GS1100ES project just getting started in Upstate NY

[fastfrank]

So, I'm a newbie here, but a longtime rider / wrencher. I moved my third-hand custom-ish GS1100ES out here to the Utica NY area from the San Diego area (yeah, I've heard it all - the doctor said he was scheduling me for a psych eval) over 13 years ago, and it has been sitting idle ever since. It had stopped running maybe a year before the move, due to electrical issues, which of course, turned out to be a bad stator (amazingly the R/R is still fine, but I'm replacing it anyway). The bike had been stretched and lowered, with PM brakes, Corbin seat, and I'm not even sure what all was done, honestly, but it pulled like a train when I twisted it. I had an early Hayabusa at the time, and I swore that the GS pulled harder. Maybe it was just the ergonomics and lack of aerodynamics giving me that impression, but it could be a beast. It was quite streetable, though, when not twisting too far.

Anyway, I'm going to finally get her back on the road, after close to 15 years of not running. I have some Progressive shocks and fork springs to raise it back up to save my back, and the new stator and R/R, and I don't even remember what else I've bought. OH - I'm not convinced that the current huge eyesore of a gauge cluster is the original type - I've seen pics of other ES bikes with a smaller curved trapezoid thing - please tell me if this is right. I want to replace it with something more minimalist, anyway.

Here are a couple of pics to document the "before" state, after moving other bikes and stuff to get to it in the garage again today. Still dusty, probably some rust forming, etc.



Looks like a limit of one image per post, so a couple more coming...

 

[fastfrank]

The Performance Machine front brakes:

 

[fastfrank]

The big instrument cluster-in-question:

 

[fastfrank]

And the Mikuni (VM33 smooth bores?) carbs, which were in fine fettle before sitting for years:

 

[dorkburger]

Hey Frank. Welcome.
That is definitely an 1100e cluster. You are correct about the trapezoidal ES cluster. The ES cluster also has an electronic tachometer not the cable driven one that the E does.
Good luck with the project. A cool one at that.

 

[fastfrank]

Thanks - that's what I thought. I'm guessing it is relatively difficult to find the correct cluster?

 

[fastfrank]

Thanks - that's what I thought. I'm guessing it is relatively difficult to find the correct cluster?

 

[Rob S.]

That cluster is worth money. I replaced my almost identical one just to get the 140 speedo.

 

[fastfrank]

Ah - I wonder if the 140 MPH reading was why this was changed? What was the max reading on the stock ES?

 

[Rob S.]

Well, it's an '83 so it was probably 140. 1982 was the hated 85.

 

[Guest]

If you’re wanting an original cluster or body parts there is a guy in Ontario with some for sale on Kijiji.

 

[fastfrank]

If you?re wanting an original cluster or body parts there is a guy in Ontario with some for sale on Kijiji.

Thanks - I didn?t know about Kijiji, but I can?t seem to find it there with searches - would you have a link?

 

[Grimly]

Here are a couple of pics to document the "before" state, after moving other bikes and stuff to get to it in the garage again today. Still dusty, probably some rust forming, etc.

View attachment 57837

Looks like a limit of one image per post, so a couple more coming...

If that's been sitting for over a decade with the stator cover off, and there's even rust on the rotor, keep your fingers crossed the crankcase hasn't had
an ingress of water vapour over the years and rusted the bearings. Happened to one of mine.

 

[fastfrank]

Grimly - thanks for the heads-up on the bearings...
I think the cover has been off for under 2 years, and it had a rag over it for some of that time... not exactly ideal storage.
We have a lot of humidity here. I’ll drain everything as well as I can, get some fresh oil, turn it over manually a few times.
I may get an inspection camera in there. I’ll get the rust off there without getting it in the gears (hopefully).
I appreciate the input.

 

[Grimly]

Also drop the oil pan and inspect the pick-up pipe strainer. These get looked at once in a blue moon and my current engine would have terminally destructed if I hadn't checked that.

 

[fastfrank]

Also drop the oil pan and inspect the pick-up pipe strainer. These get looked at once in a blue moon and my current engine would have terminally destructed if I hadn't checked that.

Thanks - I wouldn?t have thought of the oil pickup. I?ll check it. Great advice.

 

[Guest]

Thanks - I didn’t know about Kijiji, but I can’t seem to find it there with searches - would you have a link?

The guy gave some weird replies to some questions and took the ad down. If you are in need of a dash though I might have a connection, PM me if you need one.

 

[fastfrank]

I'm happy to see that someone is still making windshields for these - just ordered a replacement for the smoke one that I cracked while it was sitting in the garage.

 

[fastfrank]

I may not swap the instrument cluster right away (more interested in getting it running again first), but I'd be real curious to find out how much it would run me, and maybe, who knows. There isn't anything wrong with the current instruments, I guess, but it always struck me as overly big and always in my sight. Those Katana clusters look pretty good, too. I'm going toward more original than not on this bike, like especially getting it raised back up and more comfortable (I don't drag race), getting the Corbin seat recovered, etc. Hoping that the carbs aren't too gummed up, since I've never played with VM33 before - they sure ran sweet before it started sitting in the garage.

 

[fastfrank]

A little progress today -

Got the VM33 carbs off, and took the caps & float bowls off. 2 looked great, 2 looked reasonably bad, with the floats not moving right, and #2 was pretty gunked up. Got the #2 main jet cleaned out, the others weren't bad. Then I realized that the throttle shaft wasn't moving, its frozen. Got some cleaner, penetrating oil going, and we'll see it starts moving. These VM carbs seem pretty easy to work on, looks like you can swap jets through the bottom plugs pretty easily. Anyway, more work to come on the carbs.

I sprayed some penetrating oil into the cylinders today (made sure there was oil) and turned the motor over by hand a half dozen times, and it started feeling pretty encouraging. I still need to drop the pan and check the oil strainer and have a look around, and I still need to get going on my electrical problems - finish installing the stator, and I'm reworking the electrics a bit with a new fuse box and some terminal strips and relays, and a good star ground. You guys had some great ideas in the papers on the relay mods, btw.

At least I know better what I'm up against now, and making slow progress.