GS1100GL how much ZOOM?

[nert]

When our GS1100GLz 82' 8 valve bikes are stock, but tuned as good as they can be. How do they compare to whats on the street today. Like; acceleration, top speed, handling. These things are over 20 years old and a hoot to have, but am i like runing an Edsel against a Corvette? Should i trade it in and just get a vs1000, or Honda 919, or ?? (I like "naked" form bikes.) What can i dance around and what can dance around me. All driving skills being equal that is? I don't drive hard (much) but would like to know if i can sit in the saddle proud. I love the looks of the bike and with 12k on the clock it turns heads. But if push comes to bet i sure would like to know i can kick some ass.
thanks

 

[shaftzuki]

Re: GS1100GL how much ZOOM?

but would like to know if i can sit in the saddle proud.

Your riding a 20+ year old classic. It's in a totally different category than anything modern and should be treated as such - Of course you should be proud - you didn't spend $12,000 on some cloned rolling plastic. 8)

 

[Anonymous]

I had four GS850's from 1986 through 1999, and now a GS1100GK. The 850 kicks enough ass. The 1100 kicks even more, but only at the top end. It's not as high strung as the 850's at interstate speeds over 80.

Get yourself a modern sport bike if you wish. It's got better acceleration, better brakes, better top end, better handling in the bumpy twisties -- all because it's newer and has newer technology and tolerances.

Yet the GS1100G is one of the most capable road bikes ever made, whether you want to kick butt or just cruise. Any modern bike will dance around you when ridden by a capable rider.

With a capable rider on a GS1100GL, he'll dance around a helluva lot of people. It isn't the machine, but the rider.

Just enjoy the 1100 for what it is -- an extremely capable motorcycle, with good manners and reliability. Don't try to turn it into what it isn't. Just ride it, fast or slow, and enjoy it without worrying about the "other" bike.

If you're obsessed by the "other" bike, then just get rid of the 1100. Someone on this forum will be glad to take it off your hands, someone who may appreciate it for what it is and does.

So, don't worry -- be happy!

Nick

 

[Hoomgar]

Truer words have not been spoken.

I have a 26+ year old 1000cc and the modern bikes beat it hands down when both are pushed to the limit so there is no compitition there. But when racing around riding and even pushing hard they find that I am like a pesty fly on a hot summer day, everythime they think they have swatted me away they look and I am still there. Not ahead of them, but still there. hard to shake and wont break baby Now that's saying something for 26 year old technology. And it's a claim the GS can live up to.

Good enough for me. If I want to be top dog I'd buy a Busa and be done with it.

 

[robinjo]

I have a little comparison for you...

My stock '81 Katana 1100 16 valve gets its @$$ kicked in acceleration by a 600cc Yamaha R6, yet I don't desire the modern bike because I see a few dozen of the same bikes on a sunny day. Our bikes represent a certain time in biking history where they were very good and are special because of that plus you don't see them much any more.

 

[Hoomgar]

True that!



side note on that first part... my next door neighbor has a 199? Honda 600 R or RR?
Not sure which, don't follow Honda's. It's the hyper fast racer one. Red with gumball tires on it. Maybe my bike runs special, maybe he isn't a great rider or who knows what else but it doesn't kick my a$$ Robin. He beats me everytime we crunch on it. But it is far from an a$$ kickin. He is one of the people I was reffering to in other threads that is astounded by how well that old iron of mine can keep up. I am sure it could be just him not doing all that the bike can do. But I don't know. I keep up nicely to mid bore modern bikes. It's the big boys that make me do my catching up at the next traffic light

 

[Anonymous]

hey;

Don't want to start trouble but i also own a (cough, cough)green machine. it is a standard and their is no comparison in a roll on between my somewhat modified kat1100 and this zrx1200(ok i said it please don't kick me off the board) kawasaki. You can get a 1200 otd for 6500 new.

For a standard the midrange is awesome. Even better than my 83 1100 we all used to call king kong. So comparing a 20 yr old machine in accelaration is moot but the handling is something else. I find i can toss my kat around easier than the 1200. so in the twisties the kat rules. but on the straits look out kat.

 

[SqDancerLynn1]

It boils down to what you want your bike to do. If you want to be a street racer type get a plastic bike and prepare to be reamed by your insurance Co. If you just want to have fun Any of the GS bikes will do it for hours on end without any protesting. I love My GS850 it's not the cleanest, but it is very decient, most people that see it cannot believe it is 24 years old. I can remember drooling over them when they were new.

 

[Hoomgar]

They are sweet arn't they?
In my current state of mind I am more interested in restoring my GS than I have ever been about any bike or bike project before. I can't wait to get it finished and ride it back and forth to work every day again. Winter just started and it is getting old already. I need a quick burn but my backup bike is down as well

 

[nert]

I love the bike really! And the closer the stock i can keep it the happier i am. Hell, i still have my first car (1957 Chevy Belair 2 door hardtop 283, 4 bbl power pack) it was just a "car" when i bought it. dime a dozen. Vintage suits me fine, i still have the same wife too after 30 years. Just want to know what it can do. Gave up my first bike tho, 68 BSA lighting. Wish i didn't.
HOOMGAR Where in PA is Manheim? East,West, North or South. Im in central NJ, near the Deleware river. Whats your back-up bike? HEY! Maybe a second bike is possible??? I know i can't get away with a second woman.

