Lived in Australia for 10 years and just rode bikes, because I could. One of the first bikes I bought was an 80 GSX1100. I loved that bike. It had gone around the clock once and it never let me down, despite the fact I rode it all over Australia. I sold it to try something else, but am currently looking for another one here in Canada. Can confirm, they were bullet proof, and fun to ride. But heavy. Which made it a great highway bike. The only thing I did was add braided steel brake lines to the front, which improved the braking a lot.
Nice piece of machinery you've got. You relive the days of glory. Unlike today when you can't tell one from another. This bike is a relative to the XS1100 Yamaha !! We never had that model in our country. Enjoy your ride. Trinidad & Tobago. West Indies.
Japanese bikes of that era were overbuilt. Excellent quality. You don't see late 70s early 80s Triumphs and Harley Davidsons being used as everyday riders nowadays. Those DOHC inline fours were way ahead of their time.
Yes love your hot rod. Those days when they started doing all those things on the Bikes made them so cool and fun. Thanks again for again for for the Ride AND Great INFO.
I bought one new. Put cafe handlebars on it. Suzuki had the gold standard seat in the industry for years. Great fun and fast, drive shaft and all. Mine had a problem the first few months that caused one or two cylinders to cut out. In traffic, usually in 3rd gear, I would have to open the throttle all the way to keep moving with the flow if I couldn’t pull off immediately. Then suddenly all 4 would fire. Great practice for emergency white knuckle speed. Not so much fun though. Everything was replaced during the 40 days of multiple visits by high level west coast Suzuki mechanics. Miss that bike.
Awesome! I'm looking at one this weekend, it has 20k miles, is that high for these bikes? Are they like the goldwings of the era, able to go over 100k no problem?
Really enjoy watching your test rides. Got my GS1000g Suzuki going after not running for 30 yrs.I installed a Delkevic four into one after watching your test ride.Wondering if I will need to change jetting now? Randy Warkentine Mar 2023
That is with all baffles in. I would highly recommend the Delkevic "Classic Megaphone" exhaust (especially the stainless version). It may sound different on the XS1100. I have one on a Kawasaki as well, and it sounds different. Cheers!
WOW, this bike is bringing me back to my roots! Doing research now to buy an 80's Suzuki GS again, and this bike would be my goal!! What would that bike fetch in the market (and is it for sale)?
Hi Josue, I purchased this bike (originally a tired touring bike) pretty inexpensively. However, it took many dollars and many, many hours over several years to get it refined to this point. I don't know how much a dialed-in bike like this would bring on the market. With vintage bikes, value is determined by what someone else is willing to pay. I have never found a vintage bike that was set up to my taste when I bought it. But the reward of restoring and refining a bike is priceless. This bike is not actively on the market currently. If I do sell it, I would need to get at least $7000 for it. You can buy them cheap but getting them to this level isn't. The problem is that I couldn't replace it!
@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 Congratulations sir, your work on this bike, and your videos are epic! I agree with your assessment on values, and believe yours is "worth a pretty penny". Looking forward to more of your videos, and finding my way back to a GS!
Jon, Would you be willing to provide part numbers or links to those exact item's you used on your bike? I have the same ride and wanna put some of those items on mine. Thanks
@jamesnuce7082 What items are you interested in? I can try to at least point you in the right direction. I've done lots of restorations and may not have records of all the part numbers. Cheers!
@@jamienice7173 All products are from EMGO. It's the Viper front fairing, the Emgo Magna Wide handlebar and Emgo Classic rear shocks for the GS1100G. I don't know the exact part #s at this point.
@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 Jon, How were you able to purchase the EMGO products? There web site said they do not sell to dealers or individual...
The '81 GS1100E is a great bike. It was a sport model and may have been ridden hard. If possible, check for clutch basket noise, popping out of gear under brisk acceleration, cam chain noise or valve niose, that the charging system works properly when the bike is hot, originality of components and paint, rust in the gas tank, sponginess in the brakes, chain and sprocket health, mushy suspension, cosmetics, etc. It's much more involved to look over and vintage bike than it is a modern one. I hope that helps.
