My dad had a 1980 Suzuki GS1100E with the 4 into 1 Vance and Hines exhaust pipe and that is what started my motorcycle passion. Since then I've always wanted to have a "classic" motorcycle and finally made it happen about a week ago when I purchased a 1980 Suzuki GS850G. Motorcycle channels like yours have been extremely helpful when it comes to providing good information about how to restore, maintain and upgrade classic bikes.
Rode for years using stock 40+ year old brake lines, just didn’t know any better. Now I put Galfer stainless lines (at least on the front dual discs) on everything and the transformation is incredible. Now finally starting to likewise appreciate the value of improving suspension.
Right on! The improved brakes make mushy front suspension quite evident. For safety reasons, you don't want to use all your suspension travel under braking. In that scenario, one small bump can put you down. Additionally, many of the classics handle very well with a few tweaks. Cheers!
Love that bike! I had a girlfriend back in '83 and her dad just bought one in silver. I had a 1981 Yamaha Seca 650 at the time, and he liked me, so let me take it for a ride. I will NEVER forget that ride! Another update is when you rebuild the forks (because 99.9% of all vintage bikes are running with leaking fork seals, and if they aren't leaking it's because all the oil is already gone) is to update the springs for your weight and riding style, and since many old bikes just used motor oil in the forks, using a premium fork-specific oil in the proper weight is magic!
Just want to say how glad I am to find this Classic bike Channel. I was at the dealership in Pacific Beach, California, to see the first Kawasaki Z900 in California. A lot of people were there to see it. We couldn't touch it because it was already pre-sold. It was the brown and red one we associate with the Z even today.
Thanks, Joe! I just got to ride and review the Z900 recently - you probably already saw the video. I love the rootbeer and red color scheme on the RS and the green and white on the Z900 RS Cafe. Cheers!
In the ten years that I have had my 1989 ZX10, have carried out the following upgrades: Braided brake lines - improved stopping power. Fitted rear shock absorber from the ZZR1100 C - better adjustability on rebound and damping and can be serviced easily. Fitted K&N pod filters - the original airbox is a nightmare to refit, pod filters fit easily and give a useful performance boost. Increased main and pilot jets to suit the K&N filters and Micron 4-1 exhaust - solved poor starting when engine was up to temperature. Performance boost. MPG does suffer slightly, but worth it for the grin factor. Fitted GTR1000 handlebars - improved comfort. My only issue left that I doubt can be solved is the incredibly heavy clutch despite being hydraulic, would love to hear from anyone who solved that!!
Is the pivot clean and lubed? I have seen so many clutch and brake levers with no lubrication in them. I lube the pivot, top and bottom of the lever where it's pinched, and the spur that activates the hydraulics - it makes a world of difference. Also, are you running stock clutch springs or heavier aftermarket springs?
I've got 4 classics, I too always make sure the brakes and handling are as good as they can be, modern tyres help a lot too - there's far more cars over here in England than there were 30 or 40 years ago ! Love your classic bikes 👍🏻
Hey Jon, still have my 1982 GS1100EZ and it's been a very reliable motorcycle. I love it and that affair is almost 25 years old. Glad you still ride the 1983 GS1100ED.
You are spot on about the stainless brake lines. Also I recommend the Teflon coated clutch/throttle cables (PFTE). I've been pleased with my suspension upgrades (progressive springs) but like you said at least go over your brakes and install the stainless lines and replace your 40 yrs + old ones! Big improvement that can save your hind end!😮😊
Hey Jon. The PFTE is Teflon. Just an abbreviation for the big word. I can't remember where I ordered my cables from but there several places offering the Teflon ( PFTE ) coated cables. I really like them.
Man about 50 miles away did a off frame restoration of a 82 GS1100GK Touring but brought it back as a 1100G because he didn't have the fairing and luggage. The red 1100E you have looks great and runs very nice. Enjoyed the video Jon and RIDE SAFE OUT THERE!
4 tenths in a nice improvement in the 40-80 range.i imagine the bike is quite the pleasure to ride with the recent improvements you made.after all their very capable bikes bone stock.we appreciate your videos jon.thanks bud.
