1992 GSX1100G project

[GS1000G Shopper]

When I first looked at this bike, I thought one of the worst things would be trying to get covers for the fairing pockets. After a two day crash course in plastic work, I took a 12x12 sheet of 3/16 PVC that I was going to use for a gauge panel and cut it in half. Heated it in a toaster oven (with Mrs. Shopper's OK ) @ 250 degrees for a few minutes and it was pliable. Used the pockets as molds and held it in place til it cooled/rehardened. Then used the pockets again with a Sharpie to mark the area to be trimmed (12" is like a perfect length for them). Trimmed the sides and ended up with something I think will do the job. The next hurdle will be locks and hinges, but I'm sure the McMaster-Carr supply house has something that will work.

Pics to follow.

The fairing repair seems solid. I'll need to touch it up and repaint it when all work is completed.

It occurred to me tonight there is a lot more satisfaction in working on a crusty old bike like this vs. paying a good bit more for one ready to ride. But then today was a good day, and I recall having plenty of bad days while doing this with the Sabre. I guess that just proves the Suzuki is the superior bike.

[GS1000G Shopper]

Here are the pics for the fairing repair and pocket cover fabrication. See prior post for material and details. This PVC was so easy to work with I'm thinking of using it for a custom dash panel.

Raw material:



After bending, sitting on pockets:



Same, side view:



Marked for trimming:



Fairing repaired and taped with pocket covers in place:



Close up on fairing:

[almarconi]

That is a great mod for the fuel pump. The RF900R that I have uses a similar setup.

Do you have the part number for the SCR that you used?

[GS1000G Shopper]

I am not planing to use a SCR. Instead, I used two 3 amp 50 volt diodes form Radio Shack, one in each line as shown on the diagram. They are very common and like $1.59.

This has not been tested on anything except paper, but from what I can tell the pump draws around 1 amp, so they should be good.

UPDATE
This did not work, I bought a used pump.

[GS1000G Shopper]

After the success with the pocket panels, I've decided to try and make a PVC dash panel. I like to have instrumentation, and have added oil pressure, oil temperature, voltmeter, and air temp gauges to both of my bikes (and have an added panel ready for the Sabre).

While I really like the mid-80's GS750ES panel due to it having oil temp and a gear position indicator (GPI), I have not figured out how to make this type of GPI work. Since I couldn't find an existing panel I liked, I sketched out one that will allow me to reuse the stock speedometer and tachometer. The remaining round gauges will be from VEI systems. They serve dual functions and are night dimmable. I used one of their combo gauges on my Concours and ST1100, and am recycling it to the Sabre. The rectangular air temp gauge is from Parts Express. I have one on my red GS1000G. The colored icons are turn, highbeam, oil, and neutral LEDs. These fit into 3/8"| holes and are found on eBay. I have a set leftover from my last custom dash project. I should be able to adapt a digital (single digit) GPI here somehow.

Using this plan, wiring problems will be minimal. I'll connect the fuel level lead to the VEI gauge, use the other lead from there to power the VEI gauges, and wire in the LEDs to replace the small bulbs. The remaining VEI functions will require their own harness. I'll likely add a photocell to dim the digital lights. I see VEI has improved their gauges since I bought mine.

Here's the sketch:

[GS1000G Shopper]

One advantage to never or rarely throwing stuff away is you have free parts to experiment with. When I was trying to make an alternate gauge panel for the Sabre, I bought a few Triumph gauges, notably a 180 MPH electronic speedometer. I pulled the GSX-G speedometer and found with minimal trimming the Triumph one fits in the same bracket.

The next issue is getting an electronic speed signal from the wheel sensor. I found it is an oddball, with an 11 mm x 1.0 thread at the wheel, and the cable has a standard 12mm x 1.0 at the speedometer. I converted the Sabre to a cable drive unit, so I made use of the speed sensor from it. Long story short, I'm going to attach a 12mm x 1.0 bung onto it and use a longer cable. I can flatten the end of a regular cable to drive the sensor, and it will mount out of the way near the gauges. It will need a 9V power supply- I had tested it with an Acewell dash and I know it works.

I've made a cardboard mock up of the dash panel pictured above, and have ordered some 1/8 PVC to work with. The trick will be getting the right angles cut into it so it will line up properly. I'll likely make a template out of paper to do this. The next obstacle will be modding the mount bracket to allow a wider spacing of the gauges.

I'll update some pics as I make progress. The main holdup now is the original batch parts order from Boulevard Suzuki.

