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1981 GSX1100 Katana Based Project

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    Picked up the aluminium axle spacers today, anodised Gloss Black.

    Aluminium axle spacers Glooss Black by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
    Badgezz, we don need noh stinkin' badgezz!
    Shin-Ken 1074
    1982 GSX1100SXZ Wire Wheel Katana - BOM Nov 2011
    1981 GSX1135 Katana Build completed Mar 2024, Curb Weight, all fluids and 21 lt fuel = 206 kg.

    Comment


      I bought a Katana seat and bodywork fibreglass shell for the project, lighter than OEM parts and a fraction of the cost of buying a seat and bodywork. The shell is a bare item and not supplied with brackets or mounting points. Made the front seat bracket from flat aluminium and folded/welded to copy the profile of the OEM steel seat bracket. For the rear used the OEM seat lock, no extra bolts or clips needed to secure the seat shell.

      Seat shell 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


      Seat shell 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


      Seat shell 3 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

      Seat shell front bracket 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


      Seat shell front bracket 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


      DW seat bracket 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


      Seat shell rear OEM lock by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


      I used an industrial bonding agent to glue an aluminum flat plate under the seat that engages the front seat bracket in the same way an OEM seat would. This ally flat plate also provides structural support to the seat shell, the shell is pretty thin however, if you want to reduce weight then the thin shell is the trade-off.

      The following pic does not show the two locator tabs that have since been welded to the front seat bracket to hold the seat in the correct position.

      front seat bracket engaged by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
      Last edited by Shin-Ken 1074; 10-04-2023, 03:09 AM.
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      Shin-Ken 1074
      1982 GSX1100SXZ Wire Wheel Katana - BOM Nov 2011
      1981 GSX1135 Katana Build completed Mar 2024, Curb Weight, all fluids and 21 lt fuel = 206 kg.

      Comment


        I want the project to have the appearance of a stock - ish Kat so I had the shell painted in 1981 SZ colours except for the forward seat area. That section is painted black instead of Royal Blue. The black finish is to blend the seat shell with the black foam seat pad. OEM choke decals and automotive black tape to mimic the OEM black plastic sidecover inserts.


        seat shell paint 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


        seat shell paint 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


        seat shell 4 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

        seat shell 5 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


        Seat bodywork painted by Max Mutarn, on Flickr



        seat shell 6 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
        Last edited by Shin-Ken 1074; 10-04-2023, 07:21 PM.
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        Shin-Ken 1074
        1982 GSX1100SXZ Wire Wheel Katana - BOM Nov 2011
        1981 GSX1135 Katana Build completed Mar 2024, Curb Weight, all fluids and 21 lt fuel = 206 kg.

        Comment


          Aftermarket fibreglass front guard, lighter than OEM ABS plastic guard. OEM guard is made to fit a 19" front wheel and when fitted with an 18" wheel the gap between the guard and wheel looks wrong. Blocked off the original bolt holes and raised the new holes to lower the guard position on the forks and hug the 18" front wheel. I also blocked off the speedo cable rubber guide hole, not needed, trims off a few grams and gives the guard a clean look.

          The first pic shows how the new guard position looks married to the 18" GSXR750 wheel. The original mount holes for a 19" wheel and the hole for the speedo cable rubber guide have not been blocked out yet.


          lowered front guard by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

          guard paint 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

          guard paint 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
          Last edited by Shin-Ken 1074; 10-05-2023, 10:33 PM.
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          Shin-Ken 1074
          1982 GSX1100SXZ Wire Wheel Katana - BOM Nov 2011
          1981 GSX1135 Katana Build completed Mar 2024, Curb Weight, all fluids and 21 lt fuel = 206 kg.

          Comment


            Tank is back and the painter did a very good job on it. Prepared it before giving it to the painter and once back I applied OEM decals, one more part done.

            Tank paint 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


            Tank 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


            Tank 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
            Badgezz, we don need noh stinkin' badgezz!
            Shin-Ken 1074
            1982 GSX1100SXZ Wire Wheel Katana - BOM Nov 2011
            1981 GSX1135 Katana Build completed Mar 2024, Curb Weight, all fluids and 21 lt fuel = 206 kg.

            Comment


              Cowl is now back to the original silver for an SZ Kat.


              cowl 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


              cowl 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


              cowl a by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
              Last edited by Shin-Ken 1074; 10-04-2023, 07:40 PM.
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              Shin-Ken 1074
              1982 GSX1100SXZ Wire Wheel Katana - BOM Nov 2011
              1981 GSX1135 Katana Build completed Mar 2024, Curb Weight, all fluids and 21 lt fuel = 206 kg.

              Comment


                Frame, engine and bodywork painting is all done. I am waiting for some bolts to arrive later this week and once they are here the engine cases can be fitted and the tally moved along. Waiting for swing arm paint to cure and then the wheels can be installed and the DW can be taken off the bench and put on the ground for the first time in it's new life. I will then be able to fabricate the aluminium side stand. The OEM stand is an anchor!