Nice video, thanks! Just put All Ball's racing carburettor kit into the old carburettor on my ZZR-600, to solve some slight surging at 3-4000revs. That's solved, runs nicely😊! However, I probably went too lean on the idle adjustment, they're almost fully closed. Ran good standing, but test ride showed that there's a lag at putting the gas on. So tomorrow the tank & air box gonna go off again to open the jets a little. Safe ride!
Yesterday I was thinking about giving my red Hawk golden alloy wheels to give it a bit of a late seventies Ducati Darmah feel. It would also fit nice on your Susie but since you want to keep it near stock…. 😁
That's a great question. It does run smoother at lower throttle settings, and the bar risers probably changed the vibe frequency a small amount. However, it's still more vibey than my 1981 GS1100E.
Hola Jhon. Habias comentado en otro video que querias cambiar la posicion de manejo en la 83. No entendo que cambios hiciste ( manubrio??) Barras ? . Subiste o bajaste ?. SALUDOS Ricardo
Esa es una gran pregunta Ricardo. Instalé un espaciador debajo del manillar (elevador de barra). Eleva la barra aproximadamente 1". Puedo probar con un espaciador diferente que eleve la barra 1" y también la lleve aproximadamente 1" hacia el ciclista. ¡Salud!
@NobleEndeavours123 The GS1100GL brakes are outstanding (even with the stock lines), so I haven't upgraded them. However, I use Spiegler brake lines on most of my bikes. www.spieglerusa.com
I have an 83... I am having an issue diagnosing a front wheel shimmy. It is an up and down motion. I thought for sure that it was a bad Shinko tire. New one did not improve it. Can you confirm that you need a tube on these bikes? Any thoughts on the shimmy? Could be steering head bearings, but that does feel solid with the usual tests.
I would confirm that the tire isn't out of round. I have had that issue on several of the Shinko 777s. If the tire didn't shimmy before the new one, it is most likely tire related. Broken cord, out of round, improper balance, can all cause that issue. Wheel bearings can also cause issues. Let me know what you figure out. Good luck 👍🏻.
@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 so I had a shinko on there and it shimmied. The new tire also shimmy’s. So has to be something else. No visible warping of the rim. Wheel bearings feel fine… it’s a pretty large shudder. I wonder if it is because I am running a tube, shouldn’t be though
@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 it would be two new tires out of round. First one, now second one. So that’s why it leads me to believe it’s not the tire. I am running an easy balance tube, has beads inside so should not need a balance. I may take it to a shop to see if they can fine tune it.
@@CCitisfit a conventional tube without those beads in it & get it balanced properly. Regarding your tube or tubeless question, these bikes have to run tubes unless the rim is marked clearly as "Tubeless"
@jbtoptc7327 As soon as I get the chance, I'll review either one. I have owned the V-65 Magna & Sabre, V-45 Sabre, 1200 Madura, ridden the V-Max, etc. I just don't have any in the garage currently.
@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 I would love to see a review of the 1994-2003 Honda 750 Magna, 1st generation 1982-1986 V45 Magna, and last but not least the 1983-1986 V65 Magna. The Vmax is just an insane muscle cruiser. 😁
@@northernclimate8297 I would try to soak them on a good oven cleaner. It is good to desolve carbon. I got my EF hp measured once, he took a long drill and vent through them both to get 105 hp out on rear wheels. It compromised the looks and the sound. Maybe it is possible to redo the rear mufflers with some new ones. But offcause it proberbly has to get jettet again.
Besides being fun, running the bike up in the rpm range occasionally helps keep the exhaust clean. I love the sound of a 4-into-1 and the top-end power, but it would require rejetting, and I would probably lose power in the rpm range (2500 - 6500 rpm) where I ride most. Either way, they're fun bikes. Cheers!
