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81 GS1100E... which swingarm do i have??

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    81 GS1100E... which swingarm do i have??

    So I have an 81 GS1100E that i bought earlier this year. A previous owner has done some work converting it to a "cafe" style bike, so its not stock, but so far most of the mods have been appearance, and the suspension/drivetrain/chassis all seems pretty much stock from what I can tell. But this bike has been my entry into the GS world, so not like I'm an expert. My next project is to replace rear shocks, new sprockets/chain (and a conversion to 530 chain), and while I've got it apart was going to replace the wheel bearings, and contemplating replacing (or at least inspecting/greasing) the swingarm bearings. So i'm on the parts fiche looking at what bearings, seals etc would be needed, how its all put together and such. And I notice the swingarm in the drawing looks nothing like mine, and googling of the lsited part number looks nothing like mine. The parts fiche shows a tubular (steel?) swingarm, but my bike has an aluminum swingarm of a rectangular cross-section. And this matches photos of stock/new '81 GS1100Es, so I'm guessing its correct/original. But digging through the parts fiche, I need to go to an '82 1100E to find a swingarm that looks like mine.

    So, bottom line... why does the parts fiche show my bike having a different swingarm than what (seemingly) was actually installed at the factory? Whats the story there? I think this is mainly an academic question, all the parts (bearings, spacers, seals, etc) are identical between the two years/styles. The only difference is the '82 (square aluminum) swingarm fiche doesn't show a washer used under the head of the swingarm bolt, just under the net (and the '81/tube swingarm shows a washer under both).

    #2
    The '81 GS1100E sitting in my garage has an aluminum swingarm. Pretty sure that is what was stock on that bike. Same swingarm that was on the '83 GS1100E I used to have, I believe. Parts drawings are not real exact and some get re-used from one model year to the next for some reason???
    Last edited by 1978GS750E; 12-01-2021, 10:21 PM.
    Ron
    When I die, just cremate me and put me in my GS tank. That way I can go through these carbs, one more time!
    1978 GS750E - November 2017 BOTM
    1978 GS1000C - May 2021 BOTM
    1982 GS1100E
    1999 Honda GL1500SE

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      #3
      Not sure what parts fiche you're looking at, so I checked my local dealer.
      It shows 2 rectangular aluminum swingarms
      1978 GS 1000 (since new)
      1979 GS 1000 (The Fridge, superbike replica project)
      1978 GS 1000 (parts)
      1981 GS 850 (anyone want a project?)
      1981 GPZ 550 (backroad screamer)
      1970 450 Mk IIID (THUMP!)
      2007 DRz 400S
      1999 ATK 490ES
      1994 DR 350SES

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        #4
        Cycle World called the '81 a "built-up box section aluminum" swing arm and I'm rather certain it is identical for '81, '82 and '83. Probably for 1980 as well.
        1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

        2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

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          #5
          Yep, all 16 valve 1100's had alum., even the L's". Quickest way to tell difference, at a glance, in the Gs750 16 V & a GS1100 16V, in those yrs. as all body parts were identical, was look at the swingarm, all the 750's had the steel.
          1983 GS1100E, 1983 CB1100F, 1991 GSX1100G, 1996 Kaw. ZL600 Eliminator, 1999 Bandit 1200S, 2005 Bandit 1200S, 2000 Kaw. ZRX 1100

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            #6
            I checked the parts fiches at Babbits/Suzuki Parts House, Partzilla, and CMSNL. All showed the '81 having a tubular swingarm, with a diff part number from the rect. aluminum they show for the 82.



            Shop online for OEM Rear Swinging Arm parts that fit your 1981 Suzuki GS1100E, search all our OEM Parts or call at (231)737-4542


            So I'm assuming mine has the one shown here (for the 82):

            Shop online for OEM Rear Swinging Arm parts that fit your 1982 Suzuki GS1100E, search all our OEM Parts or call at (231)737-4542


            Weird.