                Last edited by Shin-Ken 1074; 10-04-2023, 07:54 PM.
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                Shin-Ken 1074
                1982 GSX1100SXZ Wire Wheel Katana - BOM Nov 2011
                1981 GSX1135 Katana Build completed Mar 2024, Curb Weight, all fluids and 21 lt fuel = 206 kg.

                Comment


                  I have thoroughly enjoyed this thread. Everything you've done looks amazing. The body parts turned out great. Can't wait for next installment.
                  1979 GS1000S,

                  1982 Honda CX500 Turbo, 1982 Honda MB5 w/CR80 motor, 1977 Honda "nekid" Goldwing, 1976 Honda CB550F cafe', 1972 Honda XL250 cafe'

                  Comment


                    I'm looking forward to the final weigh-in.
                    1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

                    2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

                    Comment


                      Love the look of the raised lettering on the tank.
                      2@ \'78 GS1000

                      Comment


                        Originally posted by nvr2old View Post
                        I have thoroughly enjoyed this thread. Everything you've done looks amazing. The body parts turned out great. Can't wait for next installment.
                        Hi Never 2 Old, I agree with you 100% on the body work and the really nice job the painter did. I am very happy with the end result.

                        Cheers.
                        Badgezz, we don need noh stinkin' badgezz!
                        Shin-Ken 1074
                        1982 GSX1100SXZ Wire Wheel Katana - BOM Nov 2011
                        1981 GSX1135 Katana Build completed Mar 2024, Curb Weight, all fluids and 21 lt fuel = 206 kg.

                        Comment


                          Originally posted by Rob S. View Post
                          I'm looking forward to the final weigh-in.
                          Hi Rob, my guess is about 6 weeks from now the scales will have the number for us. The goal is 180kg dry, which would be a 52kg reduction if the 232kg dry weight as stated in the factory manual is correct. However, once up and running I am sure I will find things that can be tinkered with to lighten it a few grams here and there. One area that could shave around 1.8kg is the flywheel and starter clutch. These could be swapped out for parts from an SRAD 600. I have the SRAD parts and an engineering firm (another one) I use are able to modify the flywheel and starter clutch to fit the EF shaft and re-harden the parts after machining. Doing that is for another day, if ever.

                          Cheers.
                          Last edited by Shin-Ken 1074; 10-06-2023, 04:04 AM.
                          Badgezz, we don need noh stinkin' badgezz!
                          Shin-Ken 1074
                          1982 GSX1100SXZ Wire Wheel Katana - BOM Nov 2011
                          1981 GSX1135 Katana Build completed Mar 2024, Curb Weight, all fluids and 21 lt fuel = 206 kg.

                          Comment


                            Originally posted by steve murdoch View Post
                            Love the look of the raised lettering on the tank.
                            Hi Steve,

                            yeah, the logo looks good. The guy that made the tank does it all by hand, the complete tank including the embossed logo.

                            Cheers
                            Badgezz, we don need noh stinkin' badgezz!
                            Shin-Ken 1074
                            1982 GSX1100SXZ Wire Wheel Katana - BOM Nov 2011
                            1981 GSX1135 Katana Build completed Mar 2024, Curb Weight, all fluids and 21 lt fuel = 206 kg.

                            Comment


                              Not much to report today, waiting on some bolts to arrive and paint to cure however, could do a bit of show and tell? The Kat is fitted with aluminium clip-ons but they are solid aluminium! This is one of those cases where thin moly-steel is lighter than solid aluminium. I found a set of used hollow moly-steel clip-ons for the Kats 37mm fork tubes and as a bonus they are adjustable! The aftermarket clip-on had an M12 steel allen bolt so I swapped the M12 steel for a Ti 12 point bolt and here is the result.

                              316 grams lighter for the pair of moly clip-ons.


                              OEM Ally clip-on by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


                              Aftermarket moly clip-on by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
                              Last edited by Shin-Ken 1074; 10-06-2023, 06:23 AM.
                              Badgezz, we don need noh stinkin' badgezz!
                              Shin-Ken 1074
                              1982 GSX1100SXZ Wire Wheel Katana - BOM Nov 2011
                              1981 GSX1135 Katana Build completed Mar 2024, Curb Weight, all fluids and 21 lt fuel = 206 kg.

                              Comment


                                Lithium batteries can go very wrong sometimes, on a ride last year one of the bikes had a lithium battery that exploded on start up! But the YB14LA2 lead acid battery is 4.1kg plus the OEM steel battery cradle. A lithium battery with the same CCA weighs 920 grams. The goal is to reduce weight so the lead acid battery has to go! Turns out the lithium battery I wanted will not fit the OEM battery cradle so a replacement cradle is needed. Aluminium to the rescue.

                                I cut up some ally angle and flat, gave them some holesaw attention and then sent it out to be welded, much lighter than OEM steel unit.


                                Ally cradle parts by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


                                Ally cradle complete by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
                                Badgezz, we don need noh stinkin' badgezz!
                                Shin-Ken 1074
                                1982 GSX1100SXZ Wire Wheel Katana - BOM Nov 2011
                                1981 GSX1135 Katana Build completed Mar 2024, Curb Weight, all fluids and 21 lt fuel = 206 kg.

                                Comment

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