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1987 GSXR1100 resurection

RollingJ

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Jan 8, 2011
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Location
Lake Charles, La
First Name
Joel
Last Name
Sims
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J'sBro brought home this little baby on Sunday, in a pile of pieces.

I have all the plastics except for one lower fairing piece, and that has been located. The drain plug is stripped and the case was empty for who knows how long, but I got it plugged good enough for testing. I got her fired up today and while it will idle nicely, the decel pop makes me want to blow out the carbs. She was smoking from the pipes, and it I found a leaking banjo bolt or crush washer on the lower oil cooler line, right above the 4 to 1 exhaust collector. I have to pull the exhaust anyway, because someone painted it with a blue rattlecan... on the bike... Overspray everywhere... a partially blue header...That won't do...

I plan to fix it up a little, ride it a little, and sell it in a little while.

The 535 chain is shot, the CS sprocket is smooth, and I need a chain slider.

Where's a good place for old street bike parts?
 
Slab sided Suzuki's are awesome. Hugely tweakable engines.

Just about everything you need to know can be found at http://oldskoolsuzuki.info/

They are into the streetfighters there, but mostly based on the oil-cooled Gixxer.
 
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I got the chain and sprockets yesterday so I went to work. I still had not ridden her yet...

I pulled the exhaust and cleaned it with brake cleaner and steel wool. It's still somewhat blue, but it's clean and smooth. I will spray them black and heat treat them or wrap them. I'm leaning for flat black.

I cleaned up most of the overspray. Most was on the aluminum frame, footpegs and bracketry, and wiped right off with steel wool and elbow grease.

I stripped off all the stupid stickers that everyone puts on their bikes. I see that that filer was made by K&N, I don't need 3 stickers. Lethal Threat?

I changed the oil so I could replace the crush washers on the lower oil line that was dribbling on my header. I just put fresh in so I really just took the oil out for a little 'break'. Crush washers in and banjo bolt torqued. Clean off engine while I'm there.

The clean headers and exhaust go back on. I filled her up with new used oil. She fired up with a jump and no leaks from the crush washers. She still runs rough.

I installed the sprockets and slapped on the new chain. All the bearings in the rear end were well maintained and everything went back together nicely.

The clutch slave cover went on easily, and the moment was upon me.

J'sBro jumped her off the truck and I geared up.


I took her up the road and was so very unimpressed. No power and twitchy as all get-out. I knew there was work to be done. But, she was on the road.

My brother was about to take her out and she wouldn't start. What's the first point of the triangle? FUEL. All my cans were dry so I pulled the fuel line from the lawn mower and put 8oz in the GSXR so he could try it out. We had to jump again, but it idled better and he took off.

He came back with a crazy grin... My wife was wondering where I had been for the last 4 hours... I covered up the bike and tried to pretend I wasn't thinking of it.


Work is over the next day.

I throw the gas cans in the truck, fill them up and pick up the youngest from school.

When I get home 2 gallons go in the tank and she fires up with no jump. I check the tire pressure and air up (street tires don't handle well at 15 psi) to 38. That might have something to do with the twitchys...

I put on the gear and went for a loop.

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(crazy power blowing my hair back inside my helmet (have you seen my hair? that's impressive))

I traveled back in time a little bit.

It's just fine as far as power is concerned. It's been a while since I have opened up a sportbike, but it is close to right, which means shifting to third at 90.

I said, "What?" and I then replied, "Really."

There are bunch of cosmetic and legal items to take care of, but I've got a new ride!
 
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very cool. I this kind of projects. I put a XJ550 Maxin back on the road that sit for 14 years then traded it for a dirt bike. I miss that bike.
 
Joel if this bike will stay a rider for you then go at it balls out. But if as you said you will be selling it shortly then be very careful. Even in very clean condition this bike won't command a high price. Yours being cosmetically challenged will be worth even less. So if selling is the plan, research, set a budget and stick to it. Or else you could easily get more into it in parts and labor than it could sell for.

_
 
Oh yeah, I'm all over the budget build. If I get out of it what I put in it when I sell it I'm happy. It's a toy my Bro picked up super cheap because it was apart, I'm going to make it solid and have fun, but it's not quite my style. Now if it were a 91ST1100...

It really only needs a battery, a lever for the petcock and an oversized oil drain bolt. I'm going to replace the windscreen and seatcover just because, and replace the shifter seal because it weeps just a little. Add in the chain, sprockets, oil and gas to pick it up, and I am still well under budget.

I have gotten lucky so far.
 
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Rolling J..... Another Good resource is the Area 51 forum over at Maximum-Suzuki. I've not poked my head in there in a while, but there some informational threads and folks rebuilding these bike.
 
Nice, that's where it all started, 86/87! Keep us updated on your progress. I owned an 86 black/red 750 for years and loved that bike.
 
The bike is now solid mechanically. No leaks, all new running gear. It wants to go above 7K....

Cosmetically, it needs some work. I had fabbed up a nice fairing brace that would allow me to run just the headlight fairing, but my Bro dumped the bike in my dirt driveway and now I'm looking for alternatives. It's okay because I've dropped his bikes, and I shattered a window on his '73 240z. Also, I never ordered the windshield so it didn't get broken!
 
This bike is for sale and I'm down to $2000 as the price. Anybody game?
 
Maybe I should have gone that route.

It sure rides nice, though.
 
I'm down to $1800 for the running, registered, and inspected bike. I really can't go lower.
 
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