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A GS1100 To Restore
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Nortoon Offline
High Mileage

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,409
Joined: Jan 2015
Post: #21
RE: A GS1100 To Restore
(11-29-2017 02:48 PM)redbirds Wrote:  I'm painting it a light blue similar to the blue on early Suzukis.

If you are going to all the trouble of restoring this bike, why not just clean and wax the current paint? It has been my experience that paint never turns out the way you expect it to. Plus it devalues the bike and it's authenticity.

Found the mufflers I needed for my 1971 BSA Lightning restoration at a motorcycle salvage yard. You couldn't see the chrome for the grime. I had to use oven cleaner to remove it. Gave them a final polish with Autosol and they sparkled.

I was a good customer of the last remaining BSA shop in Ottawa. Harry the owner gave me a set of the authentic handlebars when he heard I was restoring the motorcycle.

2017 CB1100 EX
11-29-2017 08:44 PM
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redbirds Offline
Been There

Patterson, GA, USA
Posts: 4,591
Joined: Jan 2014
Post: #22
RE: A GS1100 To Restore
(11-29-2017 08:44 PM)Nortoon Wrote:  
(11-29-2017 02:48 PM)redbirds Wrote:  I'm painting it a light blue similar to the blue on early Suzukis.

If you are going to all the trouble of restoring this bike, why not just clean and wax the current paint? It has been my experience that paint never turns out the way you expect it to. Plus it devalues the bike and it's authenticity.

Found the mufflers I needed for my 1971 BSA Lightning restoration at a motorcycle salvage yard. You couldn't see the chrome for the grime. I had to use oven cleaner to remove it. Gave them a final polish with Autosol and they sparkled.

I was a good customer of the last remaining BSA shop in Ottawa. Harry the owner gave me a set of the authentic handlebars when he heard I was restoring the motorcycle.

I'm not really interested in a period correct restoration. Just want the bike to run reliably so that my wife may enjoy riding it. The existing paint may look okay in the photos but in fact there was surface rust and all the decals were beyond help. The right side cover was missing but I was able to make one from the cracked remains of two black side covers I bought cheap on Ebay. I'm doing the paint myself and the results are obvious when seen close up that I'm no expert at this.

1 Cor 13:4-7 (NIV)
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
11-30-2017 08:49 AM
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Nortoon Offline
High Mileage

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,409
Joined: Jan 2015
Post: #23
RE: A GS1100 To Restore
(11-30-2017 08:49 AM)redbirds Wrote:  The existing paint may look okay in the photos but in fact there was surface rust and all the decals were beyond help. The right side cover was missing but I was able to make one from the cracked remains of two black side covers I bought cheap on Ebay.

I had a similar problem with the second hand 1971 BSA Lightning I bought. The kid had made a quasi-chopper out of it and painted it metal-flake sky blue. Unfortunately the factory paint scheme for that year was also really ugly. So the frame, tank and side panels got painted black. Looked better than either of the two previous paint jobs.

2017 CB1100 EX
11-30-2017 12:01 PM
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tinboatcapt Offline
1st Service Completed

Minnesota, USA
Posts: 191
Joined: Mar 2017
Post: #24
RE: A GS1100 To Restore
Great find. Those Suzuki's were great bikes. A vintage bike is a great bit of tinkering fun.

Jim

2014 CB1100 Std
2000 ST1100
1981 CB650C
11-30-2017 09:37 PM
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redbirds Offline
Been There

Patterson, GA, USA
Posts: 4,591
Joined: Jan 2014
Post: #25
RE: A GS1100 To Restore
The project Suzuki is coming along slowly as I have time and funds to work on it. It was never my goal to make a restoration but simply an old bike I could enjoy riding thus I have tried to save money by buying and repairing some used body parts such as the side panels. The carburetors were beyond my abilities so I sent them to a pro for complete refurbishing. The motor now starts almost instantly but I need new rubber intake boots as the old ones are not sealing right. Here is a link to more pics.
http://s1259.photobucket.com/user/stumps...t=3&page=1

1 Cor 13:4-7 (NIV)
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
(This post was last modified: 01-23-2018 06:29 PM by redbirds.)
01-23-2018 06:21 PM
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Flynrider Offline
Been There

Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 3,233
Joined: Apr 2013
Post: #26
RE: A GS1100 To Restore
Looking good so far, Redbirds!