[GS1000G Shopper]

I've been doing some more reading & research on gauges. I think I found an interesting feature on the GSX. I was looking at gear position indicators, and saw the GSX-G used the same switch as the F and some other models of that era. I removed the switch from my bike and saw it had one contact- for neutral. Others I've seen had multiple contacts. It looks identical on the outside to these. When I moved the shifter, a round piece under the switch rotated. It had a contact on it and a hole in the middle for another contact. It looks like I could wire in a mufti-contact switch and use this to output a signal to the dash, such as the GS750ES dash.

There is still some work to do on this, but it could make an alternate dash a lot easier.

I'm also looking at combined gauges in a PVC housing over the stock ones. This would be the easiest way to add gauges and not require a lot of rewiring.

Yesterday I installed the new front wheel bearings and an angle valve stem. The new Bridgestone went on a lot easier than the old dried up tire came off.

I've pulled the forks apart and cleaned them. The progressive springs arrived two days ago, and now I'm waiting on seals and fork oil. The springs say to use a 7.25" spacer. The spacers in the forks were 7.25", but the old springs were not progressive.

Another area I'm looking at is the oil cooler plumbing. It looks like one of the hoses has been weeping around the hose to tube area. These hoses are over $150 each. I reinstalled the header pipes after wrestling them out of the exhaust so I could check clearances. The block fitting is a 16mm x 1.50 banjo, and the cooler fitting is an o-ring that I can't easily duplicate to adapt it to AN. The cooler measures about 16" w x 8" h x 1.75" deep. I'm thinking a B&M Supercooler will fit in here and allow for AN plumbing. At the block, I should be able to use some 90 degree AN8 to 16mm adapters.

There is a similar setup on the block to valve cover hoses. I have not looked at them in detail.

[GS1000G Shopper]

More progress in the last few days.

Here are the new and old front tires:


The gauges are now blacked out. I've found a workable solution to use the stock gauges and add on what I need:


I was working on figuring out how to replace the oil lines, and the largest obstacle was the fitting at the block. I cut it off and tapped it for 1/4 pipe. Using a tee and some AN fittings there and on the valve cover (tapped it for 1/4 pipe as well), it will allow use of AN hoses. I've also tapped the oil cooler to use 1/4 pipe fittings and will use some tube sleeves and nuts to use the OEM oil lines by the filter. I can then adapt them to AN8 hose up to the cooler.

Here is the fitting at the block- in progress:


Here is a pic of the fairing repair using some JB Weld to reattach the broken off part, and some POR putty (epoxy putty) to repair the channel where the seal goes.

[GS1000G Shopper]

Spent some time sanding the fairing and also installed one hinge for a pocket cover. Seems like a decent enough fit. I'll tackle the lock next. I've also cleaned and painted a few more parts like the front master cylinder and both levers.

I looked at the luggage rack so I can add a trunk. There is a place in England (this bike seems to be very popular in Europe for some reason) that sells them, but they are close to $300 with shipping! Looking at their design, it uses a second hole in front of where the factory short rack goes in addition to the factory rack hole for a total of 4 mounting points, whereas the factory unit uses only 2.

The main problems are the offset between them and that there is no threaded nut in the front hole. After some thought, I made up a piece of 3/16" steel that will run from the factory rack to the front hole. In the slot behind the front hole I dropped in a custom-made aluminum nut. It is a small block of aluminum with a 10mm thread in it. There is no way to use a conventional nut there. While I only got one side done (didn't have enough steel), it seemed to help brace the rack.

Once this is done, I'll add a 12x12 piece of aluminum on top of the factory rack so I can mount a trunk there.

I got the intake boots off- although I managed to break off one of the mounting ears. I've got some JB Weld on it and will see if this will work or if it has to be welded. The boots are in good shape for their age, and I've ordered a set of cycle o-rings (40mm) for them. I found the same o-ring looks like it will fit in the fuel filter unit for the tank. Good thing as it is discontinued.

I saw a low mile Bandit shock FS here and sent a PM. It looks the same as mine, but of course the part numbers are different.

The OEM parts order should be here this week, as I got an email from Boulevard Suzuki that it was complete and going out.

[GS1000G Shopper]

The forks are resealed and remounted, and I got the other luggage rack support welded & drilled today. I've ordered a 12 x 12 aluminum plate and some rubber isolator mounts. I want to add some rear lights under the trunk as well like I have on the red GS1000G.

The JB Weld appears to have worked on the broken carb boot ear. I ran a tap through it to clean it up so the new stainless bolts from cycle o-rings.com will thread in OK.

