[Mojoe]

The Kat is in original condition including the original 82 shocks that I have recently fitted to take her back to stock, pipes are new genuine and though unrestored right now the plan is to give her a complete restoration later this year.

you know, your bike looks awesome and all, but at this point you CAN NOT claim it to be in original condition. I would like to let you slide on that, but mine is just as "original" as yours is, and I can't even make that claim...yet.

1...those are definitely not original kat rims.
2...you should not have polished that swing arm.
3...those forks look polished. they should be silver.
4...you are missing a cover. if you look at the rear brake reservoir, well just to the right of it, half hidden behind the side cover, you can see on mine there is a black cover. yours is missing. I might have one of those laying around if you need it. I kept a rolling frame with everything but the body parts as a spare for mine.
5... someone added a "mud flap" to your front fender. that should not be there.

also, I am going to have to assume that your bike is the European model. North American bikes have to have side reflectors by law. you can see mine on the front fairing and the tail section. looking at your front fairing, I would guess European model, but yet your tail section looks a bit "blemished", like there were side reflectors, but were removed and the holes plugged. that, or your tail section has been replaced.


now here is mine.....and I can easily claim it to be all original, but that will only work on those who "just don't know" what original is.

1) my front rim is off an 82...the same style rim yours is supposed to have. (I have a set if you need them). the 83 rims are like my rear rim. the "spokes" don't cross each other like the 82 does.
2) my forks are from an 82, and are the same color as yours are supposed to be. the 83 fork tubes are black, and I do have a set to replace them.
3) my rear fender has been chopped (I have another original that hasn't been cut down).
4) my windscreen has been blacked out (I will have to cough up the coin for a new one).
5) my bar ends have been polished. they should be black. I like the looks of polished, but it is not original and I have to replace with black.

only after I address those 5 discrepancies can I call mine all original. and because I am a stickler for little details like that, I can't consider yours all original either...no matter how great it looks. :




and please do not think I am bashing your ride. that is not the case at all. I am just pointing out discrepancies that keep it from being 100% original, as I did with mine. like I said...I am picky when it comes to details, and it just jumps right out at me when I see something is "off". at least you kept the original pegs. some people like to swap the 82 pegs for 83 pegs because...well, the 83 pegs just look a whole lot better, what with being slimmer in design as compared to the big wrap around rubber on the 82. fight the urge to swap (if it ever hits you) in order to keep it original. your bike looks to be in awesome shape, and it is VERY close to being 100% OEM.....and 100% OEM is very rare to find these days. :

[loudnlow7484]

1...those are definitely not original kat rims.

He's in Australia. I'm not real hip on the vintage kats, but a quick google search tells me that the GSX1100SXZ was sold in Australia with factory wire wheels.

[johnod]

He's in Australia. I'm not real hip on the vintage kats, but a quick google search tells me that the GSX1100SXZ was sold in Australia with factory wire wheels.

Thats right.

[Mojoe]

He's in Australia. I'm not real hip on the vintage kats, but a quick google search tells me that the GSX1100SXZ was sold in Australia with factory wire wheels.

if that is the case, then I stand corrected on that part. my apologies. but I believe I am correct on the rest....unless the Aussies have more of a "twist" on the vintage kats that I am not aware of. up to now, I have only consider there to be two types of kats...the European and North American versions....which spawn from the Jap version. I just figured Australia imported one of the two.

question: did they all come with wire spoked rims, or just select models like a special edition or something like that?

and could you please send me the link you got that info from, LnL? I like to bookmark any site that gives info on the old kats.

[loudnlow7484]

if that is the case, then I stand corrected on that part. my apologies. but I believe I am correct on the rest....unless the Aussies have more of a "twist" on the vintage kats that I am not aware of. up to now, I have only consider there to be two types of kats...the European and North American versions....which spawn from the Jap version. I just figured Australia imported one of the two.

question: did they all come with wire spoked rims, or just select models like a special edition or something like that?

and could you please send me the link you got that info from, LnL? I like to bookmark any site that gives info on the old kats.

It comes from various forum posts, bikes listed for sale, wiki articles, etc etc..... all of them surfacing from Australia and New Zealand. Also a quick google image search of the model (GSX1100SXZ) pulls up the bikes with wire wheels, and, strangely enough, the rubber mudguard on the fender. Production seems to be very limited (under 1000), but since they only showed up in two countries, I guess that was enough to make it not so uncommon there. The Suzuki Katana Wikipedia entry mentions them without much detail. If you are really interested, the Kiwi Bikers forum probably has a bunch of people that know all about them.

