GS750 build with GSX750 parts

[chrisbertaut]

Ok, I have a 79 GS750, and I am about to get a 93, GSX750 Katana with a working motor, basically everything minus fairings and tank for $250. I saw that someone on here did a gsxr1100 swap (same family of motors) on an older GS, I am looking to swap in basically everything I possibly can, including wheels, swingarm, front forks, and most likely the engine. How much work are we talking here? At the bare minimum right now it would be nice to get the front suspension on there so I don't have to buy a new front tire twice.

[Big T]

Front suspension = easy
Motor =harder, need fab skills
Rear suspension and swingarm - need a welder and machine shop

[jwhelan65]

Front suspension = easy
Motor =harder, need fab skills
Rear suspension and swingarm - need a welder and machine shop

conversion = gone completely mad, trust me I know....

[chrisbertaut]

Thanks for the input, I will tackle the front end first then... is it a direct swap? It looks to be a very common upgrade on here. I am an ME student, therefore it may take a while to complete, but I would really like to do the motor swap as I think it would be a fun project, especially since I will be taking the swingarm and sprocket over at the same time. Looking to build a retro cafe rocket bike. I don't yet have the best fabrication skills, but I can weld pretty good, I have access to 3d modeling software, I can find a machine shop, and I can learn just about anything as I have that good ole engineering mind set.

[piester]

why not just buy a tank for it and ride it?

[chrisbertaut]

it needs a tank and fairings, and I don't like the look of the katanas.

[posplayr]

Thanks for the input, I will tackle the front end first then... is it a direct swap? It looks to be a very common upgrade on here. I am an ME student, therefore it may take a while to complete, but I would really like to do the motor swap as I think it would be a fun project, especially since I will be taking the swingarm and sprocket over at the same time. Looking to build a retro cafe rocket bike. I don't yet have the best fabrication skills, but I can weld pretty good, I have access to 3d modeling software, I can find a machine shop, and I can learn just about anything as I have that good ole engineering mind set.

do a search and decide how deep you want to dive in

[chrisbertaut]

Ok, some not so great news... the Katana forks are not a "direct swap" as I have been told. 1st difference, the Katana has tapered roller bearings in the neck, and the GS750 has ball bearings. Second, the Katana has the same diameter neck bolt at the top, but it tapers to a larger diameter at the bottom, the lower bearings themselves are actually slightly larger than the GS750's neck opening... I removed the sleeves that the bearings sit on in hopes that I could simply swap them too, but the top was slightly small and the bottom was way bigger. So, long story short the only way to get the 96 Katana front end on the 79 is to either cut the neck off both bikes and re-weld it on there, or do some major surgery to the bottom triple tree, at that point the Katana forks are not worth it to me, besides I don't want to have to register the bike as a 96 Katana, or a custom bike for the sake of both getting a title, and finding someone to insure a custom bike... I am now trying to get the Katana to run, if it'll run I'll keep it for the motor and rear swing arm...

Who has done the Katana front end swap, and how the hell did you do it???