Aus spec GS1000ST

[tfb]

Great motorcycles there, Keith!
All your mods to the GS make sense to me.
I put an oil cooler on mine to help the oil do its job and so increase engine longevity... prevention is always far cheaper than cure, eh.
Ditto the braided lines. I replaced mine because I could actually feel the old brake lines swell when the brake lever was applied! Very hard to trust a set of lines like that.

As to the chrome pieces over the edge of the air box, nope not painted, they're wrapped in plastic and in storage.

I was actually referring to your indicators, hadn't noticed the missing chrome from the sides of the airbox!
Thanks for sharing mate.
Mike.

 

[hampshirehog]

Guys, my twopennorth.

The UK SNs and STs were definitely parts bin specials - what Mr Suzuki had in his factory he put on. That was further muddled by the dealers and importers eg we got mainly blue SNs and some dealers cross-dressed them with red ST bodywork to make them look like the latest model - Heron was in on this as well I suspect as my old boss sent quite a bit of bodywork back for swapping.

I had thought until very recently that the VM30 equipped STs were 'down-under' bikes only. I now think I've found out that some did make it to the UK (or at least the carbs did) - and from new, not recent imports.

For example of some SN / ST / E mixed parts, all original as supplied:

78 black airboxes on SNs (normally chrome sides).
SN (long) pipes on STs (shorter).
The screwdriver prime fuel tap on bothe models.
Full SN instrument panel on STs; STs also fitted with E instruments and a sort of halfway between design.
SN indicators (round chrome) fitted to STs (square black).
17" and 18" rear wheels (I think this was a European rather than UK thing).

The only definitive that I can absolutely pin down is the rear sets fitted to the STs - as far as I know they were the only bike to get them. Someone now tell me I'm wrong and they've got a SN or an E with standard rearsets!

 

[neilaction]

The UK SNs and STs were definitely parts bin specials -

Interesting what you say about a "parts bin special".

I have always wondered just how likely that Suzuki made the short mufflers only for the Aus spec ST.
Surely it was used on another bike?

Then I found this on ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280315425534&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&viewitem=

Which looks like its off this 1980 GSX1100e.

Could they be the same as the what was fitted to the Aus ST?
Or close enough if you get my drift?
(the muffler part numbers are different)

I didn't end up taking the chance as they would have cost me over $A1600.

Just thinking out aloud here.

Any thoughts?

 

[salty_monk]

They look like the GL mufflers to me... Maybe off a 1000L?

Dan

 

[Nessism]

Those are 16V 1100 mufflers. Totally different from the 8V 1000 mufflers of any variety.

 

[tfb]

So this is a nice little pickle that's emerging, IMO. In the quest for 'originality', then, we face two questions:
1. What was the original equipment for my specific market?
2. What was the original equipment for my specific motorcycle?

Add to that, the doubt about most of our motorcycles 29 years down the track: how do we know the various bits on our motorcycles (grabrails, carbies, camshafts & sprockets, airboxes, and so on) are 'original' in either sense of the word? Really?

I guess it's easy to feel sure of our own views on these questions -- both specifically for the motorcycles we own, and for our own market in general -- but I know for myself a lot of the questions I had settled in my own mind re. the Australian market, are now much more 'up for grabs' again.

Things may well get cloudier before they get clearer!

So for the sake of the conversation here, may I suggest we form three categories:
1. Features which are common to ST's across all markets -- eg. the slotted discs, and the gold&silver wheels.
2. Features which are specific to the Australian ST market -- eg. the simpler instrumentation.
3. Features which are variable within the Australian ST market -- possible eg. being the cam sprocket combinations.

How does that sound for a framework for moving ahead on these questions? Maybe someone can improve upon the logic of the categories I've attempted there.

Cheers,
Mike.

 

[sharpy]

So what has the yank model ST instruments have that the aussie version lacks? i know my bike is as it comes from the factory as my boss at the time brought it new then added m the trick bits. Some people say there is suppose to be a "suzuki" across the rear of the seat. I just think thats funny. Here is a link to some of the pics of my bike and stuff....

http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/p55/sharpywheelie/?start=all


Yes i know there are snakes in there. (bloody windging kiwis)

 

[neilaction]

I am quite confident at to what was stock on a Aus spec ST.
I had one in 82 that had only 1 mod done. 4 into 1 exhaust.
2 of my friends bought them new and 3 other friends bought one second hand but all around 81 and 82.
2 of those guys I still see regularly and we are in agreement as to what an Aus ST is.
At least from a cosmetic point of view.
The only thing I am unsure about is the grab rail.
It certainly wasn't fitted to any of the 6 bikes around back then.
I may have been an option.