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              #7
              Originally posted by RocketScientist View Post
              I checked the parts fiches at Babbits/Suzuki Parts House, Partzilla, and CMSNL. All showed the '81 having a tubular swingarm, with a diff part number from the rect. aluminum they show for the 82.
              I really couldn't tell from the fiche foto that they were depicting a tubular swing for the '81. But if so, not so weird, just a mistake.
              1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

              2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

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                #8
                Are you SURE you have an '81? I ask that because mistakes are not uncommon when a title is issued. Some states will call a bike an '81 if it's sold in '81, regardless of when it was actually built. Can't go by the build date, either, because production of the '81 bikes started as early as August of 1980. Suzuki is also the master of "parts bin engineering", and also making up differences on the assembly lines. Maybe they ran out of aluminum swingers that day and had to borrow some from the 750 line?

                And, unless you are the original (and ONLY) owner, who knows what somebody has done.

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                  #9
                  As I recall: Every 16-valve 1100 had the built-up square section aluminum swingarm. This was a New Idea from Suzuki. No manufacturer had used a swingarm like that previously. The 16-valve 750s (and all smaller engines) used the round-tube steel swingarms.
                  Expecting the Spanish Inquisition
                  1981 GS850G: the Ratzuki
                  1981 GS1100E

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                    #10
                    It was also a reaction from Zuk to make the back end more like the track bikes where riders had been fitting beefy braced alloy rectangular tube swingarms for years.
                    ---- Dave
                    79 GS850N - Might be a trike soon.
                    80 GS850T Single HIF38 S.U. SH775, Tow bar, Pantera II. Gnarly workhorse & daily driver.
                    79 XS650SE - Pragmatic Ratter - goes better than a manky old twin should.
                    92 XJ900F - Fairly Stock, for now.

                    Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

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                      #11
                      I know the KZ guys have been adapting the GS swing arm to their motorcycles for years. Pushing the price up to $200+... I'll hang on to my stash a little bit longer. Unless someone really wants one... 👍
                      My Motorcycles:
                      22 Kawasaki Z900 RS (Candy Tone Blue)
                      22 BMW K1600GT (Probably been to a town near you)
                      82 1100e Drag Bike (needs race engine)
                      81 1100e Street Bike (with race engine)
                      79 1000e (all original)
                      82 850g (all original)
                      80 KZ 650F (needs restored)

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                        #12
                        Originally posted by zuluwiz View Post
                        As I recall: Every 16-valve 1100 had the built-up square section aluminum swingarm. This was a New Idea from Suzuki. No manufacturer had used a swingarm like that previously. The 16-valve 750s (and all smaller engines) used the round-tube steel swingarms.
                        The single year 1980 GS1100L was a chain drive 16 valve and had a round tubular steel swing arm. Dar

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                          #13
                          TeamDar, I sure thought I remembered the "80" GS1100LT had the alum. swingarm, I didn't trust your opinion. I looked at the photo gallery, on this site, & it sure looks like you are correct. No perfect pictures but they sure do look like they did have the older style steel tube swingarm. Thanks for bringing this out.
                          1983 GS1100E, 1983 CB1100F, 1991 GSX1100G, 1996 Kaw. ZL600 Eliminator, 1999 Bandit 1200S, 2005 Bandit 1200S, 2000 Kaw. ZRX 1100

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by TeamDar View Post
                            The single year 1980 GS1100L was a chain drive 16 valve and had a round tubular steel swing arm. Dar
                            These are the kind of details I love. I could sit and listen to details of every single option available on a '60's Corvette over and over.

                            Originally posted by rphillips View Post
                            TeamDar, I sure thought I remembered the "80" GS1100LT had the alum. swingarm, I didn't trust your opinion. I looked at the photo gallery, on this site, & it sure looks like you are correct. No perfect pictures but they sure do look like they did have the older style steel tube swingarm. Thanks for bringing this out.
                            Member Peppermint Patty would be a good source for info about that model. Though I know she's not riding it anymore, I think she might still own it.
                            1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

                            2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Short answer: the parts fishe image is wrong.
                              Ed

                              To measure is to know.

                              Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

                              Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

                              Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

                              KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

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