New member starting an efe project

[Charles]

I’m glad I found this site a member on another site directed me here because the other site had technical difficulties that I couldn’t deal with. I just bought an 85 1150 and I plan on modernizing the suspension and wheels, losing as much weight from it as possible, doing some seat and ergo mods and emphasizing the midrange torque of the motor  

First up I have some sv650 suspension (full traxxion dynamics kit) and wheels going on with the Suzuki factory brake kit. 

Next I plan on shortening the seat and rear fender (tastefully), adding rearsets and fatbars with new controls, I have a motogadget kit for completely new electrics and either an 83 750 or Wes Cooley style fairing. 
For the motor I have a set of 31mm smoothbores and I plan on going through it to refreshen all of the vitals, then I will top it off with a bevy of braided line, bigger cooler and a Hindle exhaust

 

[RGSX]

welcome Charles, love the CRs! I couldn't afford them and had to settle for the Mikuni rs36

Edited October 6, 2020 by RGSX

[Charles]

I have you to thank for the site recommendation.The carbs are only 31mm but I have friends who race vintage bikes and they say that with the cr’s you don’t want to go too big or you lose a ton of midrange (they use 33’s on full blown race engines), and midrange punch is what I am after so hopefully they will work just fine. I am tearing the motor down to replace the bearings and rings, clean up the head and replace all of the seals so I might mill the block and head down a bit to get some more compression which should also help the mid range

[Isleoman]

You have some nice parts to start a great build. 

  The expertise here is better than the Girl's Blouse site, especially for the 1150s.      The Admins here keep the site laser focused on GS Suzukis, and I'm thankful for that. 

 

 

[Fazz711]

Hi bud. 

Welcome to OSS. 

Nice project 

[Wee Man]

Welcome to OSS.  

[Swiss Toni]

Hi Chas. Good project, by the looks of it! Don’t stray too far from the EF look though! 

[Charles]

16 hours ago, Swiss Toni said:

Hi Chas. Good project, by the looks of it! Don’t stray too far from the EF look though! 

Honestly I am not too fond of the fairing or the Starship Enterprise tractor beam on the front so I think that will be gone, I was thinking more of an 83es type fairing and maybe some seat mods. The suspension and wheels shouldn’t look too far out of place as most of the builds I have seen on here have the 3 spoke 17” wheels. The rest will be subtle massaging to get everything to fit. I should be able to start mocking stuff up next week and I will start a thread in the projects section where everybody’s input (positive or negative) will ultimately form the finished project. I really like what I see and hear on this site and have literally changed my mind half a dozen times in 3 or 4 hours of browsing members projects. 

[RGSX]

17 minutes ago, Charles said:

I really like what I see and hear on this site and have literally changed my mind half a dozen times in 3 or 4 hours of browsing members projects. 

Yup, my  biggest build issue is myself, I can't keep a finished design in my head, the project is constantly evolving. Every time I think I have a clear idea of the completed project I see another great idea and incorporate that into my project, today was no exception.

[Swiss Toni]

@CharlesDitch the fairing, by all means. How about sourcing an original (Huge) headlamp  & brackets, and going nekkid? 

Edited January 6, 2021 by Swiss Toni

[Poldark]

I'm not a fan of fairings either.  The bike would look better without it.  But he's in Canada; it gets cold there, really cold.

[Charles]

1 hour ago, Swiss Toni said:

@CharlesDitch the fairing, by all means. How about sourcing an original (Huge) headlamp @ brackets, and going nekkid? 

How about a little bikini fairing like the Katana has? Has anybody adapted a Katana fairing to an efe?

[KATANAMANGLER]

The top part of the original EFE fairing look good on these. Many like them naked for that muscle bike aesthetic .  With a fairing they are more practical for doing distance and using to transverse continents n' that. Depends what you want to use it for.

The ES fairing might be a better fit than the Kat or the GS1200S looks good too.

[RGSX]

I have the full efe fairing and intended to strip that off and go naked, I even bought the nearly unobtainium  headlight and bucket for the conversion. But after a 7hr mountain cruise on my other naked ride I had a rethink, I do rather like being out of the full blast of the wind on long mountain rides.

Now I'm keeping the fairing although it will look different in aluminum and I have a naked efe headlight on my shelf that I may put on my other ride, I also have 1/4 Cooley style fairing for it.

Try what ever you want and if you're not pleased with it, change it. It's what we do, we modify bikes until we're satisfied.

 

[RGSX]

4 hours ago, Charles said:

How about a little bikini fairing like the Katana has? Has anybody adapted a Katana fairing to an efe?

open three windows on your screen for the three bikes... Katana, gs1100es and GS1150efe.  You can see the design progression and the changes in fairing and tank.  Would it work, possibly. It's not going to be the most expensive modification you're going to do, if it doesn't work out move on and try something else.

Edited October 8, 2020 by RGSX

[Dorkburger]

Hey Charles, welcome. 
Yes those fairings are hideous. 

I like em. They sure seem to be polarizing though. 

[Dezza]

My guess is an efe with the oem top fairing section mounted a bit lower than stock with lower bars would look really cool.

[Dorkburger]

3 hours ago, Dezza said:

My guess is an efe with the oem top fairing section mounted a bit lower than stock with lower bars would look really cool.

Homer this idea to the extreme on his build. And it looks wicked. 

[Charles]

1 minute ago, Dorkburger said:

Homer this idea to the extreme on his build. And it looks wicked. 

That blue one you posted looks nice from the side I’m thinking it has something to do with the paint scheme splitting it horizontally and making it look smaller, but from the front you can’t get away from that polarizing (9”?) headlight. Maybe I could modify the opening and adapt something a little less eye grabbing. I’m going to try and search Homer and get some more food for thought

[Charles]

20 minutes ago, Charles said:

That blue one you posted looks nice from the side I’m thinking it has something to do with the paint scheme splitting it horizontally and making it look smaller, but from the front you can’t get away from that polarizing (9”?) headlight. Maybe I could modify the opening and adapt something a little less eye grabbing. I’m going to try and search Homer and get some more food for thought

So that is different. I like a lot of the stuff that he has done even though I’m not building a drag bike; just the top fairing painted white and blue mounted a little lower (with front fender clearance)!, I also like the side panels cut back a bit to see the carbs and I could fab up a solo seat with a short tail section. I just have to research headlights. The pictures in my mind are starting to look a little clearer! Thanks guys

[Dorkburger]

The paint scheme does go a long way. I don't particularly care for the 1984 design. 85 and 86 I dig. If you're going full custom it doesn't apply. Personally I've never considered the full fairing to be beautiful.  At some angles it's awesome, at others it can be awkward, but always cool, and always unmistakable. I consider it one of its charms.....

[Isleoman]

My taste run towards the 1100es fairing.   I don't think 1150s have the body for the rounded Cooley style fairings.  If you're going to have one it should work.  

[Charles]

I do have this one in the shed that could be raped and pillaged for parts

[slayer61]

Let the raping & pillaging begin!

[cnap504]

I’m a big fan of the round slide CR Special Carbs, very well designed and built.  The 31’s will certainly give you good response.  But I have seen up to 37 mm CR’s on those heads.