Some useful information about your 1981 GPz 1100 B1:
1981 GPz 1100 Info
Does it look like a real good example. Cost is irrelevant. If you can stand looking at it that's good enough . Experience ? Sorry to laugh but with just 5 members here I could easily document 200 years total experience . I probably won't have to introduce you the post and the pic will draw them in .
The stock coils come in two flavors , crap and soon to be crap .
Now on to the real info :
1) adjust the valves unless you are confident that the PO has recently adjusted the valves . then do it anyway
2) never run or ride on anything but a fully charged healthy battery . the stator on these bikes has always been a wee bit suspect but the rest of the charging system is more or less bullet proof . Custom Rewind -- High Quality Remanufactured Motorsports Electronics, Rotors, Stators, Ignition Systems just in case . Gary just gets it right .
3) the front forks are ok for the era but marginal if they go without service for a long period of time . they respond very well to just a complete disassembly and reload of oil . if you're going to ride it consider progressive springs . this is one front end where I don't like the cartridge emulators . A good word for the emulators I tried would be spooky and disconnected from the road . up to you ...
4) if in need of a chain and sprockets you may want to consider a 530 conversion . the stock 630 chain is incredibly heavy and has a habit of transmitting it's inertia to the rear suspension . although the sprocket sets can be had cheaply on e-bay pass on the included chain . modern 530 O ring chains are every bit as tough as the original 630 and will with care last every bit as long .
5) The front brakes need constant attention . mainly just disassembly and cleaning . in the odd case a tiny bit of grease on the back side of the pad and scuffing the pad and rotor with some 80 grit will cure most ills . if the pads are still metallic (bronze sintered) get rid of them and use a quality semi metallic . full metallic will just trash your rotors in short order and unless you are racing the slight decrease in braking performance won't be missed or even noticed . replace the brake lines w/ braided steel covered tfe . replace the brake lines w/ braided steel covered tfe . did I repeat myself ? must have been a reason.
Optional :
these bikes are torque pits . near bottomless buckets full of low end torque. with a little bit of minor engineering an extra friction plate can be fitted . this is a better option than aftermarket clutch material in the long run . you need to acquire the kz400/440 clutch steel plates they are just enough thinner that an extra friction plate can be fitted with just a little modification to the release mechanism.
you should take a look at the swing arm pivot as most I've seen are corroded and just plain shot . a disassembly , cleaning and re-lube may be all it takes .
tapered needle bearings in the steering head . if it doesn't have them already it's just the thing to do .
that should be enough to wrap your mind around for now.
Kopcicle
1982 GPZ1100 B2
General Dynamics/Convair 1983-1993
GLCM BGM-109 Tomahawk, AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM)
