New from west Michigan

[ohsoslow]

Hello all GS newb checking in here. I found this place looking for info on a GS1000 that I have had for 12 years just sitting in my garage, back story on that in a few.

A little about me, I live and grew up in Michigan. After high school I got a job working on big trucks, Freightliners, Kenworths, etc. I did that for about 15 years and now work for a large truck transmission manufacturer providing tech support to north American dealers for our product.

Current and passed bikes
- 2014 BMW S1000R, this thing bends time and space. (this is my current ride)
- 2009 Buell 1125CR, don't go too far from home on one of these, also you should have plenty of patience to own one. (sold)
- 2007 Triumph Speed Triple, was a fun bike but it spit a connecting rode through the block at 1800 miles and was never right afterword (sold)
- 2000 Kawasaki KX250, I love getting hurt in the dirt (stolen)
- 1998 Kawasaki KX250 (sold)
- 1992 Kawasaki KDX250 (sitting in my garage)
- 1988 ish Kawasaki 100 enduro of some sort
- 1974 Kawasaki KD125

Now, about the GS. My father picked this bike up in 1992 (I was 8), the guys he bought it from "rebuilt" the engine and couldn't get it running right after they put it back together. I remember my dad pulling it into the garage and pulling the carbs off first thing only to find a shop rag sucked into cylinder 2 behind the carb, I remember this because the header pipe on that cylinder is still a darker blue than the rest. From 1992 to 1996 he rode it with no real issues. In 1996 he became ill and could not ride any more so the bike sat in his garage, in 2004 he passed away from he illness. After his passing I took the bike and it has been sitting in my garage 100% untouched since it was last ridden in 96.

i'm basically here today because I think its time this old beast gets put back on the road and the search for parts and advise commences!

I don't have any photos of it at this point but I'm sure I will be updating the post with them at some point

Thanks for reading.

-Josh

 

[roeme]

Welcome to the GSR!

Looks like you know your way around motorcycles. Looking forward to the resurrection thread.

 

[TxGSrider]

Welcome! We seem to have allot of folks from Michigan here.

I may have to look some of you guys up when I go back there this summer...

 

[trevor]

Hello all GS newb checking in here. I found this place looking for info on a GS1000 that I have had for 12 years just sitting in my garage, back story on that in a few.

A little about me, I live and grew up in Michigan. After high school I got a job working on big trucks, Freightliners, Kenworths, etc. I did that for about 15 years and now work for a large truck transmission manufacturer providing tech support to north American dealers for our product.

Current and passed bikes
- 2014 BMW S1000R, this thing bends time and space. (this is my current ride)
- 2009 Buell 1125CR, don't go too far from home on one of these, also you should have plenty of patience to own one. (sold)
- 2007 Triumph Speed Triple, was a fun bike but it spit a connecting rode through the block at 1800 miles and was never right afterword (sold)
- 2000 Kawasaki KX250, I love getting hurt in the dirt (stolen)
- 1998 Kawasaki KX250 (sold)
- 1992 Kawasaki KDX250 (sitting in my garage)
- 1988 ish Kawasaki 100 enduro of some sort
- 1974 Kawasaki KD125

Now, about the GS. My father picked this bike up in 1992 (I was 8), the guys he bought it from "rebuilt" the engine and couldn't get it running right after they put it back together. I remember my dad pulling it into the garage and pulling the carbs off first thing only to find a shop rag sucked into cylinder 2 behind the carb, I remember this because the header pipe on that cylinder is still a darker blue than the rest. From 1992 to 1996 he rode it with no real issues. In 1996 he became ill and could not ride any more so the bike sat in his garage, in 2004 he passed away from he illness. After his passing I took the bike and it has been sitting in my garage 100% untouched since it was last ridden in 96.

i'm basically here today because I think its time this old beast gets put back on the road and the search for parts and advise commences!

I don't have any photos of it at this point but I'm sure I will be updating the post with them at some point

Thanks for reading.

-Josh

dounds like a great reason to be here Josh, I have a BMW too and I got to take home your bike for a couple of days while mine was being serviced. Crazy fast bike!
Cheers

 

[Guest]

wherabouts in w. mich? a few of us on here...

 

[ohsoslow]

Thanks for the welcome all

wherabouts in w. mich? a few of us on here...

I'm in the Kalamazoo area.

 

[Charlie G]

Thanks for the welcome all




I'm in the Kalamazoo area.

Welcome to GSR!

 

[Redman]

.....
I'm in the Kalamazoo area.

Welcome to GSR.

I am near Grand Haven.

Search for Bass Cliff Bike Cliff, you will find manauls and lots of tutorial that many of us here made and Bass Cliff put on a web site.
One is about what to do for a bike that has sat for long time.
Do find that info. (I will look for link a little later.)
When you get to working on the bike, do post individual situations in the appropriate section of the forum. Lots of folks here willing to help, and most of them do know what they are talking about.

I too have a BMW (1150RT, although is at my daughters in San Diego).

I see that Greg has chimed in. Am thinking of another west Michigan GSRer, in New Buffalo.

Yah, do post pics. (best to host them on Photobucket or other service. then copy the IMG code into the posting.)

Do tell us more of your adventure with the GS1000.
Seems like it can be something as a tribute to your dad.

WHat year?
Is it a G (shaft drive)?

