"Easy restoration!"

[fossie]

Non runner because the keys have been misplaced
Easy restoration, lock set can be obtained from ebay Yep in Japan
Parked up in 1997 , .....fuel system may be a touch gummed up then
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-GSX-4 ... SwqwxeEyqu
£a grand over priced if being concervative... But £1700 too much for me
Nice colour though

[Uncle Bob]

Yep, agree with all that.

[Mac13]

Hi.
With regards about the Kat 400 on eBay for £1700. Is this too much for the bike? I am looking for a project to keep me busy>
Cheers

[fossie]

How long is a piece of string, is really the same question
You will understand that the following statement is a personal view built only on my 20 odd years of being involved in water cooled Katanas.

£1700 is probably pretty much market value of a road ready 400 in the real world.
This bike ...carbs ultrasonic cleaning , new jets and float kit up to £250"', shock rebuilding ....they will be in need .....lockset ...will have to come from Japan as very few were broken here , minimum £50 unless customs get interested. Then more...
Also take into account that the missing keys means you can't hear it turn over , so could need to budget for a CDI or coils. Why was it parked up so long ago ?
As said in early post £250 as a non runner project is what we'd say ...Harsh

If you just want a project to pass the time this could be for you.....it will pass a long time...but it may be interesting chasing bits ...I know people enjoy this bit.
Ultimately if you are happy to pay a certain amount for anything then it is worth that..

[Uncle Bob]

A 400 went for £3500 last year but one just after that was I think about £2700. I would say about £2500-£3000 for a good road ready 400 is about the going rate personally. Rough but needing restoration I would put in the £1200-£1700 area. I paid £700 for my 400 (not running) back in 2014, but prices have gone up as you know the last 5 years. I did get new shocks (splashed out on YSS piggy backs) and did the carb clean and O ring kit myself (use http://Litetek.co if you do get it)

I just got a 250 and paid £1800 for it from DK - they had 3 and all went for £1800 - supply and demand - they don't come up often so I paid the price. It needs really a full strip down recommission as well, but I could use as is if I wanted.

Shocks probably need replacing really, you can get the cheap Chinese ones if you so wish, but I preferred something better (hence the YSS) but I might try the Gazi ones I have seen on Ebay for the 250 (they are about £300). You can get replacement CDI for about £100 (assuming taxes), but the lock set will be the hardest to get as Fossie says, as it will have to come from Japan more than likely. Exhaust as original could be rusty and looks a little tatty anyway, again you can get new ones from Japan (expensive) but not the UK (unless you get one made).

The 400 is a great bike to ride though, I love mine and ride it more than the 1100. I took it to Denmark and Germany for the EuroKat rallies. I assume you want to buy to restore? The other option is several people have bought the 400 and then installed a larger motor in it (I think one guy did a bandit 1200!) - if you wanted to do that then pipes, ignition, cdi would all change anyway.

Bike is still there but does have a Make Offer button on it, it's got to be worth £1200-£1300.

[Mac13]

Thanks for the response.
Think I am going to hang on and get a good one.
Regards

[Mac13]

Any Advice?
I have a very significant birthday coming soon and my good wife wants to buy me a Katana! Have you seen the Katana on sale at Motoline (1982 Suzuki Katana 1000, Very Rare Homologation Special,) Any advice? Before I let my heart rule my head!
Apparently not original UK bike, imported from the USA in 2015.
Regards
MAC13

[stockcar]

Clocks appear to be correct for a US import but its missing the side reflectors (normally forks and tailpiece) and it also appear to have the UK style 'slide' carbs fitted rather than the US CV's that would have been std for that market - tailpiece also should be dark blue i believe for that bike

None of those are a major issue but its far from a 'correct' resto if thats what you think your purchasing

[Mac13]

Hi Buddy,
Thank you for the advice. I want a "correct" bike and am willing to wait for the right one to come along. In distance past, I had a Katana 550, but could never afford my dream bike. Glad you told me before I bought the bike. Any advice you can offer would be much appreciated. A Katana now would be a 60th birthday present from my wife, so I want it to be a proper one as this will be long term ownership.
Can you joint the Katana owners group even if you do not own one?
Thank you again for your valuable advice.
Best Regards
MAC13

[Uncle Bob]

Of course you can join if you want to, we have no issues there! The last 2 club magazines have been bumper issues with some good reading while you are waiting to get a Katana.

I don't want to put you off the 750 /1100, but we did have a guy join last year and he bought a very good 1100 Katana, but after I think a couple of months he had to sell it again. He said that is was older and his body just didn't get on with it. It might be worth trying one if you can. I find the 1100 is great on the smoother A roads for me, but the B roads around Norfolk / Suffolk do shake up my internals! I personally find the 400 a smoother bike and better on the B roads (and I've just got a 250 Japanese market bike as well to try!).

I am going to be selling one of my 1100's, since buying the 250 garage space is tight now (I do have another one). It's in pretty good condition (with original pipes), but I am currently building up a set of carbs for it as not happy with ones on it and it might need the valve stem seals doing, but until I get the new carbs on and start it, I'm not sure. Given how little time I currently have at the moment not sure when that will be though.

UB