Re-painting a GS1100GK

[squirejames359]

Hi all,

I'm beginning to plan the re-spray of my GS1100GK and I have a few questions I hope someone will be able to answer. History of the bike as far as I know is that it was originally blue and has been re-painted in maroon. The paint job is OK but there is significant crazing on the tank which looks horrible. I know it definitely was blue because there is a scrape on the corner of the headlight housing showing several layers of something, one of them blue.

I have read the painting tip in the "garage" section of this sight and I plan to follow that along with other tips I have read doing searches. My main question is what about the panniers??? What are they made of and what can I use to strip them? After reading some of the stuff here about stripper melting plastic and all that I hardly want to turn my new panniers into puddles.

Also, does anyone know the original colour schemes for the '82 GK or photos or links to photos etc, particularly of the decals etc. The PO (or the PPO!!!) 'forgot' to put the side cover badges and pannier badges back on. The bumps are there, presumably filled in with something. I was thinking of a deep metallic blue, burgundy/maroon (similar to its current look) or maybe even black!

As a side note, I followed the tips from fellow GSers about getting all the chrome and other bits shiny again on my GS850G. I've only got the right side engine and fork leg to do and I'm finished. Estimate about 25-30 hrs of wirebrush and sanding so far!! Sheesh, hard work but worth it. Looks a million dollars compared to the dull, pitted blotchy look it used to have. Thanks to everyone whose knowledge I pilfered for that exercise:-D

Thanks and ride safe

Squirejames

[80sGSfan]

GK Colors

In regards to the original GK color schemes, I'm a little more familiar with what they were offering here in the States, so I'm not totally sure with what the overseas options were and I know they usually differed from US offerings. But I do know that both burgundy and black were available in 82 & 83...although I don't see a lot of the red ones around so that might be one of the colors that was not available in the US. Mine is black & I like it...Factory pinstripes were gold on the black ones. Double pinstripe around the front fender, a "C" kind of pinstriping on the fuel tank and a long "C" on either side cover. I'll add some links to the black & red color scheme below. (There were some more gold pinstripes on all three luggage bags too) - There is also a kind of two tone dark beige & tan color option in 82 also that I like...
In regards to the badges:
A small Suzuki emblem on the front of the fairing just above the headlight, two large Suzuki badges on either side of the fuel tank, a simple "gs1100gk" badge on either side's frame cover, and the luggage had small Suzuki badges on the saddle bags and I believe a small Suzuki badge on the rear trunk as well (My luggage has been in the shed since summer, so I'm trying to remember)...
I'll attach a picture of the original ad for the gk in the black w/ gold pinstripe that I described. I know that the galley here has at least a couple gk's with that brown & tan two tone.
Here's a shot of the rust colored option (pic title is "brown", but looks pretty much dark red to me!)

http://www.suzukicycles.org/photos/GS/GS1100G/1982_GS1100GK_brown_600.jpg

Attached is the shot of the black w/ gold pinstripe option (the color scheme on my bike & my favorite)

A great resource for determining exactly where all the pinstripes and badges are supposed to be is the fiche sections of Mrcycles.com and bikebandits.com - here's a link to the GKs:

http://www.mrcycles.com/fiche_section_detail.asp

Best of luck on your painting project - let us know how it goes! I'll be painting mine sometime in the future as my gold pinstripes are mostly bleached to white now and I have hardly any clearcoat left!

[Bucko]

If you have a look at this thread, you can see the colours of my 2 GK's.
Mind you the black and silver one is flat black now...

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=94087

[squirejames359]

Cheers

Thanks for the piccies guys. I must say 80sGSfan that the black with the pinstriping looks bloody marvellous. And thanks for all the badge info to, it looks like I'm missing about 4 in total. Searching around for them will keep me busy for a while. Here's a link to some piccies of my bikes, I hope it works

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o230/squirejames359/Motorbikes/P1010026_resize.jpg

The shots of the 850 are pre wire-brush and polish... I didn't take any closer shots of the engine which I probably should have to show the difference off better.. Oh well.

The good thing is that because I'm going to paint the GK I need to keep the 850 for a while longer... I have to get to work after-all.

And Bucko, that is some fridge!! My parents still have a 1950s fridge with stickers all over it.. difference is they are all from vita brits packets during the 70s when I was a little tacker... moving on!!

Thanks and ride safe

Squirejames

[squirejames359]

Here's a link to some piccies of my bikes, I hope it works

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o230/squirejames359/Motorbikes/P1010026_resize.jpg

I just tested the link and if you delete the P101 etc etc from the end it takes you to the album thumbnails... cheers!!