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Katana 1100 fork question

  • Thread starter Thread starter feelergaugephil
  • Start date Start date
F

feelergaugephil

Guest
OK, Been fixing GS's for about 20 years or so, never worked on the Katana though, I'm restoring it for someone.
Anyway, comes to find out the front forks are bent, so I figured buy a set of GS1100 ones of the same era (1983) and they should fit! mmmmmmmmm!

I took off the top fork tube nut last night and expected the long fork spring to come out! NOT!
There is no access to the fork spring like other GS's I have worked on (ie replacing fork seals)
I just bought (on ebay) a set of forks and was hoping to use the tubes on the katana lowers, I guess they wont work.

So I guess I will need Katana 1100 (with anti dives) fork tubes then,
Anyone have any ideas why they are different?
I took out the bottom bolt (allen) and the separated the forks fairly easy with lots of lovely 25 year old fork oil smell!
 
?

?

Without having them side by side all i know is the Kat ones have a 3 step adjuster on top with a thick alloy spacer between them and the springs that sometimes stick in the tubes. Good luck.
 
Yeah look the Katana forks are basically the same as all the others, except for the 3-stage adjuster that sharpy mentions, and the anti-dive units.

When you unscrew the 3-stage adjuster from the top of the fork, it's just a matter of then taking out the spacer (it's called a "free piston" in the manual) and the fork springs should just come out like any other fork.

Check out the fiche on alphasports here and you'll see what we mean.

Cheers,
Mike.
 
So! Tell me, how do you get the spacer out of the top then?
And the 3 stage adjuster is locked tight!
Phil.
 
The spring pressure should push the spacer out enough for you to simply pull it out with your fingers.

Re. getting the adjuster out, you just need to get a 22mm socket and a nice long bar for leverage.

**If you are trying to get the adjuster out with the fork still installed in the motorcycle, be sure to loosen the upper steering yoke pinch-bolt, or it won't unscrew. (That's because the pinch bolts do an excellent job of squeezing the thread around the adjuster just enough to lock the thing in solid.)
 
So just to make sure, does that mean progressive springs from a Katana will fit GS1100 forks?
 
Last edited:
So just to make sure, does that mean progressive forks from a Katana will fit GS1100 forks?
Click to expand...
If it was me I'd take a punt that they will fit.

But, it's always best to check, of course. For example, the forks on my GSX1100SZ Katana are in fact about 1" longer overall, than the forks on my GS1000ST.

Checking things carefully on the microfiches on AlphaSports should provide the answer to your question.
 
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