82 kat wheel color

[first timer]

Any OEM Kat owners out there?

Quick question, I am doing a resto on a 82 kat 1K, (took a 10 year break from when i started) anyways, i had the wheels vapor blasted and i can't quiet remember if the cast surface portions of the wheels had a light charcoal paint to them or if it was just rough aluminum finish? My pictures don't have enough contrast and the rims were pretty beat up to get a true sense. i know the machined surface is raw aluminum.

If there is a color to the wheels do you have any suggestions? Doing a internet search seems to show some with a slight tint and some with no tint.

[dorkburger]

On the three GSs I’ve owned (1100e, two 1150s) the machined surfaces were natural aluminum and the non machined area were black. Your Kat was likely the same.

[dorkburger]

Hmm.. after looking at some pics online, it seems that I’m wrong.

[oldGSfan]

Check out a photo from original brochure or period reviews/ads like this. Light gray almost silver. Not the charcoal gray. Mine were and the ones I see are the lighter color like this. Wheels on this one were not changed from stock color or finish.

[first timer]

it's a tricky on, depending on where you look. I saw that photo. I also found this survivor for sale with good photos and it's hard to tell.

https://iconicmotorbikeauctions.com/auction/1982-suzuki-katana-1000-gs1000sz/

Here are some photos of mine 10 years ago when i started stripping it down.



and one of my buddies original kat that he sold a few years later.



As you can see it's really hard to tell the rim color.

For a comparison, here was my original 81 550 which had the charcoal wheels.

[oldGSfan]

Well, to me all the pics of the 82 Kats including these you posted look to be the light gray not darker charcoal. Mine was 100% original except pods and pipe, per the brother of the original owner who I couldn't talk to due to him being in prison . I think I'd leave them unpainted but depends on the bike's usage and storage.

[gs scott]

Any OEM Kat owners out there?

Quick question, I am doing a resto on a 82 kat 1K, (took a 10 year break from when i started) anyways, i had the wheels vapor blasted and i can't quiet remember if the cast surface portions of the wheels had a light charcoal paint to them or if it was just rough aluminum finish? My pictures don't have enough contrast and the rims were pretty beat up to get a true sense. i know the machined surface is raw aluminum.

If there is a color to the wheels do you have any suggestions? Doing a internet search seems to show some with a slight tint and some with no tint.

Hi First Timer,

Nice to see a Kat being brought back! I've had my Kat since 1984 (second owner, bought with 2,000 mi on the clocks). Kat wheels are definitely partially painted, almost identical to an 82 1100E, but unique to 82 Katanas - a lighter shade of gray / silver. I'm pretty sure I have a few spare wheels around and can snap a few pics for you. I've never read or found exactly what color that is but I don't think it's 13L like the frame and such.

It would be much easier to send to you pics via text or email - you can PM me with your preference. If I can remember how to load the pics to my flickr account, then I can post them here too.

Scott

[first timer]

to leave them unpainted or not is the question. The color change is so subtle that it's a tricky one. The good news is there is no moisture in AZ so i don't really have to worry about corrosion.

I'll see about taking a pic of my blasted rim just to provide context.

PM sent gs scott