Time to Pretty up the old 82 1100L

[Chris Hagen]

Well the time has finnally arrived. The old L is getting a makeover.

List of new parts.
1.) 4 to 1 Megaphone (Vance and Hines)
2.) New paint job (PPG 3m Moonlight Violet) (The local shop that paints all the local custom cruiser bikes is doing it. ET Creations in Fargo, ND. I will post many pics on my website through this process.
3.) New custom Rear backrest and Luggage rack. Made by Steve at Solid Performace. I have not seen it yet, hoping for the best (I get it today ).
4.) New Saddleman Saddle bags.
5.) All new instrument and clutch/Throttle cables.
6.) I might put new grips on the handlebars (see what the guys at Solid Performance think they can do.
7.) Finnally putting the Bullet Harley Blinkers in the front to match the back.
8.) Lots of polishing on the engine and carberators.
9.) Jet kit for the cabs and these new mufflers.
10.) Windsheild for the front of the bike, Have not made my mind up what kind yet, need to see how it looks when it is done painting and polishing.
11.) Argon bulb for the Headlight.
12.) Petcock rebuild kit.

(Already put the heavy duty springs in the forks and the heavy duty progressive shocks and springs in the back and had the seat rebuilt by an upholstery shop.)

I will be putting picks up today of the bike in it's current state and then continue as things are done to it (this whole project will be done in a bout 1 to 2 weeks as we leave on the 4th of August .

Wish me luck folks.
And if anyone has any suggestions for me on this trek just let me know. :-D

(by the way all this is my wife's Idea, I would have ended up just riding it like it is (Mufflers are plugged and taped where they have rusted through). I love my wife \\/.

[Chris Hagen]

Link

Thought I would throw up a link to the bike the way it looks today.
(Got the Megaphone system today, not just need the rest ).

http://www.hagenweb.org/Bike/pics/ur.JPG

[Jethro]

That will clean up nice and purty!

[Chris Hagen]

Got the Header and Megaphone yesterday.

Waiting on the Custom shop to finish the Backrest and luggage rack yet.
(They have not had time to get to it yet, I think it may have something to do with the fact it is a Suzuki and not a harley. Although I cannot be sure, they do have several early 80's inline 4's that they are working on now as well.)

They promissed to have the backrest done and the bike back to me by tomorrow. Just in case I am going to local motorcycle graveyard and grabbing a decent backrest mounting tube to fit my existing luggage rack. This is a guaranteed solution where as theirs is still in the custom guys head.

I hope to have the bike back on Saturday and start tearing into it. I have Pretty much the rest of my parts comming the middle of next week.

I will keep everyone posted.

[J_C]

Let me know how grabbing the mounting tube works. I hand;t thought about going the graveyard route!

[ron bayless]

What Are You Going To Do About The Humpty Seat? I Have An L Also,i Love Your Ideas.similar To What I Want To Do.i Wish I Could Find Someone Willing To Trade Soem Stuff.i Have The Stock Luggage Rack,sissy Bar And Backrest Off My 1980 Gs 1000l And Want To Find A Good 4 Ito One System Or An Airbox To Keep The Stock Mufflers.

[Chris Hagen]

As far as the airbox goes I talked with the head rep from Mikuni (the manufacturer of our carberators) and he actually reccomends sticking with the stock air box on these bikes vs the pods, still air going into the carbs and all that. As far as the seat I am not doing anything with it yet. Figure I will go to the salvage yard and get another pan. I will then take it and have a shortened seat built for when I get the harley tail on it.

Getting my bike back with the backrest today at 12:00PM. I was promissed it Friday night or saturday at the latest. Did not hear anything from the shop and when I went there Saturday afternoon they were closed. Spent the weekend mad at them. Found out today that the guy's kid got hurt over the weekend is why it was not done. I could not bust his chops over that, he said I could get it at 12:00PM today, Good enough in my book. I will have pictures up and linked by 2:00PM central of the backrest, then off to the body shop with the tank and side covers.

[Chris Hagen]

Got to see half of the backrest in person today, this place is flipping slow. He had enough done so that I could at least take the bike.

Needless to say I don't think I am going to like it It is really simple and does not look like anything I would want to pay money for.

Oh well, at least I can use it for a template and will not mind replacing it when I put the new fender on the back. On a good note I got the Saddlebags and they are pretty cool, especially for only $130.

the tank and side covers are at the paint shop and they said they should have it done on tuesday. The saga continues, but it looks like it is actually getting better.

Chris.

[Chris Hagen]

Ok, things are looking up. I have been spending way too much time working and not enough time on the GS. Anyway. I got to see my tank after painting (I am supposed to get it back on monday) and it looks amazing. Got the 4to1 on the bike and I should be getting my carbs back on monday as well. I should have the bike completed on Tuesday and have a bunch of pics up. I need to figure out a better way to mount the Blinkers in the back for the long run, but what I have will work for now .

I promiss to post some pics toay and tomorrow. I am in a hotel now being my power went out and the temp was over 100 degrees. (Needed to get some work done on the internet and could not expect my wife and kid to try to sleep in a 95+ degree house.

Wish me luck. No tank, no carbs, no back rest, no side covers, and I have to be done with the bike in 4 days .

[Chris Hagen]

Oh and on the issue with the seat. My wife likes the seat in it's current form. Probably going to send the pan off to Corbin this winter and have them rebuild the seat from the pan up with new foam and the whole 9 yards. I had someone rebuild it 4 years ago but the vinly is startig to tear now and it is a very hot vinyl.

[Chris Hagen]

Got the carberators back yesterday from the Triumph dealer. I like those guys over there. Helpless plug for Ma's Cycles in West Fargo, ND. Anyway they cleaned my carberators and installed the stage 3 dyna jet kit for $47. Can't beat that price when you don't have a drill press for the drilling. Supposed to get the tank today and then reassembly begins .

[Chris Hagen]

Well The bike is almost done. Just need to put a stage 1 kit in it instead of a stage 3. Or Get the K&N pods for the carbs, one of the two.

Here is a link to a bunch of pictures. I will have some better ones tomorrow in the afternoon light.

Chris.

[J_C]

I don't see the link. It seems you have made fantastic progress however. Congrats! Cant wait to see the pics!

[Chris Hagen]

It would have helped if I had posted the link I suppose.

http://www.52chevytruck.com/pics/MotorcyclePics/html/index_0.html

[J_C]

Looking good!!! Really like the grips and the pegs ont he crash bars. Those turn signals look great too! Get some close ups of some of this stuff!

That metallic looks slick!