Katana Owners Club U.K.

Now that the 'C' word is over it's time to think about 2018, has anyone got an ambition or plan for the new year?, I'll start the ball rolling, at the end of November I dropped my 250 Katana exhaust off to be ceramic coated, still haven't got it back yet but a small package did arrive from Japan on the day before Christmas eve containing the small engine badge for the generator cover, these are almost impossible to get hold of (I've waited almost a year for one to turn up online) if it wasn't for my over exuberance with the Solvol the one on the bike now would still look presentable so anyone with a plan (A or B) let us know.

Plan to actually get some use of the ol girl..........

Ride one of the Kats to the manc'ee Kat in May at the NADB rally. EuroKat rally in Denmark.
Ride another to
Possibly farmyard party or stormin' the castle .

More importantly ..NEVER , NEVER , NEVER EVER remove any part of a motorcycle to clean or polish it.
I may wash the bike at the end of the year.

Wow, looks like you give your bikes a strict Victorian style upbringing, mine get treated to a whole can of Mr Sheen almost every month in the summer

i want to do 200mph on a kat! well you did ask. i have the frame ready, a bandit 1200 engine and ancillarys, hyabusa rods and pistons, and i had the money all together for a fastbyme turbo install which would have given me itro 300rwbhp, and then i went out and bought yet another kat with it, but this one is at least together running and gsxr1100 powered. so, saving for the turbo has started in earnest, and the rest of the bits are on the bench. i wanted to do it before im 50, but barring a miracle thats not going to happen, so, saving is going well, and when ive got the cash, its going in to be built.
but, at least ive a kat on the road and can get the beemer sold now.

well, i just wanted to one time, ride something stupefyingly quick. but, you did ask.

John, you could also 'borrow' a Kawasaki H2 if you want to go 200mph, have you thought of nitrous oxide? (noS) it can give you mega bhp for a short burst, enough to get you to 200mph, good luck with the project

all valid points, but if i wanted to do it the easy way i would have bought a hyabusa. i have always liked the turbo idea. and now im gonna have one before im too old.

i reccon im gonna need 300bhp a following wind, a chilly dry day and a fucking colossal helping of good luck.
ive a braced 1100 frame with gsxr1100m wheels forks brakes etc, a mk1 bandit 1200 engine carbs and ignition, and im going to fit it with gen 1 hyabusa pistons which are forged, so can cope with the stress better, and the much stronger busa mk1 rods, though this will requiree a barrel spacer to drop the compression so the turbo can cope. for simplicity im going for blow through, using the stock carbs, and as far as i know im just short of a couple of grand, as i say i had every penny but blew it on that black kat i got in november. i think its doable, but im not sure its doable by me, but im gonna give it a go.

i want to do 200mph on a kat!

ive a braced 1100 frame with gsxr1100m wheels forks brakes etc, a mk1 bandit 1200 engine carbs and ignition, and im going to fit it with gen 1 hyabusa pistons which are forged, so can cope with the stress better, and the much stronger busa mk1 rods, though this will requiree a barrel spacer to drop the compression so the turbo can cope. for simplicity im going for blow through, using the stock carbs,

So not a Kat at all then John?

i had considered the stock running gear but the numbers just dont add up. just to get an aircooled engine to the state that it will survive boost will probably cost close to a couple of grand, and thats before any boost is applied, welding the crank, fitting a straight cut primary drive, crank strip and build as the helical gear will only take upto about 180bhp before it lets go. plus, a new clutch gear, basket, gearbox, then pistons, bores and compression lowering. and even then the power you can reliably get from the aircooled engine is restricted compared to the oilcooled bandit lump. so, yes, a fair bit of non kat stuff there, albeit still suzuki. you might say that its not a kat, youre more than welcome to, but its not going to alter my plans one iota.
whether i actually get there however is a different matter.