78 GS1000 left for dead

[busa1300]

Randy, you and your bike have done a great job representing the GS marque.

Thanks
Have been putting the miles on it, and am doing a vintage ride tomorrow, that will add another 250 miles to the clock.....
.......a bit nervous, but it's held up great so far.
http://www.gilmorecarmuseum.org/event/vintage-motorcycle-ride/
Have only rode my CBX about 10 miles so far this year just to keep everything working....have you been on yours much this year?

 

[steve murdoch]

Only been on the '79 about 10 times.
The naked '81 needs about 2 hours of electrical work that i keep putting aside.
Our big Vintage show/swap meet is next weekend but it is only about 90 minutes away.

 

[smithy09]

Great project mate. I love your garage full of bikes. Very nice. I did a similar project a few years ago and ended up racing the bike. That was the start of a long journey with GS 1000s!! Love these bikes. Now I have a bog standard GS 1000S and a race bike in bits. I must rebuild the race bike soon!!



It ended up being something quite different! When I figure out how to post multiple photos, I'll show you what I mean!!

 

[busa1300]

Thanks
I built the GS up because I had wanted it to fit within vintage racing rules....although track days would be the limit as the engine is pretty standard for racing.
I have some two strokes if I really want to burn up some tires on the track....much easier to throw around a stroker than the GS for this old guy. :lol:

 

[smithy09]

Hahaha. Yes indeed. I haven't raced her since 2009, but I would really like to have another shot at it. They are big old beasts to wrestle around the track, even when lightened to 180kg. I managed to get 150hp at the back wheel out of the old girl though, with a lot of help from Buzz at Dynoman.com who is a treasure of knowledge for making these old girls get up and boogie. Photo of the race bike below:

 

[busa1300]

Beautiful bike, I like the forward mounted shock frame/swingarm changes. I went with 18 inch wheels as many vintage classes expect them along with 2 piston front calipers.
Although 17's and 4 piston calipers would obviously be better....Been on the lookout for a set of Spondon twin piston units, already have a set of 3 Lockheed twin piston calipers for my other GS.

 

[smithy09]

Thanks Busa. We are only allowed period brakes, so no 4-pots, only 2 pot Brembos or Lockheeds. The shock position was copied off Pops Yoshimura's bikes and really worked well. You have to have a strong right hand though!! The swingarm is standard GSX1100, just with the shock locators welded on. Forks have new internals and were extended 40mm to make up for the 17" wheels. It handles really well.

 

[busa1300]

Just had to throw this out there....
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics magazine June 2017

 

[chuck hahn]

Top of that skunk tank looks about what mine does right now. Gonna be a lot of sanding and skim coating with Bondo to straighten it out. No dents in mine...just the tree sap it was under at one point of its abuse has done its dirty deed.

 

[busa1300]

I sold my 72 GT750J over a month ago. I loved riding the old thing, but it needed attention I knew I would never end up giving it.
And the money will be reinvested into another bike soon...but do I need more, I started thinking..???
I looked at my Katana somewhat neglected since I redid the chain, swingarm and wheel bearings on it about 5 years ago.
Cobwebs and two stroke mist covering most of it's external parts....should it go to a better home also...???
So I powerwashed it and cleaned it better than it has been in probably 15 years. Got it running and took it out for a 10 mile blast.
Parked it back at the garage, and decided I could never sell this bike after looking at it for about an hour.
It will always be one of my very first dreambikes....(I graduated in 1981)
I've owned it for well over 30 years, no point in giving up now

 

[steve murdoch]

You have been quiet lately....what have you been wrenching on?
Your Kat is beautiful.

 

[busa1300]

Thanks...

I finished my 96 RGV in June of this year, and about 8 days after I first fired it up, I closed on a new place to live.
So, from that point on I was arranging to get stuff moved, moving and boxing stuff, and all the other things that are such a pain in the ass about moving.
As well as having to move every single item out of my old garage into my new on.....for months...
Then I had to get my old house ready to sell...
After that My son had a daughter that was born and my wife had a daughter who had a son born.... which meant babysitting all their other kids at various times.
Basically I have done nothing useful in the garage since getting everything in a organized spot where I can find tools when I need.
When moving, I realized I had too much crap, so it was time for some stuff to go....somewhere else.
Which is why I sold the GT750J...(only to help finance a future RG500 though )
And I thought maybe the Kat should go too.....

I have done one useful thing though and wired up the Zeel ignition for my VJ23 and got it running. Still need a dyno to get it dialed in better.
But it seriously screams at redline now, like nothing I've had before. I can't wait to get the rest of the powercurve right.

My new hideout.... http://www.customfighters.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=1212&pictureid=34002

 

[Guest]

Talk about a teaser.......no picture.

 

[busa1300]

The pic of the garage is NOT showing up?

 

[steve murdoch]

Can't see it, Randy.
Your new shop will have to go along way to top your last one.

 

[busa1300]

 

[Fjbj40]

You need more room.......

 

[Guest]

That's your old garage right?.......because that one looks like someone's been living in there for 20 years.

 

[busa1300]

Definitely could/would use more room in the garage...not an option at the moment though. Just need to be more efficient with the space I have.
It is the new garage....It took a couple months of moving and arranging to get everything in there in a remotely organized fashion...
More organized, but it seems like I have less room now that I can find everything....

 

[dorkburger]

Dodge Coronet grille above the tires?