80 GS1100E mods

[Anonymous]

The front end modifications are pretty straight forward. The swing arm is another matter.

I would hate to see someone hack up their bike to follow what I'm doing when I really haven't put it all together yet. Let alone tried these mods out. This is a project that I started and sometimes I look at it and wonder if I screwed up. Other times I like it.

It took me many (MANY) tries at getting the shock mounts to where they are today - and to be honest - I'm not sure they are absolutely correct right now.

My suggestion is to do yourself a favor and see if I ruin the bike first before following what I've done - at least on the rear suspension. Ride this summer and by winter (when you want to do the mods anyway) you can decide whether to start wrenching.

I don't want to discourage you. I just want you to be aware of the fact that I'm picking my way through this.

BTW, I'm waiting on parts right now. So for now, progress is slow.

Another point of interest - TUDOR drove up from Albuquerque this last weekend to look at the bike. He took a lot of pictures and made measurements to help him with his project. He is doing the same thing, but with some slightly different parts - Kawasaki wheels for one. Nice young man, and he brought his wife up to Denver to look around. Hope you made it back safe.

In any case, good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Steve

[Anonymous]

A few more pics - this time the rear brake actuator. In the fist pic you can see that I have relocated the actuator on the frame rail. It has to be there to clear the swingarm. Notice that this is a GSXR unit.



Also notice that I am able to use the entire rear brake pedal assembly (with a few mods) that I will show further down. The actuator is not connected to the brake pivot at this time. I need to find a long threaded bolt to make the final connection. You can see the point it will connect to if you look hard. It is just hanging free now.

This next photo is the other side of the brake pivot. Ignore the crappy welds please. I will fix those later and make them pretty. I welded a pin to the frame for the brake return spring.

http://groups.msn.com/SuzukiGSGarage/yoshimurags1000article.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=1457

The last photo is a picture of the modified brake pivot. I hoep that's the name of it anyway - lol. It works for me.

http://groups.msn.com/SuzukiGSGarage/yoshimurags1000article.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=1458

The best part of this fabrication is that I can retain the stock footpegs and seating position. Again, this is just fitting work. I will clean up the welds and grind it smooth and pretty later.

[Billy Ricks]

First photo didn't show up but I found it in your album, looks great. I guess I took the easy way out using Gixxer rearsets. Everything mounts on the rearset. Of course, I still have to mount the swingarm one of these days.

[Anonymous]

Yea, just noticed that Billy. I tried to fix it but failed. I'm not sure why it doesn't show.

I'm not sure if you took the easy way or I did. I was trying to put as few new parts in as possible.

The last part that needs to be fitted before final welding and powder coating is the header. That takes some money so I have to wait a bit.

I'm still trying to figure out how to fit the headlight assembly. I'm hoping I either get a brilliant idea one day or someone tells me how to do it. Either way would work.

[Billy Ricks]

http://groups.msn.com/SuzukiGSGarage/texashillcountryride.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=1317

Check out the headlight mount I made in the link above. If you think something like that will work for you I could make a pattern for you. The pinch bolts on both the upper and lower triples on my front end are at right angles to the fork. I can't tell about yours from the pictures.

[Mark Harrop]

headlight mount

Thats a nice mount Billy...I went the cheap/lazy route and bought a set of 10.00 "universal" chrome headlight mounts from Dennis Kirk, or someone.... The chrome is flimsy, and the bolts rusted immediatley. They function O.K., but I should have cut up some more of my stop sign and made some. I'll put it on the list for this winter....

[Anonymous]

Billy, thanks for the idea. I never thought about mounting to the pinch bolts. I'll have to look into that. My whole thought process was centered around clamping to the forks. The inverted forks are so big that it would have to be custom mounts, and then you have to use a rubber buffer also.

You won't believe how many ideas I get from my brother and a friend who stop by. Sometimes you get into looking at a problem from a certain perspective and can't get out the that thought pattern.

One example of that is on the rear brake actuator. I was trying to figure out how to mount the rear brake light switch. Space was tight and it was kicking my butt. Very casually Jack (our buddy) says "Why don't you use a pressure actuated switch?" LOL Problem solved. And the real kicker is that I bought one a few months ago for the XR to convert to the street. I never did it - but still - I just couldn't think of it.

Thanks again! And I still love those pipes!

[Billy Ricks]

They function O.K., but I should have cut up some more of my stop sign and made some.

That's exactly what I cut mine out of. The guy that did the welding so I could move the rear brake torque arm to the bottom of my swingarm had an old sign laying around he gave me.

[Mark Harrop]

stop sign

I made my seat pan, side panels, tail light mount, liscense plate bracket and a few other small doo-dads from a stop sign that some drunk ran over in my front yard. The city wouldn't come out to fix it soooo.....scrap aluminum!! You can never have too much.

[Anonymous]

Finally have some work to show. They look nice. I can't wait to get the heads on now. This is costing some $$ but it will be worth it in the end.

Notice the nice new Wiseco 1166 kit and cam chain guide. The guide is a heavy duty unit.

http://groups.msn.com/SuzukiGSGarage/yoshimurags1000article.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=1567

[Gerry]

Looking good!!! 8)

Are you sure this is for your son and not for you

Gerry

[Anonymous]

Looking good!!! 8)

Are you sure this is for your son and not for you

Gerry

I once bought a girl a norton dominator.

[Anonymous]

Gerry wrote:
Looking good!!!

Are you sure this is for your son and not for you

Gerry

I once bought a girl a norton dominator.

My brother keeps putting the bug into my ear to keep it. His excuse is that there are so many mods that it will be a nightmare to fix. He may be right, but so far I've resisted. 8)

Dom, are we talking about the motorcycle?

[Anonymous]

i never anticipated that one.

[Gerry]

that it will be a nightmare to fix.

Well at least you know who will be fixing it 8O :?

I once bought a girl a norton dominator.

MMMM.....A dominator on a dominator with Dom.......interesting


Gerry