82' GS1100E rebuild

[wilsonsandy07]

Hey everyone, ive been in the forums for a while now but havent had much time to work on the bike so im just getting around to updating my progress.

1982 GS1100E 11k miles, weird custom paint job, definitely got some wear and tear but for the most part the bike was in ok shape. Made sure it fired up and ran for a while and could shift through gears and all that when i bought it off the guy for 1500.

It needed a few odds and end done when i got it home but i fired it up and was going to take it out, but it would die after about 1 minute of running. had to choke start, and if i took it off it would die, then it progressed into not starting at all.

So anyways long story short i pulled just about everything off and am currently doing full rebuild and parts verification. heres a list of things i have completed!

- Fork seal swap/service (oil, waiting on tool for air service, eventually plan on ditching and upgrading springs) fully installed
- Front wheel bearings
- Front brake bleed
- valve clearances set (just about every valve had no clearance, no damage as far as i could tell)
- New clutch plates and springs installed, fully serviced
- New clutch cable
- Oils all drained and reserviced
- Carbs torn apart, dipped in Berrymans overnight, scrubbed and cleaned and verified OEM, replaced a couple that needed it, waiting on a couple odds and ends bolts to reassemble and set to spec
- airbox/filter replaced
-brand new seals for every things from the airbox to the exhaust (still have to install most)

STILL TO DO
- full electrical clean up
- swap r/r (got a compufire unit already)
- Rear brake rebuild (master cylinder is seized)
- New chain install
- Carb reassemble/vacuum synch
- Re-tap all the valve cover threads and install

I have alot of parts on the way still that should be straightforward installs, but with how its been going so far, you never know. Every bolt on the carbs had to be drilled out, every set of threads on the cylinder head that attaches the valve cover is going to have to be cleaned up and re tapped due to previous owner nonsense, the retainer bolt on the forks that hold the inner rod had to be extracted, and none of these parts were rusty or stripped to begin with, i think its just most of them havent been removed since the 80s! Looking back on it i think a bit of heat mightve helped me out in some of these cases, but oh well.

Been a ton of super useful info on the forum and its been a huge help, thanks to everyone! PS, this is the only pic i saved on my phone ill update as i get stuff done

 

[slayer61]

Well done SIr. I'm a fan of the 1100es. Thanks for saving another one.

 

[wilsonsandy07]

UPDATE

Alright, here's where she's at.

DONE
- Fork seal swap/service
- Front wheel bearings
- Front brake bleed
- valve clearances set
- New clutch plates and springs installed
- New clutch cable
- Oils all drained and reserviced
- Carbs dipped/and reinstalled and bench/vacuum synched
- airbox resealed
- brand new seals for everything from the airbox to the exhaust
- Compu fire r/r
- rebuild rear brake system
- new chain installed
- cleaned up a lot of the electrical with weatherproof connectors or new terminals.
- new clutch hub nut
-

WOULD LIKE TO DO
- replace clutch basket springs (on back on primary gear) with HD, springs are loose
- find a new fuel level unit
- find decent 4-2 exhaust, bike has 4-1 on it that blocks center stand and makes mx a PIA
- new tires
- find a wind fairing, most of daily drive is highway lol
- find a new rear panel, most of the mount brackets are broken off and make the body lines not perfectly line up
- de rust frame, won't be doing that until i get a backup bike so im not forced to not ride

Still have a lot of beautifications to do, would love to replace a lot of the bike with stock parts that are new or in way better shape but just dont have the cash for it right now. Should be able to take it for a test run sometime this week and work out anymore issues that show themselves it needs the dust knocked off real bad

 

[Rob S.]

I have the same bike (minus goofy paint). Is it just the photo, or is something funny about front fender?

 

[wilsonsandy07]

I have the same bike (minus goofy paint). Is it just the photo, or is something funny about front fender?

I think you’re just seeing the top of a gas can in the back kind of blending in

 

[Rob S.]

Okay, thanks. See it now.

 

[wilsonsandy07]

finally got her running good enough to ride, shes heavy but smooth on the road. still a little rough on idle for sure.

 

[rphillips]

Nice looking bike. I'm sure a little rough idle will soon be dealt with. I like cheep, run a full tank of gas with a heavy dose of seafoam through it, if it fixes it you're good to go, if it don't help you're out appx. $6 bucks, then go farther... Yep, heavy compared to today's bikes, not so heavy 40+ yrs. ago, be glad it doesn't feel like an old Yamaha XS1100. You've did good, keep it up.

 

[wilsonsandy07]

thanks, forum was a lifesaver for sure!

 

[wilsonsandy07]

UPDATE

After a close call with some nasty tank slap at about 100mph i looked into tires/suspension, turns out I was running 20+ year old tires lol so I got some bt46s

new tires feel solid, and plan on blocking off air assist/throwing in some progressive springs.

running balance beads instead of wheel weights, the bike feels great balance wise but my suspension needs some help for sure. Bumps hit pretty hard, she’s definetly not as smooth of a ride as it could be.


Idle is smooth nOw after messing with boots and clamps

 

[Rob S.]

...plan on blocking off air assist/throwing in some progressive springs.

Many go with straight rate fork springs (I did). I got mine from Race Tech; I think Sonic is the name of another supplier.

 

[wilsonsandy07]

had a run in with some brittle connectors on my coils, easy fix and shes back up and running, just looking for an oil cooler/lines. still dailying just dont love how hot it gets.

updated pics