 

[Don Lobacz]

Nert, also remember that many (most?) modern bikes will indeed get their butt kicked by you since they are Harleys and Harley wanna-bees! The hyper-bikes will indeed usually outrun you, but keep yours running right and you can surprise quite a few. If you need to beat them and have money to spare, it can be arranged. Finally, what happens when the next fastest bike rolls into town? Should all the R-1s and GSXR1000s be rounded up and thrown in the garbage? Accept your bike for what it is: A capable and fun representative of it's place in motorcycling.

 

[dpep]

As long as you are riding on public roads, the difference in performance is not worth paying a lot of money for. My experience has been similar to some of the other posters. I do not lead sportbikes through twisties; but when the sportriders look in their mirrors they see my 850 hanging right behind them carrying an old guy with a big sh!t eating grin across his face.

I don't see a need to purchase a bike with even more unrealized potential than the ones I have now. My GSs are both higher performance than I am.

 

[bradleymaynar]

hey;

Don't want to start trouble but i also own a (cough, cough)green machine.

This is intolerable. GS or die. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Brad

 

[Hoomgar]

I love the bike really! And the closer the stock i can keep it the happier i am. Hell, i still have my first car (1957 Chevy Belair 2 door hardtop 283, 4 bbl power pack) it was just a "car" when i bought it. dime a dozen. Vintage suits me fine, i still have the same wife too after 30 years. Just want to know what it can do. Gave up my first bike tho, 68 BSA lighting. Wish i didn't.
HOOMGAR Where in PA is Manheim? East,West, North or South. Im in central NJ, near the Deleware river. Whats your back-up bike? HEY! Maybe a second bike is possible??? I know i can't get away with a second woman.

Manheim is in Lancaster county area, just north of it. I am about 1.5 or so hours from you. My backup bike is a Kawasaki minibike. It's the LTD 550. You can check it out on my web site. Just click to "WWW" button at the bottom of anyones posts to go to their websites if they have one.

Maybe we will be burning some fumes together this spring

 

[Einar J Skog]

Horsepower

Horsepower

Suzuki GS1100GL has 94HP
GS1000GL 91HP
GS850GL 79HP

Kawasaki ZX10R Mod:2004 have 175HP+ ramair

So I think numbers tell for itself,'But I keep my GS1000GL

Einar Skog

 

[robinjo]

Re: Horsepower

Re: Horsepower

Suzuki GS1100GL has 94HP
GS1000GL 91HP
GS850GL 79HP

Kawasaki ZX10R Mod:2004 have 175HP+ ramair

So I think numbers tell for itself,'But I keep my GS1000GL

Einar Skog

There also is the weight difference

GS1100GL 550 pounds???
ZX10R 400 pounds 8O

 

[nert]

Is that thing legall?
how do you keep it on the ground?
how do you keep from killing yourself?

 

[Anonymous]

SWITCHBLADE

SWITCHBLADE

I JUST RAN MY BUDDYS SWITCHBLADE WHICH IS A 2004 HAND BUILD BY 2 GUYS EVERY NUT EVERY BOLD IS HAND PICKED ALL CROMED OUT BIKE SUPPOSED TO BE H-D FASTEST PRODUCTION BIKE AND MY GS1100GLZ KICKED ITS ALL MIGHTY BUTT

 

[bill acamo]

My 77 GS750 after rebulid was dynoed at 90hp but it is no more so now I start the hunt for another one

bill acamo

 

[Hotblack]

Just think of it this way, that 1100 can already land you in jail if you're 'indiscreet', so more power is not needed. If someone on an R6 REALLY wants to get around you, let him go run point for you :wink: And although resistance is futile, he'll have to flog the piss out of his machine to out accelerat you. The 1100 is far burlier on the low end, where most street riding is. He may suck your headlight out in the 1/4, but there's a good chance you'll beat him to the next light unless he's really determined. Of course an R1, well, forget it. And most cruisers can't come near you either. The two that can aren't really cruisers in my eyes, but muscle bikes. That's what the bike's engine will DO (from what I gather), but what it equates to in practical terms is your bike has WAY more power than it needs to deal with your real concern, the cagers. There may be a few bikes that have more engine, but you're likely never to get run down by a car if you're paying attention, and you can stay ahead effortlessly. I find the 750 able to handle any car situation it needs to, but it's not always effortless.

Handling too, will take a back seat to most modern bikes, even more so. And even the sportier bikes that can't outrun you can out handle you, though again most cruisers won't bother you. Then again the GS range was noted in it's day for FANTASTIC handling, they were pretty much the first hi-po Japanese bikes with frames that could handle their engines, and they are still peaches on the street. They're big and heavy compared to sporty bikes, then again it takes even more skill to utilize the handling advantage than the horsepower advantage.

Another observation, even the squids at Motorcyclist are getting kind of bored with the performance wars going on with the sportbikes. They are rapidly losing connection with any kind of realistic street riding, you have guys like Freddie Spencer saying he's AFRAID to ride the new R1 on the street, it's just too powerful. These bikes are great for racing, but people are turning more and more to standards and adventure tourers for streetbikes. The new sportbikes in the final street analysis are just as much ass jewelry as a chromed out ape hangered cruiser.