GS1000E or GS1100G? Opinions please

[Steve]

I owned both 1000 chain dr.'s & a 1000 shaft dr. For me the chain or shaft wasn't a problem. The extra appx. 50lbs., of the shaft dr., made the "G" noticeably less agile. Just my opinion

I guess it's rather obvious that I am not concerned with agility.

First, I start with an 850G, which is already 15 pounds heavier than a 1000G, then I add another 75 pounds or so of saddlebags, trunk and fairing, not to mention a few other farkles.

While I do enjoy strips of pavement that require "constant course corrections", I am not one to go dragging hardware in the corners with wild abandon. To measure my progress through such a section of road requires something quicker than a calendar, but I certainly don't need the second hand on a stopwatch, let alone the 1/10 second accuracy.

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[bwringer]

Shafties handle pretty OK...

 

[rphillips]

Hey Fireball, What is your first bike? How aggressive do you want to be with your second bike. Like Steve, these days, if I scrape a peg, I did it on an accident. I now own a few bikes, a "91" GSX1100G very comfortable, to ride, but the heaviest, of my bikes, less fun to sling around. I also have both an "83" CB1100F & "83" GS1100E. Those are noticeably lighter & more fun on twisty rds., just cause they're easier & more comfortable to flop back & forth in curves. I also have a couple of 1200 Bandits, "98" & "05" the "98" feels quite a bit lighter than the "05", but both are lighter feeling & fun to sling thru the twisties than the old "83" bikes. Then there's my "2000" Kaw. ZRX 1100, no doubt the funnest bike I own to ride on crooked rds. Now back to your choices, 1000E appx 90 HP. & 498 lbs, nice bike. FJ1100 appx. 120 HP, 500 lbs. + 4 yr. newer suspension technology & much "sportier" (crotch rockety) looks, but kind'f known for transmission (2nd gear) problems. I've never been around an FJ nor a Beemer. Decisions, decisions. Good luck.

 

[Grimly]

Here, here!

That's what we said about the very first Goldwings. Too smooth, too powerful, feels like a car.

How svelte that first Wing looks compared to it's modern counterparts! No fairing, no bags, no passenger arm rests...practically a sportbike. But in '75, Honda's real Superbike was still the CB750 Four. Now if only there were no Kawasaki 900s...Grrr!

Honda were pitching the original GW as a semi-sports cruiser, simply because of the effortless power and low centre of gravity that engine delivered. It took thousands of Vetter owners to make Honda realise they'd invented a new category of motorcycle. Previous factory efforts (from all comers) had been woefully lacking and usually unreliable dogs you wouldn't want to go touring on.

 

[salty_monk]

The 1000E should be more fun and "racier". The throttle will be heavier & it's a more "direct" feel (probably because you're actually pulling the slides in the carbs). The later carb deals better with elevation changes. Either can be run with pods, my 1000G had both pods & airbox at different stages but I would say the pods made very little difference & I preferred it with the airbox.

I haven't ridden my 1100G yet...

 

[Steve]

Honda were pitching the original GW as a semi-sports cruiser, simply because of the effortless power and low centre of gravity that engine delivered.

I had heard that it was being pushed as an all-out superbike, as it was the first "full" liter bike from Japan.

Previous to that, I think the largest bike was Kawasaki's 903cc Z1.

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[Steve]

The throttle will be heavier & it's a more "direct" feel (probably because you're actually pulling the slides in the carbs).

What's the difference between pulling the slides in the carbs and twisting the butterflies open? :-k

They are both about as "direct" as you can get, but the biggest difference is that when you are at less-than-optimal engine speeds and suddenly open the butterflies on the CV-type carbs, it actually starts to accelerate, not fall flat on its face. An accelerator pump would prevent that, but the only GS that has one is the 450GA.

