how much HP will driveshaft take

[Anonymous]

I have a GSX1100G 1992 and would like to do some work to it but am wondering if the driveshaft setup will take 150-170 hp. Anyone try this yet let me know.

[Anonymous]

I really don't know if that driveshaft setup will be able to handle that much horsepower.

I understand that the GSX1100G had the same driveshaft setup as that on the Suzuki Cavalcade touring rig of the late 80's. That big landyacht was designed to carry two people, pull a trailer and/or sidecar, and do unlimited speeds on the German autobahn or I-90 in Montana, whichever is faster.

That driveshaft setup is the strongest Suzuki ever made. Whether it will handle that much horsepower, I can't tell you. I will tell you it's there to handle much more severe duties than the original GSX was designed to do.

That GSX was a great bike. What a motor!

Nick

[Anonymous]

do unlimited speeds on the German autobahn or I-90 in Montana, whichever is faster.

Autobahn - no doubt about it.

Now, who would want to put that much HP into a shaftie?

[focus frenzy]

Now, who would want to put that much HP into a shaftie?

some one who prefers to ride instead of cleaning, lubing, and replacing chains!! that is who!!!!!!!

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, or should I say weakest pin, and there is only so mutch one of those tiny little pins can handle.
now a shaft is nice big (3/4") and strong and uses nice wide strong gears to transfer power.
there are 200hp pluss valkeries and V-maxs running around with no trouble.

[Anonymous]

I admit the shaft is stronger, but it also consumes more HP than a chain. As far as how much can a chain take - quite a bit actually. There are Busa's running around with more than 300 hp and the chain has no problems.

If you want a maintence free ride choose a shaft. For performance, chains have always been king.

[earlfor]

Attaboy, tell'em Swanny. :-) :-) I spend time every day on bike maintenance and keeping an eye on things. A few more minutes for the chain just doesnt matter.

Earl

If you want a maintence free ride choose a shaft. For performance, chains have always been king.

[redliner1973]

Attaboy, tell'em Swanny. :-) :-) I spend time every day on bike maintenance and keeping an eye on things. A few more minutes for the chain just doesnt matter.

Earl

If you want a maintence free ride choose a shaft. For performance, chains have always been king.

Add up all those 'extra minutes' looking and lubing that chain.....Hmm, there's a ride missed somewhere!!! (sorry, couldn't resist!) :twisted:

[Anonymous]

Well said, Tim Hunter. Plus, at my age, getting down to service a chain is not something I want to do very often.

Just came back from a trip down the Blue Ridge Parkway; had to ride home early because I became ill with cellulitis and it was raining like h. The first night we got to the motel on filthy bikes, bemoaning the rain, etc. Not one of us had to get down and oil a chain; all of us have shafties. Ain't life wonderful?

So, we all went to eat (surprise, eh?) and then relax. No one fussed with the bikes, especially getting down and messing with chains. Anyone with a chain-driven bike would've had to mess with with. And a mess it is indeed.

Sooooo, yes, I understand how easy it is to just lube the chain every day. I used to do it, for 10 years. Now I'm too old to fool with it, and, with my four cylinders' displacement adding up to 1100 cc, I couldn't care less about power loss on a shaft! (The guys on GL1800's could care even less about shaft power loss)

Anyway, back to the original point. The GSX1100G's engine is a magnificent powerplant, (a slightly detuned GSXR oil-cooled unit, basically), which Suzuki teamed up with a reliable, incredibly strong driveshaft system. Suzuki sold this bike as a "naked" or standard motorcycle, which did not sell well at all, so they dropped it. Some say that, had Suzuki given this bike a touring fairing and bags, a la Concours, they would've been more successful in selling it. Maybe so, but we'll never know...

As for the chain/shaft debate: I stated this previously, but here it goes again: Some folks start out choosing a bike, which may be chain, shaft, or belt. The means of propulsion is not important to most people going shopping for a bike; the bike itself is. Since most Japanese bikes (plus Triumph, Ducati, Aprilia, etc.) are chain-driven, they're more likely to end up with a chain than with a shaft.

On the other hand, some folks, like me, would never have a chain again. Therefore, we start our shopping list by putting down only those bikes that are shaft-driven. It's a limited list, but that's what we start from -- this limited list, which includes cruiser-type bikes like the Vulcan, Intruder, etc. Some of us dismiss those right away for ergonomic and other reasons, so we go to what's left: full boat touring and sports touring models (the latter include great bikes like the R1150LT, the FJR1300, the ST1300, Guzzis, and the ageless Concours).

So, those on shafties are on shafties mostly because that's what their starting point was, right from square 1. Those on chains are much less concerned about how the bike moves, but on the bike itself.

Just my view on things. Meantime, shafts do rule! He, he, he...

[Bill + Karen]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, a high HP shaftie. Bill

[saaz]

Shafts can take horsepower, but how much the Suzuki setup will take is another matter. Depending on how you treat it, the life may be shortened. Using the xtra power once in a while would be fine as most times you would only be using what power the standard bike had anyway..

I go riding in the rain, on trips etc. I only lube the chain when I get back usually...I have the halfway solution of a chain case

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the info guys. Looks like not to many have messed with this setup. I have been looking at putting a turbo on it from Velocity Racing which can be adjusted for boost whenever I want it 8O . I have noticed that this model of gsx didn't have lots of aftermarket options for sale. I will be redoing the front forks with spings and seals. Also having a 1" ( thought only harleys had them) handlebar eliminated alot of add-on's also.

[Anonymous]

hp blah

dont worrie about the horses

shaft driven your main consern is you lose alot of tourge to the ground thats were the diffrence is you can lose up to about 20 to 50lb fps but a nice smooth ride and low maintnence