser?

              Comment


                #8
                Picture added in first post
                1982 GS1100EZ, second owner, 11,000 miles
                2000 XR650R, plated

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by wymple View Post
                  Suzuki broke ground with tech a few times. The old 500 Titan was the bike that proved large 2 strokes could live more than a real short time. The GSXR was revolutionary for reliability in a very high hp 750. Was the Water Buffalo the 1st water cooled 2 stroke? They also, I think, were the 1st to fuel inject a motocrosser?
                  Suzuki was actually the second company to produce a water-cooled three-cylinder two stroke named the GT750.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Welcome and happy for you.
                    However any experienced bike tuner can see it's running way too lean. I've never seen OEM GS pipes that blue.

                    "Only fe' collected the old way, has any value." from His Majesty O'Keefe (1954 film)
                    1982 GS1100G- road bike, body, seat and suspension modded
                    1990 GSX750F-(1127cc '92 GSXR engine) track bike, much re-engineered
                    1987 Honda CBR600F Hurricane; hooligan bike, restored

                    Comment


                      #11
                      You'll find it will run even better once you cure the air leaks
                      1978 GS 1000 (since new)
                      1979 GS 1000 (The Fridge, superbike replica project)
                      1978 GS 1000 (parts)
                      1981 GS 850 (anyone want a project?)
                      1981 GPZ 550 (backroad screamer)
                      1970 450 Mk IIID (THUMP!)
                      2007 DRz 400S
                      1999 ATK 490ES
                      1994 DR 350SES

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Hahaha, you guys diagnosing running current condition by looking at a picture? No air leaks. Jetting is flawless. Valves in spec, compression/leakdown great. I've been through the carbs completely and done plug chops at a few different throttle openings. That bluing likely came from long ago. There were intake leaks when I got the bike. Almost positive that it was the throttle shaft seals, which I replaced. Never made much sense to me to strip down a set of carbs and not do the throttle shaft seals...
                        Last edited by dweller; 11-11-2017, 10:53 PM.
                        1982 GS1100EZ, second owner, 11,000 miles
                        2000 XR650R, plated

                        Comment


                          #13
                          And who can forget the Wankel Suzi?!? I love my '83 GS1100e, but the buzziness is a bit of a buzzkill...heh...
                          '82 & '83 GS1100e

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by wymple View Post
                            . Was the Water Buffalo the 1st water cooled 2 stroke?
                            Not sure if this was the first or not.
                            ---- Dave
                            79 GS850N - Might be a trike soon.
                            80 GS850T Single HIF38 S.U. SH775, Tow bar, Pantera II. Gnarly workhorse & daily driver.
                            79 XS650SE - Pragmatic Ratter - goes better than a manky old twin should.
                            92 XJ900F - Fairly Stock, for now.

                            Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by fast eddie 52 View Post
                              ...I love my '83 GS1100e, but the buzziness is a bit of a buzzkill...heh...
                              Buzziness?

                              I guess I'm just riding too low in the power band. I generally like to keep her below redline. Plus I've got those spongey Grab Ons that were so popular in the '70's and '80's.
                              1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

                              2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

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