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[salty_monk]

I always felt that the later carbs are more user friendly. Certainly lighter on the wrist & more able to compensate for lack of finesse

 

[Fireball]

Hey Fireball, What is your first bike? How aggressive do you want to be with your second bike. Like Steve, these days, if I scrape a peg, I did it on an accident. I now own a few bikes, a "91" GSX1100G very comfortable, to ride, but the heaviest, of my bikes, less fun to sling around. I also have both an "83" CB1100F & "83" GS1100E. Those are noticeably lighter & more fun on twisty rds., just cause they're easier & more comfortable to flop back & forth in curves. I also have a couple of 1200 Bandits, "98" & "05" the "98" feels quite a bit lighter than the "05", but both are lighter feeling & fun to sling thru the twisties than the old "83" bikes. Then there's my "2000" Kaw. ZRX 1100, no doubt the funnest bike I own to ride on crooked rds. Now back to your choices, 1000E appx 90 HP. & 498 lbs, nice bike. FJ1100 appx. 120 HP, 500 lbs. + 4 yr. newer suspension technology & much "sportier" (crotch rockety) looks, but kind'f known for transmission (2nd gear) problems. I've never been around an FJ nor a Beemer. Decisions, decisions. Good luck.

my current bike is an ?03 Victory V92c. I?ve had different bikes in the past, and have mostly given up on sport bikes. My aggressive edge has dimmed now that I?m in my 40?s and have been down three times. I do long trips hence the cruiser. Rode a Vulcan 1500 out to Sturgis, then to Glacier National Park. Took same bike out to Sturgis again the next year and then did bear tooth to Yellowstone, then back across Rockies at Independence pass. Got remarried, traded the Vulcan for an 83 Kawasaki 1100 Ltd. That was a huge mistake. I did not do a thorough inspection, ended up getting a Frankenbike and one day it died on the way home. Dead ground. Started tracing the wiring and let?s just say the bike was pieced together from several bike with duct tape on wire splices etc. Then I got a ?91 Venture that a got taken out by a driver who, upon being asked ?DID YOU NOT SEE ME?!? Said ?no? thankfully I saw them and had already headed for the median, so I was okay, bike not so much. Found this Victory for a screaming good deal. I?m rather fond of the big Vic. It handles well for a big cruiser and revs well too. Very unHarley-ish. So I?m looking for a big UJM that handles decent. I?m a big guy. Fat, yes, but also just big. Like a defensive lineman gone soft. Anything to small it looks ridiculous when I?m riding it. ?Fat man on little motorcycle?!!!! Lol!

I am doing research exhaustively as I can. I like this board. Y?all have given good advice to riders in the past, even recommending against a big GS to someone who it did not suit. So after searching a lot here I figured I?d ask. I actually have found a very nice GPZ1100 that is customized just like I would do. I?m about a week to two from pulling the trigger on something. Just want to get a good one.

 

[rphillips]

Hey man, tell us more about the GPZ1100, heck this is a discussion area. those GPZ's have been talked about in a couple of threads, within the past week, in the For sale-road ready bikes, section. Are you talking GPZ1100, as in orig. "81" or "82" models, or the later models, with the better newer technology stuff.

 

[Fireball]

Hey man, tell us more about the GPZ1100, heck this is a discussion area. those GPZ's have been talked about in a couple of threads, within the past week, in the For sale-road ready bikes, section. Are you talking GPZ1100, as in orig. "81" or "82" models, or the later models, with the better newer technology stuff.

its an 83 GPz1100. The model that had the Unitrack. It?s had the fuel injection replaced with a bank of cv carbs from a kz1000. It is being sold by Atlanta Motorcycle Works, a vintage repair shop that I?ve used and they do really high quality repairs and custom builds. They?re asking 1750 for the bike. Which is what I?m planning on offering the ?79 GS1000. My order of interest is ?79 GS1000, the GPz, and then the GS1100G. The plan is to check them all out and get the one I like most. I?m just super excited to be able to get a second bike!!!

 

[jimfj]

It is good to see that these bikes are still being coveted.

I'm partial to the 1100G. Had an 850 and now the 82 1100. I'm not dragging anything in corners, but if you want a bike that is as reliable as a stone hammer the 1100G is it. I replaced my splines with no issues. I have an airbox and the only mod is the K@N filter which make the bike about 15 MPH faster.....
Once you get the carbs good and clean and adjusted, they seem to stay that way. I personally like not having to deal with a chain.

My .02 cent.....enjoy!

 

[ddaniels]

I've had both chain and shaft drive bikes and, frankly, could not tell much if any difference in handling charactersitics.

 

[alke46]

I would think the handling has more to do with the rider than the ride. A well skilled rider can make nearly any bike look as though it handles great.

 

[Baatfam]

Still say get the K75...