Arnout's motorbike >> Arnout's GSX

Arnout's GSX..

Once upon..
original ad of my bike

Starting life not as an 1100 but actually as a 750 because it's originally "just" an '81 Suzuki GSX750 really! But it didn't take long before I realised I wanted more power and its engine was dumped in favour of the one of its bigger brother: an '80 GSX1100EX.
The engine I found was a big bore 1166cc and later I discovered this engine had been fitted with bigger stainless intake valves and other goodies. This proved to be just the start of a long list of modifications I undertook since I tasted the raw power of the legendary aircooled four lump.
First I raised the compression, fitted hotter cams and worked further on the already flowed cylinderhead. A handmade stainless intermediate pipe and endcan were fitted to some nice Cobra stainless steel 4 into 1 headers. Over time spannering away I also learned about other improvements like fitting an oil cooler and other oilpump gears. Also things like GSX-R carbs and filters, and ignition and other things were fitted which seem as a matter of fact now but were all new ground to me at the time.
New terrain was also modernising the rolling gear and exchanging the spindly parts the GSX was originally fitted with. look at that rear end!

GSX-R wheels, swingarm and forks were fitted and also the frame was braced in many areas to handle the extra power and improve the handling.
With all of these mods I tried to hold on to the original GSX look of the bike by retaining the old bodywork (apart from the seat) and selecting new rolling gear on its "old school" look. That meant no USD forks and (new WP piggyback) twin shocks at the back. For me this makes for an inspiring bike that is able to keep up with more modern bikes (well, at least in a straight line that is ;-) which is also comfortable enough to ride through dense traffic, narrow city streets and of course blast along twisty dikes!

Original Specs..

~~As the GSX-project will be going into it's next Phase many of the engine parts like the complete head, the block, the cooler and the carbs have been passed on to the Katana-project..~~
With the "disappearence" of the Katana most engine parts were lost too.. Recently the GSX-project has been turned into the SkizzoKat-project making use of the modified GSX750 frame..

Cylinder head

28,5 mm Manley intake valves
24,5 mm Black diamond exhaust valves
PM valve springs
Guides ground down to match ports
Ports worked on (enlarged, cleaned up)
Gasket face milled down 0.8 mm
compression about 1:11-12 (guestimation)
Megacycle cams #385-35 (250 dur. 108 LC's)
New rockers (genuine Suzuki)
Cometic graphite head gasket

Carburation

Mikuni BST38ss (GSX-R750L/M)
Dynojet needles (polished)
K&N clamp on filters

Exhaust system

Stainless Cobra headers (cut and welded for tighter fit around engine)
Johnson (Jansen) stainless intermediate pipe
Home made adsorbtion can

Cylinder block/ Pistons

'85 1100EFE block bored to 75 mm
Wiseco K1285 piston kit (1261 cc)
Cometic copper base gasket
APE cylinder studs

Bottom end

'80 GSX1100EX cases
Welded GSX1100EFE crankshaft
Straight cut primary gear (1100 ratio)
25 mm rotor taper
Narrowed, lightened and balaced rotor
Narrowed alternator cover 15 mm
GSX1100EFE gearbox
Stock EX basket and hub
APE backing plate + springs
Straight cut primary gear
Debben 10 mm offset 17T sprocket
GSX750ET oilpump gears
Setrab 13 row oil cooler
Derale oil filter cover

Leccy

Dyna 2000 ignition
Dyna 2,2 Ohm Grey coils
Dyna leads
Home made wiring loom
Yuasa YTX20L-BS !
Stock EX/ET instruments and switchgear
Daytona oiltemp gauge

Rolling gear

'81 GSX750 frame heavily braced
Home made aluminium engine mounts 15 mm
Home made footrest mountings (GSX-R pegs,levers)
Honda NTV650 side stand
'88 Suzuki GSX-R750J forks (15mm internally lengthened)
Hyperpro springs
flat drag bar mounted to top using TDM risers
Narrowed GSX-R750L swingarm with twin shock mounts welded on
RK 530 LFO chain 118 links. JT 43T rear sprocket
White Power L325 SAVP-T twin shocks made to own spec
GSX-R1100K front rim (17x3.5")
GSX-R1100H rear rim (18x4.5")
GSX-R1100WP Tokico 6-pot calipers
GSX-R1100J 310mm discs (modified "floaters")
ZXR750 master cylinder

Bodywork

Much repaired fuel tank
Modified Giuliari seat
Stock EX/ET headlight/housing (not pictured)

Dimensions

Wheelbase - 1495mm
Castor - 67 deg.
Weight (no fuel) - 205 kg
Weight distribution - 51% front/49% back
Power measured at rear - 132 HP (previous 1166cc kit)