I bought the Bandit shock from another member here after he measured it & it will fit. While it is 15 years old, it's been off the bike and inside for a long time as opposed to mine which sat outside.

I hope to get the front wheel back on tomorrow, and start prepping the body parts and the replacement gas tank for painting. The tank had a mid-sized dent in it & I used the Harbor Freight air-powered dent puller on it. It reduced the dent to where I can fill it.

I got the gear position indicator from a CB700S Nighthawk for like $15 on eBay. While I wanted an LED I could wire in to the new gear position switch, doing so cheaply involved a lot of electronics or it would cost over $100 for an aftermarket one. The Honda uses the same system as the GS- when the switch is in a gear, it grounds the wire and lights the lamp- or in this case the LCD. It has a built-in light so it will be visible at night, and it uses a standard Molex connector I can buy at Vintage Connections. I hope to have enough room to mount it between the 2" gauges I'm adding and have enough room for a small digital thermometer under it. It needs about 1.5", and I plan to cut a hole for it and use the Honda "Gear Position" faceplate with some clear acrylic between that and the panel to make it watertight.

[GS1000G Shopper]

Here are a few more pics of some progress.
AN fittings on valve cover:


Aluminum plate adapted to rack for trunk:






Gauge add on housing from 2"x4" PVC (needs finishing):

[GS1000G Shopper]

I received a gear position switch from a Hayabusa today. While they look the same online, the Hayabusa unit is much smaller than what is on the GSX-G.

I have to think Suzuki made a 6-wire GPI switch for this engine, otherwise why have the rotating part for the neutral switch? I've looked at newer and older models and they appear to be smaller as well. More modern ones look larger, but they are 3-wire units that send a voltage to the ECU, something I don't have. Worst case, I could try to read the voltage and output it to 5 wires, or I may try to make one switch out of two using the guts of the Hayabusa switch. I thought the Japanese used similar parts on similar engines, this is disappointing.

[blowerbike]

I received a gear position switch from a Hayabusa today. While they look the same online, the Hayabusa unit is much smaller than what is on the GSX-G.

I have to think Suzuki made a 6-wire GPI switch for this engine, otherwise why have the rotating part for the neutral switch? I've looked at newer and older models and they appear to be smaller as well. More modern ones look larger, but they are 3-wire units that send a voltage to the ECU, something I don't have. Worst case, I could try to read the voltage and output it to 5 wires, or I may try to make one switch out of two using the guts of the Hayabusa switch. I thought the Japanese used similar parts on similar engines, this is disappointing.

does any of the oil cooled GSXR/KAT/BANDIT's have a shift indicator?
these would bolt right on your engine.
i don't remember the bandits having one.

[GS1000G Shopper]

I've looked at those & the Bandit (early) used the same 1-wire connector as the GSX-G. The later ones look to have used a 3-wire (power, ground, gear) that supplied this data to the computer. None I've seen have a gear indicator. The later models output a low voltage to the computer. I'm not even sure if the OD of the switch is the same.

Further research on both parts shows the operating circle diameter of the terminals is the same for both. In simple terms, if I could fab up a mounting plate for the Hayabusa switch, and align it properly, it would work as I need it to.

The Hayabusa switch is 26mm OD, and the GSX-G switch is 36mm OD.

My best guess at this point is to either use a 26mm x 36mm oil seal (presuming I can find one, may have to use an o-ring) and fab up an aluminum bracket to mount it and hold the seal in place, or to cut down the Hayabusa switch to a circle and drill out the GSX-G switch and epoxy the Hayabusa switch in place.

The bolt pattern is different as well, the Hayabusa switch is about 39.75mm on center and the GSX-G switch is 49.25mm on center. Both have 5.5mm diameter mounting holes, so they would overlap if laid on top of each other.

This is a feasible project, just need to think it over some more.

[blowerbike]

ok not sure if these was offered for the oil cooled engines but..
on the GS engines you can purchase a block off for the shift drum.
if this is available for a bandit ect.. it would give you the correct pattern on the engine side anyways.
also none of the oil cooled engines had injection hence no computer.
as far as i know your engine is the same as a bandit 1156 or and gixxer/kat 1127 and even a gen 1 gixxer 1052 oil cooled except for the shaft conversion.
check with big jay at APE...he post and is a member here.
or call paul gast (fast by gast) and ask about the block off for an oil cooled gixxer...i don't think there very expensive and could save a little fab work.

this plate is for a GS1100/1150