anyone go for a ride today? Pics?

[steve murdoch]

Foggy recall but didn't that Kat have a turbo engine in it for some time?
Or was he building one to go in it?

[Hayabuser]

I've had a few interactions with Katman over the years, bought a couple of parts, nothing major, just wondering what you think the purpose of the longer wheelbase is?

It's a beautiful bike, but why does it need to be that long if it's not going to the drag strip?

Seems going out to Renfrew, Cowichan, Tofino or Port Hardy would not be very ideal, if the road curves a bit.

What are your thoughts on how it handles?

It is surprisingly good, to be honest. Much better than the sum of its parts would lead you to believe. And the stretch isn't as long as it looks... there's something about how low and flat the bodywork is that emphasizes the stretch. In reality, it might be 3" longer than a stock Katana, maybe 4" at the most. The bike uses a Bandit 1200 swingarm which has a different length between the pivot and the rear axle, so without the extension block the bike's wheelbase would have been pretty short. At the end of the day, it's just a little longer than a Hayabusa which despite its reputation as an ocean liner, will run circles around other many other sporty bikes. The Island's roads don't pose much of a challenge to it (although I've never been to Port Hardy so can't say from experience what the roads are like up there). Anyway, adventure bikes and big-cube cruisers rip up the local roads 24/7 and have no issues... my Katana is a MotoGP ride compared to some of those.

Having said that, it won't be winning any track days anytime soon. I think Rob's intention was to build a comfortable streetbike for long rides up and down the Sea-To-Sky Highway and he used it exactly as designed reportedly putting 30K kms on it since the initial build. With the longish wheelbase and quality suspension, it definitely has a smooth ride. The engine however... not smooth. Unless you consider a nuclear bomb smooth.

Foggy recall but didn't that Kat have a turbo engine in it for some time?
Or was he building one to go in it?

Rob had a fuel injected turbo engine mocked up for the bike but I don't believe that it ever was a runner. He still has those parts for sale on his website.

[Jedz123]

Vsnacks for Breakfast... 100 miles on and watched the sunrise, first day of a 14 day vacation Having some food and planning my next spin. Unfortunately no big travel plans in the books.



This motorcycle is the most fun I've had on a bike in along time... I have nearly 2K miles on it now and 1st, 2nd and 3rd to red-line still is one of the most exhilarating feelings I have ever felt. Glad I decided to get another hyper bike.

HAHAH Registration FINALLY went through yesterday so, I'll be riding the Vmax allot more.

[Redman]

One hour ride a couple days ago. One hour ride yesterday.
Today was a two hour ride. Was a bit tiring, but doing okay.

[Baatfam]

BMW is running again, I see....

[Redman]

BMW is running again, I see....

Battery related problem, I determined. Bike did start after on charger all night.
(dern expensive battery, under all that tupperware)
SO I drained battery slowly with head light for hour and half, and then charged back up even slower with maintainer charger (something I saw done with industrial battery banks), and seem much better now.

[Noreg]

I went to wash my bike today. On the mandatory post-wash ride the bike started *@%^$*@%^$*@%^$*@%^$ing gasoline everywhere (like a ton of gasoline, I could see it pouring out while riding). So I stop at a bus stop, realize I have no phone, and no good idea on what to do. I also have very limited tools.

I walk to the nearest house and ask if I could call tripple A (NAF is the norwegian name). They let me and I sit around on my bike for about 45 minutes waiting for the dude to show up.

I assumed he would just put the bike on the flatbed and bring it home or to the shop. But the guy is like: "Is this something we can fix?". I ask him if he is a carberautor wizard, and he says he wouldn't make that claim. I tell him something is probably stuck, but my carb understanding is limited. And that to fix it we have to take it out and look at it. Which means removing the gas tank, air box and carberatuors. He is like: "okay".

So we dissasemble the things, open the carb, nothing seems out of order (tons of pink gas pouring out on the bus stop, rust...). Since everything seems ordinary, put it back and start the bike. It runs, and no gas leak.

I am so impressed he was willing to dissasemble my bike at a bus stop.

I probably need to sort that gas tank and get a new fuel filter.

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Sort the tank (derust it, seal it if you must), toss the filter. Petcock, if OEM, has a screen, as do the inlets to the carbs. I know people use an inline filter. I can’t understand why.

[trevor]

No ride yesterday but a nice turn out for my Friday afternoon safety meeting...









Mark hamming it up on a buddy's Hog...lol

[Hayabuser]

No ride yesterday but a nice turn out for my Friday afternoon safety meeting...


Mark hamming it up on a buddy's Hog...lol

He's got both the traditional scowl and riding gear down pat!

[Noreg]

Sort the tank (derust it, seal it if you must), toss the filter. Petcock, if OEM, has a screen, as do the inlets to the carbs. I know people use an inline filter. I can’t understand why.

Wont the filter carch finer particles? No idea if I need to seal it, but I figure why not? I think the filter catches some rust? But clearly not enough, carb float bowls has rust in the bottom.

[trevor]

He's got both the traditional scowl and riding gear down pat!

Lol I told him the shirt was perfect!

[pete]

I note you had a neat looking popup Katana in attendance Trevor, very nice!

We had nine Kats turn up yesterday. Blue skies, dry roads, not as cold as it has been and it was just a fantastic morning ride!

IMG_4199 by starpoint73, on Flickr


IMG_4201 by starpoint73, on Flickr

[Grimly]

Sort the tank (derust it, seal it if you must), toss the filter. Petcock, if OEM, has a screen, as do the inlets to the carbs. I know people use an inline filter. I can’t understand why.

Once you've been stranded at the side of the road because the stupid little gauzes in the carbs clog up, you'll understand why.

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Once you've been stranded at the side of the road because the stupid little gauzes in the carbs clog up, you'll understand why.

Dave, I know you run an in-line filter with success. And that you have probably logged more miles than most here. I’ve read lots from others whose problems were solve by ditching their in-line filter. Whether because the filter was too restrictive or what, I don’t know. Just seems to me if your tank is clean, the petcock filter should do the job.