If your intake boots are not sealing because they're too hard, you might want to try wintergreen oil. It should soften the boots enough so that you can get a good seal between the carbs and the airbox. Just Google "rubber wintergreen oil" for various methods.

A friend of mine used this on carb boots when resurrecting an old KZ bike and the boots were extremely pliable after soaking in the oil for a few days.

Might be worth a shot.

Phoenix, AZ
2013 CB1100 - Big Red
1993 CB750 Nighthawk - Tahitian Blue
01-23-2018 06:47 PM
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redbirds Offline
Been There

Patterson, GA, USA
Posts: 4,591
Joined: Jan 2014
Post: #27
RE: A GS1100 To Restore
(01-23-2018 06:47 PM)Flynrider Wrote:  Looking good so far, Redbirds!

If your intake boots are not sealing because they're too hard, you might want to try wintergreen oil. It should soften the boots enough so that you can get a good seal between the carbs and the airbox. Just Google "rubber wintergreen oil" for various methods.

A friend of mine used this on carb boots when resurrecting an old KZ bike and the boots were extremely pliable after soaking in the oil for a few days.

Might be worth a shot.

Thanks for the tip. I'll try that.

1 Cor 13:4-7 (NIV)
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
01-23-2018 07:44 PM
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Guth Offline
Forum Founder

Portland, OR
Posts: 3,918
Joined: Apr 2013
Post: #28
RE: A GS1100 To Restore
I'm still trying to decide if a car smelling like a chip wagon is a good thing or a bad thing.

In the meantime, if the wintergreen oil doesn't work, I'm wondering if something like Shin-Etsu grease available from Honda, or any silicone grease for that matter might be of use on the carb boots (or any other tired, old rubber bits on the bike that you're trying to salvage for that matter)?

The Honda CB1100: STILL air-COOLed
Deposit placed 11/12/2012.
Received delivery 04/05/2013.
01-23-2018 08:17 PM
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Nortoon Offline
High Mileage

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,409
Joined: Jan 2015
Post: #29
RE: A GS1100 To Restore
(01-23-2018 06:21 PM)redbirds Wrote:  Here is a link to more pics.
http://s1259.photobucket.com/user/stumps...t=3&page=1

I there a way of seeing the pictures.
All I got from that link is a myriad of pop-up ads.

2017 CB1100 EX
01-23-2018 09:38 PM
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redbirds Offline
Been There

Patterson, GA, USA
Posts: 4,591
Joined: Jan 2014
Post: #30
RE: A GS1100 To Restore
(01-23-2018 09:38 PM)Nortoon Wrote:  
(01-23-2018 06:21 PM)redbirds Wrote:  Here is a link to more pics.
http://s1259.photobucket.com/user/stumps...t=3&page=1

I there a way of seeing the pictures.
All I got from that link is a myriad of pop-up ads.

I'm sorry that Photobucket is where the photos are stored now. I want to move them to a different photo host but been too lazy to do so.

(01-23-2018 08:17 PM)Guth Wrote:  I'm still trying to decide if a car smelling like a chip wagon is a good thing or a bad thing.

In the meantime, if the wintergreen oil doesn't work, I'm wondering if something like Shin-Etsu grease available from Honda, or any silicone grease for that matter might be of use on the carb boots (or any other tired, old rubber bits on the bike that you're trying to salvage for that matter)?

Another option I may try. The new boots are $13 each which is not bad really but the challenge has been to make do with original parts if possible.

1 Cor 13:4-7 (NIV)
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
(This post was last modified: 01-24-2018 05:49 AM by redbirds.)
01-24-2018 05:47 AM
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