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1983 gs 1100 es

  • Thread starter Thread starter hammering hank
  • Start date Start date
H

hammering hank

Guest
Hi everybody, first post for me. Can anyone tell me how many clutch plates, both friction and metal , there are suppose to be . I was told this specific model had two additional friction , or drive plates and one metal plate from factory. Bottom line is I bought a new clutch kit from EBC, and cant figure out what to go with. Any help for a vintage guy with a vintage bike?, thanks in advance. It is a 1983 GS 1100 ES.
 
Thanks for the quick reply. New kit has 9 of each, but what got my attention was the 10 I took out, not counting the last, which looks good, and piano wire is in tact. I will check out the manual too, thanks again!
 
Get it fixed by the end of August and there will be a bunch of us visiting your area for a fun blast through some of your curvy roads in early September. Watch for details later as for the exact dates.

edit: and by the way, welcome to the forum. Sorry I can't answer your clutch question but I am sure there will be some good information coming your way --- soon.
 
Last edited:
83 1100E/ES came with 10 fibers and 9 steels from the factory.
the factory fiber are steel backed and chop up the basket.
i use only OEM plates from 80-86 1100/1150's except for the 83 plates by choice.
you'll start with a fiber and end with a fiber on the installation.

FYI
i know the 10 fibers in your model is factory and i think 9 steels is factory but i may be mistaken on the steels.
 
It's quite clear on the parts diagram:
https://www.onlinecycleparts.com/oemparts/a/suz/50d40421f8700230d8b4ecac/clutch

(If that link doesn't work for some reason, start here: https://www.onlinecycleparts.com/oemparts/c/suzuki_motorcycle_1983/parts )

10 drive plates ("fibers")
11 driven plates ("steels")

Note that there's a difference in the number of steel plates between the 1982 Z model and the 1983 D model. The springs and several other bits are different as well.


One thing I've found infesting a few bikes is a Barnett "extra plate" kit. These used thinner plates to end up with an extra pair, on the theory that you would then get 10 or 11% more friction. The downside is that they cause more wear (the thinner plates chew into the basket more) and there's more drag, often to the point that the clutch is nearly unusable on the street.

The other thing that's EXTREMELY common is for some doof to install heavier aftermarket springs in an attempt to cure a clutch slip. This leads to a much heavier clutch pull, and again adds to drag and makes the bike less usable.

If you're experiencing a slip and it hasn't gotten too bad yet and you haven't cooked the clutch, the best cure in most cases is simply new OEM springs. The original springs understandably sag just a bit over three decades. Order up new springs and a gasket, replace and be happy. There are also times when you might install three of the heavier aftermarket springs and three OEM to get a firmer grab if the bike is heavily modified.
 
10 and 10.
the 11th steel is held to the inner hub by a piano wire and is seldom removed.
83 1100E/ES and katana 1100 all have this set up from the factory.
the factory fiber ears looks like a piece of folded over sheet metal where as the after market Barnett fiber ears are flat sheet steel.
both chop on the basket.
 
bwringer said:
It's quite clear on the parts diagram:
https://www.onlinecycleparts.com/oemparts/a/suz/50d40421f8700230d8b4ecac/clutch

(If that link doesn't work for some reason, start here: https://www.onlinecycleparts.com/oemparts/c/suzuki_motorcycle_1983/parts )

10 drive plates ("fibers")
11 driven plates ("steels")

Note that there's a difference in the number of steel plates between the 1982 Z model and the 1983 D model. The springs and several other bits are different as well.


One thing I've found infesting a few bikes is a Barnett "extra plate" kit. These used thinner plates to end up with an extra pair, on the theory that you would then get 10 or 11% more friction. The downside is that they cause more wear (the thinner plates chew into the basket more) and there's more drag, often to the point that the clutch is nearly unusable on the street.

The other thing that's EXTREMELY common is for some doof to install heavier aftermarket springs in an attempt to cure a clutch slip. This leads to a much heavier clutch pull, and again adds to drag and makes the bike less usable.

If you're experiencing a slip and it hasn't gotten too bad yet and you haven't cooked the clutch, the best cure in most cases is simply new OEM springs. The original springs understandably sag just a bit over three decades. Order up new springs and a gasket, replace and be happy. There are also times when you might install three of the heavier aftermarket springs and three OEM to get a firmer grab if the bike is heavily modified.
Click to expand...

I was counting from the picture but I see that the count for the part numbers are 9 for the EZ and 10 for the ED.
 
What Bill just said is correct, 10 & 10. You also HAVE to pay attention to the shims & the amount of play in the basket, in & out movement. Also, as stated above, the extra plate kits DESTROY clutch hubs by GOUGING up the hub where the fiber plate tangs make contact. Lastly, heavier springs are REQUIRED if you make a decent amount of power with one to keep the clutch from slipping. If your hub is gouged up I have good cores in stock and build the heavy duty hubs with the thicker backing plate, heavier springs and press them together in a fixture and WELD the rivets.
Ray.
 
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