Thanks for all the info Bob,

So the interference problems with the rear pegs can be avoided with just a trim? I would like to keep them if possible(this would make my wife happy, ok I lie me happy I now have a hard time getting her to ride with me haha). I also love tread styles that come on the avon tires. So the 82 gs1100E is the way to go then? I'm pretty sure the salvage place has several gs swingarms to choose from. In using this arm will I just have to have some spacers made(at pivot point) along with shock mounts and rear drum brake arm correct?
Mike

As well as a Z1000J I also have an 83 Katana 1000 which has the same aluminium swingarm as the GS1100, I've put in a GSXR 17"x5.5" rim with a 170/60 tyre, you can fit a 180 in there but can only use the rear half of the chain adjustment. The only mod I made to the swingarm was chamfer the bracing on the inside at 45 degrees for a bit more tyre clearance.

I'm working on the rear end of my '73 Z1-900 bike right now: a 4 mm offset Klasmo countershaft sprocket and 4 mm offset Klasmo spacer for a '78 KZ1000 rear hub, '82 GS1100E swingarm, and Works Performance shocks (ordered), 160 X 17" Avon radial tire.

Rear end issues on the '73-'75 Z1-900 and '76 KZ900:
I kept that part of the '73 Z1-900 frame that supports the passenger peg and also, originally, the right pair of Z1 mufflers -- I usually see this part of the frame cut off by other constructors because it interferes with the GS1100E swingarm, but I just trimmed that part of the frame to make it all work. Fitment of this Suzuki swingarm to a '77-'78 KZ1000 frame is a snap however, not sure about '79-'80 KZ1000s since I've not worked on them, but I'd bet these two model years would be like the '77-'78 KZ1000s.

In the URL below, you'll see pictures of both 17" wheels on Avon radial tires and you'll also see the completed front wheel on the stock forks (well, not quite stock '73 forks, they are hybrid '73-Z1/'76 KZ900/'76 KZ650 forks). Photos of the rear will be taken when I complete this task. Getting that Klasmo front fender to work on that 17" Excel front wheel and forks was a pain (in the ...), but it sure looks great.

Warning: I found out that these 17" wheels now provide problems with wheel removal. Now I see why you ususally find 18" wheels and radials used in such an effort. The only way to remove the front wheel is to remove the inner brake pad from each caliper and then compress each caliper piston, thus providing enough clearance to remove the caliper from the fork (there is insufficient space with a 17" rim to remove the caliper). Same problem with the '78 KZ1000 rear disc brake caliper that I'm fitting, but I think I can avoid the problem on the rear by used a sufficiently long SS brake line (which I've yet to purchase) that will allow the whole rear wheel to be removed from the GS1100E swingarm, after which I can remove the rear disc and rear caliper almost as a unit.

photobucket.com/albums/y56/bohicabob/Z1%...=view&slideshow=true

Hey Wireguy,

Yes I've thought about the dual front disc, I haven't done it yet because I have polished both hubs(front and back) and they shine so nice that I didn't want to cover up all my hard work. Plus Id have to send another caliper out to have it chromed too. I will do it in the future though! Yes the front tire is a conti-blitz, and it's been a good tire so far. Now the back is some old p.o.s. Dunlop that I didn't want to change yet do to the swingarm/ rim upgrade. Figured I'd just do it all at once. The tire was like brand new about a 1000 miles ago and now is almost bald, but hooking a little better. What size rim is a good size to go with on a gs arm and what year gs arms are everyone using?
Mike

I ahve an 82 GS1100 aluminum swingarm for sale. $75.00 plus shipping.

mikekz900: I agree with you, wire wheels look cool. That's why I upgraded my old DID rims and SS spokes (2.15"X19", 3.0"X18") to much wider Excel 17" rims and SS spokes (3.50"X17", 4.25"X17") and Avon radial tires, along with an '82 Suzuki GS1100E swingarm.

Mine is an 81.

thats the 55chevy of motorcycles folks!i love the wire wheels too,have you thought about a kz1000 hub/rear brake or atleast a double front disk?if you put a 130/140 on a little wider rim it would give it a little more footprint and will still fit inside a gs1100 swingarm!that 1075 with a 900 crank is mean combo,im doing a 75z1 with the 900 crank and 1197(8:1)topend with a turbo,cuz i hate hi-ya-moosas too!happy wrenching!

i think 82 is also same

I think people are using the 80-81. Not sure about the the others.