The "Bomber" GL1100 project - added video

Hoosier Daddy

Earache my eye...
Here is my current build, a ‘81 GL1100 café “Bomber”. Since my last name is Fortress, and always had a soft spot for WWII aircraft, because she was no fighter, too damn big, so it must be a Bomber!
A guy at work wanted my old mower when I got a new one and had a bike to trade. He told me that it ran but wouldn’t idle so he parked it. We made the swap and I could see I had a lot of work ahead.

First off was the Tupperware. Then the fake tank and fenders.


DAMN what some PO’s do to their bikes! This mess was for that Vetter fairing install.

No matter how much penetrating oil and soaking, I could not get the engine to turn over with the back wheel in gear, so I pulled the heads to check the cylinders… “Ran when I parked it” he said.

 
Re: Intro "Bomber" my GL1100 project

Then came “The old BattleAxe” parts bike for $200 that also had a stuck engine and no title BUT came with a spare engine that had the heads off for inspection… nice, now I guess I collect old GoldWings!


Stripped the Bomber down to a sandblasted the frame and got it painted with 2 part epoxy paint before winter set in and started the clean, paint and polish of the usable parts.




 
Re: Intro "Bomber" my GL1100 project

Bought some aluminum headlight mounting ears, a big ole 7” headlight, cats eye taillight, and a set of broomstix from cycle-X, and mini catseye turn signals and a new front M/Cyl off e-bay.


Drilled / resurfaced the front rotors, need to pull the rear back off and drill it.

 
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Here is where we are today, I got the gauges done and remounted but DAMN they are huge, looking into mini tach and speedo. Spray bombed and decals on the fake tank and side cover s from the parts bike for a mock-up…



Now working on the engine now that I got an Athena complete Gasket kit, got the heads done and prepping the block for painting then will be ready to install…

 
Re: Intro "Bomber" my GL1100 project

After getting all the mating surfaces cleaned up I got the heads installed last night... Sweet!

To give you an idea of my vision, found this picture on e-bay and is really close. A little photo-fix to remove his rear fender and here ya are.

 
Re: Intro "Bomber" my GL1100 project

Hey there Hoosier, killer build! I like the paint scheme very much and am enamoured that there are a few more out there that are cafeing some larger bikes. I thought my GS850 was overkill and have often wondered about doing a GL1100, so glad to see I'm not the only one.

With all that gear stripped off it, it'll be a real monster onroad - no denying the presence it'll have or the torque on tap from basically zero revs. Are you planning any engine mods while you're in there?

Cheers mate - boingk
 
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a gl1100 will definitely be my next build... im beginning to like them more then the cb750s!
 
Re: Intro "Bomber" my GL1100 project

Rocan said:
a gl1100 will definitely be my next build... im beginning to like them more then the cb750s!

You bite your tounge!!!! HA... Seriously though, nice build Hoosier. Very clean.
 
Re: Intro "Bomber" my GL1100 project

Thanks all, yea I am really stoked about this bike so it's been pretty easy to stay focused on the build. As far as engine mods, about the only thing I have done is clean up the ports on the heads before I lapped the valves. Performance parts for these are kinda rare. Exhaust wise I am a little better of to with my earlier GL1000 headers. Still searching out mufflers.
As a coincidence, the replacemment engine is an '83 which has slightly different gearing mated to the '81's original final drive...
lower 1st gear (2.642 compared to 2.500), YEAH!
same 2nd (1.667)
taller 3rd (1.20 vs 1.286)
Taller 4th (1.00 vs 1.065)
and taller overdrive 5th (0.829 vs 0.909)
I'm gonna use that torque cuz my '81s final drive is not quite as low as an '83s this engine was originally mated to (3.091 vs 3.10) ....now figure in the secondary reduction within the engine to trans connection on an '83 (0.897 vs 0.973). That lower first and the loss of weight will help me out of the hole at the stop lights, but you can see she's a hybrid suited for top end out on the highway... at least I won't be looking for 6th gear! ;D
 
Re: Intro "Bomber" my GL1100 project

0.829????

Geez, talk about a moon-shot top gear! You'll love that one out on the freeways for sure. Hell, it'd probably almost pull it from a standstill with a bit of clutch abuse.

Sounds like you've got a bit of a creation there, should be interesting when it gets up and running. A good porting won't hurt her, thats for sure.

Cheers - boingk
 
Re: Intro "Bomber" my GL1100 project

Well got the heads on and re-installed an old set of valve covers, getting her prepped to paint. Gave it a thurough cleaning before tearing it down ... still have lots of clean up to do, but didn't want any slop getting into my fresh valvetrain. Been so long, I almost forgot how big this engine is!


 
Re: Intro "Bomber" my GL1100 project

Spent some quality time with the Bomber and Lil Sister today. The last thing I had done to the GL before today was to disassemble and clean the right and left handlebar controls, I bought some Drag Specialties grips and got everything mounted on the broomstix. Back while it was really cold, I had carved a seat pan out of styrofoam when I had my old parts bike for a mock-up. The opening in the front is for a steel plate to be glassed in that slides in the front mount.




I then matched it up with a small rear extension to go to the end of the frame horns and match the contour of my cats-eye tailight (in place of the rear fender). I then thinned out some 15 minute epoxy with rubbing alcohol and painted them with the mixture to protect the foam from the resin and be able to re-use it instead of sacrificeing it with acetone once done.
Today I got some woven fibreglass material, resin, and hardener. I covered everything with aluminum foil and comenced to laying some glass. A little chilly in the garage still so I had to put a shop light on it for warmth and the cell phone is poor qauilty but she has 2 layers so far.... I had forgoten how great styrene smells!


 
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That's going to be a nice seat base, well done. I was out last night looking at my GL and trying to figure out how to shrink the back end, it is huge. The tail light alone os massive. Cant wait to see how you clean yours all up.

Keep it up.

Cheers,

Maritime
 
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Nice job so far. I think that seat pan is going to turn out fantastic. Really nice job shaping the foam. also, I will be interested to hear how those grears do. Sounds great man!
 
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AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!!!!!!!
I am going to show this to my brother he is going to LOVE that someone else is building a 1100 wing!
 
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Thanks for the props all. means alot to know others are as stoked almost as much as I am.
Layed a third layer tonight, she's shaping up.

Wondered when you'd show up here Joe, tell your brother even full fugured gals can be Hot ;)

Maritime Biker said:
That's going to be a nice seat base, well done. I was out last night looking at my GL and trying to figure out how to shrink the back end, it is huge. The tail light alone os massive. Cant wait to see how you clean yours all up.

Well since you asked, here is a hint... catseye taillight / license plate mount compliments of "Cycle-X"...

 
Re: The "Bomber" my GL1100 project

Tail light is going to look awesome tucked in there. I forgot to mention that I love the inspiration bike you posted. The shaved down seat is dabomb. Is yours going to be as thin?
 
Re: The "Bomber" my GL1100 project

Axcelent . What memorys. In "85" i Cafed a 77-CB1000 GW. Custom pips, dual 2 into 1s . mild cams. A rochester two barrel from a ol 283 chevy, jeez i wish i still had that one..Keep up the good work.
 
Re: The "Bomber" my GL1100 project

troybilt said:
Tail light is going to look awesome tucked in there. I forgot to mention that I love the inspiration bike you posted. The shaved down seat is dabomb. Is yours going to be as thin?

I think just by nessecity of the way I went about fabbing this it is not going to be as thin. The 1" thick styro to get the contours and then the seat foam on top of the seat pan will make it some what taller but hopefully not much. Here is some shots of what I used for a vision of what was in my mind... mix all three and you kinda get the picture.

 
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