Anyone Familiar With Suzuki GS Ignition Systems?

Sorry to bring up the "S" word, but I'm trying to find out if my NOS Accel rev limiter will work with a 1983 Suzuki GS1100ESD. I'm not familiar with the GS's and I haven't been able to find out much online. Anyway, here's a link to the instructions for the limiter:
www.accel-motorcycle.com/pdf/35387.pdf

Here's the question I received (selling the item on eBay):

I have a 1983 Suzuki GS 1100 ESD. Do you know if
this is CDI ignition or Inductive ignition? I've
also been looking at dyna models and they have
limiters for the two different kinds. I know my
bike has a CDI box but i'm not sure if that's the
same thing. Do you know what the CDI ignition is
and if what this unit is compatible with - as well
as what my bike is compatible with?

Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Have you checked out the GS site? These guys know the Zuks inside and out, just like these guys know the KZ inside and out

www.thegsresources.com/

Kawickrice wrote:

Have you checked out the GS site? These guys know the Zuks inside and out, just like these guys know the KZ inside and out

www.thegsresources.com/

No, I've never strayed from KZR. It would feel like I was cheating... :laugh:

Seriously though, I'll take a look - thanks for the tip.

I am a member over there. I have a GS1100 shafty. I stay here most of the time but I have had good luck over there with Zuk only questions

the rev limiter will work i have a drl 400 two step that i keep as a spare and it has been on both kawi's and suzi's. the two dyna boxes are made for two different types of bikes the drl-300 is made for either points or transisterized ignition like most of our bikes use. the drl-300 cdi is used on atv 's and dirt bikes that use a cdi ignition.

timebomb33 wrote:

the rev limiter will work i have a drl 400 two step that i keep as a spare and it has been on both kawi's and suzi's. the two dyna boxes are made for two different types of bikes the drl-300 is made for either points or transisterized ignition like most of our bikes use. the drl-300 cdi is used on atv 's and dirt bikes that use a cdi ignition.

I guess the confusion comes in because the GS has a "CDI" box. Must not be same type used in the dirt bikes, most likely with no battery.

From what I can find - it looks like it will work. Thanks

Kawickrice wrote:

I am a member over there. I have a GS1100 shafty. I stay here most of the time but I have had good luck over there with Zuk only questions

I was able to find a post asking almost the same question - the problem is, nobody answered the poor guy. Here's a link: www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread...ht=accel+rev+limiter

In the mean time, the folks over at Accel were nice enough to answer my email and let me know that it will work with the GS1100. Should be good to go! Thanks for the input.

see that's what happens when you stray from home. most of the guy's over on the gs site are trying to figure out how to rewind their own stators rather than improving their bikes

Most people, including suppliers of parts, don't realize CDI does not mean the same thing as electronic ignition, but they use the terms interchangeably.

CDI was used on early electronic ignitions, mostly in the 1970's, but that was abandoned for a transistorized version of what's called a flyback ignition. That works on the same principle as Kettering's standard points/condenser ignition, but uses a Darlington transistor (and now they've even advanced to IGBT's) instead of points. Some call that type an "inductive" ignition, but both CDI and Flyback ignitions use induction in the coil to create spark.

CDI works well in situations where you have oil in the mixture or have really high compression. It has the ability to generate the high voltage needed to cut through in those situations. However, CDI doesn't have a very long spark duration (MSD fixes that by having multiple sparks). Flyback ignitions have longer spark duration which is what's needed in lean situations to promote more thorough burning. KZ's in good condition and stock compression can use either type successfully.

CDI works well on two-strokes so you see it more often on off road vehicles. Also, CDI lends itself well to running without a battery, so that's a plus on off-street use (one less thing to deal with).

Because the early electronic ignitions were of CDI type, everyone soon equated CDI to mean electronic ignition. However, CDI (capacitive discharge ignition) just means a capacitor is used to store the spark energy. A flyback uses the coil to store the spark energy.

I helped design a replacement igniter for a 1980 Suz GS1000, and that one was definitely a flyback ignition, so as Timebomb said, the 83 GS is almost certainly not CDI, even though most people will call it that.

Great explanation - thanks!