The $150 beast 88 kat6

[gvh]

Found this poor 1988 Kat 6 yesterday. Looks worse in person. Pitted fork, no working brakes, 20 something years in a leaky shed. Animals did a number on the seats. No Keys but does have an ownership. 37,000 kilometers. Not sure it is worth fixing but as soon as the rain stops I will bring it in and do a comp test and evict any tenants I find.

[Kat Floyd]

Doesnt look bad at all for 150 bucks!
My 04 Kat looked worse than that for 700 when I got it.

[RobertTravis]

Stock wheels?

[92xjunker]

Yeah, those are 88-89 wheels......bone stock 88 Kat.....nice find for $150.

[shpielers]

Worst case scenario, you can sell the fairings on eBay for a lot more than 150. Nice find

[gvh]

Well I hotwired the bike. She turns over freely. All lights work. Tried to miss a step and went right to open air box and quick start. A couple of burps but no life. OK time to pull spark plugs and do the comp test. This is the worst plug very hard to get out. I cleaned it up for the pic. I did put a hose down the holes BEFORE pulling the plugs after seeing all the crud come out with the caps. All the holes filled with crud and rusty plugs. Lucky the tool kit was complete and place.

[92xjunker]

Damn, even had the tool kit... Yeah, been down that road...used a little marvel mystery oil in the oil and down the cylinders before I fired the Rusty motor.

[loneraider]

Nice find for $150 More pics ....

[a572mike]

Not bad for $150...

[gvh]

OK. Sitting on the bike from the left 140, 90, 120, 90 The 90 psi get to is fast and will keep climbing if you keep cranking. A few pics. The project has not left the trailer yet. I already have one 1983 GS750ES project in the shop I need to sell off.

[RobertTravis]

Great bike for $150.

Nice lookin GS too

[gvh]

Great bike for $150.

Nice lookin GS too

GS was to be the summer ride. Promise of a running high k bike. When I went to do the comp test rust on the one plug. Water in the cylinder. Motor puched.


As for the Kat. Don't seem to have spark. Also how the hell do you get the ignition out. My #4 metric bites a bit but not enough. Only number I see the ignition is 8120

[92xjunker]

Drill the heads off and order shear bolts when you rekey or replace. I would try to rekey first, the key fits everything. Also prelube the gas cap, it's most likely rusted pretty good by now, as is the tank. POR 15 will seal the tank well. As for no spark, check the clutch safety switch (at the clutch lever) and the side stand switch. FYI the ignition switch has a security feature that is supposedly prevents fully hot wiring the bike.

[gvh]

Drill the heads off and order shear bolts when you rekey or replace. I would try to rekey first, the key fits everything. Also prelube the gas cap, it's most likely rusted pretty good by now, as is the tank. POR 15 will seal the tank well. As for no spark, check the clutch safety switch (at the clutch lever) and the side stand switch. FYI the ignition switch has a security feature that is supposedly prevents fully hot wiring the bike.

I realized after posting I actually only tested the two outside leads so only one coil. The kat wouldn't crank unless I pulled the clutch in so that switch should be working. More testing Monday.

[92xjunker]

You are correct..