The '82 GS1100 swingarm will bolt on to a '78 KZ1000 with no problem and with no frame interference (not true for Z1's and KZ900s).
Mount the GS1100 swingarm in the frame (with its rubber/steel end caps in place), carefully shift the swingarm to one side, measure the gap on the other side, divide by two, go to ACE Hardware with a vernier dial caliper and find some washers (possibly sets of two washers) that match this figure so that you end up with two (sets) of spacers or washers of the correct dimensions.
Now, get old Z1 and/or KZ1000 rear axle spacers. You will need two extra ones to center the rear wheel in the '82 GS1100 swingarm (or you can simply replace the two stock ones with two 'new' ones of the right dimensions). I kept the stock two and created two extra ones: I used the hole in the rear rim/wheel as a base to figure out the proper width of the extra left and the extra right spacers should be. First I used PVC pipe as templates since they are easier to cut with a tube cutter. I cut and measured the PVC spacers until I got them just right, bolted up the whole rear wheel with the PVC spacers to ensure that the rear wheel was centered after sufficient torquing. When done, I cut the two old Z1/KZ rear axle spacers to size. I found that I had to cut away a small portion of the GS1100 swingarm on the sprocket side in order to be able to move the rear wheel assembly closer to the front of the swingarm; otherwise, the rear wheel would sit very near the outer limit of the swingarm's rear wheel range and limit the chain's adjustable range far too much.
The rear disc brake torque link arm the connects the KZ1000 rear caliper to the KZ1000 swingarm will work on the '82 GS1100 swingarm -- you will just have to grind down the KZ1000 torque link arm at the swingarm end to fit in the narrower GS1100 swingarm torque link arm hole.
Now the stock KZ chain line will be maintained if you're using a KZ rear wheel. Not so with wider tires/rims however that incorporate a different chain centerline. I am using a Klasmo 10 mm offset countershaft sprocket and a Klasmo 10 mm offset rear sprocket spacer (for a stock '78 KZ1000 rear hub) because I will be mounting a 160 mm (actually 166 mm) X 17" rear tire on a Excel 4.25" X 17" aluminum rim.
Hope I was of some help.
Post edited by: bohicabob, at: 2005/11/30 10:42
Post edited by: bohicabob, at: 2005/11/30 10:45
Post edited by: bohicabob, at: 2005/12/01 14:29
