katana front Wheel on a 700E

[dig dug mx6]

Ok I have been looking at some pictures of some of the 85 1150's in the gallery. I see some of them are using the stock forks and the katana front wheel. Has anyone ever put the katana front wheel on the 700 stock forks. I know I would also need the calipers.

The reason I ask is that a whole front end off a katana is more than I want to spend right now and this way the wheels would at least match.

thanks in advance you guys are great\\/

 

[Mario Padilla]

Katana front wheel on a GS700E

Katana front wheel on a GS700E

I have had a 3x17 inch katana front wheel mocked up on my GS750ES which is basically the same bike. The axles are the same diameter so everything is ok up to that point. The only issues that I ran into were the speedo pickup is different, you need to use the katana speedo pickup and the brake rotors are a bigger diameter. This requires that the calipers be relocated further outward of the axle centerline. Did not have katana calipers but I still think that you will need to fabricate a bracket that repositions the caliper. I gave up at that point. Let me know how that turns out.

Oh by the way, you will also need the katana rear wheel to have them match in styling (the katana front wheel is a 3 spoke wheel).

MP

 

[kevan]

Ok I have been looking at some pictures of some of the 85 1150's in the gallery. I see some of them are using the stock forks and the katana front wheel. Has anyone ever put the katana front wheel on the 700 stock forks. I know I would also need the calipers.

The reason I ask is that a whole front end off a katana is more than I want to spend right now and this way the wheels would at least match.

thanks in advance you guys are great\\/

I have put the katana wheels on my 1984 GS750 and it makes a huge difference. The brakes are much better and the radial tires are great. I made adapters for the calipers. It is a very worthwhile improvement.

Kevan
GS750
183,000kms

 

[dig dug mx6]

I would like see some pictures of the adapters you made and the wheel on the bike. Also what did you do for spacers??


I have the back one on now. I am just lookign at options for the front.

 

[oldschoolGS]

As you know, swapping the entire front is the easiest option. You also gain by using the katana 41mm fork tubes over the puny 37mm GS units.

I have the entire front end mounted on my '83 750, LSL clip-ons and brackets for the clocks are now complete (not pictured). Late model Katana 4.5in rear with a 160/60 for the rear. The GS project is stalled right now but I plan to either complete it soon or sell off everything as I am starting to lose interest.

Good Luck, Ed.
1983 GS750ED
2005 GSF1200SZ
1992 900SS

 

[kevan]

As you know, swapping the entire front is the easiest option. You also gain by using the katana 41mm fork tubes over the puny 37mm GS units.
Late model Katana 4.5in rear with a 160/60 for the rear. The GS project is stalled right now but I plan to either complete it soon or sell off everything as I am starting to lose interest.



Good Luck, Ed.
1983 GS750ED
2005 GSF1200SZ
1992 900SS

Ed,

Did you get the 4-1/2" rear rim into the stock swing arm?

Kevan

 

[oldschoolGS]

Yes, that is what you see above. Billy is also running a 4.5 rear on his 700. I have all the wheel spacing done but have not mounted sprockets as the motor is not ready.

Here is another:

 

[Billy Ricks]

Here's a pic of the 4.5" on my 700. The photo is rather large, sorry.

 

[jknappsax]

Billy, you seem knowledgeable about most GS stuff...

Billy, you seem knowledgeable about most GS stuff...

I was wondering if the Katana or GSXR wheel swap would work on a 1978 GS 750, and if so, what would it take to make it work. I'd like to keep my stock double-disc front end if I can, but would like to go to 17" wheels to be able to use radials. I don't necessarily need to go real wide, maybe 120-130 on the front and 130-160 on the rear, but the stock swingarm looks like a limitation for width. What width rims are necessary for what size radials? I've found charts, but they don't specify if their talking bias or radial. I've thought about an 1150 17" rear wheel, but this brings into play the width issue, and I don't want to go to a 16" front wheel from the 19", as this is a sport-tourer, and while the turn-in would improve, I'd like to keep a little more highway stability. Anyway, sorry about all the questions, but I've been researching this, and this stuff is complex, with widths, diameters, swingarms, offset countershaft sprockets, etc. TIA.

 

[Billy Ricks]

The rear is just a matter of how much tire you can fit in the swingarm. Bearings can be swapped and spacers played with to make the rear work. A 3.5" Katana wheel will work fine with a smaller 140 width radial. The 4.5" GSXR wheels work well with a 160. You'll be lucky if you can squeeze a 160 in your swingarm. A 5.5" wheel is for a 180. Up front a 120/70 is what the best rubber generally comes in. You need a 3.5" wheel for that size up front. The problem with the GS front bearing is it's usually an oddball outer diameter that can't be crossed with GSXR wheels. The GS bearing is a smaller od. You could shim the GS bearings in the GSXR wheel so your stock axle will fit. Some of the GSXR fronts have the 6 bolt rotor pattern. Calipers may be a bit of a problem. With all the compromises it's easier and you end up with a much better handling and stopping bike if you replace the entire front. The new front ends don't have near the travel of a GS and can be stiffer because of the radials.