.

 

[Redman]

BassCliff BikeCliff

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/


Also, another fine GSR member's site you will want for rebuilding carbs and for intake o-rings

http://www.cycleorings.com/



.

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Best of luck with the GS1000, classic bikes that can go on and on and on…

 

[dorkburger]

Welcome Josh,
Sounds like a potentially emotional walk down memory lane may happen as you ressurect the GS.
Sorry to hear about your father, even if it is years later. I went thru a similar situation around the same time with my father.
Anyway, welcome and enjoy.

 

[Guest]

Welcome to GSR.

 

[ohsoslow]

BassCliff BikeCliff

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/


Also, another fine GSR member's site you will want for rebuilding carbs and for intake o-rings

http://www.cycleorings.com/

Thanks for the links i will check them out!


To the comments about it be a tribute to my dad, that is the thought i have for it! Im still working out idea for how i want to go forward with it, looking at pics of other builds and getting ideas on part prices.

I have always thought that it was a 79 but the more i read the more i figured it it a 78, a quick look at the VIN tag this morning confirms, manufacture date 02/78.

on to the pics

 

[dorkburger]

The indents on the tank and tail are '78 only. If the tank is solid, you're golden, if its a leaker, they can be tough to find.

 

[Redman]

...................... a quick look at the VIN tag this morning confirms, manufacture date 02/78.
...................

If you see am manufacture date, you must be looking at the foil tag. THe real answer to the model year is encoded in the model.
If it is GS1000EB that is a 77 (E being the model, the B being 77 model year), GS1000EC that is a 78, GS1000EN is a 79.

http://www.thegsresources.com/modelinfo.php

I would think that that restoring it to how he had it would be the best tribute.
Hacking it into something that would appeal to a kid today, would be, well, hacking it into something that would appeal to some kid today. But that is my thought based on my opinion.

SOmone with more expereince with 78/79 would have to say, but I suspect that isnt stock striping. And I dont know if the base paint is a stock color either. SO, maybe might be a factor to know if your dad had it painted/striped that way, or if it was that way when he got it.
ANd someone with more experience with 78/79 could verify that those appear to be some custom bars.

Also, FYI: THe indentend tank like that is a sought after rarity. ANd having that indent painted white is indicative of that rarity. (and if black tank with white stripe in the indent is often called a "skunk".)

 

[Redman]

Speaking of the paint....
Was that your dads tool box also....?
Appears to be same color as bike.

.

 

[ohsoslow]

Redman,

I dont plan to hack it up so no worries there. I want to keep it stock (ish) just refine it a bit. things like different chain guard, maybe handle bars, turn signals, go with pod style carbs. I plan to keep the stock style suspension (not going to swap a GSXR front or any inverted fork front). I would like to do something different with the brakes, i have never personally operated a GS from this era but i have ridden CB Hondas and Kawasakis from that time frame and the brakes leave A LOT to be desired.

The more i search on this bike, the more i think it has to be an aftermarket paint job, i have yet to see one with the same stripes and that color of blue....hmmmm. i know my dad didn't do anything to the bike other than a stator replacement and regular maintenance on it

You mention the white paint with the indented tank is rare, the stripes on this are actually gray/silver, not sure if that means anything other than it is likely not the stock paint.

On the tool box, that is mine, bought it new when i was wrenching. The though of selling it and my tools makes me sick so it sits in my garage.

Unfortunately the tank isn't looking too good, i'm probably going to give the old vinegar treatment and hope for the best.

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Glad you're talking about the brakes 'cause I only see one disc. :frown:
Maybe somebody will chime in about a 2 disc upgrade, without losing the wire wheels.
BiL

 

[GSXR7ED]

Skunk!!!

Skunk!!!

Welcome Josh,

I've only seen one other GS1000 with a single front disk brake/spoke wheels and I want to say Redman helped ID it. In any case, I've done a Master Cylinder rebuild on my single disk "T" and put a braided line and have not had issues with my 750. The 1982 model I have came with a drum rear brake and that also has not given me any grief.

My "T" seat doesn't lock tight like the "L" seat that came with the bike when I bought it. Your seat reminds me of mine because it's not sitting on there tightly. The side covers are not present and we can see the exposed compartment where the R/R is located. (Hint: posplyr may say something about that )

Rear chain/sprocket looks pretty rusty, time for 530 conversion and Z1 purchase...the stickers are still on the chain guard so that may be the original paint. Those bars look like they belong on an "L" model. You've got a 4 in 1 exhaust and I'm digging that.

Lots to do so keep us posted on the work being done. It's great that you are resurrecting this bike that belonged to your dad.


Ed

 

[Guest]

For the seat cover.. it will likely split after a year or so as the vinyl gets brittle over the years. I bought a new seat cover for my 850 from Pitreplica in Thailand. they make vintage seat covers and if they don't have one for your bike all you do is send yours in and they will copy it, keep the template and send you yours for free. Complete with all the piping, lock grommets and Suzuki embossing if it is on there. Cost me something like $79 including shipping. A big WOW when I installed it. To have one made here would be in the $ 4-500 range. Just google Pitreplica and peruse their catalog. Good luck with the bike and the restoration. It looks in a lot better shape than mine did when I first started. Some Tom cat had been using it as a ****ing station for 20 years.