Back in the early 90's my dad came into possession of one of these. He thought it would be a good first bike for me lol That bike is way too much for a 14 year old to learn on! I remember the first time I pinned the throttle open on a highway, everything felt like looking out the front window of the millennium falcon as it made the jump into light speed Everything was a blur to me lol
So….I was typing as the video was playing came to find out you answered my question! Hahaha, I was so excited to find a video of such a cool bike! Thanks for the videos.
@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 Hello John, I enjoyed your vid, & upgrades. What brand regulator/Rectifier did you replace yours with. Ouch" I changed out mine months back, but i came across a stock nos Rectifier in the box. So I picked it up. Do you know if the originals are faulty? Or do you think, time ( moisture/heat/cold cycles Cause the failure,? Thank you. My GS 750 , is easily my fave...... but yah, sumtimes Im looking for 6th.
@@Bellathebear777 Thank you! I used Rick's Electrics stator and regulator/rectifier. They have an upgraded unit called a "hotshot" rectifier if you're going to run accessories. The Suzuki units seem to fail with regularity but I'm not sure of the exact cause.
I had the privlege of riding this bike in the day, I was riding thie 1100 on a couty back road , I was trying to top end it but ran out of room very fast for what is .
I’m looking for my first bike. I’m average height and build. Is this a good first bike or not so much? There’s one in my area for $800. It’s a beautiful bike!
Hi Cody, that's a great question! There are several things that keep the GS1100 from being an ideal first bike. It's a big, heavy, powerful bike. It's an old bike with higher potential for things to go wrong. Without modification to the brakes and suspension, it can't match the power output of the motor in braking or handling. Finally, the $800 price sounds like it would need significant work and money to make it a safe daily rider. I would recommend a newer bike in the 500cc range as a better bike to start on. Good luck in your search!
I haven't heard one of these with the Kerker though I'm sure it would sound great. For the money though, these Delkevics are impossible to beat. $350 for stainless steel, great quality, great sound, and awesome power delivery, what more could I ask for? The last Kerker I checked on was around $1500 (yikes!).
@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 lol, Ain't that the Truth! I loved how you started the vid, & made a couple passes. My favorite parts of the vid? Lol, The Sound! Excellent. I'm still rolling with the stock exhaust. I'm happy with it....it's in great shape. But occasionally I kick myself in the butt. The seller brought me the bike, & he also had a era Kerker in the plastic. I bought the bike, & negotiations were done. He said he didn't want to sell the pipe. Lol, But he brought it & It was in the bed of the truck. So I guess I blew that. Anyhow, I don't know much about exhaust, other than I love the sound of a kerker. That delkavic pipe sounds great! Oh well.
@@Bellathebear777 The Kerkers are nice and I feel your pain on not negotiating a bit on that one! The Delkevic pipes are equally nice and much cheaper currently if you ever decide to change yours.
Lived in Australia for 10 years and just rode bikes, because I could. One of the first bikes I bought was an 80 GSX1100. I loved that bike. It had gone around the clock once and it never let me down, despite the fact I rode it all over Australia. I sold it to try something else, but am currently looking for another one here in Canada. Can confirm, they were bullet proof, and fun to ride. But heavy. Which made it a great highway bike. The only thing I did was add braided steel brake lines to the front, which improved the braking a lot.
Right on Jack! The Suzuki GS1100s also benefit from stiffer springs up front. It helps the handling significantly. Good luck in your search. Cheers!
Nice piece of machinery you've got.
You relive the days of glory. Unlike today when you can't tell one from another.
This bike is a relative to the XS1100 Yamaha !!
We never had that model in our country.
Enjoy your ride.
Trinidad & Tobago. West Indies.
Thanks Ramish!
Japanese bikes of that era were overbuilt. Excellent quality. You don't see late 70s early 80s Triumphs and Harley Davidsons being used as everyday riders nowadays. Those DOHC inline fours were way ahead of their time.
Right on!
Yes love your hot rod. Those days when they started doing all those things on the Bikes made them so cool and fun. Thanks again for again for for the Ride AND Great INFO.
Thanks Bruce!