 

[marcovandevelde]

'78 Gs750

'78 Gs750

Jknappsax,
The orig. puny swingarm won't take a much bigger tyre. BUT a nice swap is an ali swingarm off a later GS(X)1100, the frame width is the same so it slots right in and your shocks bolt onto them. Can be found for little money at the 'bay. You can then max. fit a 5,5" GSXR wheel with 170/60-17 or 180/55-17 tyre. You need to put the sprocket carrier of the GS onto the new wheel, this will take the chain in just enough to squeeze between frame and tyre. You need to align the fornt sprocket to the rear with a couple of spacers and maybe trim the inside of the frame a bit.
For the front I'd use a full GSXR or katana set, the bottom steering head bearing won't fit on an 8v GS750 so you need to have the stem machined down.

Marco.

 

[EDGECRUSHER]

Looks like you're doing exactly what I'd like to do on my 83 750es. Looks real good! Unfortunately we don't have many junkyards around here so that makes matching up parts difficult. So I have to rely on people who've already tried.
One thing I figured would be hard about swapping the front end would be the handlebars clearing the tank.
So I'm curious how you got around that. You mentioned something about some clipons. Where would I find some of those?
Any other suggestions?

 

[MADAWG_70]

kat swap for a gs700

kat swap for a gs700

Billy, how did that swap effect the handling of the bike?

 

[Billy Ricks]

Billy, how did that swap effect the handling of the bike?

It did handle like it's on rails. Now years later the original rear shock is toast and the front seals are leaking. The front still feels great even with the slight leaks but the back is unpredictable. Of course I can't expect much from a 21 year old shock.

I have a new Works Performance shock and a '95 inverted fork to install. Just waiting for headlight brackets which I think I may be gettting screwed on and a fender I just won on Ebay last night. I ordered the brackets from a shop in Hong Kong two months ago and the shop doesn't respond to emails. I just contacted the Hong Kong Internet Fraud Division today. The difference is like night and day when things are right though.

 

[MADAWG_70]

I'm sorry to hear that, I hate it when people dick you around like that, especially when you can't yell in their face.
You bike looks exactly like what I was going for, and when I hacked my rear fender off I thought it was going to be more original. I was looking closer at the pic and notice you swapped the foot rests, is that a fab job or does something bolt right up.
Also does the Kat front end have clip ons like the 700, I really hate those.

 

[MADAWG_70]

Also..What is behind the heads/infront of the carbs. Did you tweak the motor to get anymore out of it? Were you sucessful?

 

[Billy Ricks]

I'm sorry to hear that, I hate it when people dick you around like that, especially when you can't yell in their face.
You bike looks exactly like what I was going for, and when I hacked my rear fender off I thought it was going to be more original. I was looking closer at the pic and notice you swapped the foot rests, is that a fab job or does something bolt right up.
Also does the Kat front end have clip ons like the 700, I really hate those.

Mine is an '88 GSXR750 front end. I just drilled and tapped the top clamp and bolted on some clamps to use a tubular bar. The rearsets are GSXR. I cut off the massive lump that the old pegs bolted to and welded on just enough plate to bolt the rearsets to. If you notice I don't have passenger pegs.

 

[Billy Ricks]

Also..What is behind the heads/infront of the carbs. Did you tweak the motor to get anymore out of it? Were you sucessful?

It's a Yosh heat shield to keep the carbs cooler. I run RS flatslides and a Yosh Duplex pipe that came off an early '90s GSXR. The head was redone and is still fairly fresh. It's mildly ported. The bike screams as anyone who has ever ridden with me can swear to.

 

[oldschoolGS]

Looks like you're doing exactly what I'd like to do on my 83 750es. Looks real good! Unfortunately we don't have many junkyards around here so that makes matching up parts difficult. So I have to rely on people who've already tried.
One thing I figured would be hard about swapping the front end would be the handlebars clearing the tank.
So I'm curious how you got around that. You mentioned something about some clipons. Where would I find some of those?
Any other suggestions?

Clearing the ES fairing is the real issue, the tank is clear. I bought LSL riser 41mm clip-ons for the Katana forks. I could have used the stock Katana bars, they are the ones in my original photo, but I did not like them and wanted something lower. Since you cannot raise the fork tubes above the top triple enough to mount bars (due to ground clearance issues), you must mount the bars below the top triple. This is why you need riser bars.

Photo above shows the LSL bars mounted below the top triple. You will need to fabricate new fork stops as the Katana stops will not work on the GS frame. Hope this all helps, Ed.

 

[oldschoolGS]

It did handle like it's on rails.

Hey Billy, you should try one of these. Absolutely unbelievable. With Pilot Power rubber she makes me think I can walk on water. Don't know if I can go back to the old GS now-the Bandit 1200 feels like a Gold Wing in comparison.

Ride On, Ed.
2005 GSF1200SZ
1992 900SS
1983 GS750ED