Ah, we love an ongoing saga! When this GSX-R1100 was in with us last time it was blessed with a whole load of problems. We resolved the ones we could there and then (see part 1) but the real horror – a sloppy rebore with Wiseco pistons – had to be left. It needed a new block, really…
Anyway, scroll forward and the ol’ gurl was back to get sorted. The ever-industrious Gill scoured the globe for four pristine (stock) GSX-R1100M pistons, 2mm oversize and we did the rebore inhouse in our engineering shop to absolute perfect size.
We reassembled the engine with stock Suzuki piston rings and re-seated the valves. And now it is lovely. No more plumes of smoke and it was so tight and fresh it had that lovely crisp ‘whistle’ you only get when an engine’s spot-on. And it pulls like a ruddy train, as it should as it’s brand new with a little extra capacity.
After all the work and effort this GSX-R now goes as well as it looks, which is not how we first encountered it. The lesson? We’ll say it one more time – look beyond fancy paint and so-called ‘specialist’ work. All is not sometimes what it seems.