@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 I had dynojet stage 3 kit on mine and a homemade car sebring exhaust and pot filters. Quite funny top end, but offcause very odd at lov speed. I changed to standard airways and karb settings. With my 4into2 drilled standard exhaust i had a busa big engine feel. Nice bottom drag but with a hesitant 1 sec before a hard pull. Changed to the standard sebring 4into1. The "big" fell gone but in general faster and fewer vibrations. So thats my choice for now. Vibrations is a big deal. The 630 chain is also an issue. I think I'll change to a 530 setup. Less power loss and fewer vibrations. I hope to find fresh front forks one day. It's the primary weakness as i se it. The forks wear out inside and create a play that can befelt low speed turning. It can also set vibrations. Raised bars are also on the list. Love the bike. Bless.
My dad had a 1980 Suzuki GS1100E with the 4 into 1 Vance and Hines exhaust pipe and that is what started my motorcycle passion. Since then I've always wanted to have a "classic" motorcycle and finally made it happen about a week ago when I purchased a 1980 Suzuki GS850G. Motorcycle channels like yours have been extremely helpful when it comes to providing good information about how to restore, maintain and upgrade classic bikes.
So cool 😎! I'm glad you're finding the videos helpful. Cheers!
I owned a 1982 GS850G for about five years. You might wish for a little better fuel economy, but nothing else.
@@spaceflight1019 Right on!
Rode for years using stock 40+ year old brake lines, just didn’t know any better. Now I put Galfer stainless lines (at least on the front dual discs) on everything and the transformation is incredible. Now finally starting to likewise appreciate the value of improving suspension.
Right on! The improved brakes make mushy front suspension quite evident. For safety reasons, you don't want to use all your suspension travel under braking. In that scenario, one small bump can put you down. Additionally, many of the classics handle very well with a few tweaks. Cheers!
Love that bike! I had a girlfriend back in '83 and her dad just bought one in silver. I had a 1981 Yamaha Seca 650 at the time, and he liked me, so let me take it for a ride. I will NEVER forget that ride! Another update is when you rebuild the forks (because 99.9% of all vintage bikes are running with leaking fork seals, and if they aren't leaking it's because all the oil is already gone) is to update the springs for your weight and riding style, and since many old bikes just used motor oil in the forks, using a premium fork-specific oil in the proper weight is magic!
Right on! I have put springs, fork seals, and proper fork oil in many of my classics. As you said, magic!
Just want to say how glad I am to find this Classic bike Channel. I was at the dealership in Pacific Beach, California, to see the first Kawasaki Z900 in California. A lot of people were there to see it. We couldn't touch it because it was already pre-sold. It was the brown and red one we associate with the Z even today.
Thanks, Joe! I just got to ride and review the Z900 recently - you probably already saw the video. I love the rootbeer and red color scheme on the RS and the green and white on the Z900 RS Cafe. Cheers!
@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 Rootbeer and Red!! That's the color!!!
In the ten years that I have had my 1989 ZX10, have carried out the following upgrades:
Braided brake lines - improved stopping power.
Fitted rear shock absorber from the ZZR1100 C - better adjustability on rebound and damping and can be serviced easily.
Fitted K&N pod filters - the original airbox is a nightmare to refit, pod filters fit easily and give a useful performance boost.
Increased main and pilot jets to suit the K&N filters and Micron 4-1 exhaust - solved poor starting when engine was up to temperature. Performance boost. MPG does suffer slightly, but worth it for the grin factor.
Fitted GTR1000 handlebars - improved comfort.
My only issue left that I doubt can be solved is the incredibly heavy clutch despite being hydraulic, would love to hear from anyone who solved that!!
Is the pivot clean and lubed? I have seen so many clutch and brake levers with no lubrication in them. I lube the pivot, top and bottom of the lever where it's pinched, and the spur that activates the hydraulics - it makes a world of difference. Also, are you running stock clutch springs or heavier aftermarket springs?
Love the instrument panel. The 1982 Honda Sabre has great instruments as well.
Right on!
I've got 4 classics, I too always make sure the brakes and handling are as good as they can be, modern tyres help a lot too - there's far more cars over here in England than there were 30 or 40 years ago ! Love your classic bikes 👍🏻
Right on, thanks!
With the cars all around us using 4-wheel power disc brakes and radial tires, our older bikes need the best braking possible.
