Tony Nitrous

My first iL4 Suzuki. I wouldn’t rule out another one day but having already owned one and put serious mileage in on it there was certainly room for improvement, and they are a long way off being a Classic. Certainly a modded upgraded version.

Same. I put it on my “to do” list many years ago, but never needed to…

I’ve run a pair on Renthals for about 15 years, on flat bars the angle looks very odd and wrong. Surprisingly dispite not even being able to take the tops off without losing fluid, they have worked OK. I was expecting there to be dramas but never had any. They do look strange though!

The only one I’ve used was weighted and set up to come in high enough in the revs that day to day around town it’s wasn’t noticeable. Completely useable as normal and locked up when used in anger / rev’s up. From my brief experience they are adjustable by weighting the arms?

Personally I’d probably go sleeve if you don’t think it’s a long term thing. I have seen a de-bored rear mount with slim top hat spacers fitted from the outside of the mount but it’s not really ideal although it seemed to work.

They respond really well to a full Yoshi Cyclone or Akra full system, PAIR blanks and a dyno mapped PC3 or 5. Few folk bother with an ECU flash as unlike modern bikes the 14 has very few things to remap other than fueling, plus only the later bikes have a “flash” ECU option listed. Next step is normally cams. After that you’re into serious stuff and serious $$’s.

There was a bit of a monster 14 running as a drag bike a while back. I’m not sure if it ran injectors or carbs, but there was a lot of work put into the head, inlets etc to wake it up. I’ve seen two bikes here with 1620 conversions but you need a pile of money and a pile of parts. I like mine but it has its limits in comparison with many other models.

External oil lines with a feed from the bottom end are quite different from “cam to cam” (which they aren’t) links just across the head. This or similar was on the old OSS. https://www.customfighters.com/threads/uk-lees-how-to-make-bandit-gsxr-cam-links.42930/

Aren’t the throttle body’s and inlets in the head relatively small (for a 1402cc motor) part of the engines design for lowdown grunt. I know they suffer from being oddly spaced in comparison to other models. The 14 being a stand alone engine, even wider across the cases. Obviously still do-able but not a quick swap over. I did look into it briefly for mine. I’d be interested if anyone does it.

Is this really a thing ? I ran a big bore Kat for many years in the UK, and yeah, it’s was a warm motor in summer but never a drama. I have an 1100ET here now and even in Aussie summers in the city or at the drags I’ve never found it a problem, temps you’ll never see in the UK. I Not trying to be a smart arse, genuinely interested. I’m surprised an 1135 needs it unless it’s a bit of a monster motor.

I’m not sure it ever was. I remember folk going to wire wheels / spoked rims as it gave you the option for any choice of 16, 17, 18” rims in a wide range of widths. Even the Kats with their futuristic styling were upgraded with wire wheels. After that there was swapping to GSXR stuff, early 6 spokes or then 3 spokes. Im not sure EF into ET’s was ever really common. Sure you’d get a 17” but it’s still pretty slim and wasn’t much of an upgrade even back in the day.

If you want to stick to 80’s Suzuki stuff like the early GSXR11 had 6 spokes like an 1135E but in 18” with a wider rear. I run that size (but different) rims on my 1100ET

Considered wire wheels ? Huge range on size options and can look OK. 1135 wheels aren’t exactly an upgrade. 16” front and skinny 17 rear. I don’t remember anyone doing it.

I’m very envious. I’m not seeing those prices or availability here in Qld, AU.

Still worth having IF the price is right. Lots of folk would buy any oilcooled lump at the right price, just for parts, or a dummy mock up lump, or to rebuild. Hell, I’d buy one with a rod through the cases at the right price! LOL, I’m guessing it wasn’t THAT cheap then ?

Apart from my earlier mentioned cam chains then…. My early one went through a LOT of nitrous and spent a lot of time at the strip, it was eventually returned to near stock and showed no ill effects. I have one sat here now that’s similar mileage to yours (no recorded history with it) and the motors fine. There’s nothing that springs to mind as “high risk” area. They are pretty sturdy and a generally tough lump from my experience that can suffer from normal wear or neglect but nothing really Bandit specific. As others have said it’s nice to be able to run them through the gears to test and it’s the perfect time for cams, cam chains, Dot heads, clutches etc whilst it’s in bits but for me there’s no real Red Flag areas for that engine.

I’ve had a couple that needed cam chains up around that mileage. I’ve had other bikes that went well beyond it without one but 2 of my 12’s had new cam chains. Tensioners seemed OK. Not sure why. Maybe I was just unlucky. Some folk like them but I’m not a huge fan of the diaphragm clutches so a coil spring swap would be on my list but that’s just personal taste.

Might not be relevant to yours, but I bought a big bore ET with mish mash of bits and a lots of mods and mileage on it…. I had an in-line filter, it was plenty big enough, located properly, checked and double checked but the bike was never at its best. I binned it, and brought a brand new replacement tap and filter that improved it. The ET also came with a few airbox lids. Running the stock filter it seemed better with the lid that had several large holes in it.

Not personally, but I’ve snapped a subframe lug off an alloy frame and had it welded back on again. After many years of abuse it’s still solid. I’d be surprised if a good welder couldn’t do it.

This ^ I’ve been watching spares / parts for quite a while and whilst big Suzuki IL4 stuff has always had some value it’s certainly a bit salty now. Demand and prices climbed and held strong. I’ve looked for front ends but they are never cheap or local anymore.

New shed go’s up next month, house after that, then I’m back into it. Bikes, tools, parts all come out of storage units. Untill then I’m just collecting and hoarding.

Thread from the dead ! Just reading up on the 400’s. I know very little about them but was given a rolling frame and tank for free. Being a bit of a hoarder I couldn’t say no. Being a 1984 I’m assuming it’s the original GSXR.

Well, if nothing else it’s solved my previous question about fitting my 1100 alloy arm and 1100 alloy peg hangers to a 750 frame now I have a spare 1100 frame to use.