[Mojoe]

It comes from various forum posts, bikes listed for sale, wiki articles, etc etc..... all of them surfacing from Australia and New Zealand. Also a quick google image search of the model (GSX1100SXZ) pulls up the bikes with wire wheels, and, strangely enough, the rubber mudguard on the fender. Production seems to be very limited (under 1000), but since they only showed up in two countries, I guess that was enough to make it not so uncommon there. The Suzuki Katana Wikipedia entry mentions them without much detail. If you are really interested, the Kiwi Bikers forum probably has a bunch of people that know all about them.

well I do know that the katana did come with wire wheels for Australia, but believed it to be the 1000 version only, and the 1100 had rims like mine.


here is a quote from Katana Central

1983 saw the original big Kat made available in some markets, including Europe, in a slightly modified MkII version. Apart from some rather more adventurous paint jobs, the bike also sported aluminium one-piece footrest hangers, new wheel spoke design to bring it into line with the EFE range of Suzuki models, and some other very minor detail changes. Over in Japan changes were also afoot with the release of the GSX750S2. The 750 also had its spoke pattern changed, but rather more radically it now sported a 16" front wheel. It had also picked up a couple of extra bhp along the way. The 650 (now with nose cone fairing), 550 and other smaller variants were still available in many other markets, but the obsolescence bell was beginning to toll rather loudly.

if you go by that, it matches the spoke change I mentioned between the 82 and 83 models. the EFE range of motorcycles all had similar wheels as my kat does. the only other bikes in suzuki's lineup that had spoked wheels like what his has, in 82, were the DR500S, the RM465, the GS450T, and the smaller RM and DR moto-x and dual sports.

so with that said, Australia certainly has an odd "change" that year that doesn't match what the rest of the world received. I don't really have much to say on that because...well, I don't know what to say.

but I did find a good laugh during my search...much to the expense of you Yanks

1988
Whilst in Europe and Japan the Katana range was drifting into either obscurity or cult-like status, those crazy crazy Yanks decided to resurrect the Katana by slapping stickers on US-spec GSX600/750/1100F models. The legendary Katana name was now being used to market the soft sports/touring versions of the GSXR throughout the US, strangely so, as the Katana had never been a big seller in America, and to many anoraks, myself included, this decision seemed to devalue the Katana legend.

so you see guys...and I had this argument on here in the past....99.9% of the members of KR, ARE NOT even riding a real katana...myself included with my 92 1100. these are all what the real Katriders refer to as "sticker bikes". if it wasn't for you Yanks, the original katana would probably be worth a hell of a lot more than it is now. I truly believe this...and that sticking a katana sticker on the GSXF models has watered down the name.

btw....except for on here, I rarely refer to my 92 1100 kat as a katana. 9 times out of 10 if someone asks me what kind of bike I have, I call it a gsx1100...no F on the end. I do this because i have always felt the "sticker bike" katana comes from the gsx-r, and not the original katana. the only time I am sure to say that I ride an 1100 katana is when I am talking about my 83. but hey...that's just me.

Katana Timeline if you are interested.

http://www.katanacentral.co.uk/history/katanatimeline.asp

[spatula6554]

I feel a little smaller on my GSX 1100 now...thanks Mojoe.

[Mojoe]

I feel a little smaller on my GSX 1100 now...thanks Mojoe.

why?


anyway, don't mind me. I just really love these old katanas and get a bit carried away at times. sometimes I take it a bit too seriously. think it is cuz I am really missing mine. I have a starter or starter clutch issue and can't get it started....and haven't had the time to fix it.

but for those of you lucky enough to own one.....you gotta agree, it's a special breed of bike. riding my 83 1100 is nothing like riding my 92 1100. totally different!

[Thomas4]

If I think of it mine is really a 99.9% original Euro spec one.

The missing 0.1 % is that the exhaust roses of the 1st and 4th cylinder are satin black like the rest of the exhaust, instead of unpolished Aluminum (like the 2nd and 3rd still are). It came like that when I bought most of the exhaust new from Suzuki (about 15 y ago). I think I should remove that bit of paint to make it 100 % original again.

Thomas

[Don Giablo]

you know, your bike looks awesome and all, but at this point you CAN NOT claim it to be in original condition. I would like to let you slide on that, but mine is just as "original" as yours is, and I can't even make that claim...yet.