Right on! It's the first performance upgrade I make on the classics. Cheers!
Someone once told me that you need your brakes to get you out of trouble faster than the throttle got you into it.
@@spaceflight1019 Very true!
Great Clip! Thanks...
Thank you!
nice work Jon .. thx for sharing
Thank you!
Hey Jon, still have my 1982 GS1100EZ and it's been a very reliable motorcycle. I love it and that affair is almost 25 years old. Glad you still ride the 1983 GS1100ED.
Right on! They're still great bikes and very entertaining to ride. Cheers!
You are spot on about the stainless brake lines. Also I recommend the Teflon coated clutch/throttle cables (PFTE). I've been pleased with my suspension upgrades (progressive springs) but like you said at least go over your brakes and install the stainless lines and replace your 40 yrs + old ones! Big improvement that can save your hind end!😮😊
Very true! Is PFTE the brand for the clutch cable? If not, what brand makes them? Thanks!
Hey Jon. The PFTE is Teflon. Just an abbreviation for the big word. I can't remember where I ordered my cables from but there several places offering the Teflon ( PFTE ) coated cables. I really like them.
@@rogermcadams8806 Right on. It sounds like a great idea. I'll have to do a little research on those. Cheers!
Man about 50 miles away did a off frame restoration of a 82 GS1100GK Touring but brought it back as a 1100G because he didn't have the fairing and luggage. The red 1100E you have looks great and runs very nice. Enjoyed the video Jon and RIDE SAFE OUT THERE!
Right on! Thanks, Henry.
4 tenths in a nice improvement in the 40-80 range.i imagine the bike is quite the pleasure to ride with the recent improvements you made.after all their very capable bikes bone stock.we appreciate your videos jon.thanks bud.
I was surprised by the amount of improvement in performance with the jetting change. As you said, the GS1100E was already a great performer. Cheers!
Really nice bike. Good mods. Great video
Thanks!
Nice job on this one Jon. 🎉
Thanks, Jason!
Nice video, thanks! Just put All Ball's racing carburettor kit into the old carburettor on my ZZR-600, to solve some slight surging at 3-4000revs. That's solved, runs nicely😊!
However, I probably went too lean on the idle adjustment, they're almost fully closed. Ran good standing, but test ride showed that there's a lag at putting the gas on. So tomorrow the tank & air box gonna go off again to open the jets a little.
Safe ride!
Right on, Stefan!
Such a good-looking bike.
I agree. I think Suzuki did a nice job styling the 1982-1983 GS1100E. Cheers!
Very nice bike and video. Thanks
Thanks, Larry!
At the time many took the anti-dive regulator out off the braking system to improve the feeling in the front brakes.
Yes, that was a common modification. I'm trying to keep this one as close to stock as possible but I may do that at some point. Cheers!
great videos,,very inspiring ,,nice to watch videos without stupid behaviour and music,,thanks from australia
You're welcome, Christopher! I really appreciate the feedback. Cheers from Pennsylvania, USA!
Another interesting video as always. I have always liked the big bore Suzuki
Thanks, me too.
Yesterday I was thinking about giving my red Hawk golden alloy wheels to give it a bit of a late seventies Ducati Darmah feel. It would also fit nice on your Susie but since you want to keep it near stock…. 😁
I agree, red with gold wheels is a great looking color scheme!
@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 The wheels on it are great anyway! 👍
@@marcbrasse747 👍🏻
She definitely sounds smoother now, Jon. Does it vibrate less at the grips now?
That's a great question. It does run smoother at lower throttle settings, and the bar risers probably changed the vibe frequency a small amount. However, it's still more vibey than my 1981 GS1100E.
Hola Jhon. Habias comentado en otro video que querias cambiar la posicion de manejo en la 83. No entendo que cambios hiciste ( manubrio??) Barras ? . Subiste o bajaste ?. SALUDOS Ricardo
Esa es una gran pregunta Ricardo. Instalé un espaciador debajo del manillar (elevador de barra). Eleva la barra aproximadamente 1". Puedo probar con un espaciador diferente que eleve la barra 1" y también la lleve aproximadamente 1" hacia el ciclista. ¡Salud!
