New GS owner from Wyoming

[edgeofvamp]

I purchased my GS1100 from a guy that parked it for 3 years after it snapped 3 brand new clutch cables.
I was intrigued by the craigslist ad when i saw pictures of a slightly modded, but clean.
He was asking $800, but i managed to talk him down to $400 through text message and i made the 3hr drive to see it.
The clutch cable was rock solid, tank was empty, hooked up a battery tender and everything worked and the engine cranked over. The GS had been stored in a heated work shop and i popped the tank lid to see a clean rust/grime free tank.
Here is how the bike was as i got it:




After Removing some of the non-essentials and removing lighting that is going to be replaced with more flush mount units:


Hope you all enjoy my project and i may start a build thread in the future to show the changes made.

 

[GSXR7ED]

Wyoming Huh?

Wyoming Huh?

Welcome!

You got a nice deal for a liter bike! I've had to fix a busted clutch cable...bought an aftermarket one and it's been great but I would recommend OEM.

Enjoy the site; lots of helpful members here.

Ed

 

[Jedz123]

Welcome!
Enjoy that beast! I've never been on an 1100. I had an 1150 and my 750 was an 1100 after the 7-11... Not the same though.
Got a heck of a deal. Tis the season to find them!
Be sure you give her a good once over. You'd hate to have it leave you stranded on an account of neglect.
Enjoy!
-Jedz

 

[edgeofvamp]

Welcome!

You got a nice deal for a liter bike! I've had to fix a busted clutch cable...bought an aftermarket one and it's been great but I would recommend OEM.

Enjoy the site; lots of helpful members here.

Ed

Thanks for the kind words GSXR7ED, i haven't been able to do much. Since i do not have a garage and the bike has been frozen into my storage unit for about 2 months. I believe the clutch back plate has failed on this bike, it is one of the many things that will be getting gone over with a fine tooth comb.
The bike is getting torn down to a bare frame, all non-essentials removed, certain parts replaced, '99 GSXR rear swinger assembly and possibly the front fork assembly grafted on and reassembled after paint.
So, it will probably be mid summer before this bike hits the pavement. In the meantime, i just bought a fairly clean '85 GS550E to ride in the meantime. I will post pics of it at a later date, it is strapped down in the back of my suburban right now.

 

[edgeofvamp]

Welcome!
Enjoy that beast! I've never been on an 1100. I had an 1150 and my 750 was an 1100 after the 7-11... Not the same though.
Got a heck of a deal. Tis the season to find them!
Be sure you give her a good once over. You'd hate to have it leave you stranded on an account of neglect.
Enjoy!
-Jedz

Thanks Jedz123, it is hard to believe that the engine is roughly the same size and only .5L smaller displacement than a Honda civic 1.6L car engine.
This bike is going to be built to fit me(i am under 6ft tall) and the way i want it. So, there isn't going to be an untouched inch of this bike. I am also trying to source a second seat, so that i can mold it into a single seater and keep my double up seat for when the fiance wants to ride along so i can quick swap it out.
I can't lie, i really like the way the bike feels now. Just want the stability of having my feet planted(i know noob thing, just a preference).

 

[mikerophone]

Wow - welcome and great find!

Dig it, nice work getting it for $400!!! Rarely see these bikes around our neck of the woods, I check Craigslist and KSL all the time, but I have so many projects right now, I've had to stop looking .

 

[edgeofvamp]

Well i hope these 2 teaser shots get you interested in the second gs i purchased.

 

[Charlie G]

Well it's not an L. Maybe an ES or M. I really don't know what later 550's look like. Check the head stock for a sticker. Looks nice though.

 

[dorkburger]

I somehow missed you're intro, so a late welcome. Good luck on your project (s). I did check out your bike recently in the albums section here.

 

[mikerophone]

Looks like an ES - not too fond of the bright green, but that bikini style fairing is pretty cool.

 

[edgeofvamp]

I admit the green is way too much, but for $600 i couldn't pass it up.

The bike came with a work load sheet from an at home mechanic. I am not to sure of his reputation, so i do not know how far to trust his work. The work sheet he sent with the bike states that the second and third cylinders are low on compression.

I feel he should stop working on bikes and stick to detailing them. The bike is cleaned in areas that no one would normally clean.
I inspected his findings lightly, i can't fire the bike with it in the back of the suburban with the exhaust off.
The intake looks a bit worn on visual examination, there is loose bolts throughout the intake and there was a loose bolt and missing exhaust bolt on the worst reported cylinder.
So, once the bike is unloaded I will see what i find. There is a small oil leak that i haven't gotten a chance to trace yet. Other than that, everything is is in good shape and even has fairly new tires on it.

 

[mikerophone]

Interesting - what are plans with it? Fix/flip, rebuild/ride? More pics when you get a chance would be nice - yeah that green is way over the top!

 

[edgeofvamp]

Well miker, i plan to ride it while my 1100 goes on a weight loss program and gets rebuilt from the ground up, '99 GSXR rolling gear and repainted. The 1100 is going to be my baby when it is done and i need an interim bike to run.

The 550 will need a little TLC, but very little. Worse case scenario, i need to replace compression rings. Best case scenario, freshen up the carbs, track down a cheap set of mufflers to install(PO hacked the exhaust off 3 inches past the crossover pipe) and register it.

I had to remove the front wheel and the exhaust in order to be able to stand the bike up and strap it down. The rear tail light is literally 4 inches from the ceiling.

 

[edgeofvamp]

There is about 3 inches of ice left built up in front of the storage shed. I am so close to getting the 1100 project started.

 

[edgeofvamp]

If any one has some idea's on cheap mufflers i could use on the 550, let me know.
I obviously need 2 and the cheaper the better. If anyone has a couple bandit cans in decent shape.
The bike looks funky as is and i think the funky bandit cans would wrap up the look nicely.
I live in a quiet neighborhood and my work is in a quiet neighborhood. I would really prefer not to be "that" guy until i fly past them.

 

[mikerophone]

Good call. Somewhat louder (within reason) bikes are ok IMO, but in a neighborhood, nobody likes "that" guy!

I keep low RPM's on any of my bikes that have anything other than stock pipes as a courtesy to my neighbors that might be sleeping when I get home from work at 11PM some nights.

 

[edgeofvamp]

I am more worried about the 6am crowd. I work nights and i start work as everyone is getting home from work, but i will be starting the bike to let it warm up before peoples alarms go off.

Now admittedly, other than turning it over a few times. I have not actually heard this bike running, so i lend my ears to you guys whether a 550 exhaust is as bad as a Harley exhaust or not? Especially at start up.

 

[edgeofvamp]

Well i hope these will work for the 550, not sure what it will do performance wise-just couldn't pass up on the opportunity.
Here is an example of what i got:

The cans i got are off an '06 honda 919. No rust and no dents from what i can see.
So hopefully my $100 spur of the moment purchase proves to be worth while.........now if only i could get the bike unloaded.
I hate having days off that everyone i know works, makes getting helpers a bit of a pain.

 

[edgeofvamp]

So, i started the '85 gs550 for the first time since i bought the bike and it started with half choke on the 3 rotation of the starter.
I let it run for about a minute then saw the puddle of fuel under the bike, both carb gaskets failed.

On the positive side of things, without getting hot and test riding it, it was properly tuned(yay for a blind purchase).

Some new gaskets, some cleaning up from storage and the muffler tubes welded up. Then i will post some proper pics up.
I hope you will like them, till then keep leanin folks.

 

[Weapon]

nice score!
It looks like it has the bungs welded in the frame so you could bolt an es fairing on it without any trouble.