1983 Suzuki GS1100G brat build

I've always had a motorcycle, and for most of my younger life, I've always needed a motorcycle, whether it be for low cost of transportation, or the simple thrill and joy of riding. I rode my Buell almost exclusively as my sole mode of transportation year-round for my final two years of College many years ago. Life lately hasn't afforded many opportunities to ride a motorcycle in the way I've always enjoyed riding. No long drives to work, no weekend travels with friends, far and few spur-of-the-moment joy rides through the mountains. So my last motorcycle was just an expensive thing in the way taking up garage space. I sold it. Then while mindlessly surfing the classifieds on the internet, I stumbled across this 80's heavy-metal beauty. plenty of power, comfy, and cheap! I figured I'd buy it, store it outside under a cover and ride it if I felt like it. It wouldn't be in the way and who cares if it sits outside, right?                                                                                       

                                      

I was attracted by its originality. I like naked bikes, and though this is from the early 80's, it still looks timelessly styled. 

                                      

this bike was packed with nice features- air suspension, a gear indicator, self-cancelling signals, fuel gage, side-stand reminder. And it was powerful and soaked up bumps in the road nicely.

                                       

But, within a few short months, that was no longer good enough. I got tired of how "porky" it looked on top of the skinny 80's tire sizes. I set out to slim the bike down a bit, and it spiraled out of control into a full cosmetic rehab. Step one- sever the rear frame...

Aiming for something between cafe and brat, I picked up a cheap lightweight seat and began finding the right attitude

I reconstructed the rear frame to the seat

I  relocated and concealed the electronics under the seat.

I removed what wasn't necessary and relocated out-of-sight what I could. Here you see the horns have been moved to hide along the spine of the frame under the fuel tank

I lowered the headlight about an inch and raised the rear of the tank about an inch. The devil is in the details. I slashed off the stock, heavy, quiet pipes in favor of a set of small "glass-packs" made for a car.

                                       

                                           All-in-all I removed many many pounds of weight

                                       

I ended up with this in the first round. I matched the wheels to the bronze pin-stripe on the tank. I bobbed the front fender, added filter pods and rejetted the carbs. The look was not fully eye-pleasing or refined, so I stared and studied and made incremental changes over the next few weeks.

Too much silver and chrome, I decided, so I blacked out the fork lowers, mufflers, headlight ring, tail light, final drive, and changed the rear shocks.

Here you can see the small aftermarket signals in place of large stockers. Also note the smooth underside of the seat pan where the electronics are safely housed.

I added tank pads for knee grip and since it seemed my jeans were continuously dulling the paint in the tank coves.

Bar-end mirrors and mini-speedometer on black cafe-style handle bars. The gauge was more to track miles so I didn't run out of gas than for the need to know what speed I was going.

The final incarnation. I achieved the look I was after. The jets, pipes and lighter weight really made the bike a monster performer with one giant, scary flaw: The chassis handling was not matched to the engine's brute power. And in the end, while it was a cool bike, it too, was just in the way for lack of use. I guess these days I enjoy the build more than the ride. I rehomed the bike to a guy who needed it as a companion for his beloved GS850.