Saturday 23 June 2012

1983 Suzuki GS1100E restoration project.

Back in early 2011, we had a customer approach us in regard to restoring his 1983 Suzuki GS1100E. When the bike showed up, it was obvious it had seen better days. Between being badly weathered and the fact it had not run in several years, it looked like it was going to be somewhat of a challenge to bring her back to life. The first thing we had to do was to get a sense of the mechanical state of the bike. Starting with the basics, check the engine for oil, do a compression test, check for spark and remove and clean the carburetors. After re-installing the carbs, we fired her up after a long sleep. It fired up and seemed to run not  bad for a bike that had sat for so long. Now that we had it running, it gave us a chance to check out the charging system, and then put it on the Dyno to check the clutch and transmission, everything seemed to be working. At this point, it was decided that it was worth carrying on with the restoration. The first step was to  disassemble the bike, clean and inspect all the parts, and make a parts list. This is an important step as it helps prepare an estimate for the customer. It must be stated that this is just an estimate based on the initial inspection, not a firm quote. With all restoration work, there is always hidden problems that can only be found once you've stated. With a preliminary budget established, the customer decided to proceed with the work. With the approval and a deposit, we got to work. Step one was to strip the bike to the frame. Then off to powder coating for the frame / fairing brackets / side and center stand and engine plates. The next step was to deal with the paint and graphics. Because it had been left in the weather such a long time, the paint was in pretty bad shape. Though the mechanical side of the job is important, the paint is the first thing you really see, which is why we put so much work into the paint and graphics. Because the decals and graphics are  hard to find, we had Rick Janzen from Streamline Studios re-create all the striping and lettering. Between Rick from Streamline and the paint magic of  Rod Stevenson, not to mention his first class body work, we return her back to the show room beauty. Now it was time to start putting her back together. We wire brushed and serviced all parts as they went back on. Then we replaced the seals and bearings where required. The next move was to completely re-build the front and rear hydraulic brake systems. The seat was sent out to Andrea of Power Sport Seats to be re-covered. With the end in sight, we had a few more challenges with the electrical system and wiring, but ended up resolving the problem by making a new harness with parts from a GS 1150. Then with some final tweaks to a few stubborn body parts, we were finished. In the end, we managed to get her back to her former glory, not to mention a very happy customer. Jobs like this can be a real challenge, not to mention expensive. What really makes a project like this worthwhile is when you sit back and look at the finished bike. The overall restoration took a little over a year to complete. You can't put a time limit on a jobs like this, they'll take what they take. Hope you enjoy. Thanks.







                                   
                                                                                                                          













Sunday 3 June 2012

Friday Night Dust-off

After a long winter sleep, we decided to get together with a bunch of like-minded souls and go for an evening ride. It was a beautiful night for a ride, sunny with not too much wind. Altogether, we had 13 bikes for the ride. Our choice of destination would first take us out to Bragg Creek via the #8, then swing over to highway #764 using the #22. For those that have run the #762, you know it was made for bikes, and you just can't beat the scenery. Once we hit the end of the #762, we tried taking a short cut that would have hooked us with the #22 to Turner Valley, but due to a road wash out, had to track back to the #549 and over  to the Millarville turnoff. From the Millarville turnoff, we headed south to Turner Valley on the #22, then on to Black Diamond on the #546 that turns into the #7 at Black Diamond. Our main goal was to stop at the Tom's House of Pizza in Okotoks  for some food and drink, not to mention great conversation and a lot of laughs. After being well feed and watered, it was back on the road and time to head for home. Overall, it was a stellar first of the year ride, great weather, no tickets, and only a brief hold up due to an electrical problem with one of the bikes. A big part of owning a bike is getting out with friends and enjoy the trill of the road, not to mention all the laughs and memories along the way. Over the coming months of the season, I'll be posting blogs on rides / great destinations / maintenance tips / and the latest in accessories to help you to get the most out of  your riding  experience. If you have any routes, and would like to share them, please feel free to leave us a comment. You bought the bike; you bought the gear, now get out and use it. Thanks for dropping by.