Any chance you installed a set of those brake lines on your gs1000gl? If so where did you get it?
@NobleEndeavours123 The GS1100GL brakes are outstanding (even with the stock lines), so I haven't upgraded them. However, I use Spiegler brake lines on most of my bikes. www.spieglerusa.com
Told you Jon that clutch pull was too heavy.😉
Looks like you were right, Pete!
I have an 83... I am having an issue diagnosing a front wheel shimmy. It is an up and down motion. I thought for sure that it was a bad Shinko tire. New one did not improve it. Can you confirm that you need a tube on these bikes? Any thoughts on the shimmy? Could be steering head bearings, but that does feel solid with the usual tests.
I would confirm that the tire isn't out of round. I have had that issue on several of the Shinko 777s. If the tire didn't shimmy before the new one, it is most likely tire related. Broken cord, out of round, improper balance, can all cause that issue. Wheel bearings can also cause issues. Let me know what you figure out. Good luck 👍🏻.
@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 so I had a shinko on there and it shimmied. The new tire also shimmy’s. So has to be something else. No visible warping of the rim. Wheel bearings feel fine… it’s a pretty large shudder. I wonder if it is because I am running a tube, shouldn’t be though
@CCitis Did you check for out of round? Has the new tire been professionally balanced? The tube shouldn't make a difference.
@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 it would be two new tires out of round. First one, now second one. So that’s why it leads me to believe it’s not the tire. I am running an easy balance tube, has beads inside so should not need a balance. I may take it to a shop to see if they can fine tune it.
@@CCitisfit a conventional tube without those beads in it & get it balanced properly. Regarding your tube or tubeless question, these bikes have to run tubes unless the rim is marked clearly as "Tubeless"
Change to a 530 chain, gain a little power...
Right on!
UJM's are getting old. How about some V4 action ?
What V-4s would you like to see?
@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 Preferably Honda...... and Vmax.
@jbtoptc7327 As soon as I get the chance, I'll review either one. I have owned the V-65 Magna & Sabre, V-45 Sabre, 1200 Madura, ridden the V-Max, etc. I just don't have any in the garage currently.
@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 I would love to see a review of the 1994-2003 Honda 750 Magna, 1st generation 1982-1986 V45 Magna, and last but not least the 1983-1986 V65 Magna. The Vmax is just an insane muscle cruiser. 😁
I would love a tour of your garage sometime...
The original pipes can clog up with carbon. Over time they slow the bike down. I use a sebring 4into1 on mine. Lesser weight to.
Thanks good to know and is there anything that can be done to them? Like can they be cleaned?
@@northernclimate8297 I would try to soak them on a good oven cleaner. It is good to desolve carbon. I got my EF hp measured once, he took a long drill and vent through them both to get 105 hp out on rear wheels.
It compromised the looks and the sound.
Maybe it is possible to redo the rear mufflers with some new ones. But offcause it proberbly has to get jettet again.
Besides being fun, running the bike up in the rpm range occasionally helps keep the exhaust clean. I love the sound of a 4-into-1 and the top-end power, but it would require rejetting, and I would probably lose power in the rpm range (2500 - 6500 rpm) where I ride most. Either way, they're fun bikes. Cheers!
@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 I had dynojet stage 3 kit on mine and a homemade car sebring exhaust and pot filters. Quite funny top end, but offcause very odd at lov speed. I changed to standard airways and karb settings. With my 4into2 drilled standard exhaust i had a busa big engine feel. Nice bottom drag but with a hesitant 1 sec before a hard pull. Changed to the standard sebring 4into1. The "big" fell gone but in general faster and fewer vibrations. So thats my choice for now. Vibrations is a big deal. The 630 chain is also an issue. I think I'll change to a 530 setup. Less power loss and fewer vibrations.
I hope to find fresh front forks one day. It's the primary weakness as i se it. The forks wear out inside and create a play that can befelt low speed turning. It can also set vibrations.
Raised bars are also on the list.
Love the bike. Bless.