Such beautiful stance on the GS1100GK!
I bought one new. Put cafe handlebars on it. Suzuki had the gold standard seat in the industry for years. Great fun and fast, drive shaft and all.
Mine had a problem the first few months that caused one or two cylinders to cut out. In traffic, usually in 3rd gear, I would have to open the throttle all the way to keep
moving with the flow if I couldn’t pull off immediately. Then suddenly all 4 would fire. Great practice for emergency white knuckle speed. Not so much fun though. Everything was replaced during the 40 days of multiple visits by high level west coast Suzuki mechanics. Miss that bike.
Right on, I do love the 1100G!
Awesome! I'm looking at one this weekend, it has 20k miles, is that high for these bikes? Are they like the goldwings of the era, able to go over 100k no problem?
I've owned a GS1100G with over 66k miles. Check the charging system and clutch if possible. I have replaced those on every GS1100G I've owned.
Jon, just wanted to say you're doing a fantastic job with your videos!!
Thank you, I appreciate the encouragement. Cheers!
brill vid jon. keep em comming
Thank you!
Really enjoy watching your test rides. Got my GS1000g Suzuki going after not running for 30 yrs.I installed a Delkevic four into one after watching your test ride.Wondering if I will need to change jetting now? Randy Warkentine Mar 2023
I went up one size on my mains and one size up on my pilot jets. It runs great with that setup.
Sounds great.
I agree. I love the sound of the Delkevic exhaust on this bike.
I have a full set of luggage, trunk and fairing that is the same color if you're interested
Me too. I'll probably never put mine back on but don't have the heart to throw them away.
Fantastic machine...!
Suzuki did a knockout job on this one.
@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 any chance you have an extra pillion grab rail for the same model '83
@@Swokpmund sorry but no.
@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 thanks.
Is that with the baffle still in? I wanting to buy ine for my 79 xs1100 but find a sound clip anywhere on the web.
That is with all baffles in. I would highly recommend the Delkevic "Classic Megaphone" exhaust (especially the stainless version). It may sound different on the XS1100. I have one on a Kawasaki as well, and it sounds different. Cheers!
Nice bike
I made a cafe racer out of mine, that's funny, mine also has a broken piece of metal that rattles in the exhaust.
Thank you. The piece of metal turned out to be one of the half-circle exhaust flange spacers on mine.
Can you post what size tires you are running front and rear please?
130/90/16 rear, 110/90/19 front.
WOW, this bike is bringing me back to my roots! Doing research now to buy an 80's Suzuki GS again, and this bike would be my goal!! What would that bike fetch in the market (and is it for sale)?
Hi Josue, I purchased this bike (originally a tired touring bike) pretty inexpensively. However, it took many dollars and many, many hours over several years to get it refined to this point. I don't know how much a dialed-in bike like this would bring on the market. With vintage bikes, value is determined by what someone else is willing to pay. I have never found a vintage bike that was set up to my taste when I bought it. But the reward of restoring and refining a bike is priceless.
This bike is not actively on the market currently. If I do sell it, I would need to get at least $7000 for it. You can buy them cheap but getting them to this level isn't. The problem is that I couldn't replace it!
@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 Congratulations sir, your work on this bike, and your videos are epic! I agree with your assessment on values, and believe yours is "worth a pretty penny". Looking forward to more of your videos, and finding my way back to a GS!
@@josue_estrada_everywhere Thank you and good luck in your quest!
Jon, Would you be willing to provide part numbers or links to those exact item's you used on your bike? I have the same ride and wanna put some of those items on mine. Thanks
@jamesnuce7082 What items are you interested in? I can try to at least point you in the right direction. I've done lots of restorations and may not have records of all the part numbers. Cheers!
Cafe front headlight faring, rear higher shocks, current handle bars. Thanks.
@@jamienice7173 All products are from EMGO. It's the Viper front fairing, the Emgo Magna Wide handlebar and Emgo Classic rear shocks for the GS1100G. I don't know the exact part #s at this point.
@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 Jon, How were you able to purchase the EMGO products? There web site said they do not sell to dealers or individual...
