Sourcing Parts for the Cafe Racer Project

[Neveragain55]

I promise I’m not going to kill you guys with questions & topics that have been covered a billion times. (or at least I’m going to try not to)

I’ve read just about everything there is to know about wheel interchangeability between all the Suzuki bikes and I’ve learned a lot.

I’ve already purchased a rear swingarm from a 1982 GSX1100 which should bolt right into my newly acquired 1980 GS550.

I’ve also purchased a set of 1993 GSXR750 inverted front forks that should bolt right in. The stem on the inverted GSXR750 front forks is 9.5 inches long, and the stem length of the GS550 front fork is 9 inches long, so I think I’m good there.

This post regards the rear more than the front end.

I know that the stock rear wheel on the 1982 GSX1100 was 4.5 x 17 and the stock tire used was 130 x 17

I found a set of  (98-06 SUZUKI KATANA 750 GSX750F CHROME FRONT REAR WHEEL RIMS) from “you know where” and I’m just about certain that the rear 4.5 inch wheel will bolt perfectly into the GSX1100 swingarm I got. (no, I'm not keeping them chrome)

I’ve measured the distance in the center of the swingarm where the widest part of the wheel would sit, and I’m getting 5 ½ to 5 ¾ inches across.

I’m fine running either a 150 or 160 rear wheel as I’m not trying to build Godzilla with the widest wheels I can find.

I’ve also done a lot of reading on what type of width & profile tires gives you the best cornering & canyon carving experience, and they say that anything from 140 to 160 is optimal over the really wide 180 to 190 tires.

Given all of the information……is it the expert opinion from the “tire/wheel/ swingarm” gods in here that a 150 to 160 rear tire should work just fine given my parameters.

                                                               As always thanks in advance and any & all replies are welcome…….

 

This is the bike:

 

These are the forks I got:

 

 

This is the swingarm I got:

 

[Captain Chaos]

those forks look like '90-'92 ones, from the last oilcooled 750.

1 hour ago, Neveragain55 said:

stock rear wheel on the 1982 GSX1100 was 4.5 x 17

2,5" IIRC

 

[Neveragain55]

57 minutes ago, Captain Chaos said:

those forks look like '90-'92 ones, from the last oilcooled 750.

2,5" IIRC

 

Understood on the forks, but they were actually purchased from a shop that ptlrofessionally dismantles old bikes and labels all the parts correctly.

If you look closely at the pic of the forks you can see the tag that says 1993 GSXR750

Regarding your cmment where you wrote: "2.5 IIRC"

What exactly are you trying to tell me there?

That (if you remember correctly the size is 2.5)

Are you referring to the size of the front wheel, the size of the rear wheel, the size of the front or rear tire?

Could you be a bit more specific?

I'm simply trying to figure out if I can fit a 150 or 160 rear tire onto the 4.5 rear wheel I'm thinking about buying, and if that combination will fit nicely into the gsx1100 swingarm I bought.

               Thanks.......

Edited November 10 by Neveragain55
correction

[TonyGee]

7 minutes ago, Neveragain55 said:

I'm simply trying to figure out if I can fit a 150 or 160 rear tire onto the 4.5 rear wheel I'm thinking about buying, and if that combination will fit nicely into the gsx1100 swingarm I bought

yes it will fit. 

[Neveragain55]

29 minutes ago, TonyGee said:

yes it will fit. 

Thanks, much appreciated......

[TonyGee]

1 minute ago, Neveragain55 said:

Thanks, much appreciated......

no prob, i have the same setup on my GSX1100 right now, but it will be getting a 180 fitted soon with a B12 swinger. 

[Neveragain55]

1 minute ago, TonyGee said:

no prob, i have the same setup on my GSX1100 right now, but it will be getting a 180 fitted soon with a B12 swinger. 

Cool, so that means I should be able to fit the 160 with no problem.

I wouldn't want to go as high as a 180, but let me push here a little bit, will a 170 fit?

[TonyGee]

1 minute ago, Neveragain55 said:

Cool, so that means I should be able to fit the 160 with no problem.

I wouldn't want to go as high as a 180, but let me push here a little bit, will a 170 fit?

probably not, but tyres arn't always the width they say they are !!!!  don't forget you have to think about the chain alignment as well.

[Neveragain55]

Just now, TonyGee said:

probably not, but tyres arn't always the width they say they are !!!!  don't forget you have to think about the chain alignment as well.

Exactly and I'd be happy with a 160, that's wide enough.

What's a suitable size for the front that would really compliment the 160 rear, 120, 130...???