1...those are definitely not original kat rims.
2...you should not have polished that swing arm.
3...those forks look polished. they should be silver.
4...you are missing a cover. if you look at the rear brake reservoir, well just to the right of it, half hidden behind the side cover, you can see on mine there is a black cover. yours is missing. I might have one of those laying around if you need it. I kept a rolling frame with everything but the body parts as a spare for mine.
5... someone added a "mud flap" to your front fender. that should not be there.

also, I am going to have to assume that your bike is the European model. North American bikes have to have side reflectors by law. you can see mine on the front fairing and the tail section. looking at your front fairing, I would guess European model, but yet your tail section looks a bit "blemished", like there were side reflectors, but were removed and the holes plugged. that, or your tail section has been replaced.


now here is mine.....and I can easily claim it to be all original, but that will only work on those who "just don't know" what original is.

1) my front rim is off an 82...the same style rim yours is supposed to have. (I have a set if you need them). the 83 rims are like my rear rim. the "spokes" don't cross each other like the 82 does.
2) my forks are from an 82, and are the same color as yours are supposed to be. the 83 fork tubes are black, and I do have a set to replace them.
3) my rear fender has been chopped (I have another original that hasn't been cut down).
4) my windscreen has been blacked out (I will have to cough up the coin for a new one).
5) my bar ends have been polished. they should be black. I like the looks of polished, but it is not original and I have to replace with black.

only after I address those 5 discrepancies can I call mine all original. and because I am a stickler for little details like that, I can't consider yours all original either...no matter how great it looks. :




and please do not think I am bashing your ride. that is not the case at all. I am just pointing out discrepancies that keep it from being 100% original, as I did with mine. like I said...I am picky when it comes to details, and it just jumps right out at me when I see something is "off". at least you kept the original pegs. some people like to swap the 82 pegs for 83 pegs because...well, the 83 pegs just look a whole lot better, what with being slimmer in design as compared to the big wrap around rubber on the 82. fight the urge to swap (if it ever hits you) in order to keep it original. your bike looks to be in awesome shape, and it is VERY close to being 100% OEM.....and 100% OEM is very rare to find these days. :

You really showed how much, you do not know. If you are not sure, about what you are talking about. Raise your hand, and ask. The guy just wanted to show off his bike. El G.

[Bloodsugar]

looks brand new!

[Aussie Katrider]

Hi to all, having owned my 82' Kat since 1986 and putting 170.000km on the clock she was looking a bit tired so it was time to clean up the wheels and cases and polish the swing arm to have her looking presentable once again. I used a sisal wheel and cutting compound to clean the rims, cases and swing arm, then a cotton mop and polishing compound to the first stage of shine and then used Mother's Metal Power Aluminum polish and a swan mop for the next stage. The final polish was with Mother's and a soft cloth. I had not used Mother's before but now Iam converted, it has given the alloy the best finish I have seen so far on my Kat.

The Kat is in original condition including the original 82 shocks that I have recently fitted to take her back to stock, pipes are new genuine and though unrestored right now the plan is to give her a complete restoration later this year.

Well done, your Katana looks great.
Can't believe its got 170K on the clock, you've obviously really looked after it.
I've only had my 1100 Katana for several weeks and just love it.
Pity the weather in Melbourne has been so wet and horrible lately as I just want to ride it any chance I can.

[sixdog]

Bike looks beast!

[Mel Wainwright]

Hi All,
Further to the conversation, it was not only Australia and New Zealand that imported Katanas but here in South Africa too. The bike shown was also sold here with wire wheels. Suzuki also brought out the 1100SXZ model which was only imported in New Zealand and South Africa for production racing and are now much prized by Katana lovers world wide for their added performance over the standard SZ models,
Cheers
Mel

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Hi All,
Further to the conversation, it was not only Australia and New Zealand that imported Katanas but here in South Africa too. The bike shown was also sold here with wire wheels. Suzuki also brought out the 1100SXZ model which was only imported in New Zealand and South Africa for production racing and are now much prized by Katana lovers world wide for their added performance over the standard SZ models,
Cheers
Mel

Thanks Mel, yes S.A. got the Hot Kat as well, thanks for the support, cheers.

P.S. Went for a ride with Derek and his Super Kat to the Laverda Bike Show a few weeks ago, that Kat of his.............