imago

Maybe it was discontinued early on as it wasn't necessary? The back of the cluster is pretty well covered so I can't see what benefit an additional cover would give. Plus anything that gives a bit more room for the rats nest of wiring and connectors stuffed behind the headlamp can only be a good thing.

I need to have a (long overdue) sort out of what's there so that I can make a pile of stuff I need to keep and stuff that I can get rid of. At the moment it's been that long since I stripped the bike I can't remember what I need There is a set of tidy clocks there for the rebuild, but until I test/check them I don't know if everything works so I don't know if I need to cannibalise the rough looking set which I know are functionally fine. As another example I'm pretty sure I have a complete set of bodywork (inc rear light, seat and UK tank) but I can't be certain until I dig it all out and make sure I have what I need to rebuild the 'project' ET. This is the back of the old/rough set of clocks, it's the same set up as the decent set and the ones on the other bike.

I haven't forgotten, but it's punted to tomorrow now.

I have two sets in the unit (one tidy and one not) and I'll be up there tomorrow so I grab a photo is there's a shield/cover on the back of either.

As Wraith says it's an ET, but it's got an 1100 swing arm and it looks like 1100 clocks. 7/11 maybe?

The new can looks much better. Amazing what a relatively simple, small change can make to the look of a bike.

Looks and frame etc aren't an issue, I mainly want the engine and ancillaries to put into a GSX frame. I'm guessing that might make it OSS compliant?

Seems to be about the going rate for a tidy bike with MOT. I don't mind either way TBH. If there's no advantage to one over the other it's just a case of see what comes up and go from there.

I'm looking for a litre twin donor bike to use for my project, are there any benefits to a TL over an SV? I won't be using the rear end so that's irrelevant, and I haven't decided on the front end yet so the USD vs RWU isn't a bother either. I'm thinking more about fuelling and electrical/electronics as whichever one I get I'll be using or converting to injection.

I've had three of those (in standard trim) over the years. The most underrated bike Suzuki have produced IMHO. Mick Grant did a lot f the testing and development riding/work for them.

Which is my point, as that's a good saving on the components bought individually and you still have bits left over to sell.

Well, there;s this online auction site ...... There're three on there now under a grand, one buy it now, and there's another three just over. So if you're going down that route, it's a very cheap way to buy engine, wheels, forks, swing arm, shock and linkage etc etc. There's even a very tidy unit for £2k with a braced arm, decent tyres, tidy engine with polished bits and thirty odd thousand on the clock. When you add up the components that's a good buy too. As above though, if I went that route I'd just end up with an odd looking Bandit.

Actually, scratch that idea. Basically what I'd end up with that plan would be a funny looking Bandit. Thanks for the engine info/opinions gents, I need to have a think about what I want from this, or if I want to do it at all.

I'm in the UK, but I bought a GS1100 (import from USA) mainly for the engine. As the rest of the bike is complete, has a V5 and is fugly as it makes sense to do something with it. I've had three powerscreens over the years, always found them great for commuting and general use, and if I hadn't gone self-employed I'd probably still have one TBH. I reckon you'd struggle to find more bike for your money. I'd have no problem with using the engine out of one, but just wanted to check I wasn't missing a trick somewhere along the line. That said, at the moment I'm leaning towards a Bandit lump. Purely because I can get a whole bike for less than a grand which would give me not only the power plant, but all the running gear too. With the internals upgraded on the forks, and a decent shock at the back it'd be well sorted handling wise. The wheels will allow some decent tyres, I can harvest whatever I want from the loom etc. As the frame will need altering for what I have in mind anyway, sorting it for a mono-shock rear end won't be masses of extra work. I'm almost certainly going to get the frame work done by someone else if I can find someone able to do it who's already familiar with the bracing and changes required. All of the above will free me up to work on the looks of the bike (bodywork, stance etc) and the electrical and fuelling systems.

It's all been done before, so whatever I (or anyone else) does will just be variations on other ideas. I'm just asking questions to avoid mistakes or going down a blind alley, and to speed things along a bit in the initial stages. No point in using engine a. if I have to spend a grand bringing it up to engine b. which could have been bought for the same money initially.

Useful info gents. I don't know about the big bore option. Increasing displacement is all well and good, but it's a costly option for a moderate increase and even more costly if it's a first step in the search for more. My thinking at the moment is that the money may be better spent elsewhere on the build. The frame for example, I'm looking at monoshock conversion and I reckon I'll farm out the frame mods as it'll be quicker, easier and probably cheaper if you take into account buying a decent welder.

The GSX and GSXR 1100 engines seen to be about the same price, with oddly a few more 'bargains' for the GSXR. Bandit engines seem to be a bit dearer, but with the Bandit there's the option of buying a complete bike that's a bit of a snotter to get the running gear too. I was wondering more about the benefits (if any) of one engine over the other as a starting point really.

Bit of a basic question for those who have gone before. In terms of 'bang for your buck' which would be the ideal starting point choice for a project with the main requirements being good torque across the range, but also delivering decent power through the higher range. I'm going to put an oil cooled engine into a GS 1100 frame, and the natural choices seem to be GSXR 1100 or 1200 Bandit. It'll most likely be injected, and whatever it is will get a refresh internally. Any sort of big bore kit will end up being a grand's worth of work, cams and head work would probably be the same. That said, it may happen that way if the parts came available without having to sell a kidney. I don't fancy the turbo route to be honest, so that won't need to be considered. Both Bandit and GSXR engines seem to be available for humble money. So ignoring for a moment any additional work, what's the recommended base engine to start with?

I see what you mean about the look of the tank etc, but I think putting the inline four back in would blow that.

It was too good a bargain to pass up, even though I don't need another long term storage project bike. Which means the question now is, project or spares? The engine has a supposedly genuine 25,000 so that'd be a keeper for the ET. Quite a few of the other bits look like they're shared between models. Tank's a nice shape for something different as a project though.

So basically the answer is:- yes, no, maybe, depends on Suzuki's parts bin at the end of the '70s, Americans.

Hence the original question.

There's an 8v.

So where do these fit in? There's an 8v version, and a 16v like this.