[TonyGee]

10 minutes ago, Neveragain55 said:

Exactly and I'd be happy with a 160, that's wide enough.

What's a suitable size for the front that would really compliment the 160 rear, 120, 130...???

i have a 120/70x17 on the front and it seems to handle ok. 

[Neveragain55]

Just now, TonyGee said:

i have a 120/70x17 on the front and it seems to handle ok. 

Perfect, I was thinking the same thing, thanks for all the help, it's much appreciated......

[TonyGee]

1 minute ago, Neveragain55 said:

Perfect, I was thinking the same thing, thanks for all the help, it's much appreciated......

[Captain Chaos]

1 hour ago, Neveragain55 said:

Regarding your cmment where you wrote: "2.5 IIRC"

What exactly are you trying to tell me there?

you wrote:

"I know that the stock rear wheel on the 1982 GSX1100 was 4.5 x 17"

but as far as I know the stock rear wheel is 2,5" wide.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Those breakers may well be professionals, but your forks have separate seal holders, which only the '90-'92 models have. The watercooled models ('93 and later) don't have those separate seal holders.

Maybe the bike was a '92 model but first registered in '93.

[Captain Chaos]

And the right fork leg has the plastic clamp for the clutch cable, W models don't have that. The clamp on the left leg is for the speedo cable.

[Captain Chaos]

but it doesn't really matter, they are basically the same forks. Only for ordering parts/filling oil it's useful to know the exact model.

[Neveragain55]

26 minutes ago, Captain Chaos said:

but it doesn't really matter, they are basically the same forks. Only for ordering parts/filling oil it's useful to know the exact model.

All great stuff and most appreciated.....

Take a look at this link (regarding the stock width of the rear wheel) and for whatever it's worth, every piece of information I found on that bike regarding the width of the real wheel gave the same results.

https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/suzu/suzuki_gs1100e 82.htm

I'm in the US, and I don't know if that makes a difference.

I know a good majority of the members in here are in the UK and other places, and I realize that depending on what country we're in - that will have a significant roll to play regarding all this stuff as Suzuki and other motorcycle manufacturers sold bikes configured differently in different countries.

For example, I have no idea why Suzuki won't sell the GSX1400 here in the states. If they sold that bike here, I would have bought it.  

[TonyGee]

51 minutes ago, Neveragain55 said:

(regarding the stock width of the rear wheel)

thats the tyre size not the wheel width. 

[Neveragain55]

17 minutes ago, TonyGee said:

thats the tyre size not the wheel width. 

From what I've read & seen (unless I got it wrong, which I may have)

Wheel size for a 1982 GS/GSX1100 is 4.5 inches wide x 17 inch diameter (here in the US), and the stock tire size that came with them was 130 x 17

Now, I'm happy to be educated on the subject, but that's how I read & understand it.

So, one last time to be crazy clear here....

Will a 4.5 in wide rear GSXR wheel - fit inside of a 1982 GS1100 rear swing arm, and can I go up to a 160 rear tire with everything fitting and not rubbing?

That's the question......

Edited November 10 by Neveragain55

[TonyGee]

for the second time YES !!!  

here is my GSX1100 with a 4.5inch 600 bandit wheel fitted and wearing  a 160 tyre 

 

[TonyGee]

the GS1100E link you posted the tyre is measured in the old imperial way back then, but now they use the metric system,  and the wheel width on that bike is 2.50 inch x 17 

[Neveragain55]

1 hour ago, TonyGee said:

for the second time YES !!!  

here is my GSX1100 with a 4.5inch 600 bandit wheel fitted and wearing  a 160 tyre 

 

Excellent and thank you....

[Neveragain55]

1 hour ago, TonyGee said:

the GS1100E link you posted the tyre is measured in the old imperial way back then, but now they use the metric system,  and the wheel width on that bike is 2.50 inch x 17 

I get now, I promise I do, this can all be quite confusing....

[TonyGee]

8 minutes ago, Neveragain55 said:

I get now, I promise I do, this can all be quite confusing....

welcome to the world of old Japanese motorcycles 

[Tony Nitrous]

# I have a heap of early GSX11 snowflake wheels, as already mentioned, mine are all 17 x 2.50.

# One of my 11’s has wider rims, 18 x. 4.25 rear.  It’s wearing a 160/60-18 tyre, It fits, but it’s tight.

# What you will do well to learn and remember is tyre sizes are not the exact science some folk think they are. I can find you 3 tyres in the same “size” that are different in reality. Some manufacturers sizes may be different to others.  My 11 with the wire wheels takes some 160’s but not others. 

 

Edited November 10 by Tony Nitrous