New look for 1981 GL110I

Since I must carry hand tools with me to work at different job sites, I decided to put bags back onto my 81 GL1100. Of coarse the stock setup would not do, so I took the original paniers and buzzed them on the band saw, thereby reducing their height by about 2 inches, and giving me an excuse to paint them. While I was at it, I took the original pipes and lightly blasted them so they would take paint . The end result is a new interpretation of the old thing.

If you cut them roughly in two, the bottom should slip into the upper half and wedge in there pretty well. Clean the paint off, where they mate, apply ABS adhesive, insert, clamp or temporarily screw together, let cure for a couple of days and you now have chopped bags.

Here is how it looks with modified bags and hardware, painted and installed.

Compare the stock look and the new look. Hey, it was in fair shape when I got it. But was, way too, top heavy for me to handle comfortably, besides, it looked like everybody elses. Had to change that.

 This view you can see the difference in the hardware, took the nerf bars off and lowered the mounting bar for the inside mounts.

 In the lower picture you see the pipes with fresh paint.

Overall, I am satisfied with the end result. Still rides great, and has the quiet of the original pipes, and the added capacity of the modified bags.

About pipes, it has been my experience that loud pipes make you deaf and pisses off everybody else. Going on the beleif that loud pipes will save your life, relies on the belief that someone else is lookng out for you. Other than the Savior, I do not accept that belief.  As a rider of motorcycles, I do beleive that others will run you over whilst they are staring you right in the eye, and they are more than likely not able to hear you as well. Even though you have a fog horn and no mufflers.
Suffice to say, if you take the initiative tobe aware of your surroundings and not let your guard down particularly while on your bike, you do stand a better chance of survival, than those who rely on others to look out for them. Just saying.

It has been several months since I last updated this blog, but to those who are interested; I have completed the "Yellow Jacket", my '77 GL1000. During testing phase discovered an anomally with ignition. Was not sure of the cause. so I installed a rebuilt set of carbs to determine the culprit . Turned out not to be FI related, so somewhere down the road I will be reinstalling the FI, once I have made a few tweaks to the system. In the mean time this is how it looks.