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Hey guys,
I'm new to the motorcycle scene and just recently snapped up an '89 Katana 600 from a friend of a friend for $400. It's in rough shape but I plan to get her back on the road come next summer. I definitely have a lot of questions but I'll be poking around a few days first to get the lay of the land.
As she sits, she isn't running. I was told I would need a clutch cable, shift lever, and carb work to get it driving. Not drivable, but moving under it's own power. As I looked it over today, it's a slightly more dire situation. While I certainly could just toss those parts at it, this is something I would like to have for several years and would rather put the time in for up front. I don't know much about the bike's history, but I wish I did. Someone should be smacked. The gauge cluster is gone so I've got no idea what the mileage is (nor was I given an estimate) and all of the wiring to the peripherals has just been left hanging without a single label to point me in the right direction. The battery was probably left in as it sat because there's a small amount of acid residue in the battery box. Surface rust on many of the bolts and a bit on some of the outer facing surfaces of the frame. Nothing deep so some TLC and elbow grease can get it right off. I was excitedly told about the new tires it had on, but I haven't found them yet because the current ones have many cracks (fissures really) in the sidewall. Rounding out the list (for brevity) is the throttle grip just having been slid onto the handlebar, there's no cable and only half of the box that houses the Run/Kill switch.
She's a basket case, as they say. But she's my basket case.
Please pardon the disaster in the background. My only hope for keeping it indoors was a.. well stocked corner of the garage.
I'm new to the motorcycle scene and just recently snapped up an '89 Katana 600 from a friend of a friend for $400. It's in rough shape but I plan to get her back on the road come next summer. I definitely have a lot of questions but I'll be poking around a few days first to get the lay of the land.
As she sits, she isn't running. I was told I would need a clutch cable, shift lever, and carb work to get it driving. Not drivable, but moving under it's own power. As I looked it over today, it's a slightly more dire situation. While I certainly could just toss those parts at it, this is something I would like to have for several years and would rather put the time in for up front. I don't know much about the bike's history, but I wish I did. Someone should be smacked. The gauge cluster is gone so I've got no idea what the mileage is (nor was I given an estimate) and all of the wiring to the peripherals has just been left hanging without a single label to point me in the right direction. The battery was probably left in as it sat because there's a small amount of acid residue in the battery box. Surface rust on many of the bolts and a bit on some of the outer facing surfaces of the frame. Nothing deep so some TLC and elbow grease can get it right off. I was excitedly told about the new tires it had on, but I haven't found them yet because the current ones have many cracks (fissures really) in the sidewall. Rounding out the list (for brevity) is the throttle grip just having been slid onto the handlebar, there's no cable and only half of the box that houses the Run/Kill switch.
She's a basket case, as they say. But she's my basket case.
Please pardon the disaster in the background. My only hope for keeping it indoors was a.. well stocked corner of the garage.
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