So here's my last GSX, just after its' Xmas 98 rebuild - well I had to do something with all that spare time off work....with the wife on it stroking her pussy......

     This came my way when my band, Slingshot, were playing a gig at the UK Suzuki Owners' Club National Rally in '98. I was drooling madly over it when the owner noticed my agitated state and we got talking, one George Frater by name. He was bored with it and wanted a new project, invited me to make him an offer. When I said OK, swap you for my 1100 EFE, his eyes suddenly lit up - "Always wanted one of them - is it stock?" Yes it was, so the swap was duly made.

     He did all the mods you see on it apart from the tailpiece: The nose fairing was replaced from one nicked off the wife's GS 500 prior to sale when she got her ZZR 600

     It came with the stock seat and tail fairing which I felt let it down when compared to all the other mods - *deep breath* - GSX 1100 EFE front end complete,  crosser bars, GSXR 1100H back wheel, Dunlop Sportmax ZR rated tyres, Metmachex Swingarm, Marzocchi air shocks, GSXR twin-pot Nissin brake calipers, Micron exhaust shortened by 7", K&N filters and Stage 3 Dynojet on the carbs. It has been dynoed at 100bhp dead on and I have seen 150mph up but since then the Micron has been replaced by a Harris. Oh and I get 50mpg as well.

     For those wondering, EVERYTHING bolts straight on, apart from: new spacers machined up for wheels: different sprocket sizes, but vitally; early GSXR / Bandit 12 twin pot Nissin brake calipers go straight onto GSX 1100 EFE (GS 1150) forks and discs with no mods or brackets required.

     So after Xmas I set to in the garage in between parties....the whole build was achieved mostly using junk laying around in the garage, total cost £95, using only regular tools, an angle grinder and a hand electric drill. No welding at all. Cost of Panels - £40, cost of seat covering £35, the rest (paint, fasteners, number plate) - £20

     Here follows a breakdown of the build:

     1. Bike stripped to seat rails - metal plate made up from old ammo box (50p car boot sale) and bolted to mudguard - mudguard cut down and stock light and plate mount remounted to mudguard higher up than before to line up with back of panels. I tried various lights laying around the garage including cats eye, RD 250 DX and GPz 550 but none of them looked as good and fitted as right as the stock item.

     2. The panels - Suzuki RG125 - 40 quid from the breakers, (just go and price up a GSX-R version) needed some filling, then a few coats of Matt Black and a few more of some lacquer. (Mar 2000 - Real paint has now been done)

     3. Panels fitted on using lugs already on frame - lugs at rear of seat rails used for bolting on stock tail fairing bent up vertical (already M6 threaded) and holes drilled in panels to line up, two holes drilled in panels to locate above M6 threaded holes for locating front arms of stock fairing, suitable bolts connected. One piece of metal bolted to existing side panel mounts to support front locating pins in "U" shaped cup at the top, made from big radio mounting strip (you know, the metal strips with one hole, one oval slot along them) cutting one of the slots in half

     The more observant will notice an optional extra that is not compulsory - a set of four ZZR 250 bungee hooks - these were scored free since while working I got fed up with moving redundant crap lying around the garage and took a load of it, including the stock tail fairing, to the junkyard. New price, £16 each, but I got a set of four as a swap for my unwanted junk.....very handy for bungeeing on the tent etc. for rallies, only thing worth buying that Kawasaki ever made. *runs away from irate wife*

     4. Now the finished item with seat - I cut down the stock seat base to fit the front section to retain use of the stock seat retention thingy and ease of removal - two long bolts were put in at the back which go through the mudguard and secure with split pins. The big problem encountered here was that the edges went below the level of the panel, so two z-shaped "wings" had to be made up to fit either side of the seat base, pop-riveted on and concealed by getting the upholsterer to cover the seat to the "wings" and not the base along the sides........

     Back seat - no way round it, had to make it from scratch - drew out the shape in cardboard first and then had to get some sheet steel and make the thing from nothing - the "Cavalier MOT time door sill" sheet lying around the garage came to the rescue. Brackets were again made up to secure to the bolts holding on the bungee hooks at the front (see side view), and bolts were welded to the seat base from the inside to make them captive - two longer, much larger bolts with spacers were employed in the middle on the seat to locate in holes in the mudguard to support the weight of a pillion, (as sheet steel won't!) and the problem of the back of it keep popping up was solved with two bolts going through the hole in a piece of petrol pipe just smaller than the bolt shank. (Mar 2000 - the big bolts in the middle have now been replaced with some old risers I scored at an autojumble as they will hold a pillion plus tent plus throwovers...)

    Off to the upholsterers for covering, bolt 'em on, done. Add number plate, go ride.....

    (Note: - SIX MONTHS after this I ordered a new number plate from the log book reg. Went to fit it - wrong number. Bugger. So checked log book against new plate - right number on new plate, wrong number on old plate - had been riding it with the wrong reg plate on it for half a year....)

    Then had to make up a small plate to fill the gap between panels (1100 seat rails are a bit wider than a 125's) as the front seat didn't cover the gap like I hoped but on the shakedown run three advantages were immediate - (i) you are lower so you get better wind protection from the nose fairing, (ii) you are lower so you have a lower center of gravity - got the pegs down on a roundabout without even trying....and this is an '83 1100 with crosser bars...(iii) I don't have to cling on with my legs now when (going for it" - the seat hump stops me sliding back.

    The fourth advantage is that the back end now has the optical illusion of being jacked up, since the panels slope up to the back at a fairly steep angle and the back light and plate mount have been moved up, even though the seat rails remain untouched.

    Anyone else fancy a go? Let me know how you get on.....