Chris Perkins’s passion for old Gixxers runs so deep that he bleeds Suzuki blue. Fans of classic air-oil-cooled 1986-1992 GSX-R motorcycles might know Perkins from gsxronly.com, his website dedicated to the revolutionary Suzuki bike.
Perkins owns a GSX-R-only shop in Central Florida and has owned about 200 GSX-Rs. He is now offering a survivor ’89 GSX-R1100 on eBay.
Perkins said:
It’s an original rider. True 15,000 miles on it, a real strong motor. Plugs, all the carbs have been cleaned. The filter’s been serviced. It’s got K&N on there and a Yoshi Duplex pipe.
The Slingshot Carb
The 1989 GSX-R1100 packs a punch at the first whack of the throttle. And it continues to deliver heart-pounding power throughout the rev range, with a peak output in the 145 horsepower range.
Cycle World magazine’s review of the 1989 Suzuki GSX-R1100 noted:
After 7,500 rpm, the Suzuki gets real entertaining. The machine revs up to the 11,300-rpm redline so quickly the tach needle just about gets twisted off.
The GSX-R1100 got two big changes in 1989. First, Suzuki bumped up displacement on the inline-four engine from 1052cc to 1127cc—courtesy of a larger bore and a longer stroke. Suzuki also went with a bigger Slingshot carburetor to feed the hungrier beast.
Suzuki called it Slingshot because of the shape of its semi-flat slide carbs. The bike-maker also sourced a 36mm Mikuni CV carb for increased fuel flow to its new 1127cc inline-four.
Shop now for Suzuki motorcycle carburetors
Compact, Lightweight Frame
The second significant change to the 1989 GSX-R1100 was a new frame built entirely from aluminum alloy castings. That resulted in a strong, compact, and lightweight motorcycle. Perkins said the aluminum on this Gixxer is in “real good condition.” The 1989 bike’s handling also benefited from:
- An all-new 43mm Kayaba fork with eight-way adjustable rebound damping
- 10-way adjustable compression damping and fully adjustable preload
Buy It Now on eBay
These old Gixxers were often raced hard. So finding an older GSX-R1100 with its original plastic covers and bodywork in good shape is a challenge. Considering this superbike is 33 years old, the Suzuki stripes on its front fairing still look fresh.
Perkins said the lowers were cracked when he got it. However, he’s a plastic welder, so he repaired and repainted them with top-quality PPG products.
A blemish or part of its character?
The forthright Perkins also noted blemishes on this GSX-R1100. If you don’t view a few cracks and scratches as part of an old bike’s charm and character, then Perkins will provide a complete decal kit for the 1989 GSX-R1100. And if you’d like to have the rest of the bodywork painted, Perkins can help. “We can make that happen,” he said.
Simple Charms
The 1989 GSX-R1100’s blue and white bodywork and distinctive early Japanese superbike styling are a big part of the bike’s appeal. But Perkins believes the allure of these classic Suzuki motorcycles runs deeper than that.
Perkins explains:
It’s simplicity. There’s no water pump, no excess weight, no radiator. It’s like the old Porsche 911. Light, fast, and cutting edge. They’re iconic bikes now. It’s motorcycling at its best.
In its heyday, the power-packed GSX-R1100 was a phenomenon. Thirty-three years later, this well-kept 1989 GSX-R1100 in its racy blue and white livery still has an imposing presence.