I will see if I can dig up photos of those bikes.
Somewhere there is a picture of 4 all together.

My memory of that time was that we "knew" the Aus ST was, from a performance point of view, a higher spec than what was sold in other markets.
Now, we were young and impressionable so we of course liked to believe that we had a "superior" bike. ,even if it wasn't true!
More agressive cams, bigger carbs and an exhaust system to match.
But my research now tells me that we were more right than wrong.
The stock Aus ST was a higher performance version.

It seems that the bikes uniqueness is the problem now.
Parts are like rocking horse s*#t.

I may have to re-evaluate just how "stock" I can make this bike.

Heh, tfb, I took the bike into a shop today to get an idea on the cost of painting etc.
He was most impressed in the condition of the bike.

 

[Nessism]

So what has the yank model ST instruments have that the aussie version lacks? i know my bike is as it comes from the factory as my boss at the time brought it new then added m the trick bits. Some people say there is suppose to be a "suzuki" across the rear of the seat. I just think thats funny. Here is a link to some of the pics of my bike and stuff....

http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/p55/sharpywheelie/?start=all


Yes i know there are snakes in there. (bloody windging kiwis)

The PO changed the speedo (should be 85 mph version), otherwise this is a photo from a US spec ST.

 

[hp1000s]

Ness,
That dash is just like my US SN, except that my bike has the clock shut-off swith on a bracket under dash(out of view), and the corresponding dash hole has a block-off plug in it; looks like we're raising more questions than answers. Also, FWIW, my seat says Suzuki across the back.
Hugh

 

[hampshirehog]

Ed's dash is also standard UK SN spec - the switch for the clock could also be mounted 'in view' by popping out the little black plug (easier to switch on / off for both the owner plus mischief makers so you made the choice).

This dash also came as standard on some UK STs though some got a very similar dash, but without the wings that filled up the fairing. Some (most?)UK STs also got standard E clocks.

As far as I know all UK SNs got the long pipes and so did some of the STs, though most STs, I think, got the shorter pipes as per the Oz spec. I don't know of any other GS model that got the short pipes but it might be worth checking out a US spec L.

I can't recall seeing a UK S (of either year) in standard spec without the grab rail - maybe the Japs thought we ought to look after our girlfriends more than those 'treat 'em rough, keep 'em keen' Australians.

The other popular misconception over here is that all SNs were blue; almost true except for the red ones! However, I'm pretty sure that all STs were red and we didn't get any other colour. However, there were at least 3 variations on the red paint scheme - 1 as per the UK blue SN, 1 as per the Ozzie design and 1 that had a tank very similar to the early 70s red/white smaller GT bikes (250 /380) European (non UK) spec.

Mike - in answer to your suggestion that we break things down in to categories, it's worth a go but I'm not so sure it'll work. One more to toss in to the equation - the STs all had slotted discs but we had 2 types of front caliper. Outwardly almost identical but the sliders were different (1 piece and 2 piece set ups).

Also if I remember correctly, the SN had its own range of frame numbers whereas the ST was mixed in with the ET range. You therefore can't fake a SN (frame no. would give it away) and you can't fake an ST (rear sets).

 

[tfb]

Yep, I'd call that an 'SN' dash here in Oz. The SN I used to have years ago, had a blanking plug on the RHS of the dash there, too; no on-off switch that I could see. From memory the clock just went all the time, but being a low power quartz item it never worried the battery in the slightest.

Neil, I'm stoked that the paintshop bloked approved of the overall condition of the bike! It will be glorious when you get that paint freshened up. Like I said, when it comes to cosmetics I just don't seem to have what it takes.

Anyways, still got a moderate list of things to do to the Katana. Not least of which involves stripping the bike down and getting the frame sand-blasted and repainted, and the engine cleaned-up and painted with hi-temp silver paint, too.

hampshirehog, I read your post with a lot of interest. Seems like the 'parts bin special' scenario was what happened in so many cases.

And while I think of it, I might as well add the ST I just sold Neil is meant to have a 'Suzuki' decal on the tailpiece, and not the simpler 'S'. Because even though the decal has long peeled away, the 'shadow' remains on the paint.