Post by eddypeck on Sept 20, 2017 10:40:56 GMT 1
Hi guys,
So here's the latest one:
I know it won't appeal to everyone but hey-ho. It's a 1980 Suzuki GS1000G. The GS1000 was Suzuki's first 1000cc bike and aimed at the export market because at the time the biggest bikes aloud by law in Japan were 750's - the poor guys, making them couldn't even have them for themselves :shock:
Back in the 70s and early 80s the big four; Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki were extremely competitive and as a result each new bike put out out did the last one. So for a while, this was the fasted bike on the market ... till the next one was released
Anyway, this one was destined to USA, the G model was shaft drive and had a larger fuel tank aimed at the tourer market. I gather it was available in the UK but not so popular so quite uncommon. The bars are also more upright as that's what the Americans prefered so I will be swapping those.
The panniers and fairing are aftermarket stuff designed by Craig Vetter craigvetter.com/ apparently popular at the time and very expensive:
I've been watching this bike for a while, and I suspect it's these add ons that were the reason it was unsold and why I managed to get it for such a great price.
Luckily it came with the standard headlight and indicators and all the fixings. So within a couple of hours of getting her home (even though I'd been to the chiropractor that morning, was aching like hell and had just ridden the behemoth home for an hour, so should have been resting...) she looked like this.
A little later like this, then I realised I didn't have the plug or the loom for the headlight bulb.
Here's where the old Mk2 Breaker comes into play. Buried at the bottom of my parts pile in my shed I have a box containing the full wiring loom from an 8v. Although slightly reluctant as it was a complete loom I decided I could sacrifice a H4 connector and a few inches of wire.
So back in the lounge in front of a bad Dwayne Johnson film (San Andreas) I made up a little loom that would plug into the exisisting wire so I didn't have to cut any of the original plugs off. Leaving the film playing to an empty room - Ok, 2 sleeping dogs - I popped back out the garage and by 1:00 this:
No the 180kg / 160bhp of my last bike. More like 230kg / 90bhp but it's still got a fair bit of grunt and is less likely to get me in trouble.
Managed to get a few more mile on it Monday, and stopped for some pics in the sunlight:
Then got home and gave it a wash and polish:
The black paint has actually got a green metallic in it which is pretty cool when the sun hits it:
And have rode it into work today :thumbs:
Now this does mean no Mk2 Golf GTI for a little while, which was my plan to get another but like all things 80's there's a reasonable market for these and they're few and far between. Odd that no one else had the foresight to buy it and take the touring kit off, end of selling season now really but I recon I could resell it now for more than I paid and if I wait till spring I could probably make a grand straight off the bat. That said planning to hang on to it for a little while but ultimately this is a fair chunk of my next Mk2 money so better to have invested it like this and get some enjoyment in the meanwhile rather than have it sitting in the bank.
So here's the latest one:
I know it won't appeal to everyone but hey-ho. It's a 1980 Suzuki GS1000G. The GS1000 was Suzuki's first 1000cc bike and aimed at the export market because at the time the biggest bikes aloud by law in Japan were 750's - the poor guys, making them couldn't even have them for themselves :shock:
Back in the 70s and early 80s the big four; Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki were extremely competitive and as a result each new bike put out out did the last one. So for a while, this was the fasted bike on the market ... till the next one was released
Anyway, this one was destined to USA, the G model was shaft drive and had a larger fuel tank aimed at the tourer market. I gather it was available in the UK but not so popular so quite uncommon. The bars are also more upright as that's what the Americans prefered so I will be swapping those.
The panniers and fairing are aftermarket stuff designed by Craig Vetter craigvetter.com/ apparently popular at the time and very expensive:
I've been watching this bike for a while, and I suspect it's these add ons that were the reason it was unsold and why I managed to get it for such a great price.
Luckily it came with the standard headlight and indicators and all the fixings. So within a couple of hours of getting her home (even though I'd been to the chiropractor that morning, was aching like hell and had just ridden the behemoth home for an hour, so should have been resting...) she looked like this.
A little later like this, then I realised I didn't have the plug or the loom for the headlight bulb.
Here's where the old Mk2 Breaker comes into play. Buried at the bottom of my parts pile in my shed I have a box containing the full wiring loom from an 8v. Although slightly reluctant as it was a complete loom I decided I could sacrifice a H4 connector and a few inches of wire.
So back in the lounge in front of a bad Dwayne Johnson film (San Andreas) I made up a little loom that would plug into the exisisting wire so I didn't have to cut any of the original plugs off. Leaving the film playing to an empty room - Ok, 2 sleeping dogs - I popped back out the garage and by 1:00 this:
No the 180kg / 160bhp of my last bike. More like 230kg / 90bhp but it's still got a fair bit of grunt and is less likely to get me in trouble.
Managed to get a few more mile on it Monday, and stopped for some pics in the sunlight:
Then got home and gave it a wash and polish:
The black paint has actually got a green metallic in it which is pretty cool when the sun hits it:
And have rode it into work today :thumbs:
Now this does mean no Mk2 Golf GTI for a little while, which was my plan to get another but like all things 80's there's a reasonable market for these and they're few and far between. Odd that no one else had the foresight to buy it and take the touring kit off, end of selling season now really but I recon I could resell it now for more than I paid and if I wait till spring I could probably make a grand straight off the bat. That said planning to hang on to it for a little while but ultimately this is a fair chunk of my next Mk2 money so better to have invested it like this and get some enjoyment in the meanwhile rather than have it sitting in the bank.