1981 GSX1100 Katana Based Project

[Rijko]

Is that the original front fender (with *heavy* u-shaped inside bracket) ?

I know you want to keep the OEM Katana look, but have you considered something like the CB1100F front fender ?
Much lighter, and the scoop should help cooling.

CB1100F front fender.jpg

Larry nvr2old used that on his S, imho looks super.

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Yes, the heavy OEM steel brace under the front guard has been removed and replaced with a much lighter aluminium fork brace that you can see installed above the guard. The OEM plastic front guard has also been replaced with a lighter carbon guard (with Titanium bolts) and painted to look like an OEM Katana guard as well as lowering the guard position on the forks to allow it to blend in with the 18" front wheel.

Thanks for the tip about the CB1100F front guard and how its design may help direct air flow to the cooler, the GSX1135 EF OEM front guard has a similar design and although I have one of those guards I could use, for the Kat look I have stayed with an OEM copy guard for now.

[Shin-Ken 1074]

In Summer where I am the temps get up to 40 C and above with humidity in the high 90's so air cooled engines need all the help they can get. Although an oil cooler has now been installed on the DW and that will help the oil, I think a little mod to the oil cooler can help a bit more on those hot humid days. Using a sad and skanky old cooler as a template, have made an aluminium deflector for the lower edge of the cooler as well as leaving a gap between the cooler and deflector to ensure the deflector doesn't rub against the cooler cores. Haven't attached the deflector yet, needs painting first.

Oil cooler 64 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Oil cooler 65 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Oil cooler 66 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Oil cooler 67 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

[Blower]

It can be impossible to get the engine oil cooled with so tiny oil cooler. I have Bandit 1200 oil cooler on my 1296cc EFE and GSX 600 F oil cooler on my 1360cc supercharged EFE.
You must make a sacrifice on the altar of thermodynamics at the expense of lightness

[Shin-Ken 1074]

You must make a sacrifice on the altar of thermodynamics at the expense of lightness

Oh no, say it isn't so, lightness must rule!

If the cooler mods work to manage the oil temp then it will have been worth the effort however, Summer time in five months will be the real world test.

I have some larger oil coolers to use as Plan D if this one is a no go.

[Lorenzo]

Let the hot oil pass through an alu block cooled, on it's way to the cooler, by a Peltier cell.

[Shin-Ken 1074]

The deflector for the lower edge of the cooler is a prototype to test if it helps reduce the oil temp once there is some airflow. To future proof the deflector it needs to be installed in a way that allows it to be removed and or replaced if needed. Have attached an aluminium strip tapped for 5mm allen bolts that will attach the deflector and make it removable.

Oil cooler 68 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Oil cooler 69 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

[Shin-Ken 1074]

To shave some weight off the oil cooler I am going to delete the lower cooler mounting brackets and make the upper brackets from flat aluminium shaped to make them as light as possible. The cooler is held in place with the upper brackets and the hoses with their metal manifolds are stiff enough to support the cooler so there is no need to use a lower cooler mount. After a test ride minus the lower cooler brackets all is well with no movement of the cooler or hoses. After cleaning the cooler and straightening the core fins to make them a bit more presentable and functional it has now been painted along with the upper brackets and lower deflector.

Oil cooler 70 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Oil cooler 72 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Oil cooler 73 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

[Rob S.]

Larry nvr2old used that on his S, imho looks super.

Larry should try inverting his cooler, and running the lines over the engine in the tank tunnel.

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Cooler and brackets are finished and tomorrow they will be installed and a test ride Tuesday with some mates. It will be interesting to see if the lower deflector helps to reduce oil temp, being the first design it can be changed or modified as needed. If this design works and there is no need to modify the cooler system the steel allen bolts will be swapped for titanium bolts, another few grams lighter.

Oil cooler 74 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Oil cooler 77 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Running tally = 183,214 grams.

[Shin-Ken 1074]

The modified oil cooler is now in place and waiting for it's test ride tomorrow to check what the temp gauge has to show with the two deflectors fitted.

Oil cooler 76 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Bummer, the bad weather has rolled in today, rain and wind so no test ride.

[Rob S.]

I was just thinking of the McDonnell Douglas F-15 that set the records for altitude and time to altitude. IIRC, it was called the "Streak Eagle," and to save weight it was not painted. Just a thought.
As far as I know, those records still stand.

[Shin-Ken 1074]

I was just thinking of the McDonnell Douglas F-15 that set the records for altitude and time to altitude. IIRC, it was called the "Streak Eagle," and to save weight it was not painted. Just a thought.
As far as I know, those records still stand.

Yeah, the Streak Eagle was a Hot Rod! It was stripped down to the basics with a lot of systems removed to get the weight down:

no gun pack
no radar
no tail hook
some actuators were removed
some electronics were removed
some hydraulic systems were removed
minimum fuel load
and of course no paint.

F-15-Streak-Eagle-aircrews by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

[Rob S.]

An F-15 with a tail hook?!?