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GS1100ES near Utica NY

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    GS1100ES near Utica NY

    Greetings - new member here, but a long time, rapidly aging motorcyclist.

    After 13 years of letting my GS1100ES sit in the garage, after a move from San Diego, and after the electrical system went south there, I’m finally giving it some love. It is finally looking like Spring here
    (how do you know it is Spring in Upstate NY? It’s when you run a robin through the snowblower!)

    My GS was custom built, I’m told, for a Navy SEAL customer, in the East San Diego area, then I bought it third hand from a work associate (more of a trade; we kept selling each other bikes for $500).

    The bike worked great (aside from no shock travel) and pulled very hard (seemed like more than the Hayabusa I had at the time), until the stator fried. I bought a new stator and R/R for it around 2008-ish, then I proceeded to have medical issues, coupled with laziness and cold weather, that have kept me from wrenching and riding much since. I’m retired now (was an engr) and am largely better health-wise, so I have no more excuses.

    The bike is gloss black, lowered with an extended swingarm, has PM brakes, smoothbore carbs, etc, and turned heads everywhere it went. I also got a couple boxes of original parts, including the blue and white plastic, and the original swingarm.

    I’ve purchased new Progressive shocks and fork springs to raise her back up, and save my back.
    I’ll be embarking on swapping the stator (two coils at 0.4 ohms, one at 5.5 ohms), bypassing the long wire run to the front, and replacing the R/R (which amazingly tests as good). Yes, I have a shunt-type R/R. Wires at the connector between them are charred and melted.

    I’m wondering whether the motogadget wiring hubs are worth it (opinions?) - they seem to be standard on new custom builds these days. First thing I’ll do, though, is get a proper star ground with largish wire going, and probably a cheaper fuse block.

    Other hobbies? I play guitar and a few other stringed instruments, and have assembled a much-too-expensive recording studio - if anyone wants to make a record, let me know. I also just ended a 9 year stint coaching a kids’ robotics team.

    Enough for now - I’m humbled to be among such GS experts, and look forward to some discussion.

    Disclaimer: I see that our esteemed honcho here is Frank (hi), so I’d like to point out that my (longtime) moniker in no way is meant to impugn his riding reputation, or to make any comparison in any sense... it really was what a number of old friends called me. I can also attest that I am currently far from fast.
    Last edited by Guest; 04-26-2019, 03:53 PM.

    #2
    Welcome; in my opinion the 1100ES is the best of the breed!! Sounds like you are on the right track to getting the ol' bird back on the road.... You are in the right place, you will be hard pressed to find a more dedicated, knowledgeable, and active forum on any subject, let alone motorcycles.

    I should, however, point out that ThIs ThReAd Is WoRtHlEsS wItHoUt PiCs.....heh....
    1983 GS 1100 ESD

    Comment


      #3
      Thanks for the welcome - I think you are right, it is a very nice bike. I'm anxious to get it going again. I will take some pics.
      My downfall has always been trying to do everything to a bike at once, so I'm learning to pace myself and just get it basically working first, then one variable at a time.

      (Hopefully my signature shows up this time...)

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        #4
        Historic bike. First to break 11 seconds in Cycle World testing. (10.99 ET)
        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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          #5
          Welcome! It's always great to hear of another guy getting past some things and getting back out there.

          Originally posted by fastfrank View Post
          I can also attest that I am currently far from fast.
          Don't sweat it, with a bike the size of mine the best I'll ever do is being half-fast.
          1980 Yamaha XS1100G (Current bike)
          1982 GS450txz (former bike)
          LONG list of previous bikes not listed here.

          These aren't my words, I just arrange them

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            #6
            Thanks for the welcome -

            I'm just trying to get back to half-fast :-)

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              #7
              OK - I just posted a few pics in the projects forum. Didn't want to end up posting here and duplicating, or post to the wrong place. Would like to figure out whether my (IMHO Ugly) instrument cluster is original or from another model.

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                #8
                Finally making some progress, but far more to go... took off the VM33 carbs today, and 2 of them need more work. 2 were amazingly good. But... the throttle shaft is frozen up. At least I know where it stands.
                Sprayed some penetrating oil in the cylinders, made sure I had oil in the sump, and turned it a few times by hand. I need to check compression next, along with dropping the pan and checking the oil strainer, or whatever it is really called.
                At least its progress.

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