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Hello all, just want to share my experience with buying an old 1983 GS1100L and changing it up a bit.
For the eager newbies, A few things to consider before buying old motorcyles to work on:
1. Please make sure you actually have tools to work on your bike if you intend to buy a project. (or at least access to borrow tools) and a place to work on your bike.
2. Realize this, you're buying a 30+ year old machine.....things will need replacing
3. Expect to spend at least several hundred dollars on basic parts...(it's wise to construct a budget)
4. Look for a decent donor bike for your project
5. Spend significant hours researching the DIY section on here and elsewhere before you begin tearing into your motorcycle.
Now, I will share my experience with my project.
I bought a 1983 GS1100L (crusier model for those who dont know) with 36,000 miles on craigslist. The bike was in decent looking shape. The PO took pretty good care of it and this helped with as little maintenence i actually ended up doing. I was shooting for a cafe style look for the bike, and for those who dont know, crusier model bikes don't particularly lend themselves well for cafe projects. Anyway, when i bought the bike, it was only running on two cylinders and choke fully open. The diagnosis for the fix was as follows:
1. Swap both coil packs to see if misfire changed cylinders.... (NOPE)
2. Check spark on all spark plugs.....(ALL HAD FIRE)
The fix turned out to be the ignition wires were on the wrong cylinders, on this bike, Coil pack 1 ( left side) fires cylinders 1 and 4 and Coil pack 2 (right side) fires 2 and 3. Make sure you double check this firing orientation if you run across this problem.
Also, from talking to PO about the carbs, they needed to be cleaned and rebuilt. I had never touched a carburetor before this project. Just for ****s and giggles, I called around several moto shops and the local Suzui dealer where i live (Nashville area) and basically was told that my bike was too old for them to work on and "good luck with that". I did find one shop that was willing to see it, but they quoted me 250-300 bucks per carb ( EFF THAT). So I rebuilt them myself.
Some general info on the carb rebuild for anyone who is thinking about undertaking this project:
1. Buy a quality set of JIS screwdrivers, you will need them to take off the carb heads (standard phillips head screwdrivers will strip the heads off the screws and you will be one ****ed of M'FER)
2. Look especially close to how the carbs sit on the bike before taking them off and take lots of pictures for reference.( Pay attention to choke linkage and throttle cable linkage)
3. Pulling the carbs off the intake will require strength, if you have none, I suggest you start lifting and or get another set of hands to help you.
4. Take EXTREME CARE when taking the slide diaphragm out of the carburetor, these are expensive to replace if damaged. Also, keep all of the components together from each carb in a little cup or something so you dont lose them!
5. Its a bitch getting the carbs back on by yourself, again, lift as necessary to gain strength or get help.
6. Follow the carb rebuild tutorials below, they are very accuarate and basically flawless if performed as described.
I did not dip my carbs, i just bought several cans of carb cleaner from Autozone and thoroughly went over, around, and through every part of each one. ( It is possible to leave carbs ganged together if you decide to go this route, I'd recommend disassembling them for A) the experience and B) makes handling each one easier when pulling out pilot jets, needles, and other components. When following the tutorial, make sure to spend time on getting all of your butterfly valves opening and closing at the same time once you get the carbs ganged back together (this is critical and you will have to bench sync the carbs, its not too bad, just take your time)
Also, if you take out the air mixture screw, when you put it back it and try to fire your bike up, it will run like **** until you get your fuel and air mixture somewhat close. Lightly seat the screw, then turn out 2 FULL TURNS ( thats 360 degrees x 2) then adjust back in 1/8" increments as needed, you'll figure it out. If your bike is bogging down when accelerating, your mixture is too rich and you will feel it, adjust accordingly.
Other things I did to the bike:
Replaced handlebars with clubman bars from Carpys Cafe Racers ( out of California, the 7/8" bar fits great)- they're $50.00
Replaced grips
Took off nasty windshield
For the eager newbies, A few things to consider before buying old motorcyles to work on:
1. Please make sure you actually have tools to work on your bike if you intend to buy a project. (or at least access to borrow tools) and a place to work on your bike.
2. Realize this, you're buying a 30+ year old machine.....things will need replacing
3. Expect to spend at least several hundred dollars on basic parts...(it's wise to construct a budget)
4. Look for a decent donor bike for your project
5. Spend significant hours researching the DIY section on here and elsewhere before you begin tearing into your motorcycle.
Now, I will share my experience with my project.
I bought a 1983 GS1100L (crusier model for those who dont know) with 36,000 miles on craigslist. The bike was in decent looking shape. The PO took pretty good care of it and this helped with as little maintenence i actually ended up doing. I was shooting for a cafe style look for the bike, and for those who dont know, crusier model bikes don't particularly lend themselves well for cafe projects. Anyway, when i bought the bike, it was only running on two cylinders and choke fully open. The diagnosis for the fix was as follows:
1. Swap both coil packs to see if misfire changed cylinders.... (NOPE)
2. Check spark on all spark plugs.....(ALL HAD FIRE)
The fix turned out to be the ignition wires were on the wrong cylinders, on this bike, Coil pack 1 ( left side) fires cylinders 1 and 4 and Coil pack 2 (right side) fires 2 and 3. Make sure you double check this firing orientation if you run across this problem.
Also, from talking to PO about the carbs, they needed to be cleaned and rebuilt. I had never touched a carburetor before this project. Just for ****s and giggles, I called around several moto shops and the local Suzui dealer where i live (Nashville area) and basically was told that my bike was too old for them to work on and "good luck with that". I did find one shop that was willing to see it, but they quoted me 250-300 bucks per carb ( EFF THAT). So I rebuilt them myself.
Some general info on the carb rebuild for anyone who is thinking about undertaking this project:
1. Buy a quality set of JIS screwdrivers, you will need them to take off the carb heads (standard phillips head screwdrivers will strip the heads off the screws and you will be one ****ed of M'FER)
2. Look especially close to how the carbs sit on the bike before taking them off and take lots of pictures for reference.( Pay attention to choke linkage and throttle cable linkage)
3. Pulling the carbs off the intake will require strength, if you have none, I suggest you start lifting and or get another set of hands to help you.
4. Take EXTREME CARE when taking the slide diaphragm out of the carburetor, these are expensive to replace if damaged. Also, keep all of the components together from each carb in a little cup or something so you dont lose them!
5. Its a bitch getting the carbs back on by yourself, again, lift as necessary to gain strength or get help.
6. Follow the carb rebuild tutorials below, they are very accuarate and basically flawless if performed as described.
I did not dip my carbs, i just bought several cans of carb cleaner from Autozone and thoroughly went over, around, and through every part of each one. ( It is possible to leave carbs ganged together if you decide to go this route, I'd recommend disassembling them for A) the experience and B) makes handling each one easier when pulling out pilot jets, needles, and other components. When following the tutorial, make sure to spend time on getting all of your butterfly valves opening and closing at the same time once you get the carbs ganged back together (this is critical and you will have to bench sync the carbs, its not too bad, just take your time)
Also, if you take out the air mixture screw, when you put it back it and try to fire your bike up, it will run like **** until you get your fuel and air mixture somewhat close. Lightly seat the screw, then turn out 2 FULL TURNS ( thats 360 degrees x 2) then adjust back in 1/8" increments as needed, you'll figure it out. If your bike is bogging down when accelerating, your mixture is too rich and you will feel it, adjust accordingly.
Other things I did to the bike:
Replaced handlebars with clubman bars from Carpys Cafe Racers ( out of California, the 7/8" bar fits great)- they're $50.00
Replaced grips
Took off nasty windshield