78 GS1000 suspension upgrades

[slayer61]

Your bike has an awesome look is that an '83 GSX1100S? And both your front and rear wheels are aftermarket 18"?? what width rims and tire sizes? and wouldn't the ZRX 1100 swingarm do about the same with that Metmachex?? (did you have to lose your centerstand?). what kind of rear shocks and how is it on the highway??

Thanks Gary. Suzuki made a 1 year model, the 1983 GS1100es in this country. The wheels are Astralites, and both front & rear are indeed 18" hoops. I bought them so long ago, I couldn't tell you how wide they are. I did recently buy tires, though... 110/80-18 on the front & 160/60-18 on the rear. I can't compare a ZRX swingarm to the Metmachex. I never had a ZRX swingarm on my Zook. I enjoy having things that you don't see every day, and the Metmachex fills that very nicely. Between the swingarm & pipe, I have no center stand, but I do have a couple of work stands in the garage.

Be safe & good luck with your project.

[RichDesmond]

I'm looking to upgrade suspension on my '79gs1K. On the highway at speed over rutts and bumps it is anything but on rails and a little scary. I can't get near the top end. I have sonic 1kg springs and racetech emulators up front. the springs are a little stiff for my 160lbs I should have gone .95 kg... So I cranked up the preload on stock rear shocks. a front end upgrade might be in the future but for now I'd like to get new shocks and swingarm. I believe the ZRX11 swingarm will fit and then I could use the stock ZRX KYB piggybacks but at 360mm they might be long. IDK what other shocks can be had for the ZRX swingarm but I bet YSS makes a good shock (for $700!). but then I'm wondering if the ZRX swingarm would command a wider tire and then force a front end swap (I have a 41mm front end from a '97 Katana and a CBR900 front end at 45mm with cartridges (but I think both of those are short for the GS Geometry and they both have 17" front wheels and I think I need an 18" min front wheel). This brings me back to the GS1100 swingarm (is there a steel one and an aluminum swinger?). Any recommendations for shocks with the GS1100 swingarm? and any comments on the ZRX swingarm and then shocks, front end, wheels? Is there a standard go too with swwingarm, shocks, frontend, wheels? I just missed a zephyr parts bike...

Just buy a good set of shocks and forget all that other stuff.