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Suzuki GSXR 1100M 1991
( Pic taken about 20mins after I bought it - I couldn't wait to rip the fairing off ! ) Build History So After the sale of the Zed, and armed with a fat wad of dosh I went hunting for my next streetfighter project .After riding Deans GSXR 750 and comparing it to my Zed 750 I knew one thing , it should be a GSXR - in fact it HAD to be a GSXR , but (not to be outdone by my younger brother )I wanted an 1100 ! I soon found a suitable bike - and started my next project - This blue Suzuki GSXR 1100M I searched the papers and the MCN , where I found this bike , a largely unmolested 1100M model. The owner was going abroad , and in a desperate rush to get some cash , so naturally I took full advantage of the situation and got it for a song !. Apart from being really dirty , the bike was in really good condition , and it pulled like a train. Jumping off an old Z750 onto this was a bit of an eye opener ! Time to give it the 'streetfighter' treatment then ! - I already had it all planned out in my mind , so within 20 minutes of screeching to a halt on the drive - I started to strip the whole bike apart .
I'd become good friends with Keith at Nasty Paint since he painted my Zed , so straight away the panels were taken around to him with the instructions "give me something really 'trick' , in blue , but make it subtle" . With the panels safely out of my way , it was time to start work in earnest. Everything that was made of alloy was stripped ,degreased ,and put to one side . I did some polishing when I was learning the engineering trade , so I popped back to my old firm to use their equipment and polished everything to a mirror finish. In all , I spent about 4 hours a day for a whole two weeks polishing - "never again" I promised myself !. Some of the bigger stuff that I couldn't do myself was farmed out to a friend , once the frame , wheels and swingarm etc were back , I could start assembling the rolling chassis. Virtually all of the fasteners that came off the bike were rusted beyond repair , so as I stripped every component , I made a note of the length & pitch and application .I ended up with a huge list , which looked like it would cost me a fortune , until I discovered a small building trade shop , that could supply stainless steel fasteners at really cheap prices ( as long as I bought in bulk ) . Everything was screwed back together with all new stainless steel cap heads and new bearings & new bushes etc. The engine was fine , so I was treated to a lick of paint , and polished covers all 'round.
At the time I was really good mates with some guys at a performance parts store , as he owed me a few favours , I called them in and took the opportunity to upgrade some of the components that were to make it back onto the bike. I sold the original discs & calipers , sold the old 'black' micron pipe & can , and replaced them with some new PFM cast iron discs , 6 pot calipers from a Kawasaki at a breakers and a shiny new Micron pipe and carbon oval can.
I'd polished the USD fork legs , but decided I wanted them anodised instead . I sent the forks to Maxton Engineering to get them stripped down , so's I could get the tubes anodised . I also took the disc centre's and a few other bits & bobs to the anodisers whilst I was at it , and got them all done in blue to match my impending paint job. The chaps at Maxton had some bad news for me , the chrome on the forks had gone , and they needed servicing urgently . They sorted the forks out , and completely re valved them with one of their conversion kits. I was so impressed with their work , I too the rear shock up there , so they could sort that out too !. There was still a good while to go until I was due to get my panels back , so I filled my time by re - making all the little brackets in alloy or stainless steel , painting the oil cooler , and re wiring to loom etc . I borrowed a replica tail unit , and made myself a funky undertray from some sheet alloy.
I bought some risers from M&P , polished them and set them on the polished to yoke. Then I had the risers welded on ready fro some blue renthal MX bars ( well it is a streetfighter isn't it ? ) , twin 5 halogen bates lamps were attached by some trick little alloy brackets that took me a whole day to make & polish ! . The Loom was finished off with some blue over braiding ,I picked up all the 'non polishable' brackets and stuff , fresh from the powder coaters and everything was all screwed together and tested , ready for the paint.
Finally , Keith called me to say my panels were ready - Yippee ! , I've never been so excited , he'd done an awesome job , kinda silver & charcoal flaming chequers , covered in a blue tinted lacquer . The paint job was so shiny , and looked deep enough to swim in. Pictures , really don't do it justice.
That was it then - finished ! . I rode it around like this for a good while . I entered in the Flame & Thunder drag racing event at Santa Pod and I ended up winning it ! . I spent my £500 prize money on some more tuning for the engine - I was HOOKED !. This started a long journey of tuning / testing / breaking / fixing / & more tuning ! . Read the magazine article , or take a good look in the Gallery to see the various stages of 1127 > snapped crank > 1186 big bore kit > upperton head , & god know how many different cam shaft profiles etc , finally culminating in a 1216cc 150 BHP monster engine . The bike had been featured in both the MCN and in Streetfighters Magazine , as well as on the SF stand at Sheffield and the NEC. It was at the NEC show that I sold the M , A guy approached me wanting to buy it - he didn't have the money that I wanted , but was willing to pay a little less if I took some of the trick stuff off .We struck a deal , and I removed the 1216 motor , trick oil cooler & hoses , ohlins steering damper and a few other bits & bobs -I re fitted a bone stock Bandit 12 engine with some GSXR cams and let him have it for £700 less than I was asking , but ended up with well over £700 worth of goodies AND that 1216cc motor that I'd invested well over a grand in aswell ! I was then left with a lump of cash , a potent 1216 motor , and this ratty old 750K that I'd picked up a month or so beforehand.
Can you guess what started next ? ...................................
GSXR 1100M 1991
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