78 GS1000: mod or Stock?

[sschering]

OK folks I can't make up my mind here..

I plan to get my 78 going by spring but I can't decide on what direction to go with the exhaust and carbs..

I have the stock exhaust, carbs, air boxes.

I also have a Kerker 4-1, super trapp 4-1 and a set of K&N pods on the shelf

No matter what it'll get a Dyna ignition, green coils & coil relay mod.

If I go with the pods and 4-1 pipe I need to buy a jet. Plus if I don't use the stock pipe my wife will expect me to get rid of em.. She gets a little testy about my ever growing pile of bike parts.

On the other hand there is something to be said for how nice a stock bike runs.

Just to add another wrinkle.. IF I had a correct 78 tank Id be more inclined to go the stock route.. All I have at the moment is a GS1000S tank so I'm planning to do a skunked (black white/red/gold pin stripe) wess cooley style bike.

Following that theme the 4-1, pods, tarozzi rear sets, daytona bars all feel like the thing to do. That is unless someone wants to trade a rough GS1000S tank for a rough Skunk tank


I've stripped the bike down since this pic.. The highway bar and home made pipe don't be going back on.

[850 Combat]

If the stock exhaust is nice, I would use it. On the other hand, if it is nice, you can sell it for pretty good money. The stock airbox is inconveniently located over the battery, which to me makes the pods more attractive than usual.

Which will be more fun for you? If you are sticking with the rearsets, the pipe makes sense. I have a '78 with an '80 tank on it painted to match the Skunk tail. It looks great, and frankly, you would have to be on this list to know the difference almost.

Her's mine with the '80 tank. (The '80 petcock does suck).

[sschering]

These are the stock 78 pipes I have.

[Guest]

Go stock to start with, get it running right and if ya dont like it you can always convert.
At least ya wont have to mess around with getting it to run correctly with the stock setup.

[Rover]

Here's some food for thought.

[Frank Z.]

Go stock to start with, get it running right and if ya dont like it you can always convert.
At least ya wont have to mess around with getting it to run correctly with the stock setup.

+1. Go stock (those exhausts! ), then round up a set of smoothbores later on jetted for the pods/header setup. You can then swap out bolt-ons for the best of both worlds.

...as for wifie, buy her some nice flowers and big box of Whitman chocs for Valentines...

[1_v8_merc]

Keep it balanced...make One bike for each of your requirements.

There's something rebelious about the 1st Gens...I just wanna make em drag bikes or Rat bikes.
I love the way a Kerker 4-1 sounds....especially with a glasspack, woooo!

But I also like the way my stock 650 zips around the back roads.

[Rover]

Is your tank the 79 or 80....which petcock does it take?

[Big T]

Whichever exhaust you don't use, sell it to me!

I'm a big fan of staying stock on these. My 78 has the airbox, 26s and stock exhaust on it and I love it for the torque. Heaps of torque from 4k on past redline.

That being said, I got a 79 that I'm converting to 17" wheels. It has 29SB carbs and a Yoshi exhaust. I rode it for a while and it's Ok, but I prefer the stock throttlle response

I think you'll get more out of degreeing your cams for max torque than the 5 HP you'll get from pods and a pipe.

[Guest]

I can't help it, I like stock. I guess it's because to me they're easier to work on from a manual. I also love your pipes, sell them to me!
Here's my stocker. Took a little work to get it that way as I had to de modify a few things.


Now this was my stocker from years gone by, and it was pretty close to new when I got it, I only added a luggage rack, recessed levers, and a cruise control.

[SVSooke]

Stock or 4>1...Hmmmmm......Ones a Supertrapp......Hmmmmmmm........Love Old Yeller's 'trapp.Have to say if I had a really nice set of stock pipes I'd go that way.I'm not doing that on mine because I don't have the money or patience to find a decent set.I'm doing stock headers with a pair of long Dunstalls I got in a package deal.If those pipes are as good as they look.............................

[steve murdoch]

Put a 4-1 on it and make some noise.

[850 Combat]

Those pipes look nice. They will buy you a lot of stuff. It wouldn't be easy to part with them for me though. Tires, RR and Stator probably if they are as nice as they look.

[sschering]

OK ya got me convinced to go as stock as possible.. I like the idea of not having to mess with tuning it all that much. Reliable is good

I probably could buy a lot of cool parts with the $$ for the pipes but I don't think I can part with them. Odds are I won't see another set any time soon.

I still plan to use the Tarizzi rear sets and super bike bars on it though..

If I want to start playing the HP game I'd be better off building up a 16v 1100 anyway.

Who knows I may setup the spare rack with a jet kit and see how the supertrapp sounds on the 79 L

Thanks for all the input!

[sschering]

Is your tank the 79 or 80....which petcock does it take?

Took me awhile but I got the tank out to check the petcock.

Bolt spacing is the same as my 79 L

This tank needs a little work