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Trigger Warning: Purists Beware!

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    Trigger Warning: Purists Beware!

    Hello All!

    I'm Dawson from Edmonton, Alberta! Brand new here other than the times I came lurking in the past for some stator info. I am new to riding as well, with 2 incomplete seasons on the saddle (lots of time with the bike not running, sadly). Last year I was gifted a Frankenstein 1982 GS1100G from my dad with the condition that I would have to fix it up and make her run better. He bought it off a guy who bought it off another guy who must have been a bit of a madman based on the state of the wiring harness, the hack job paint, the sketchy seat "mount" if you can call it that... He chopped the frame, so don't blame me for that, threw on some progressive shocks and a custom seat and rear fender. He also seems to have swapped the the sides of the exhaust so they point downward?! It originally came with a tail light from some sort of military tank.. the light was kind of cool but looked out of place.

    So far what I've done to it is replace the fork seals and bushes, replaced the tail light, (still trying to figure out how to design and 3d print a proper mount for it lol), swapped the R/R and stator, replaced a couple of fried electrical connectors, swapped out the leaky old plastic fitting crossover tube for the front fork with some brass fittings and some proper tubing and bought some new tires that I had installed at a local shop. As this is my first bike, I have never had experience working on anything mechanical, other than changing the oil in my car. I have learned so much and have been so inspired to make this freak into something truly unique.

    My plans for the future are as follows:

    - Replace the crusty fire hazard of a wiring harness with all new wire and a Motogadget mo.unit blue because I am no sparky, so I want it nice and simple.
    - All new lights - headlight and signals. Probably the motogadget signal lights, already have a headlight that unfortunately doesn't fit with all the old wiring connectors in the housing
    - 4-1 Delkevic Exhaust
    - A new seat, since this one is cracked to high hell. PLEASE let me know if you know where I can get something new that is similar to this style.. It appears to be a fully custom job using an old Saddleman USA re-cover from the 90s.
    - Lithio battery
    - Custom fabricate a seat pan and new electronics mounting solution
    - Powdercoat as much as I can afford to

    This will all be after I clean and rebuild the carbs, swap the petcock, o rings and boots... All that fun stuff that is recommended by the lovely folks at this site prior to whining about how it bogs out at higher speeds

    If you have suggestions for other mods I can add to the list of things that are going to cost me well over what the bike is worth, let me know. I am in love with this horrible investment!

    Also thank you to all the folks who have compiled so much valuable information for our beautiful machines.
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    Last edited by NotASparky; 09-02-2025, 03:45 PM.

    #2
    Hello and Welcome, from Melbourne Australia.

    After reading your description I expected a picture of something truly terrifying. The bike looks quite nice so far.

    Keep the pics coming.

    Cheers
    Current Bikes
    1980 Suzuki GS 1000G
    1973 Suzuki GT 185 (The tiddler)
    "Live to die, die to live"

    Comment


      #3
      70's Moto Guzzi California vibe...

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by Syd View Post
        Hello and Welcome, from Melbourne Australia.

        After reading your description I expected a picture of something truly terrifying. The bike looks quite nice so far.

        Keep the pics coming.

        Cheers
        Thanks Syd! I absolutely love the look of it, from my little bit of reading and the majority of the pics I’ve seen so far, I was expecting a lot of purists to rag on the chopped frame haha. It also looks really great until you look close at some of the work the PO did.

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by scratch View Post
          70's Moto Guzzi California vibe...
          I can definitely see the similarities!

          Comment


            #6
            Skip the lithium battery unless you also want to replace the regulator. For the amount of weight you'll save it isn't going to be worth the headaches
            1980 Yamaha XS1100G (Current bike)
            1982 GS450txz (former bike)
            LONG list of previous bikes not listed here.

            I identify as a man but according to the label on a box of Stauffers Baked Lasagne I'm actually a family of four

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by NotASparky View Post

              Thanks Syd! I absolutely love the look of it, from my little bit of reading and the majority of the pics I’ve seen so far, I was expecting a lot of purists to rag on the chopped frame haha. It also looks really great until you look close at some of the work the PO did.
              The chopped back rail is a loss to carrying anything, but at least he didn't hard tail it.
              That seat looks comfy enough though. Perhaps a local upholsterer could simply re-cover it, or just diy it.
              Dave
              '79 GS850GN '80 GS850GT
              Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by LAB3 View Post
                Skip the lithium battery unless you also want to replace the regulator. For the amount of weight you'll save it isn't going to be worth the headaches
                Agreed.

                ............
                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.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by LAB3 View Post
                  Skip the lithium battery unless you also want to replace the regulator. For the amount of weight you'll save it isn't going to be worth the headaches
                  Other than the extra cost of replacing the R/R, what are the other headaches you are referring to? My reason for switching would be more so space savings to make room for the mo.unit blue but I am curious what else could be an issue. Weight reduction isn't even a consideration really.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Grimly View Post

                    The chopped back rail is a loss to carrying anything, but at least he didn't hard tail it.
                    That seat looks comfy enough though. Perhaps a local upholsterer could simply re-cover it, or just diy it.
                    I would absolutely have the seat re-padded but the base of it is cracked and the mounting points don't line up to anything on the bike :/
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