Also, Is there a way to contact you directly say through text or email? I think that would be easier for both of us.
Jon, what’s ur thoughts on an 81 GS1100E. Anything to be concerned about?
The '81 GS1100E is a great bike. It was a sport model and may have been ridden hard. If possible, check for clutch basket noise, popping out of gear under brisk acceleration, cam chain noise or valve niose, that the charging system works properly when the bike is hot, originality of components and paint, rust in the gas tank, sponginess in the brakes, chain and sprocket health, mushy suspension, cosmetics, etc. It's much more involved to look over and vintage bike than it is a modern one. I hope that helps.
Back in the early 90's my dad came into possession of one of these. He thought it would be a good first bike for me lol
That bike is way too much for a 14 year old to learn on!
I remember the first time I pinned the throttle open on a highway, everything felt like looking out the front window of the millennium falcon as it made the jump into light speed
Everything was a blur to me lol
Wow - I'm glad you lived to tell the tale! And I agree, it isn't the best bike for a 14 year old to learn on!
Lol, Blurry huh. That's definitely done best on an empty highway. 14! That is a lotta bike , for a 1st bike. Lol
You said you had updated the charging system…what all did you have to replace? I picked up an 82 Suzuki 1100g and I’m troubleshooting various issues.
So….I was typing as the video was playing came to find out you answered my question! Hahaha, I was so excited to find a video of such a cool bike! Thanks for the videos.
@@thinkifarted You're welcome Shaun.
@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 Hello John, I enjoyed your vid, & upgrades.
What brand regulator/Rectifier did you replace yours with. Ouch" I changed out mine months back, but i came across a stock nos Rectifier in the box. So I picked it up. Do you know if the originals are faulty? Or do you think, time ( moisture/heat/cold cycles Cause the failure,?
Thank you.
My GS 750 , is easily my fave...... but yah, sumtimes Im looking for 6th.
@@Bellathebear777 Thank you! I used Rick's Electrics stator and regulator/rectifier. They have an upgraded unit called a "hotshot" rectifier if you're going to run accessories. The Suzuki units seem to fail with regularity but I'm not sure of the exact cause.
I had the privlege of riding this bike in the day, I was riding thie 1100 on a couty back road , I was trying to top end it but ran out of room very fast for what is .
Right on! This one is my "sleeper". It's very underrated but shockingly good in real-world riding.
I’m looking for my first bike. I’m average height and build. Is this a good first bike or not so much? There’s one in my area for $800. It’s a beautiful bike!
Hi Cody, that's a great question! There are several things that keep the GS1100 from being an ideal first bike. It's a big, heavy, powerful bike. It's an old bike with higher potential for things to go wrong. Without modification to the brakes and suspension, it can't match the power output of the motor in braking or handling. Finally, the $800 price sounds like it would need significant work and money to make it a safe daily rider. I would recommend a newer bike in the 500cc range as a better bike to start on. Good luck in your search!
Are you selling it
Hi Marcello, I'm not really trying to sell it currently.
Kerker sounds better
I haven't heard one of these with the Kerker though I'm sure it would sound great. For the money though, these Delkevics are impossible to beat. $350 for stainless steel, great quality, great sound, and awesome power delivery, what more could I ask for? The last Kerker I checked on was around $1500 (yikes!).
Too loud.
One man's noise is another man's music!
@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 lol, Ain't that the Truth! I loved how you started the vid, & made a couple passes. My favorite parts of the vid? Lol, The Sound! Excellent. I'm still rolling with the stock exhaust. I'm happy with it....it's in great shape. But occasionally I kick myself in the butt. The seller brought me the bike, & he also had a era Kerker in the plastic. I bought the bike, & negotiations were done. He said he didn't want to sell the pipe. Lol, But he brought it & It was in the bed of the truck. So I guess I blew that. Anyhow, I don't know much about exhaust, other than I love the sound of a kerker. That delkavic pipe sounds great!
Oh well.
@@Bellathebear777 The Kerkers are nice and I feel your pain on not negotiating a bit on that one! The Delkevic pipes are equally nice and much cheaper currently if you ever decide to change yours.