My GS (no it's not a BMW)

[Hank]

Once the king of the hill street fighter.. now a little heavy, a little old, not quite so fast (sounds like most of us!), this is my '82 Suzuki GS1100E.    This is the bike I plan to do my SS1000 on in June.

I bought this old girl in Jan for $800, and have since sunk more money and time than I can justify or really want to remember into it.   I think its finally about there though.

Its been quite an adventure with the list of fun including pulling the motor not once but twice, with the second one being to tear down the top end to fix an AMF Harley sized oil leak.    I also re-ringed it while I was there, just for the heck of it.    I just finished that job today, and its back to running like a champ.





Some day I'll learn not to buy old bikes thinking they are "cheap fun". 

[fringefan]

I am sorry man but that bike is just ugly. I can't even see any form of retro koolness in it to justify all that work. I am sure mine is no eye catcher but I love it and in the end that is all that matters.

I kind of want one of those old red and chrome Honda, Triumphs, BMW, and even Harely made one. 

[Hank]

LOL!   Well I can always appreciate honesty...     Funny.. I've always had a thing for GS's... really thought they were good looking back in the day, and I guess I still do!    How does that go.. beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.. er beholder..

[Hank]

It's funny.. this bike is ALL about retro cool for me... but then I'm an 80's child too.  My first liter bike ride was on a GS1000L, but buddy rode a GS750E (which I loved) and I just lusted after these GS1100Es when they came out.     These things were absolute top dog back then.   I nearly traded in my 700 sabre on one in about 1989 or so, but was in college and couldn't afford the boot money.

After reading fringe's post I had to run out to the shed to make sure it was still beautiful...   fortunately it is...     

[Dustin]

I kinda like those old GS's, I know there are a lot worse looking bikes out there. ex. Honda Magna!

[fringefan]

The wheels and that kerker pipe kill me and every time I look at I keep thinking it would need a serious skid plate
Glad I did not upset ya because after I wrote that I was wondering what the hell was I thinkin, I just insulted a mans bike.

[Hank]

No, no offense taken.  I thought it was pretty funny actually.   I realize that not many people will appreciate a bike like this.
Its as much a nostalgia thing as anything...   Looks good sitting next to my 80's arcade game.   

[loingrader]

bought my first STREET bike when i was 14, before i had a car.  it was an 87 gs450l.  looks more like a cruiser, but some similar lines.  those gs engines are bulletproof.  always have been, and still are.  i've still got the bike in my garage 16 years later, and i still get people admiring it. 

i've also got my brothers 1983 honda silverwing interstate in the garage.  now that is one ugly bike.  but very functional, sorta like a klr.  beauty is sometimes more than skin deep. 

i dig your gs.

[Hank]

You are a man of good taste!     Yep.. the bomb-proof nature of the GS motors is one of their most appealing aspects.   Drag racers STILL, after nearly 30 years, are making drag bikes out of GS1100 and GS1150s.   They have roller bearing cranks and connecting rods which is pretty damn cool, and is a big reason they can take 300+hp and hold together.   Actually the entire engine is way over engineered.

[fringefan]

Now the Vizla is good looking....I always like them. The GS still makes me smile

On another note;  my IMS tank showed up today and after with holding my excitement by tending to my household duties my daughter helped me open the box up and their she. After I removed the plastic from my new translucent almost army green tank I thought wow, that sure does not look army green but does look little like jade. Needless to say the tank got sent back and for any person wanting a translucet army green tank I in  my opinion stick with just the army green one. 

[The Yeti]

Chad,

I could be wrong, but once you fill the tank with gas, you'll see the true (darker) green.

[loingrader]

plus, that way you have a big ole fuel gage right in front of you.  clear ims tanks are cool.  i can't believe you have the strength to send it back and wait for a replacement.  you are a man with willpower!  i had to wait so long for mine that i would have taken any color they would have sent me.  but i'm glad i got white.

[LittleJacket]

Jason, I am having a hard time imagining walking into your garage, seeing that beautiful KTM with the cool orange and blue paint job and saying, I think I'll ride the GS today!? 

[Hank]

Yeah.. certainly not as cool or slick as the KTM.   As much as I love the KTM though, it's not the most practical daily driver.  The GS will fill that role - bombing to work etc.   I don't really have to care about warm ups, or really much of anything w/ it.     Oil changes take 15 minutes and cost $14.    Valve adjustments take maybe an hour and a half, although the interval is pretty frequent.

My KTM takes 2-3 hours to do a complete oil change and w/ full synthetic Amsoil and KTM filter it costs nearly $50  .  One filter, two screens, crash bars off, fuel tanks off.. it's a big job.  I just checked the valves on it and it took me over 8 hours, although next time it would probably take less than 5.   If I had to actually adjust the valves it would probably take another 3 hrs and wait time to get shims etc.

By contrast, the second time I pulled the motor out of the GS, from the time I switched off the key to the time the motor was on my bench w/ the valve cover off.. maybe 1 hour 15 minutes.

Bikes aren't about ease of maintenance.. they're about fun.. but I do like simple things for daily use.   

The GS goes down the road well.   Long wheel base, stable, 105 hp is enough to keep you entertained.  Lots of torque and its comfy.

Someday though I see it going down the road along w/ the 400 and I'll get a Bandit 1200 for my daily driver.  Maybe soon??

[Hank]

Oh and I took the GS for a nice ride Saturday and decided it needed clutch plates and a petcock.    So here we go again.    That's gotta (knock wood) be about it, doesn't it?